2019 GT350 Cobra
The GT350 Cobra may very well be the last great naturally aspirated Mustang that Ford will ever build.
Quick Stats:
Vehicle Layout: Front-Engine, RWD
Engine: 5.2L V8 / 526-hp / 429-lb-ft
Transmission: 6-Speed Manual
0-60mph: 4.1sec est.
Weight: ~3,800 lb.
It seems as though American muscle sports cars have been a main staple of the automotive world since the beginning of time. At the epicenter of the sports car world, is the Ford Mustang. The Mustang gives you everything you could ever ask for in a sports car – brute power, throaty exhaust notes, and sleek exterior design coupled with a modern interior. From Hollywood (think Eleanor from “Gone in 60 Seconds” or Steve McQueen’s 1968 Fastback from “Bullitt”) to racetracks spanned across the world, the Mustang has undoubtedly reigned supreme for generations and still has more to continue giving to the automotive world. The Ford Mustang debuted in 1964 as a sporty and cheap car for young buyers, to then evolving into a high-end midclass speed machine for all age ranges. There’s enough history packed into this ride to last us for days, but for this post, I will focus on reviewing the 2019 GT350 Cobra.
The GT350 is an unbelievable machine. Believe me, at your beck and call, this pony will saddle up and haul out! The unique flat-plane-crank V8, naturally aspirated engine dubbed “voodoo” quickly puts a euphoric sinister grin on your face, deriving from the instant feel of power you’re wielding. The Tremec manual transmission is one of the smoothest shifters I’ve used in a car without question. The shifts are precise and short making it that much easier to blow past the speed limit-finding yourself telling the officer “sorry, thought I was going with the flow of traffic”. All while you’re breaking those limits, this car is pumping out an exhaust note that simply melts your ears. It gives you that true muscle car sound coupled with a slight pinch of exotic racer echoes. The GT350 also felt very safe and planted to the road, which makes sense given the massive tires (305 front/315 rear) equipped on its platform.
This brings me to the icing on the cake attribute of the GT350. Ford has thoroughly modified the voodoo engine and transmission to meet the rigorous demands of the racetrack, with that comes a 5.2L V8 that revs upwards to 8,200 revolutions per minute. Those are European sports car specifications and usually foreign to American motors. Not the 350 Cobra. The long power bands within each gear allow the driver to comfortably use the Mustang in various driving scenarios – it’s a daily driver that you can take to track days and obliterate a lot of the competition. It’s simply genius what Ford was able to pull off and I’m thankful they were able to pull it off for us adrenaline junkies.
Hope you enjoyed my review, catch you all soon…
