13/14 GT500 comparison with new GT350/R

[bpmurr]

I have a 13 GT500 and a 16 GT350.Both have Track Pack.
They are very different cars.
The GT350 handling and especially ride is far ahead ot the GT500.
There is quite a bit of drama with the 500,none with the 350.
You feel every pound of the extra 375 or so the 500 carries.
A little more torque at low RPM would be nice.
Overall pretty happy with the GT350.
Guy

375, Have you weighed them both?

I thought the gt500 was 3850 and the gt350 was 3800.

Shelby GT350® 3760
Shelby GT350® with tech package 3798
Shelby GT350® with track package 3791
Shelby® GT350R 3655
Shelby® GT350R with electronics package 3703

There really isn't that big of a difference unless you can get a R without the electronics package. The GT350 Tech and Track don't weigh that much less than a 13-14 GT500. It's just you don't feel the weight as much because the S550 platform is better balanced.

 

[krt22]

Agreed, the GT500 would only win in stock straight line performance. Having owned multiple S197s and now a S550 I find the S550 platform to be superior. Unless you're hung up on the Shelby name and warrantied stock performance, a 16 GT with a Whipple is probably the best buy out of any of them right now until GT350 pricing comes back down to earth.

Disagree completely, no way to can compare the power delivery and throttle response of the Voodoo to that of a blown coyote. Not even going to debate all the other places the GT350 will be hard to replicate in the aftermarket.

 

[biminiLX]

I'm the last person that you would ever find to be hung up on a name, but the GT350 is a TON of car for the money. If you can buy one at MSRP, it's a steal IMO. I don't think just buying a GT and throwing a blower on it would get you anything like the GT350's all around performance. Maybe you can compare the GT with a blower to the GT500 and I would still take a blown GT over a GT500, but the GT350, IMO, is still way more car.

x2
BUT, who drives a stock GT500?
Specifically the '13-14 cars, with mild basic mods and a tire, is a street/strip killer.
That's why I said they are hard to compare, the GT350 is street/road course instead of street/strip.
Don't get me wrong, I plan on getting a 350R later in the run depending what and if another GT500 happens in the s550 chassis, but its hard to beat a modded GT500 for street/strip, what the majority here do.
These cars have never been a fair comparison, doesn't mean they aren't each excellent.
-J

 

[dom418]

The point of the thread should be to compare the 2 in stock form. Once the modding argument is started all bets are off. There were some epic pissing matches when the 13/14 came out in that section. Everyone thought nothing would ever top that car but...progress cannot be stopped.

 

[biminiLX]

The point of the thread should be to compare the 2 in stock form. Once the modding argument is started all bets are off. There were some epic pissing matches when the 13/14 came out in that section. Everyone thought nothing would ever top that car but...progress cannot be stopped.

I hate that argument, stock only.
Sure you can, but the GT350 owns the road course, GT500 owns the strip, and each are built with different purposes.
Read any of the magazine tests and TIRES are one of the main factors, which the GT350 clearly dominates.
Still, would be interesting to see both cars on the same track with the same driver on same day, only fair comparison.
-J

 

[ON D BIT]

I hate that argument, stock only.
Sure you can, but the GT350 owns the road course, GT500 owns the strip, and each are built with different purposes.
Read any of the magazine tests and TIRES are one of the main factors, which the GT350 clearly dominates.
Still, would be interesting to see both cars on the same track with the same driver on same day, only fair comparison.
-J

I actually don't like that argument. Modding means nothing! Changing car means you can change(perceivably) into anything you want. Take a gt500 and swap out to a full CF body 100k and years worth of testing engineering into the suspension with the new balance specs of the cf body. what really have you gained by changing the car you started with?

