Forget horsepower, 0-to-60 times and most other manufacturer claims, the true gauge for any performance car looking to compete on a global level is how well it does around the Nürburgring->ke999. When it comes to the 2016 Shelby GT350R Mustang, things definitely look promising. According to horsepowerkings, the GT350R ran a lap in 7 minutes and 32.19 seconds back in September, but with no video or official info from Ford->ke31 and only a “trusted source” to back up this claim, we’re taking it with a grain of salt at this point.
Still, if that number does hold up, the newest member of the Shelby Mustang family would be in impressive company when it comes to ‘Ring lap times. In terms of manufacturer-backed times, this number would mean that the Shelby GT350R is about two seconds faster than a 997 Porsche 911 GT2 (with stock tires) and about five seconds faster than both a 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 and 991 Porsche 911 Carrera S. And just to put the 7:32-minute mark into perspective, that’s only about four seconds slower than a 2004 Porsche Carrera GT->ke2124 and three seconds slower than a 2009 Nissan GT-R.
At this point, it is not all that surprising that Ford is withholding the ‘Ring lap time of the Shelby GT350R, as it has yet to even release official power output other than stating that its track-tuned muscle car will have more than 500 horsepower and over 440 pound-feet of torque. I’m guessing as the launch date grows closer, Ford will gladly boast about its lap time if it does stand at 7:32.19 minutes. That being said, I wouldn’t be surprised if a few tenths of a second are shaved off here and there once the car is tested in full production trim.
Click past the jump to read more about the Ford Shelby GT350R Mustang.
Why it matters
Ford is looking to flex its global performance muscles, and if this report is true, the 2016 Shelby GT350R will indeed be an impressive vehicle. Without having an official Nürburgring lap time from Ford, the 7:32.19 time is just pure speculation, but such news will probably give fans of the Ford Mustang and performance cars alike plenty to get excited about. If true, that will likely make the GT350R one of the fastest cars for the money around the ‘Ring with a price tag that could very well be below $70,000.