In the world of Ford Mustangs, the royal family has one name, Shelby. Shelby Mustangs have always been the top dogs when it comes to factory Mustangs, dating back all the way to 1965, with the introduction of the first Shelby GT350. While the Mustang has ebbed and flowed throughout the years, there have almost always been Shelby variants to deliver as much power as humanly possible. With the current crop of performance Mustangs beginning to roll out, with the Mustang Dark Horse, GTD, and even a non-factory Shelby GT350, we look back at the 2015 Shelby GT350 and 2020 Shelby GT500 to compare their stats, engines and selling points to see which could be the better option for you.

An Overview: Ford Mustang Shelby GT350

The Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 launched in 2015 to a huge fan fair. Unlike the previous Ford Shelby GT500 that finished production in 2014, the GT350 would take a very different approach to the performance Mustang. It would lose power over the previous Shelby, going from 662 hp down to 526 hp, but all out power would not be the point of the GT350. The GT350 would aim to be the ultimate track Mustang, with completely revised sport suspension sitting on Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires, a Tremec six-speed gearbox, six-piston Brembo brakes, and plenty of weight-saving measures. It would be aimed at sporting track cars instead of the Charger Hellcats of the time, with the BMW M4, Porsche Caymen GTS, and Toyota GR Supra being its main rivals, showing America could build a car that could handle at that level.

Things would be turned up to eleven with the introduction of the GT350R. This would take the Mustang even further upmarket, and even further into the track car scene, now targeting the Porsche 911 GT3 and Chevrolet Corvette Z06. Now sitting on Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, the GT350R would get even more track-focused suspension, carbon fiber wheels and a factory deletion kit for the stereo, trunk floorboard, all the carpeting, and rear seats. Powering this weapon would be an engine that has become famous since its introduction, going down as one of the greatest V8’s of the modern era, The Voodoo. We will cover it in more detail in a later section, but the Voodoo V8 became synonymous with the GT350, offering huge thrills and a huge redline.

An Overview: Ford Mustang Shelby GT500

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After the GT350 was discontinued in 2020, Ford and Shelby would instead resurrect another legendary name in the form of the GT500. This version of the Mustang would have a different goal and mentality to the GT350. Gone was the light and dainty approach to building a track car, instead replaced with a sledgehammer of an engine aimed at taking on the Dodge Challanger/Charger Hellcats, and all their spin-offs, and the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, and Corvette ZR1. It made a monstrous 760 hp on its debut in 2020, and this would only grow with the GT500 Code Red able to make 1,000 hp on pump gas, and 1,300 hp on race fuel.

It wasn’t all engine and no finesse, however, with Ford still making the GT500 a pleasure to drive, if not to the same extent as its GT350 brother. Unlike the GT350/R the GT500 would be an automatic only, using a seven-speed DCT again from Tremec. The engine would again become the legend that surrounded this car, with the surprisingly small for its class, 5.2-liter ‘Predator’ aluminum-alloy V8 engine with a 2.65-liter roots-type supercharger being exclusive to the GT500 and hand built.

The Engines: Voodoo Magic vs Predator Lethality

The GT350 Voodoo

Ford

The Voodoo became an instant classic when it dropped in 2015. Based on the regular Mustang GT’s Coyote V8, an already well-liked power plant, the Voodoo would add a flat-plane crankshaft, a compression ratio at 12.0:1 and have its bore and stroke increased, giving it 0.2 of a liter more in engine size compared to the Coyote. All Voodoo V8s would be hand built in Ford’s Romeo Plant in Michigan . The Voodoo’s greatest party trick, other than its legendary exhaust sound, was its ability to rev to 8250 rpm. This was an unheard of number for a muscle car of this era, and has only really been challenged by the new Corvette ZR1 at 8,000 rpm.

It hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows for the Voodoo sadly. While it is clearly a high-performance engine, the Voodoo is also a high-stress engine, seemingly being a rather fragile and delicate motor. The Voodoo can suffer from timing chain failure, excessive oil consumption, and even some overheating issues on track. The 2015 to 2018 GT350s were the worst affected by these problems, but it is clear that the Voodoo is not an engine to mess with, or to skip oil changes on. Ford never recalled the Voodoo engine but did offer technical service bulletins and customer satisfaction programs, to help affected owners.

The Voodoo is a more sporty, European take on the V8 and is naturally aspirated to deliver a smooth power delivery.

The GT500 Predator

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The Predator V8 is again a Coyote-based V8, but unlike the Voodoo, it would go back to a regular cross-plane crankshaft. It would again be built at the Romeo Engine Plant on the Niche line, and would be the last engine built there. A 2.65-liter roots-type supercharger is the big differentiator compared to the Voodoo, helping to create a monster of a power plant. Producing 760 hp in its base configuration and 625 lb-ft, the GT500 is a top dog in the muscle car space and goes toe to toe with other heavy hitters from Dodge, Cadillac and Chevrolet. The Predator is so powerful, loud and fuel ineffective that it is not able to pass European engine regulations, meaning it was only sold in North America and the Middle East.

