[USA] Ford Shelby GT350R Mustang 2016

[Pandino]

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carscoops

Press Release:

SHELBY GT350R MUSTANG: MOST TRACK-CAPABLE PRODUCTION MUSTANG EVER BUILT COMING TO U.S., CANADA LATER THIS YEAR

• A combination of changes to aerodynamics and suspension tuning to the new Shelby^® GT350R Mustang leads to most race-ready road-legal Mustang ever
  
• Significant engineering innovations result in weight savings, aero improvements to benefit on-track performance; Ford is the first major automaker to introduce carbon fiber wheels as standard equipment on Shelby GT350R Mustang
  
• New Shelby GT350R, a limited-production performance Mustang, will be available later this year
  

Ford today unveiled the new Shelby^® GT350R Mustang, the most track-ready road-going production Mustang ever built.

In 1965, Ford and Carroll Shelby developed a road-racing version of the popular Ford Mustang – the Shelby GT350 Competition model. Lighter, more powerful and with a highly developed suspension, it is one of the most iconic racing Mustangs ever produced.

Arriving later this year, the new Shelby GT350R has been designed and engineered in the same spirit, delivering never-before-seen track capability from a Mustang – thanks to innovations in aerodynamics, chassis engineering and light-weighting.

“The Shelby GT350R Mustang is a no-compromise car in the pursuit of maximum track capability,” said Raj Nair, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development. “It is a thoroughbred street car making use of technology and ingenuity to deliver performance few enthusiasts have ever experienced.”

The car features the first-ever production V8 from Ford with a flat-plane crankshaft – the most powerful naturally aspirated engine Ford has ever produced – plus a specially tuned suspension. It is fitted with revised spring rates and antiroll bars, lower ride height, unique track-tuned alignment settings, revised bushings and jounce bumpers, cross-axis ball joints in the front suspension, and revised calibration controlling the MagneRide dampers.

“The Shelby GT350R Mustang is a car with the nimbleness and power delivery you want on a road course,” said Nair. “This isn’t just about horsepower. The Shelby GT350R is an all-around balanced athlete – one that is extraordinarily precise and agile.”

Track technology for the street

Lightweight carbon fiber wheels are standard on Shelby GT350R, making Ford the first major automaker to introduce this innovative wheel technology as standard equipment.

Carbon fiber wheels have been offered on only a handful of exotic supercars and will benefit Shelby GT350R performance by shaving critical unsprung weight and reducing rolling inertia. The 19x11-inch front and 19x11.5-inch rear wheels provide approximately 13 pounds of unsprung weight reduction per wheel and offer higher levels of stiffness than equivalent aluminum wheels.

The lightweight wheels will be shod in Michelin’s top-shelf Pilot Sport Cup 2 high-performance tires with rubber compound and a construction unique to Shelby GT350R. This combination of incredibly stiff and light wheels with bespoke tires offers customers exceptional steering feel and levels of performance.

Weight reduction in pursuit of performance

Ford engineers delivered against aggressive targets for weight reduction on the Shelby GT350R. If a part did not make the car faster around a road course, it was considered for deletion.

Items removed include air conditioning, the stereo system, rear seats, trunk floorboard and carpet, backup camera and emergency tire sealer and inflator. Exhaust resonators also have been removed for weight savings with the benefit of creating a sharper exhaust tone.

Shelby GT350R is more than 130 pounds lighter than the Shelby GT350 Track Pack model, which has proven its durability in multiple 24-hour racetrack tests.

For customers seeking more comfort in their Shelby GT350R, Ford is offering an optional Electronics Package. Included is dual-zone air conditioning, 8-inch touch screen with navigation, seven-speaker audio system, turn signal mirrors and more.

Aggressive aerodynamics

Shelby GT350R has been optimized for aerodynamic excellence. Details including the hood vent for heat extraction and lift reduction, underbody belly pans front and rear, an aggressive diffuser, vented wheel wells and turbulence-reducing fender vents, wheel air curtains and side skirts all remain on Shelby GT350R, but the car’s downforce capability has been increased.

Revisions to the front splitter maximize downforce, while an all-new high-efficiency carbon fiber rear wing has been added in anticipation of competition. The wing moves the vehicle’s center of pressure rearward while improving downforce and lift balance – ideal for high-speed track work.

“Shelby GT350R’s highly efficient aerodynamics, innovative light-weighting and world-class chassis deliver a truly spectacular driving experience that makes you feel like a professional racing driver,” said Kerry Baldori, Ford Performance chief functional engineer.

World-class powertrain

The new 5.2-liter dual-overhead-cam V8 engine is the first-ever production V8 from Ford with a flat-plane crankshaft – an architecture typically found only in racing applications or exotic European sports cars.

Unlike traditional V8s, where the connecting rods are attached to the crankshaft at 90-degree intervals, this design evenly spaces all crank pins at 180-degree intervals to optimize high-speed engine breathing. It is the most powerful naturally aspirated production Ford engine ever, with more than 500 horsepower and more than 400 lb.-ft. of torque.

An air-to-oil engine oil cooler typically found only on race cars maintains engine temperatures under the most severe conditions, as does a standard cooler for the six-speed manual transmission.

