Today is a very happy day for every Mustang lover out there! April 17th is celebrated as a National Mustang Day that allows everyone to enjoy the beauty of the Ford Mustang. Blue Oval company used this day to announce that the high-performance Shelby GT350 and GT350R variants will continue in the 2018 model year. Ford also confirmed that they will go on sale this fall, but they have not disclosed whether there will be any changes in price.
As far as the visual and price differences of these two versions are considered, the GT350 and GT350R will not change that much because with 2018 MY the buyers will have three new color pallets to choose from – Kona Blue, Lead Food Gray, and Orange Fury. Both the GT350 and GT350R will not change mechanically which means that they will stay true to the current models. This also clearly suggest that they will use the same 5.2 L V8 with 526 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque, as well as Brembo brakes and MagneRide dampers which help stop and corner with as much confidence as it accelerates.
Thanks to this announcement Ford also confirmed some of the rumors and speculations which suggested that there will be changes on the 2018 MY Shelby variants. We could hear things like the ones indicating that the GT350 might receive an optional dual-clutch transmission for those of you out there who like to shift on the steering wheel mounted pedals instead of using a clutch and shifter stick.
Those of you who are considering a 2018 Ford Mustang it is good news that you can opt for lesser variants that have received a refresh in the form of a new front end with more angular headlights and a hood that is slanted downwards even more. The interior features a revised center stack with an optional digital instrument panel you can order now. The bad side of all this is that you can no longer get a V6 unit, instead of it a 2.3 L turbocharged four-cylinder and 5.0 L V8, both of which now benefit from mechanical upgrades that additionally boost the output.
To make the celebration day even more special, Ford also showcased the artistic work of the company’s interior design chief Ehab Kaoud. Kaoud is famous for creating digital works that are vibrantly colorful as you can see here. In the video provided by the carmaker, we can see that the company decided to highlight more of his creations and some of them are related to exterior design from the 2015 model. Enjoy watching!
