To All My Readers,
This is my personal pick. I hope it wins. It made me cry, it was amazing, and SO true... once you try a Mustang.. that dream lasts forever. I love you, Dad. May you rest in peace, and I think about you every day.
November 4, 2008
July 17, 2008
2009 Ford Mustang GT Coupe Deluxe - ROUSH 427R & RTC Stage 3
(Via Autoblog.com - Roush 427R and Autoblog.com - Roush RTC)
Needless to say, ROUSH Performance Products didn't need to ask twice when it offered to put its recently-introduced 427R in the Autoblog Garage for a week. We immediately caught the next ride to Livonia, MI to grab the keys, and did our best impression of respectable journalists. The facade of responsibility lasted all of two stop lights, after which we were laughing like maniacs who had just robbed a gun store. And just why were we so happy to get our hands on this machine? The answer is quite simple - the man who's name appears in more than twenty locations on the 427R has a bit of a reputation for making cars go fast. After some time on the street, at the track, and on the dyno, we can say that the reputation is well deserved.
Editor's Note: As far as we know, Autoblog was the first outlet in the world to get its hands on a ROUSH 427R for review, and there's only one person on the team we would allow to handle this much horsepower: Eric Bryant. He didn't disappoint, having produced the most thorough In the Autoblog Garage review ever that includes not only the normal areas of review, but also dyno runs to verify ROUSH's power claims and a trip to the dragstrip where this pony was thoroughly flogged. PLUS there's a video of the whole review after the jump.
Ford's Mustang is wildly popular, but as is the case with any vehicle that sells over a quarter-million copies each year, there will be compromises that prevent the "one percenters" from being truly satisfied. That's where ROUSH Performance Products steps in, with its Stage upgrades, and now the 427R - intended to slot between the Stage 2 and Stage 3 in both price and performance.
The 427R is based upon a Mustang GT Coupe Deluxe, which includes leather seats (with a 6-way power adjuster and lumber support on the driver's side), cruise control, keyless entry, A/C, power locks, power windows with auto-up/-down, and power mirrors. The Shaker 500 sound system is also included. With this as a starting point, the vehicle then undergoes extensive modification.
Drivetrain
The heart of the 427R's modifications is the ROUSHcharger forced-induction system that is installed on the 3-valve SOHC 4.6L V8. Utilizing an Eaton positive-displacement supercharger and a water-to-air intercooler integrated into the intake manifold, the system applies approximately 6 PSI of boost to produce 427 HP and 391 lb-ft - a useful increase of 127 HP and 71 lb-ft over the stock numbers. The system includes a vacuum-actuated bypass valve that routes air around the compressor at part throttle to increase efficiency. A heat exchanger for the intercooler is nestled behind the front fascia and uses a dedicated coolant loop (plumbed along the passenger's side of the engine) with an electric circulation pump. The engine's new fuel and spark demands are satisfied via a recalibrated OEM powertrain control module. Premium fuel is required, of course. The stock exhaust manifolds and catalytic converters dump spent gases into the ROUSH stainless-steel cat-back system.
Bumping up the output by nearly 43% changes the Mustang's personality dramatically, with the blower providing loads of thrust at any RPM and in any gear. The tractability and linearity of the powerplant is remarkable, giving the operator absolute control over the amount of power that reaches the rear wheels. This is good, as applying too much throttle with the traction control disabled will simply light up the rear tires in First, and some caution should be exercised in Second as well.
Great sounds are generated along as soon as the starter is engaged, with the PCM bringing up the revs to about 2000 RPM during start-up to produce a healthy bark before settling down to the normal idle speed. Putting the pedal to the floor fills the cabin with a thundering exhaust note, complimented by the supercharger's lovely mechanical whine. On decel, a symphony of crackles and growls is sung by the 3" tips that peek out from under the rear fascia. It's a wonderful soundtrack that totally fits the personality of the car, but forget any notion of sneaking around - heads will turn as the 427R passes by. If we have a complaint, it's that a rather obnoxious drone is emitted at part throttle around 1800 RPM. Downshift a gear and the exhaust note becomes much more pleasant; it's a solution that we're quite comfortable recommending.
Suspension
The performance modifications continue to the underpinnings, where ROUSH replaces the factory springs, sway bars, front struts, rear shocks, bushings, and jounce bumpers with new components to lower the Mustang while providing improved roll resistance. It appears that additional camber and caster is also dialed into the front suspension.
