Legends Never Die
The Ford Mustang in itself is already one of the most legendary and iconic nameplates ever made. As it stands, the Mustang is an outlier in a world full of fuel-efficient and electrified performance cars, still carrying the torch for the good old V8.
However, there has always been an “ultimate” Mustang model, one that took things to another level and has become its own Mustang icon. Shelby’s renditions of the Mustang have been around for decades, but for the current-generation Mustang, Ford seems to be taking another route: a GT350 successor rather than an all-new model.
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Shelby Mustang GT350 Heir Apparent
A report from Ford Authority says they got exclusive information that a Shelby Mustang GT350 replacement is being developed for the new-generation S650 Mustang. According to sources and insiders, the new model will be based on the recently launched Dark Horse SC Mustang, which, as we know, is already a high-performance variant.
It won’t just be a rebadge; the new car and the Dark Horse SC will share some things but ultimately will have key differences. The report says both cars will share a similar wide-body setup, but the GT350 successor will have a completely different engine: instead of the Dark Horse SC’s supercharged 5.2L V8, the new car will go “au natural” with a naturally aspirated V8 like previous GT350s.
The report also says the new Mustang will most likely slot between the standard Dark Horse and the Dark Horse SC. There’s a big enough gap between both to slot in an additional model; the Dark Horse makes just 500 hp, while the SC produces a massive 795 hp. While the insider didn’t provide specific specs, it’s safe to assume that the new car could make upwards of 600 hp. The insider confirmed it will be paired with a manual, with no word on whether an automatic will be offered later.
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Track Focused
Besides the powerplant, the upcoming Mustang will be track-focused according to the report. It will have bigger brakes, additional cooling capacity, and upgraded suspension, all of which could be shared from the SC. It has also been confirmed that it will be offered only as a coupe, with no convertible option in the works.
It’s still unclear what this GT350 heir will be called, but we can be sure it’ll feature the Dark Horse name. The report also mentions that the Blue Oval already filed a trademark for the Dark Horse Boss name as early as last year, which is likely what this model will be called.
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