In the winter of 1965, racecar driver Ken Miles roared out onto a track in the first 1965 Mustang Shelby GT350R fastback coupe. That car, painted white and highlighted with blue stripes, would go on to become a winning performance powerhouse and legendary icon.
Now, fifty-five years later, Ford is honoring that storied legacy by releasing the Heritage Edition package, available on the 2020 Shelby GT350 and the more aggressive GT350R models.
As with the original, the run will be finished in Wimbledon White paint, highlighted with Guardsman Blue stripes on the lower rocker panels and over the center of the car. All of the exterior badges will be finished in Guardsman Blue, too. Inside, there’ll be a unique dash badge and on GT350R models, all-black seats with red accent stitching.
The package doesn’t include mechanical changes, although the model did receive a few upgrades last year. Items engineers addressed included improving the steering feel and revising the antilock braking and suspension tuning for better ride and handling.
Under the hood, power still comes by way of a naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V8. On GT350 models, the powerplant produces 526 horsepower while the GT350R gets 527 horsepower. Torque is the same on both, rated at 429 lb-ft. The only transmission option is a 6-speed manual.
In keeping with the retro theme, pricing for the Heritage Edition is set at $1,965, plus the cost of the GT350 ($60,440 MSRP) or the GT350R ($73,435 MSRP). Dealers are already taking orders with completed cars slated to be shipped this spring. Ford hasn’t announced how many will be built.
Given the classic cool styling, paired with the thoroughly modern performance, no doubt these fast Fords will be eagerly scooped up by enthusiasts, collectors and anyone else wanting to own a piece of history.
