As you know, Ford has pulled out all the stops to make sure the new generation Mustang, especially the Shelby versions, are comparable to their European rivals in terms of quality, material and refinement. The latest step towards that goal is the development of the world’s first mass-produced carbon fiber wheels for Shelby GT350R.

Muscle cars, of course, have always been praised for their rather crude simplicity. You want fancy stuff like carbon and leather, go pay big bucks for a European car. With the new Shelby GT350R though, Ford didn’t really have a choice. They had to fit the car with enough bells and whistle to convince people it is worth considering over the high-powered, high-quality sports car from the other side of the Atlantic.

What’s more, Shelby GT350R is massively powerful car intended mainly for track use. It is bought largely by the kind of people who spend their Friday nights studying gear ratios and apex speed, so they can set fast lap times on Saturday. Having the option of carbon fiber wheels is a huge plus for this car and possibly the most appealing extra to its buyers.

As for the benefits of carbon fiber wheels, well, for starters they look rather cool. More importantly, they reduce the unsprung weight of the car which has a direct effect on handling and performance. They are also good for the suspension. Another advantage of using carbon fiber wheels is bragging rights. Right now Shelby and Koenigsegg are the only producers using these things. Also, the wheels are made using ceramic plasma arc technology first used on the original Space Shuttle.