Favorite vid of a mustang. But I'd rather have the new R!
[video=youtube_share;gQz7e0j9Dv4]http://youtu.be/gQz7e0j9Dv4[/video]

 

[IamRacerX]

I have a 13 GT500 and a 16 GT350.Both have Track Pack.
They are very different cars.
The GT350 handling and especially ride is far ahead ot the GT500.
There is quite a bit of drama with the 500,none with the 350.
You feel every pound of the extra 375 or so the 500 carries.
A little more torque at low RPM would be nice.
Overall pretty happy with the GT350.
Guy

The 375 comment speaks volumes... The two cars are about 75lbs apart yet you say the 500 feesl 375lbs heavier.... There you have part of the differences. The gt350 is more nimble and feels so...

 

[GT Premi]

Shelby GT350® 3760
Shelby GT350® with tech package 3798
Shelby GT350® with track package 3791
Shelby® GT350R 3655
Shelby® GT350R with electronics package 3703

There really isn't that big of a difference unless you can get a R without the electronics package. The GT350 Tech and Track don't weigh that much less than a 13-14 GT500. It's just you don't feel the weight as much because the S550 platform is better balanced.

It doesn't weigh much less than the '11/'12 GT500, either. The non-SVTPP car is something like 3,820. The SVTPP car is 3,7XX.

The 375 comment speaks volumes... The two cars are about 75lbs apart yet you say the 500 feesl 375lbs heavier.... There you have part of the differences. The gt350 is more nimble and feels so...

It speaks volumes to the huge difference lightweight wheels make. When I swapped out my stock battleship propellers for some lightweight wheels, my car felt like it lost 300 pounds! As huge as it is, my car feels really nimble when hustling it down the road. But my car probably weighs less than a base R now, too, so I'm very curious how a GT350(R) feels compared to mine. I'd hate to buy an R and it end up not feeling much different than my current setup.

 

[cluscher]

The ability to compare with just street driving is very limited. There is virtually nothing you can do on the street to effectively compare the potential and characteristics of the two at their limits. Without first hand experience of driving both on the track, there isn't an ability to fully compare.

Like I said, with experience driving a GT500 at speed on an open track, I can attest that it is a damn good performer. So much so that I think you can take a stopwatch to the two and see lap times in the same ballpark. However, I can only guess about the 350 at this point. Unfortunately there are a lot more straight line GT500 guys than open track GT500 guys, so the ability to compare by those with first hand experience is limited.

And don't mistake my post as saying that I think in comparing the two they will handle and drive similarly. They will be very different experiences, but the comparison can be made in how quickly they get around a track. Could you "compare" a 350 and an STi, probably not.

 

[ON D BIT]

The difference in the weight of the 11/12 GT500 was not the performance pack but the mach 1000 sound system and sub that adds 70lbs.

 

[conceptmachine]

Let's just lobby to ford about bringing the s550 GT 500 and then we can have the best of both worlds in 1 package. IMO they should have just made a 700 hp track and strip car instead of this 530 hp track only. The zl1 will be here soon and with its weight and power it's gonna make the 350 look bad. 650 hp and similar weight etc..etc.. ouch.

 

[ON D BIT]

Let's just lobby to ford about bringing the s550 GT 500 and then we can have the best of both worlds in 1 package. IMO they should have just made a 700 hp track and strip car instead of this 530 hp track only. The zl1 will be here soon and with its weight and power it's gonna make the 350 look bad. 650 hp and similar weight etc..etc.. ouch.

How is it going to be similar weight? Look at at least 200 over the weight of the ss. How much more does the blown z06 weigh over the n/a vette? 300?

 

[conceptmachine]

How is it going to be similar weight? Look at at least 200 over the weight of the ss. How much more does the blown z06 weigh over the n/a vette? 300?

How similar do i have to be, I'm not talking 50 or 100 lbs similar but maybe 200!
Of course we don't know exactly how much more it will weigh until the zl is unveiled. I'm guessing 150 lbs. Still at 125 more hp, and possible weight savings of its own, the ball is in chevys court, unless ford isn't caught sleeping (with a gt500) . I have a good feeling the zl1 is gonna be one heck of a car. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 lbs lighter (maybe more) than the last gen zl1 and 75 more hp. Would I buy one? Never, but I'm interested to see what they bring. It's all speculation but soon it will be no more.

