2016 Shelby GT350R sells for $1,000,000, Ford gives proceeds to JDRF[/caption]First Ever 2016 Shelby GT350R Ford Mustang sold for $1,000,000
Ford Motor Company CEO Mark Fields created a thunder at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona last night when he approached the auction stage and cracked the throttle on the Shelby GT350R. The first ever Shelby GT350R Ford Mustang sold for $1,000,000, and Ford donated the entire amount to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).
Fields spoke briefly about the charity and the special Mustang and then he stated he would personally hand over the keys to the winning bidder at Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan. The winning bidder of Shelby GT350R number 001 can also select from any available color and options.
The bidding shot past $500,000, then climbed slowly to a million. Fans and bidders saw a white Shelby GT350R with blue stripes, which was not actually Number 001, but that didn’t bother anyone. Finally, the “hammer” dropped at an even one million dollars! It was later announced that as much as $150,000 was also raised in charitable donations.
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The Ford Performance lineup is pretty amazing.[/caption]
While Ford announced the GT350 just months ago, the more-radical GT350R model was introduced less than a week ago at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. Ford also announced it would produce the Ford GT and an EcoBoost-powered Raptor F-150 with “more horsepower than the existing 411-horsepower V8.” No other auto manufacturer drew such attention at the NAIAS.
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Ford's 2016 Shelby GT350R looks to rule the street and track with over 500 hp.[/caption]
The GT350 and the lighter R-model, are powered by a 5.2 liter V8, dubbed the “Voodoo,” that is said to rev past 8,000 rpm and produce over 500 horsepower. We’re speculating it will make at least one horsepower per liter. Unlike most V8 engines built in America, it features a flat-plane crankshaft (rather than a cross-plane crankshaft), which saves weight, allows the engine to rev very quickly. The design can improve induction and exhaust flow, due to the firing order that’s unique to this type of crankshaft. The R-model also wears carbon-fiber wheels and a state-of-the-art suspension. Performance should surpass the Chevrolet Camaro Z/28.
