What are two items that when combined together form an iconic pairing you can’t help but smile about? Peanut butter and jelly? How about Batman and Robin? Sure. But in the automotive space in particular, arguably, you’d be hard pressed to find a pairing with more historical prominence than Carroll Shelby and the Ford Mustang.
From Ford’s Ferrari defeating Le Mans win to the legendary Shelby Cobra and GT350 and GT500 Mustangs, the combined efforts of the OE manufacturer and Shelby’s racing and engineering prowess are undeniable in their achievements.
While several decades have come and past since the events that have fused how we view these two entities today, it is always exciting to see the projects these brands continue to develop together. Shelby’s latest endeavor takes a Ford Mustang, and takes it beyond even what their standard Super Snake receives in terms of all-out performance, capability and aesthetic.
Today’s blog post finds leading automotive photographer Larry Chen and Shelby Vice President of Production and Research and Development, Vince Laviolette, as they crawl all over the Super Snake R for the benefit of all of us digital onlookers.
While the “R” designation of Shelby’s latest Super Snake certainly gives a nod to the vehicle’s improved race-centric capabilities, we can’t help but point out that it could also stand for #ridetechequipped. That’s right! The Shelby team spent considerable effort considering how to improve the S650 Dark Horse platform in terms of handling, both in general and in terms of the additional horsepower that the 3.0 Whipple supercharger adds sitting atop the Gen IV 5.0L Coyote engine (850+ horsepower).
What they needed was a comprehensive solution that offered tunability, including both ride quality and ride height adjustment, along with the ability to fine tune vehicle balance. Our HQ Series rebound adjustable Ridetech coil-overs and adjustable sway bars provide the adjustability and performance improvements needed and are a key component in the total solution of how Shelby’s Super Snake R handles so well.
To that end, our Ridetech/Fox Factory HQ Series Coil-overs offer 24-position rebound adjustability, Hyperco springs and a gorgeous Type 3 hard coat anodized finish. The front sway bar measures in at 1.357” while the rear is a 1” bar, both being a noticeable step up in thickness over the factory supplied bars. The front is a two position bar while the rear has three selectable positions, making them tunable to the setup and purpose of the vehicle.
It’s obvious to readers that the race track is baked into the Shelby SS-R DNA. As such, it features solid mounted bearings throughout the suspension arms and mounting points. These remove much of the deflection or movement that would is engineered into a typical street focused pony car.
Another key ingredient to the track capable motif is the integrated roll bar, which has multiple benefits, namely safety and additional stiffness. You’re not looking at a standard bolt-in roll-bar here; rather, Shelby tied the rear cage together to take full advantage of the additional rigidity and safety that a cage has to offer. We like this almost as much as the Ridetech suspension itself. It’s always easier for a driver to pilot a safe car faster.
20”x11” front and 20”x13” rear wheels are employed and aren’t just a standard performance inspired wheel. They benefit from being magnesium in material, and benefit from being forged. These qualities providing excellent strength-to-weight, and promote better vehicle turn-in and improved acceleration and braking all around. 305/35/20 and 335/35/20 staggered, sticky Michelin tires provide contact to the pavement.
In the braking category, OE Brembo calipers clamp onto Shelby specced Wilwood specific brake rotors that will withstand the extreme heat cycles and track abuse that the Shelby Super Snake R is engineered to endure.
There’s so many other cool features going into Shelby’s latest creation, but you’ll have to give Larry’s video a watch to catch the rest of the details!
We’ll catch you on the next one #ridetechnation!