All of these blue powdercoated parts combine with the stiff S197 structure to add up to what is easily the best ride-vs.-handling compromise we've ever experienced in a pony car. The increased roll rate and lowered center-of-gravity provide crisp handling with neutral breakaway characteristics, and yet the suspension remains compliant enough to handle the worst of Michigan's pothole-strewn roads. Never does the rear axle give any indication of tramp or hop, and in fact behaves better than some RWD vehicles with independent rear suspension. Quite simply, every musclecar should handle this well. If we were to change anything, we'd perhaps try to dial in a bit more steering feedback, as it retains the stock Mustang's slightly overboosted feel.
Wheels and Tires
Five-spoke chromed cast-aluminum 18x9" wheels are wrapped in Cooper Zeon 2XS directional tires in 275/40-18. We had no previous experience with this tire, but came away impressed by its respectable dry and wet traction (the latter of which we had a disproportionate amount of time experiencing due to the wet weather this fall). Additionally, the low noise and decent ride quality were appreciated when we weren't driving at 10/10ths. Almost as importantly, the wheel/tire package did a great job of complimenting the lowered ride height by filling up the fenderwells.
Body
While the supercharger and underpinnings are responsible for providing the "go", ROUSH's exterior appearance modifications supply plenty of "show". A color-matched four-piece body kit is installed, consisting of a redesigned front fascia and air dam, nonfunctional hood scoop, and "whale tail" rear spoiler. The 427R package also includes louvered covers for the quarter windows. A racing stripe covers the center of the hood and scoop, while "hockey-stick" graphics run down the front fenders and doors and a large ROUSH banner adorned the top of the windshield. Several other badges leave no question about the 427R's origin. Combined with the lowered ride height, the effect is that of a race car that has escaped from pit row to terrorize the streets.
The cosmetic changes turn the Mustang into a total attention magnet. We've never experienced such a reaction from any vehicle we've ever driven; people respond to the 427R with the joy that one would expect from a childhood automotive fantasy come to life. We also found that the Roush name carries with it a substantial amount of "street cred". If you like getting the thumbs-up sign from random strangers and talking about cars every time you pull into a parking spot, this is your car. Those looking to fly under the radar would be well-advised to seek alternative transportation.
The body add-ons also fit the Mustang extremely well, with the exception of the side window louvers. Held on by only three screws, they were able to move around a bit. While this didn't create any noise, we think that it might scuff the paint after a while, and would have preferred to see a bit of double-sided tape to help keep them from rubbing on the finish. Otherwise, the quality of the exterior parts was excellent and we never scraped the air dam, proving that ROUSH designed these components for real-world use.
Interior
To spice up the normally dark and dour Mustang interior, new seat covers with electric-blue perforated leather inserts are installed onto the stock frames and cushions. Down below, billet aluminum pedal covers are installed, including a dead pedal, and a set of ROUSH embroidered floor mats cover the carpet. A custom gauge black-on-white gage cluster is installed into the dashboard as well. To top things off, a billet aluminum shift knob is mounted atop the stock shifter.
The blue seats certainly match up well with the exterior, but admittedly they're slightly jarring at first sight when contrasted with the rest of the interior. We initially thought that we wouldn't like the pedal covers, thinking that they'd be too slippery when wet. Fortunately, their sharp edges provided plenty of grip, heal-and-toe downshifts were possible, and we found the dead pedal to be perfectly placed. The shape of the shift knob also drew some early scrutiny, but it turned out to be well-matched to the placement of the shifter and center console. The new gage cluster proved easy to read and the green night time backlighting was well-matched with other controls, but the MyColor feature of the OEM cluster is lost in the process. Also, the redline on the tach is marked at 6000 RPM, where the power peak hasn't yet arrived and the rev limiter doesn't kick in for another 500 RPM.
Warranty
Those who are concerned about the effect of these modifications upon the factory warranty need not worry - all of the Ford factory equipment is still covered. ROUSH components carry their own 3-year/36,000-mile warranty.
Performance
When dealing with this much power, putting down the hammer on public roads fails to provide any meaningful indication of performance (not to mention the danger presented to the general public and our driver licenses). To provide some objective measurements, we first hit a chassis dyno to see if ROUSH's claims could be verified, and then took several passes down the dragstrip.
