At the 2016 Performance Racing Industry show in Indianapolis earlier this month, Ford Performance pulled the wraps off of a new, dedicated Mustang race car based on the current Shelby GT350 Mustang.
It’s called the Shelby FP350S, and it’s very much non-street-legal. What it is suitable for is Trans Am racing in the TA3 and TA4 classes, as well as NASA and SCCA racing in the T1 and T2 classes. Like the Ford Shelby GT350R-C that won the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge this year, and the new Ford Mustang GT4 unveiled at SEMA last month, the Shelby FP350S is a turn-key race car built to meet specific homologation requirements and run with the best from Porsche and Chevrolet.
“Our goal has always been to provide those who want to race with equipment that enables them to compete and win,” says Ford Performance Global Director Dave Pericak. “Shelby FP350S is our latest example.”
The Hardware
The new Shelby FP350S is catapulted forward by a 5.2-liter V8 with four valves per-cylinder, prepared by Ford Performance Parts. The unibody has been seam-welded for greater rigidity; also contributing to its stiffness is an FIA-compliant 6-point roll cage. A quick-release steering wheel, FIA-compliant racing seat from Sparco, and a MOTEC data-acquisition system further validate this model’s incontestable racing aptitude.
Torque from the Shelby FP350S’ 5.2L engine is pumped through a Tremec 3160 transmission with an integral oil pump, and rearward to a 3.73 differential. A competition-inspired engine oil pan and oil cooler, and “race-oriented” exhaust and suspension components further bolster performance, while a front splitter and adjustable, carbon-fiber rear wing lend the car some stabilizing downforce. The standard wheels measure 19 inches in diameter, with 10.5 inches of front width and 11 inches in the rear, though a set of forged racing wheels measuring 18 inches by 11 inches all around can be had as an option.
Full details and pricing for the new Shelby FP350S will be available soon.
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