Autoblog

Click above for a higher resolution image of the ROUSH P-51B Mustang

ROUSH wowed us last year at SEMA with the P-51A, an aviation-themed Mustang that combined Jack Roush's two favorite things: planes and cars. Customers apparently like the car too, because the initial production run of 51 was bumped up by 100 to accommodate the additional interest. The P-51 is back for a another year, now with a 'B' designation, along with a few new features to differentiate it from the previous model.

ROUSH has upgraded the 14-inch front brakes to include six-piston calipers, and the wheels are now painted in black chrome and wrapped with Cooper RS3 high performance tires. Inside, ROUSH has added one of their vent pod gauges to show boost levels. The rest of the P-51 remains relatively the same, including the 510 horsepower supercharged V8, full ROUSH suspension, and fighter plane design scheme. Full details are in the carefully worded press release after the jump, and we'll try and get the guys over at ROUSH to send some more photos.

[Source: ROUSH]

Click above for a high resolution gallery of the Special Edition MKIII-R

Sometimes good things come in small packages. Other times, they come with a Roush 427 IR crate motor pumping out 576 horsepower. Superformance, the only Shelby-licensed producer of Cobra kit cars, has teamed up with Roush for a special edition version of their MKIII replicar that features the aforementioned 427ci V8 as well as several other Roush components. In addition to standard features like TIG welded ladder frame chassis, independent front and rear suspension, fiberglass body, and Wilwood brakes, the MKIII-R gets custom Cobra seats with four-point harnesses, black chrome trim, Roush floor mats and short throw shifter, custom Roush-engraved wind wings, and a unique Monza Red paint scheme with silver stripes and black pin stripes. The package is now on sale and will be sold as an upgrade for the standard MKIII chassis. Full details in the press release after the jump.

[Source: Superformance]

Click above for high-res gallery of the Mountune Ford Focus ST

After driving the hot Focus ST at Ford's Lommel Proving Grounds, we returned with a big smile on our faces... and an eager anticipation for the upcoming Focus RS. British customers are also anxiously awaiting the even hotter hatch, and Ford's Team RS knows it. That's why they've teamed up with ROUSH's British subsidiary Mountune again to offer a dealer-installed package to pump up the existing ST, JUST like the one they rolled out earlier this year for the smaller Fiesta ST, and also while the orders roll in for the full-fat Focus RS.

The package includes a bigger intercooler, high-flow air filter and recalibrated ECU, all good for an additional 34 hp to boost output from 225 PS (222 hp) to 260 PS (256 hp). The extra power promises to drop the 0-60 sprint down to a scant 5.9 seconds and on to 100 in just 14.1 seconds. The best part for British enthusiasts is that the £1,120 package can be installed to any new or used Focus ST at a range of dealerships across the Isles. Ford and Mountune promise an accompanying suspension package in the near future and further mods for additional Ford models before the year's through. Follow the jump for the press release and check out the images in the gallery below.

[Source: Ford]

While sales of the Dodge Viper may be down, Chrysler President Jim Press insists that buyers have been lining up to buy the entire operation. Among those potentially interested are American powerhouses Roush and Saleen. The latter, it's worth noting, is already involved in making the Viper, painting the cars off the assembly line. Whatever company ends up buying the Viper operation, Chrysler expects to make anywhere from $50 million to three times that before it vacates its Conner Avenue plant by the end of 2011, and has hired financial firm Lazard Limited to handle the sale.

Potentially of equal interest will be the opportunity, as Press sees it, to expand the Viper line-up. We're not sure what else you could make on the V10 sportscar platform, considering that convertible, coupe and hard-core track-day versions are already in line-up. But we'd sure be interested to find out.

[Source: Car and Driver]

NHRA Stock Car drag racing has generally been reserved for vehicles with factory-spec powertrains, but for the first time the rule book is allowing vehicles with aftermarket parts to compete. Two versions of the ROUSH's supercharged powertrains -- the 430 horsepower V8 from the Stage 3 Mustang and the 510 horsepower V8 from the P-51A -- have been approved to race in the Stock and SuperStock classes. The Haas, Carrothers & Wagner Racing team has already lined up to race a ROUSH Mustang and is currently building the car around the Stage 3 powertrain. Follow the jump for the press release from ROUSH.

