Ford will be debuting the racecar version of its road-going Mustang Shelby GT350R this weekend in the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge at Watkins Glen. Dubbed the GT350R-C, the competition version of Ford’s latest Shelby car is powered by a modified version of the same 5.2L V8 flat-plane crankshaft found in the road car.
The highly anticipated 2016 GT350R will be replacing the outgoing Boss 302, Ford’s previous-generation street legal track car, the Boss 302. Still highly competitive, the Boss 302 will be taking to the grid at Watkins Glen alongside the new GT350R-C.
Ford hasn’t released any detailed specifications on the the brand-new racecar yet, but we do know the suspension, like the fire-breathing flat-plane V8, will be an adapted version of the fully independent suspension from GT350R. The GT350R-C will have revised spring rates, anti-roll bars, a lower ride height, race-spec alignment settings, revised bushings and cross-axis ball joints up front.
We’re really looking forward to seeing (and hearing) the new GT350R-C in full competition mode. As you’ve undoubtedly read several times, the new powerplant is the first-ever production car V8 from Ford with a flat-plane crankshaft. A flat-plane configuration isn’t a very common sight, and it’s typically found in exotics and supercars. Besides the high-revving-power-producing characteristics, they’re known for putting out a brutal sounding exhaust note, too.
Canadians will be pleased to read that the first GT350R-C will be campaigned by longtime Ford partner, Multimatic Motorsports out of Markham, Ontario.
Ford Mustangs have a long and illustrious history in this major race series, and we truly look forward to following the progress of the all-new GT350R-C in its racing debut this weekend.
