How a 2013 Shelby GT350 lives up to Carroll Shelby’s legacy: Motoramic Drives

It’s been one year ago to the day since Carroll Shelby passed away. The effervescent chicken farmer left many memories, along with world-beating American muscle. For many, myself included, the Shelby GT350, first introduced in 1965, remains one of the finest muscle cars of all-time. It’s a car that fully embodies the Shelby mantra, boasting brutish looks and enough power to stir earthquakes.

In remembrance of Shelby’s legacy, I visited the Shelby American headquarters in Las Vegas. But rather than drive the GT350 of old, I drove Shelby’s 2013 GT350: the best modern-day Mustang you can buy.

When Carroll Shelby unveiled the original GT350, the numeric in the title had nothing to do with horsepower. During deliberation with the folks at Ford, Carroll decided to take a break from juggling names and sought peace outside. When a Ford employee joined Carroll on the sidewalk, the conversation led to randomly speculating the distance between two buildings: “About 350 feet,” estimated the Ford employee, according to my tour guide at the Shelby museum. After that, the GT350 was born.

Today, the GT350 stands as the tamest of the Shelby Mustang corral, behind the 850-hp Super Snake and insane 1,000-hp Shelby 1000. And yet, "this is my favorite Shelby,” said company president, John Luft. “I love the Super Snake and Shelby 1000, but once I’d driven the GT350, I knew this was the car I wanted day-to-day.” Both of the mightier cars generally spend more time in the owner’s garage than on the road: “People buy these cars for bragging rights,” Luft continued. “They want to say: ‘I have 1000 hp.’”

For 2013, based on the Ford Mustang GT, the GT350 boasts either 525 hp or 624 hp, depending on whether one desires a supercharger. The car I’d be driving was the supercharged brute. Dressed in bright green, the GT350 boasts an impressive stance. The Shelby logo on the grille, trunk, hood and sides reminds you of the ominous beast underneath. Igniting all 624 ponies, it sounded like the deep rumble might cause Caesar’s Palace to crumble into dust. As good as all V-8 Mustangs sound, this sounded better.

The commotion amongst the general public as I exited the Shelby museum parking lot was palpable. I almost felt like Carroll himself, as onlookers whipped out their cell phone cameras as I roared by. Barely feathering the throttle, the rear tires became engulfed in smoke, and my hands worked overtime to catch its dancing tail. Having spent hours behind the wheel of the 662-hp Shelby GT500, this sensation surprised me. Despite 38 less horsepower, somehow the GT350 felt much faster.