Much like the old saw that the (post-1914) Model T only came in black, the new Ford Shelby GT350R Mustang only comes in manual.
Ford emailed us today to clarify that the GT350R verion of the Ford Mustang will indeed only come in manual. It’s a nice contrast to the usual high-dollar trend, most notably in the newest Ferraris, Lamborghini, and even Porsche’s two-pedal-only GT3 RS.
The GT350R will have a Tremec TR-3160 six speed that is “lighter and stronger” as Ford claims. They elaborate with a number of very hardcore phrases.
- “gun-drilled main shaft” that is “power-honed in a post-heat-treating operation for a reduction in gear lash”
- “sides of the gears” that “are milled to remove unstressed material”
- “specially formulated carbon-bronze triple-cone synchronizers ... engineered to deliver the feel of a bronze synchro with the heat capacity of carbon”
- the shift mechanism uses “low-friction main pivot-ball and shifter-linkage joints” for a “satisfying, positive shift engagement”
That’s so tough I think I won a bareknuckle boxing title just reading that.
The GT350R is a high-tech track missile of carbon fiber and flat plane cranks. But there are some wonderful old school touches that shine through. This manual-only business perfectly sums that up.
Photo Credit: David Tracy
Contact the author at raphael@jalopnik.com.