2019 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 unveiled

Fans of the iconic Ford Mustang will be thrilled and dejected in equal measure with this week's reveal of the updated 2019 Shelby GT350, which goes on sale in the USA from early 2019.

The good news is the high-revving 2019 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 with its flat-plane crankshaft has been tweaked to deliver more grip at the limit, via upgraded Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres and a new rear spoiler with optional gurney flap.

The bad news is that wild $US50,000 ($66,000) coupe, which lacks updated features of the 2019 Ford Mustang such as a digital instrument cluster, will remain unavailable in Australia.

The GT350’s front-end design retains the pre-facelift headlights too, but compared to regular Ford Mustang models it features a more dramatic front fascia with bigger air intakes designed to scoop more oxygen into the rev-happy 5.2-litre V8's gob.

There's also a new 'velocity blue' exterior paint job.

At the rear, the old brake lights haven't been upgraded like the new 2019 Ford Mustang but a revised rear spoiler has been fitted to improve aerodynamics, says FoMoCo.

As the Porsche 911 GT3 RS of the Ford world, the 2019 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 is the Blue Oval's most powerful naturally-aspirated sports car, with peak power of 392kW at a giddy 7500rpm, with a rev-limit set at 8250rpm.

Although the engine is also unchanged for the mid-lift update of the Shelby GT350, the naturally-aspirated machine is still incredibly powerful, with 582Nm on tap from 4750rpm.

All that twist pumps through a six-speed Tremec manual transmission, via mechanical LSD, to the rear axle, creating a linear power delivery that’s perfect for its intended target audience of track-day warriors.

The new Michelin tyres (295/35 front, 305/35 rear) are fitted to updated 19-inch alloy rims and, together with new springs and recalibrated damping rates, Ford reckons the 2019 Mustang Shelby GT350 is now a better, faster performance car.

Track-day addicts will also note that stability control settings have been tweaked to allow for a wider scope of performance without having to turn all systems off.

The big 395mm six-pot front Brembo brakes are unchanged for the new model; the same goes for the four-pot rear callipers.

Although it retains its analogue instrument dials, there are a handful of changes to the interior including machined aluminium cabin accents, 'Miko' suede upholstery for the seats and door inserts, Ford SYNC 3 infotainment system, dual-zone climate control and a chunked-up Bang & Olufsen 12-speaker sound system as an option.

Billy Johnson, FIA World Endurance Ford GT and IMSA Mustang GT4 driver, said the updated 2019 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 "…brings a whole new level of performance driving".

The race driver reckons "It's a rewarding car to drive on track for amateurs and pros alike, while making the driver feel like a superhero. It's confidence inspiring in corners and begs to be pushed harder and to take corners faster."

As Australia's most popular sports car and Ford's second most popular vehicle after the Ford Ranger, our Mustang range will be topped by the limited-edition Mustang Bullitt in October.