A Ford-tuned limited-slip Torsen differential with 3.73 axle ratio is optimized for cornering grip and straight-line traction, while an electronically modulated rear-mounted air-to-oil differential cooler maintains ideal temperatures during track driving.

Dedicated R design details

Aside from carbon fiber wheels, larger front splitter and rear wing, Shelby GT350R features distinct design details. Exterior touches include red painted brake calipers, red pin striping at the edges of the optional over-the-top racing stripes and Shelby GT350R badging. Inside is high-contrast red stitching, Shelby GT350R badging and the D-shaped steering wheel fitted with a red center mark at the top.

New breed of performance

The limited-production Shelby GT350R will be available in the United States and Canada later this year, and is one of more than 12 new Ford Performance vehicles coming by 2020.

“This is the pinnacle of performance Mustangs today,” said Dave Pericak, director, Ford Performance. “The Shelby GT350R Mustang lays the groundwork for a story that will play out for years to come on the track and the street.”

FORD

Cerchi banali (imho) a parte, è davvero bella!

Modificato 12 Gennaio 2015 da Touareg 2.5

[Nicola_P]

sembrano quasi aftermarket quei cerchi, japan style!

[lupin3rd]

Mi piace perché è veramente tamarrissima ma ben si adatta alle linee della Mustang attuale.

[__P]

sembrano quasi aftermarket quei cerchi, japan style!

Assai probabile che siano cerchi reperibili sul mercato, e quindi non con disegno specifico...

[TonyH]

Dovrebbero essere in carbonio.

Decisamente una goduria se pizzichi un marciapiede.

[Closer]

Toglietele cerchi e stendipanni, che così pare una GTR...

[Touareg 2.5]

A me invece questa non piace proprio

[crabble]

A me non dispiace, è un pò esagerata ma nemmeno troppo, ci sono realizzazioni più ridicole di sicuro. Solo che gli hanno tolto tutto e hanno risparmiato appena 60kg?! ...speravo almeno un centinaio...

La cosa divertente è:

"MOST TRACK-CAPABLE PRODUCTION MUSTANG EVER"

Sembra una pubblicità Apple "most phonetic iPhone ever"

[Gabbro]

Boh...a me vista a pezzi piace molto.

Guardo il frontale, mi piace.

Guardo il posteriore, mi piace.

La guardo nell'insieme...e mi sa proprio insipida.

[crabble]

I primi cerchi di produzione industriale in carbonio...

Ford Spills Details on Shelby GT350R Mustang’s Carbon Fiber Wheels

Although carbon fiber wheels have been available on low-volume supercars from Koenigsegg and through the aftermarket, the Ford Shelby GT350R is the first mass-produced car to feature the exotic wheels. Ford has now revealed more details of the track-ready Shelby GT350R Mustang’s carbon fiber wheels.

“The GT350R wheels and tires were developed to be the most track-capable parts we’ve ever produced,” said Adam Wirth, chassis supervisor, Ford Performance, in a release. “The carbon fiber wheels reduce vehicle weight by 60 pounds compared to aluminum, yet are stiffer for better steering response. “We believe this is a game changer for the industry,” he added, “a great example of improved performance through innovation.”

Sourced from Australian supplier Carbon Revolution, the benefits of the lightweight carbon fiber wheels include a significant reduction in unsprung weight and rotating mass for improved chassis performance and driving dynamics, according to Ford. In testing, the wheels were said to also improve suspension response times, steering feel, and ride quality. While reduced weight is important to performance, the wheels also needed to meet Ford’s durability standards, including curb strikes, exposure to UV and chemicals, and extreme heat particularly during track events. Ford says the carbon fiber wheels are designed to be stiff, light, and resilient. Ford says that response time from the lightweight wheels and the MagneRide dampers was so quick that the test driver wasn’t sure if the curb strike test had been performed correctly, so the test was repeated.

In order to combat excess brake heat on the track (with temperatures exceeding 900 degrees Celsius), Carbon Revolution developed a new thermal barrier coating system using a ceramic coating similar to that used in aerospace applications. The carbon fiber wheels use a multistage, multimaterial coating formulation. A plasma arc gun is used to liquefy a ceramic material that is applied to the “barrel” of the wheel and the backside of the spokes. The coating is said to protect the carbon fiber’s resin from heat. Another coating was developed to protect the wheels from UV, corrosive salts, and road chemicals. Finally, several new processes were developed to give the wheels a smooth, high-gloss black finish. Construction of the carbon fiber wheels consists of a preformed internal carbon structure made from carbon strands woven into a fabric. After the pieces are placed into a mold, it’s infused with a resin and cured at high temperatures, making a one-piece wheel. An RFID chip is embedded in the structure to monitor quality control, running 61 individual checks and logging 246,000 data points. Once the wheels are cured, they are analyzed by a 3D computerized tomography (CT) imaging process, where 18,000 X-ray images are taken. After passing inspection, the wheels are machined for the valve stem and mounting holes before being painted, coated, and assembled.

All told, the wheels weigh 18 pounds each versus 33 pounds for alloy wheels, reducing rotational mass by 40 percent.

Source: Ford

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