 

[ON D BIT]

I'm thinking 4K lbs.
Same with the next GT500 when it arrives.
I don't think either will run the track like the Z28 or 350R.

 

[tt335ci03cobra]

A retooled voodoo 5.0 with a set of twins would only bump up weight by 75-100lbs for the power adders. It'd be a great time to showcase an allinum intensive exterior or other tricky bits.

750hp would be a cake walk with twins on a fpc 5.0, and the extra cylinder wall width, and smaller displacement would make for a stronger fpc foundation.

Fear none at all, a gt500 successor is definitely in the pipe line.

The gt350 was a year 2 hot handler. Think boss 302 spiritual successor. Don't get caught up in it having a Shelby name.

The gt500 successor is just around the corner. We'll probably hear about it before March of 2016, and it will probably go on sale by october of 2016.

The gt350 was shown in December of 14, and on sale as of 2 months ago.

I'm excited to see what the car will bring to the table. The gt350 has impressed me decidedly.

 

[conceptmachine]

I'll say 3950 and 650hp. They might even do more specialized weight savings and get it to 3850. I'm interested to see what they do. Hear lots of good things about how well the car is balanced and feels. It will be a better performer than the outgoing which is not good to hear not caring for the brand.

 

[conceptmachine]

A retooled voodoo 5.0 with a set of twins would only bump up weight by 75-100lbs for the power adders. It'd be a great time to showcase an allinum intensive exterior or other tricky bits.

750hp would be a cake walk with twins on a fpc 5.0, and the extra cylinder wall width, and smaller displacement would make for a stronger fpc foundation.

Fear none at all, a gt500 successor is definitely in the pipe line.

The gt350 was a year 2 hot handler. Think boss 302 spiritual successor. Don't get caught up in it having a Shelby name.

The gt500 successor is just around the corner. We'll probably hear about it before March of 2016, and it will probably go on sale by october of 2016.

The gt350 was shown in December of 14, and on sale as of 2 months ago.

I'm excited to see what the car will bring to the table. The gt350 has impressed me decidedly.

Hope we hear something soon. I love the s550 body but want the 500 version. 350 would do but why not more HP!

 

[RedVenom48]

As a 2011 owner, I know my ole lady is a handfull. But for me personally I love that I have to engage it to drive it hard. Simply a thrill and never have I felt too at the limit unless its a cold morning and the Spinyears arent hot yet out back.

Having road tested an S550 GT and knowing how it was a much smoother handling car than my beloved, I can only imagine how much more refined and precise a 350/350R is. But at the end of the day, both cars are fast, and will need different driving styles and skills to get them moving. Ill definitely say that having a normal torque curve instead of a damn table like the 500 makes it easier to giddy up. Gimme drag radials and a nicely prepped track though.... good lawd is there almost nothing better than a rocket ship run down the track!

 

[MKSVT]

I was considering, but i am not getting rid of my Shelby for a slower car just because its the flavor of the year. I get the idea of it handling better just like the hype when the boss 302 came out.Which was dust in the wind when the 13/14 500 was announced. But for street/strip driving i prefer the pucker factor of the gt500. I drove my buddys 350 track pack and it just didn't give me that feeling. The car is proven and shines on the road course. For me and 90% of its owners will never do that so whats the point. Just because it new? I will wait to see what fords rolls outs with for the s550 500.

 

[03MUSCLE]

How often are you gonna be on a road course? 99.5 % of drivin is done on the street in a strait line when GT350 and the gt500 meet up and the GT500 will just embaress the GT350 on the hwy or stop light to stop light. Nobodies racin on the twistes lets get real. A closed course is no comparison on the street GT500 takes the GT350 everytime!! Just my 2cents.