We brought the 427R over to Baker Engineering in Nunica, MI and strapped it to the facility's Dynojet 248 inertial chassis dyno. Our first run resulted in some disappointing numbers, but an hour of diagnosis by ROUSH technicians revealed a simple problem - the blower's bypass valve actuator was misadjusted, causing the valve to remain partially open at wide-open throttle. The effect of this was to bleed off nearly half of the blower's boost, with a corresponding effect on power production. Spinning up the rollers once again, we obtained a rather healthy 356 HP and 330 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheels (corrected for atmospheric conditions to the SAE J1349 standard, of course). Assume a drivetrain loss figure of somewhere around 15-20% (trying to pin down an exact number is impossible), and these results back up ROUSH's crankshaft ratings. The engine was still pulling hard when the rev limiter was encountered at 6500 RPM, and the torque curve remained healthy over the entire range of the pull.
We then drove the 427R over to Mid-Michigan Motorplex in Stanton, MI to lay down some passes. Hampered by difficulties with wheelspin, our quickest attempt resulted in an elapsed time of 13.474 seconds at 106.79 MPH (a faster trap speed of 107.28 was recorded on a 13.551 pass). Applying NHRA correction factors for weather - we calculated a density altitude of 1600 ft - to our quickest run yields 13.234@108.77 MPH (we give you both the raw and corrected numbers, as opinions vary as to which is the more useful figure). While the trap speeds are appropriate for the 427R's power-to-weight ratio, the elapsed times were several tenths slower than what we'd like to see. A glance at the timeslip shows the problem; with a 60-foot time of 2.040, we spent way too much time trying to ease the car out of the hole without boiling the tires or bogging the engine (launching at 2500 RPM was the way to avoid excessive wheelspin, even with the tires at 25 PSI). We also struggled a bit with the stock shifter, and think that ROUSH's optional billet shifter would be money well spent for aspiring drag racers. Finally, the overaggressive rev limiter seems to shut down the engine for an eternity (in reality, it kills the motor for about a second), which applies a stiff penalty to late shifts. Bolt on a set of drag radials, get in some more practice with the shifter, and we think that this thing will easily break into the twelves.
The Final Verdict
Judged solely upon its merits, we think that that ROUSH 427R is indeed a fine piece of performance machinery - and an attractive piece of eye candy, as well. However, it's a fact of life that ROUSH expects some payment in return for all of this equipment, and the base 427R package adds $15,000 to the Mustang GT's MSRP of $26,980. The gage cluster, custom leather seating, and side window louvers add another $2,340, and Uncle Sam grabs another grand for the federal gas-guzzler tax. Add in the delivery cost, and it'll take $46,110 to put one in your driveway.
This places the 427R in the same price range as Ford's own Shelby GT500, as well as the base version of Chevrolet's Corvette. To be honest, it's unlikely that the Vette will be cross-shopped against either Mustang (it's a Ford vs. Chevy thing, folks), so the real competition here is indeed the Blue Oval's factory hot rod. In the Shelby's favor is an additional 75 HP, as well as larger brakes. Thanks to its smaller aluminum block engine, though, the 427R is lighter by a couple hundred pounds (and with much better distribution of that mass), and we think that it's far less likely to be mistaken for a garden-variety Mustang. And let's not forget the "market adjustment" currently applied to the GT500 (although that is likely a temporary situation). We'll hold off on forming too strong of an opinion until we get to spend some serious time with the Shelby, but our tendency right now might be to select the GT500 for serious straight-line duty, and go with the 427R for just about anything else. It's not cheap, but it's a well-engineered muscle car that's equally at home on the street or the racetrack, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time with it in the Autoblog Garage.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Specifications & Mods:
Roush Mustang RTC Package - $13,375.00
- ROUSH 4 Piece Aero body Kit (Front Fascia, Front Chin Spoiler, Hood Scoop, and Rear Wing)
- Lower Valance Fog Lamps
- High Flow Nine Bar Grille
- Two-Tone Paint
- ROUSH Door Sill Plates
