For over fifty years there has been a version of the Shelby Mustang. At some points it has been under the Ford roof, others under the watchful eye of Shelby America, but always there has been one, at least since 1965. For 2016, the Shelby GT350 returns to Ford to be the iconic car it once was and can be once again. This awesome car features everything you could want or expect from a Mustang, making for an awesome ride on the backroads of America with twists, turns, elevation changes and long straightaways.

As a weekend track warrior, the GT350 will be a great car to run around the loop as well as being the toast of the party all week. Showing off with a new 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine that offers a racing-style flat plane to improve the overall performance, this car is expected to easily reach past 500 horsepower and well over 400 lb.-ft. of torque. The transmission will be one of the most dynamic six-speed manual offerings ever found on the road, allowing you to enjoy the control and awesome power beneath the skin of the new GT350.

Controlling a power beast can sometimes be a difficult task, but the Ford engineers were up to the challenge. The Shelby will feature a wider front track, lower ride height, stiffer springs, and recalibrated suspension than the previous model. This car will also use continuously controlled MagneRide dampers which is a first for Ford. To stop this power monster large Brembo brakes and extra-stiff, staggered-width 19-ich allow wheels are in place to help make the stops as quickly as possible. Of course a car like this has its own sport tires which are Michelin Pilot Super Sport to give the best grip possible.

Taking a cue from the success of the aluminum-clad F-150, the new Shelby GT350 uses aluminum for all body panels from the A-pillar forward. The aerodynamics come from the front fascia and a ducted belly pan to help improve downforce while a slotted hood helps to extract heat from the engine along with fender vents that doe the same for the wheel wells. Not to be too showy, the GT350 has always had a modest spoiler, and this one carries forward, but even with a modest design, the spoiler does the job for the GT350, helping to increase downforce and channel air to the differential cooler.

The entire interior of this 2016 Mustang has been redone to give the car Recaro sport seats, a flat-bottomed steering wheel, and upgraded instrument panel and a five-mode driver control system. The designers and engineers claim they have taken the best parts of the Mustang and improved the performance several notches to come up with a car that will perform exceptionally well on the track as well as on the backroads of the US. It’s certainly hard to argue that point as the new Mustang gives us plenty to look forward to for the upcoming model year.