2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R Quick Spin | Autoblog's favorite carriage turns into a pumpkin

We've already said our goodbyes to the 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350, but shortly before the Heritage Edition graced our stable, we also got our hands on this run-of-the-mill (if there is such a thing) 2020 GT350R in Cyber Orange. With its black accents, it does a reasonably good impression of a jack-o-lantern, making it a seasonally appropriate send-off to the screaming pony car that so effortlessly won us over. 

But unless you encounter a violent downpour, there's nothing spooky about this chariot. In fact, it's a buttoned-down, corner-carving hero. Even with those massive semi-slick tires (we weren't kidding about the rain, folks), it's an approachable, livable car that doubles as a weekend track weapon, and even when it's not being pushed, man, its 526-horsepower 5.2-liter "Voodoo" V8 is one of the sweetest motors money can buy ... for the moment. 

For 2021, the GT350R makes way for the new Mustang Mach 1, which does a reasonable approximation of the slithering Shelby so long as you can live without the flat-plane-crank V8. We'd argue that's pretty much the entire point of the car, but hey, different strokes for different folks. 

If you're looking to grab a leftover, we'll leave you with this bit of advice: the GT350 formula is a brilliant one, and you need not spring for the R to experience its excellence. Sure, the rear seat delete and track-spec rubber are nice, but unless lapping days are in your future, save yourself $10,000. Your wallet will thank you, and you won't have to plan your afternoon drives around a weather report. 

Orange is the color of Halloween, of fall, and, appropriately enough, of sunsets. It hurts watching this one dip below the horizon.