There were ever more powerful versions of the GT500. The first was the Signature Edition, giving an extra 40 hp to the Predator. Next up was the even more impressive GT500 Code Red. The Code Red was a limited run of finely tuned GT500s, making 1,000 hp on 93-octane fuel, and 1,300 on ethenol. Again, these were limited to extremely limited numbers, somewhere around 10 units a year. The Predator is a lot less dainty and track-focused than the Voodoo, being made for ripping down drag strips and blasting down highways. As such, it doesn’t feature a manual transmission and its absurd level of power can be seen as a detriment to some wanting a fun, but controllable track car.

The Market Position: Which Is The Better Fit For You, And What Does Each Model Aim To Achieve?

While both have the Shelby Mustang branding, the GT350 and GT500 serve very different purposes and fit different lifestyles.

The GT350 Market Position

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The GT350 and especially the GT350R are clearly the more driver-focused of the two models, with manual transmission, direct, tight steering and not too much power to overwhelm you when the assists are turned off. They are also the cheaper of the two, being older and more common. Critics raved and celebrated the GT350R for its sharpness, direct steering and ability to change direction so quickly, but these do command a premium over the regular GT350s. This is also said of the GT500 but not to the same extent, with the extra power and extra weight of the more bulky drivetrain clearly having an effect on cornering and feel.

As a used offering, the GT350 offers a much better deal than the GT500, but don’t expect to beat Camaro ZL1s or Challenger Hellcats from a dig on a highway. That was never the intent of the GT350 and especially not the GT350R.

The GT500 Market Position

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The GT500 has a much more classical muscle/pony car market position, being aimed squarely at the most powerful and expensive breed of muscle cars like the ZL1, which it beats handily, and the Hellcat Redeye, which it goes toe to toe with. The GT500 started at $73,995 new, and for as much engine and performance engineers threw at it, you had to make a conscious decision to spend that much on what was still a Mustang interior. It is generally agreed that the GT500 is a lot more of a driver’s car than the Hellcat, being less of a handful around corners. While it isn’t a GT350R, Ford made sure it could handle a track if you wanted to take it there. The difference is that, unlike the GT350 and GT350R, the GT500 is a drag racing, light-to-light blasting monster first, and a track weapon second. It’s dual-clutch gear box, while very quick, is another indicator of this less driver-focused, and more numbers-chasing mentality, being made to maximize 0–60 mph and 1/4 mile times instead of driver interaction.

What Has Become Of The GT350 And GT500?

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The GT350 would last from 2015 to 2020, and the GT500 would be produced for only two years, from 2020 to 2022. So what has become of the Shelby Mustang since then, and what has Ford tried to do with the S650 generation of Mustang?

The Mustang GTD

Ford

The Shelby GT350 and GT350R would gain so much critical acclaim that Ford would double down on the track-focused Mustang. The 2025 Ford Mustang GTD is a road-going version of the FIA Group GT3 Mustang race car. It uses an 815 hp version of the Predator V8, that goes to a rear-mounted transaxle. It lapped the Nürburgring in 6:57:685 and then would go back to do an even faster 6:52.072. It is an out-and-out track weapon, rivaling the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, Corvette ZR1, and Huracan STO.

The New Shelby GT350

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While not an official Ford product, the current Shelby GT350 is still going and is a completely different beast than the previous generation. Gone is the Voodoo V8 now using a 5.0-liter Coyote V8 engine, and a 3.0-liter Whipple supercharger that produces 810 hp. This power is sent through a six-speed manual transmission, and is paired with a Borla cat-back exhaust. It is ironic that the Predator-powered Mustang is now the track-focused version and the GT350 has become the straight-line monster.

FAQs

What is the difference between the GT350 and the GT500?

The GT350 was a track- and driver-focused model with a manual transmission, launched in 2015. The GT500 was a more straight-line, drag racing-focused model with more power, a higher price tag and an automatic transmission. It replaced the GT350 in 2020.

Does the GT500 have the same engine as the GT350?

While they are both based on the Coyote V8 found in the regular Mustang, the GT500 and GT350 use very different engines. The GT500 uses a ‘Predator’ supercharged V8 with a cross-plane crankshaft. The GT350 uses a ‘Voodoo’ V8 with flat plane crank shaft, and is naturally aspirated.

Is the GT350 a real Shelby?

Yes it is, dating back all the way to the original Shelby Mustang, the 1965 GT350.

Is the GT350 a Coyote engine?

While based on the Coyote V8, the Voodoo V8 in the GT350 has enough modifications to make it a different engine. It features a unique Up-Down-Up-Down crank pin configuration, back-to-front firing order, and has a slightly larger 5.2-liter displacement.

Sources: Ford