[Source: ROUSH]

Click to enlarge

ROUSH announced the Stage3 Blackjack Mustang back in 2006, and in 2007 said it would make 100 of them. New Yorker Drew Conner bought Blackjack number two, spending almost $59,000 for his slice of limited edition Mustang pie. Only the glossy black 'Stang wasn't so limited after all: according to a lawsuit Connor filed in New York, Ford and ROUSH made another 100 Blackjacks in 2008.

Both Ford and ROUSH are named in the suit, and Connor has been joined by "at least 100" other Blackjack buyers. The plaintiffs' complaint is, of course, that the Blackjack's "value from scarcity and as collectors' items were and are dramatically less than the buyers had been led to believe their value would be."

But to make everything all better, the plaintiffs are asking for class action status, a jury trial, and... ahem... more than $12 million. That sounds like a lot, but say there were just 100 plaintiffs, that would be $120,000 per person, and would get them their money back plus a 100-percent premium for being misled... which might sound more reasonable. Or not. For the moment, both Ford and ROUSH have no comment on the litigation. Thanks for the tip, iOrange!

UPDATE: One point of clarification that's been bothering us is why Ford has been included in this lawsuit. All it did was build the Mustangs then sold them to ROUSH, which developed, manufactured and distributed the run of limited-edition Blackjack Mustangs.

[Source: Reuters]

We got our first peak at ROUSH's new TVS2300 supercharger system under the hood of the P-51A Mustang last year at SEMA, and we knew it was only a matter of time before they put it on sale as a separate kit. Available in several versions, the upgraded ROUSHcharger can be purchased as a complete kit with all the accessories or as a replacement kit for those with an existing ROUSHcharger system. Depending on its calibration, the upgraded supercharger can produce up to 700 horsepower from the Mustang's 4.6-liter V8. A warrantied version version with a ROUSH-assembled shortblock will be available shortly. Full details can be found in the press release from ROUSH after the jump.

[Source: Roush]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Roush 437R Trak Pak Mustang.

We've driven our fair share of Mustangs, but it's a rare occasion that we get to drive one at the track. That's part of the reason why we made the seven hour trek from Southern California to Thunderhill Raceway in Willows, CA, to get behind the wheel of Roush's new 427R Trak Pak Mustang. What's so special about the Trak Pak? For starters, it's got a supercharged V8 packing 435 horsepower and an abundance of race-ready items like an adjustable suspension, carbon fiber wing, and 14-inch brakes that all make it ideal for the weekend warrior who wants his vehicle to handle the daily grind and track-day floggings. With only 100 being built, this may be one of the few opportunities to see one in the sheetmetal, let alone to drive it on the track. While inclement weather the night before threatened to ruin the trip, we were blessed with a rain-free day, allowing us to explore the limits of the Trak Pak'd 427R. Follow the jump to read our impressions.

All photos Copyright ©2008 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

Click above to view high-res gallery of the ROUSH trainer

We wind up behind horse's asses every day on the interstate, but ROUSH has developed a vehicle with a rear-mounted cabin for the express purpose of towing a crew of three around while staring at the business end of an actual Equus caballus. ROUSH Technologies is more than just mechanical Mustangs, and the company has proved it by developing an equine training vehicle for Kurt Systems, a Turkish racehorse and camel training equipment company. The vehicle has an open front stall where the animal can run, and a rear mounted cabin that allows a driver, a veterinarian and a trainer to keep a keen eye on vital signs. The suspension is partially F-150 based, while power is provided by Volvo's 2.4-liter five-cylinder engine hooked up to an automatic transmission and driving through some reduction hardware. The vehicle will start serial production soon; in an odd sort of irony, ROUSH is even further tied to fast horses now. Press release after the jump.


[Source: ROUSH]

Click above for more pics of the ROUSH RTC Mustang

This morning we were patiently awaiting our daily news regarding a new version of the Mustang, and ROUSH came through by sending us a sneak peak of its new RTC Mustang that will be officially unveiled this weekend at the National Mustang Show in Dublin, OH. There's no press release available, but from what we can gather it's a coupe version of the aesthetically-pleasing ROUSH Speedster. Standard equipment includes a special red and black two-tone paint scheme, a 4-piece body kit, upgraded suspension, 20-inch wheels, and more. A supercharger, 14-inch brakes, and a short-throw shifter can also be installed as options. A complete list of features for the RTC package can be found after the jump.

[Source: Roush via The Mustang Source]