The wait is finally over: Ford has begun production of the most hardcore Mustang ever at the Flat Rock Assembly Plant. The first Shelby GT350R rolled of the assembly line on Thursday in the presence of Ford Motor Company’s executive chairman, Bill Ford.

“This is a special day for all Mustang enthusiasts. We have taken the GT350 formula to the next level of innovation, style and performance. Today the legend continues,” the executive said.

Designed to tackle challenging roads and race tracks, the Shelby GT350 and GT350R are powered by a naturally aspirated 5.2-liter flat-plane crank V8 engine which delivers 526hp at 7,500 rpm and 429lb-ft (581Nm) of torque at 4,750 rpm. The mighty powerplant is mated to a Tremec six-speed manual transmission which sends power to the rear wheels via a Ford-tuned Torsen limited-slip differential.

No performance figures have been released yet, but for those who are interested Ford has announced EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings. The GT350 returns 14 mpg city/21 mpg highway/16 mpg combined, while the lighter GT350R returns 15 mpg city/21 mpg highway/16 mpg combined.

Prices start from $47,795 for the GT350, excluding $900 destination and a $1,300 gas guzzler tax. The stripped-out Shelby GT350R starts from $61,295, always excluding destination and gas guzzler tax.

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