- ROUSH 20-Inch Forged Chrome Wheels with High Performance Tires
- ROUSH Fender and Decklid Badges
- ROUSH Front Windshield Banner
- ROUSH Embroidered Floor Mats
- Locking Lug Nuts
- ROUSH Billet Aluminum Shifter Handle w/ Grips (Manual Transmission Only)
- ROUSH Four-Piece Performance Pedals
- ROUSH White Face Electro Luminescent Gauge Cluster
- ROUSH Sport Leather Seating with Suede Inserts
- ROUSH Lowering Springs and Jounce Bumpers
- RTCSerialized Engine Bay Plaque
Options
Chrome ROUSHcharger (430 hp / 400 lb-ft) $6,250.00
Vent Pod w/ Boost Gauge (ROUSHcharger Option Only) $435.00
Interior Dash Trim Kit (Carbon Fiber Design) $350.00
Quarter Window Louvers (Coupe ONLY) $315.00
Short Throw Shifter (can be used with stock shift knob or Roush billet knobs) $340.00
Short Shifter w/ Chrome Shifter Arm and White Ball Knob $445.00
Short Shifter w/ Chrome Shifter Arm and Black Ball Knob $445.00
Trunk Mounted Tool Kit $355.00
ROUSH Exhaust - Dealer Installed (Post Title) $575.00
Sport Brake Kit (slotted rotors and painted calipers) $1,450.00
Strut Tower Brace $220.00
Needless to say, ROUSH Performance Products didn't need to ask twice when it offered to put its recently-introduced 427R in the Autoblog Garage for a week. We immediately caught the next ride to Livonia, MI to grab the keys, and did our best impression of respectable journalists. The facade of responsibility lasted all of two stop lights, after which we were laughing like maniacs who had just robbed a gun store. And just why were we so happy to get our hands on this machine? The answer is quite simple - the man who's name appears in more than twenty locations on the 427R has a bit of a reputation for making cars go fast. After some time on the street, at the track, and on the dyno, we can say that the reputation is well deserved.
Editor's Note: As far as we know, Autoblog was the first outlet in the world to get its hands on a ROUSH 427R for review, and there's only one person on the team we would allow to handle this much horsepower: Eric Bryant. He didn't disappoint, having produced the most thorough In the Autoblog Garage review ever that includes not only the normal areas of review, but also dyno runs to verify ROUSH's power claims and a trip to the dragstrip where this pony was thoroughly flogged. PLUS there's a video of the whole review after the jump.
Ford's Mustang is wildly popular, but as is the case with any vehicle that sells over a quarter-million copies each year, there will be compromises that prevent the "one percenters" from being truly satisfied. That's where ROUSH Performance Products steps in, with its Stage upgrades, and now the 427R - intended to slot between the Stage 2 and Stage 3 in both price and performance.
The 427R is based upon a Mustang GT Coupe Deluxe, which includes leather seats (with a 6-way power adjuster and lumber support on the driver's side), cruise control, keyless entry, A/C, power locks, power windows with auto-up/-down, and power mirrors. The Shaker 500 sound system is also included. With this as a starting point, the vehicle then undergoes extensive modification.
Drivetrain
The heart of the 427R's modifications is the ROUSHcharger forced-induction system that is installed on the 3-valve SOHC 4.6L V8. Utilizing an Eaton positive-displacement supercharger and a water-to-air intercooler integrated into the intake manifold, the system applies approximately 6 PSI of boost to produce 427 HP and 391 lb-ft - a useful increase of 127 HP and 71 lb-ft over the stock numbers. The system includes a vacuum-actuated bypass valve that routes air around the compressor at part throttle to increase efficiency. A heat exchanger for the intercooler is nestled behind the front fascia and uses a dedicated coolant loop (plumbed along the passenger's side of the engine) with an electric circulation pump. The engine's new fuel and spark demands are satisfied via a recalibrated OEM powertrain control module. Premium fuel is required, of course. The stock exhaust manifolds and catalytic converters dump spent gases into the ROUSH stainless-steel cat-back system.
Bumping up the output by nearly 43% changes the Mustang's personality dramatically, with the blower providing loads of thrust at any RPM and in any gear. The tractability and linearity of the powerplant is remarkable, giving the operator absolute control over the amount of power that reaches the rear wheels. This is good, as applying too much throttle with the traction control disabled will simply light up the rear tires in First, and some caution should be exercised in Second as well.
