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Any BMW with the M designation is the sporty version of the car, giving it the most power, performance and the ability to excite a crowd of sports car lovers. The GT350 Mustang is the newest version of this pony car that makes its way with the Shelby name attached and gives the US a dynamic competitor as a top of the line sports car that has awesome handling and a longstanding following of rabid fans that simply can’t get enough.
The M4 shows up pushing huge performance numbers to start this contest with a run to sixty mph in only 3.8 seconds and doesn’t stop at all until it reaches the top speed of 155 mph. Of course this car can go even faster if the limiting that is put on this car is removed with a quick tune, giving the car a great way to continue to go as fast as the mechanical parts will allow.
On the other side, the Mustang shows up with its 5.2-liter V8 “voodoo” engine that comes in with nearly 600 horsepower and 400 lb.-ft. of torque to reach the pinnacles of power for this awesome car. This engine is the most powerful naturally aspirated production engine ever and gives us everything we want in the belly of such an awesome beast.
The engine that comes in the M4 to give it all the power it needs is a 3.0-liter six-cylinder twin-turbocharged model that comes off with 425 horsepower and 406 lb.-ft. of torque. This is plenty strong to power this lightweight sports model car the benefits from the stiffer chassis of the M division cars from BMW.
The Mustang has always been a rear drive bit of awesomeness, especially when it carries the Shelby name along with it. This car has always given us a bit of drift in the back end to make us feel as if it’s already out of control with only the slightest of throttle pushes. Even in the models of today that are equipped with an Independent Rear Suspension the GT350 makes some rear end movement to let you know it’s alive and well and ready for whatever adventure you want to throw its way.
On the other side of the competition, the M4 may feel a little too predictable and make it hard to push it hard around a track. The suspension and steering of the highly engineered Beemer makes an awesome run on any track but can easily be outdone by the Mustang which allows for a much more direct and engaged driving on the road or out at the track. On the plus side, the fact the M4 doesn’t sway or move is great for less experienced drivers to be able to enjoy track runs at their favorite local speedway.
The Mustang comes fully equipped for the track at a price of $60,000 but allows some aftermarket addition to be made if desired while the M4 starts at $64,200 and can easily reach over $80,000 when its fully loaded with goodies to make it worthy of being driven on a track, not a price you will easily scoff at and desire to pay when you can get an awesome car for much less.
For overall shear excitement on the track and recognition off the track, the Shelby Mustang GT350 is the clear winner in this discussion, but either one of these cars would be an excellent choice as an addition to a collection or one that is driven daily. The GT350 gives you the awesome untamed power you want while the M4 shows off with the most direct driving experience that won’t sway or give you any movement, making both these cars the best choice in their own right. For the value of the money spent, I would absolutely put my hard earned cash toward the Mustang much sooner than the M4, but that is simply my own biased opinion.
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