This is a duel between the conspicuous and the subtle. The raw and the precise. The Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 and the Porsche 911. They’re both rear-wheel-driven automotive icons and they serve the same purpose, but with a totally different set of tools in their bags.
The new Porsche (992) 911 has got a 3.0-liter, twin-turbo flat-six powerplant while the Shelby GT350 packs a V-8. So, how do they fare against each other in a hot lap track battle? The answer comes courtesy of MotorTrend.
The question is, can the Shelby handle the 911 on a circuit?
In all fairness, the 2019 Mustang Shelby GT350 is not the car you want to sneeze at. Ford learned a lot of past lessons and applied that knowledge while it developed the GT350, so it’s no surprise that what resulted is an out-and-out muscle car.
Don’t believe us? Maybe you’ll believe the 5.2-liter, flat-plane crank V-8 that produces no less than 526 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque on 93-octane fuel and helps the GT350 sprint from naught to 60 mph in four seconds. Oh, and it also redlines at 8,250 rpm, making it the highest-revving production V-8 to ever come out of a Ford factory.
The Shelby also sits on Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber, 19-inch carbon fiber wheels, and comes with a Tremec six-speed manual as well as Ford’s MagneRide dampers.
Don’t underestimate the German sports car, though.
In Carrera S trim, the Neunelfer churns out 443 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque and yes, it’s 83 horsepower and 39 pound-feet of torque behind the Shelby GT350, but the fast-shifting PDK dual-clutch transmission is one serious ace up its sleeve. Just have a look at the 0-60 mph sprint time: it’s just 3 seconds flat, one click quicker than the Shelby. The lower weight is bound to help, too, so despite the opposite souls of these two cars, they should, in theory, offer similar levels of performance on the track.
That said, do head below to check out the full video. Care to lay some bets, too, gentlemen, while you're at it?