Performance Palette
The 2017 GT350 offers more standard equipment and great new colors
By Steve Turner
Photos courtesy of Ford Performance
As we told you back in February, the forthcoming Shelby GT350 is getting the performance goodness of the Track Package standard. Now you no longer have to make the tough decisions between performance and the luxuries. The only real choice you have to make is what color to order and there are some great new options there too.
“Ford Performance is always listening to customer feedback,” Dave Pericak, global director, Ford Performance, said. “At the end of last year we started offering a back seat option for Shelby GT350R due to customer demand. Now, we have adjusted the packages available to continue to provide more of what customers want on the Shelby GT350 Mustang.”
Not only will the standard GT350 feature an aluminum tower-to-tower brace; a high-downforce decklid spoiler; engine oil, transmission and differential coolers; and MagneRide damping, there are two option packages to choose from—the Electronics Package or the Convenience Package. If you want the electronic goodies the former package scores you Sync 3, navigation, and a nine-speaker audio system. If you want it all, the Convenience Package gives you all the goodness of the Electronics Package but supplants the manual Recaros for power leather seats.
Once you check off the options on the order sheet, the major choice is picking a paint scheme. The new choices—which we have the official photos of here—are Grabber Blue (replacing Deep Impact Blue), Lightning Blue (replacing Competition Orange) and Ruby Red Metallic.
You really can’t go wrong no matter what options or color you choose, but it’s great that Ford keeps tweaking its offerings in response to customer wants.
Here’s our first look at the three new paint colors available on the 2017 Shelby GT350. That’s Grabber Blue in the front, Lightning Blue in the left rear and Ruby Red Metallic in the right rear.
If you are fond of those early photos of the GT350 in Liquid Blue, the new Lightning Blue paint comes close to offering that look.
This R-model looks pretty classy in Ruby Red with no stripes.