Great sounds are generated along as soon as the starter is engaged, with the PCM bringing up the revs to about 2000 RPM during start-up to produce a healthy bark before settling down to the normal idle speed. Putting the pedal to the floor fills the cabin with a thundering exhaust note, complimented by the supercharger's lovely mechanical whine. On decel, a symphony of crackles and growls is sung by the 3" tips that peek out from under the rear fascia. It's a wonderful soundtrack that totally fits the personality of the car, but forget any notion of sneaking around - heads will turn as the 427R passes by. If we have a complaint, it's that a rather obnoxious drone is emitted at part throttle around 1800 RPM. Downshift a gear and the exhaust note becomes much more pleasant; it's a solution that we're quite comfortable recommending.
Suspension
The performance modifications continue to the underpinnings, where ROUSH replaces the factory springs, sway bars, front struts, rear shocks, bushings, and jounce bumpers with new components to lower the Mustang while providing improved roll resistance. It appears that additional camber and caster is also dialed into the front suspension.
All of these blue powdercoated parts combine with the stiff S197 structure to add up to what is easily the best ride-vs.-handling compromise we've ever experienced in a pony car. The increased roll rate and lowered center-of-gravity provide crisp handling with neutral breakaway characteristics, and yet the suspension remains compliant enough to handle the worst of Michigan's pothole-strewn roads. Never does the rear axle give any indication of tramp or hop, and in fact behaves better than some RWD vehicles with independent rear suspension. Quite simply, every musclecar should handle this well. If we were to change anything, we'd perhaps try to dial in a bit more steering feedback, as it retains the stock Mustang's slightly overboosted feel.
Wheels and Tires
Five-spoke chromed cast-aluminum 18x9" wheels are wrapped in Cooper Zeon 2XS directional tires in 275/40-18. We had no previous experience with this tire, but came away impressed by its respectable dry and wet traction (the latter of which we had a disproportionate amount of time experiencing due to the wet weather this fall). Additionally, the low noise and decent ride quality were appreciated when we weren't driving at 10/10ths. Almost as importantly, the wheel/tire package did a great job of complimenting the lowered ride height by filling up the fenderwells.
Body
While the supercharger and underpinnings are responsible for providing the "go", ROUSH's exterior appearance modifications supply plenty of "show". A color-matched four-piece body kit is installed, consisting of a redesigned front fascia and air dam, nonfunctional hood scoop, and "whale tail" rear spoiler. The 427R package also includes louvered covers for the quarter windows. A racing stripe covers the center of the hood and scoop, while "hockey-stick" graphics run down the front fenders and doors and a large ROUSH banner adorned the top of the windshield. Several other badges leave no question about the 427R's origin. Combined with the lowered ride height, the effect is that of a race car that has escaped from pit row to terrorize the streets.
The cosmetic changes turn the Mustang into a total attention magnet. We've never experienced such a reaction from any vehicle we've ever driven; people respond to the 427R with the joy that one would expect from a childhood automotive fantasy come to life. We also found that the Roush name carries with it a substantial amount of "street cred". If you like getting the thumbs-up sign from random strangers and talking about cars every time you pull into a parking spot, this is your car. Those looking to fly under the radar would be well-advised to seek alternative transportation.
The body add-ons also fit the Mustang extremely well, with the exception of the side window louvers. Held on by only three screws, they were able to move around a bit. While this didn't create any noise, we think that it might scuff the paint after a while, and would have preferred to see a bit of double-sided tape to help keep them from rubbing on the finish. Otherwise, the quality of the exterior parts was excellent and we never scraped the air dam, proving that ROUSH designed these components for real-world use.
Interior
To spice up the normally dark and dour Mustang interior, new seat covers with electric-blue perforated leather inserts are installed onto the stock frames and cushions. Down below, billet aluminum pedal covers are installed, including a dead pedal, and a set of ROUSH embroidered floor mats cover the carpet. A custom gauge black-on-white gage cluster is installed into the dashboard as well. To top things off, a billet aluminum shift knob is mounted atop the stock shifter.
The blue seats certainly match up well with the exterior, but admittedly they're slightly jarring at first sight when contrasted with the rest of the interior. We initially thought that we wouldn't like the pedal covers, thinking that they'd be too slippery when wet. Fortunately, their sharp edges provided plenty of grip, heal-and-toe downshifts were possible, and we found the dead pedal to be perfectly placed. The shape of the shift knob also drew some early scrutiny, but it turned out to be well-matched to the placement of the shifter and center console. The new gage cluster proved easy to read and the green night time backlighting was well-matched with other controls, but the MyColor feature of the OEM cluster is lost in the process. Also, the redline on the tach is marked at 6000 RPM, where the power peak hasn't yet arrived and the rev limiter doesn't kick in for another 500 RPM.
