How Different Is the Shelby GT350 From the Boss 302?

By Tony Markovich - May 11, 2016

mustang_boss_shelby

When the Boss 302 was introduced, it established itself as the complete package Mustang (of course, if we’re talking strictly horsepower, the GT500 wins). It was faster, lighter, and cooler looking, what with those graphics and in-your-face colors. But like its original ’60s/’70s inspiration, the latest Boss 302 only lasted two years, and was absent from the 2014 model year lineup. Then the GT500 was discontinued, and the sixth-generation car was born. The gaps those cars left were filled by the new Ford Shelby GT350 and GT350R, maxed-out track cars made to destroy the Camaro Z/28.

But Chevy also just revamped the Camaro, so currently there is no Z/28 to directly compare the GT350s to. So, people are comparing the new GT350 to the old Boss 302. A battle of brothers, if you will. Let’s do a quick numbers run-down.

Boss 302:

5.0-liter V8
444 horsepower, 380 lb-ft of torque
3,632 pounds
$42,000 base

Shelby GT350:

5.2-liter V8
526 horsepower, 429 lb-ft of torque
3,760 pounds
$48,000 base

That said, this isn’t a comparison you can simply do by looking at numbers. The redesigned Mustang is lower, wider, has an independent rear suspension, and that flat-plane crank engine — just to name a few things. Fortunately, the guys at Everyday Driver actually found somebody who owns both of these cars, who allowed ED to drive them both back-to-back. As such, they got a real feel for how they match up, as you can see in the video below. At 24-minutes long, there’s a lot to cover, so get comfortable.