Warranty
Those who are concerned about the effect of these modifications upon the factory warranty need not worry - all of the Ford factory equipment is still covered. ROUSH components carry their own 3-year/36,000-mile warranty.
Performance
When dealing with this much power, putting down the hammer on public roads fails to provide any meaningful indication of performance (not to mention the danger presented to the general public and our driver licenses). To provide some objective measurements, we first hit a chassis dyno to see if ROUSH's claims could be verified, and then took several passes down the dragstrip.
We brought the 427R over to Baker Engineering in Nunica, MI and strapped it to the facility's Dynojet 248 inertial chassis dyno. Our first run resulted in some disappointing numbers, but an hour of diagnosis by ROUSH technicians revealed a simple problem - the blower's bypass valve actuator was misadjusted, causing the valve to remain partially open at wide-open throttle. The effect of this was to bleed off nearly half of the blower's boost, with a corresponding effect on power production. Spinning up the rollers once again, we obtained a rather healthy 356 HP and 330 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheels (corrected for atmospheric conditions to the SAE J1349 standard, of course). Assume a drivetrain loss figure of somewhere around 15-20% (trying to pin down an exact number is impossible), and these results back up ROUSH's crankshaft ratings. The engine was still pulling hard when the rev limiter was encountered at 6500 RPM, and the torque curve remained healthy over the entire range of the pull.
We then drove the 427R over to Mid-Michigan Motorplex in Stanton, MI to lay down some passes. Hampered by difficulties with wheelspin, our quickest attempt resulted in an elapsed time of 13.474 seconds at 106.79 MPH (a faster trap speed of 107.28 was recorded on a 13.551 pass). Applying NHRA correction factors for weather - we calculated a density altitude of 1600 ft - to our quickest run yields 13.234@108.77 MPH (we give you both the raw and corrected numbers, as opinions vary as to which is the more useful figure). While the trap speeds are appropriate for the 427R's power-to-weight ratio, the elapsed times were several tenths slower than what we'd like to see. A glance at the timeslip shows the problem; with a 60-foot time of 2.040, we spent way too much time trying to ease the car out of the hole without boiling the tires or bogging the engine (launching at 2500 RPM was the way to avoid excessive wheelspin, even with the tires at 25 PSI). We also struggled a bit with the stock shifter, and think that ROUSH's optional billet shifter would be money well spent for aspiring drag racers. Finally, the overaggressive rev limiter seems to shut down the engine for an eternity (in reality, it kills the motor for about a second), which applies a stiff penalty to late shifts. Bolt on a set of drag radials, get in some more practice with the shifter, and we think that this thing will easily break into the twelves.
The Final Verdict
Judged solely upon its merits, we think that that ROUSH 427R is indeed a fine piece of performance machinery - and an attractive piece of eye candy, as well. However, it's a fact of life that ROUSH expects some payment in return for all of this equipment, and the base 427R package adds $15,000 to the Mustang GT's MSRP of $26,980. The gage cluster, custom leather seating, and side window louvers add another $2,340, and Uncle Sam grabs another grand for the federal gas-guzzler tax. Add in the delivery cost, and it'll take $46,110 to put one in your driveway.
This places the 427R in the same price range as Ford's own Shelby GT500, as well as the base version of Chevrolet's Corvette. To be honest, it's unlikely that the Vette will be cross-shopped against either Mustang (it's a Ford vs. Chevy thing, folks), so the real competition here is indeed the Blue Oval's factory hot rod. In the Shelby's favor is an additional 75 HP, as well as larger brakes. Thanks to its smaller aluminum block engine, though, the 427R is lighter by a couple hundred pounds (and with much better distribution of that mass), and we think that it's far less likely to be mistaken for a garden-variety Mustang. And let's not forget the "market adjustment" currently applied to the GT500 (although that is likely a temporary situation). We'll hold off on forming too strong of an opinion until we get to spend some serious time with the Shelby, but our tendency right now might be to select the GT500 for serious straight-line duty, and go with the 427R for just about anything else. It's not cheap, but it's a well-engineered muscle car that's equally at home on the street or the racetrack, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time with it in the Autoblog Garage.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Specifications & Mods:
Roush Mustang RTC Package - $13,375.00
- ROUSH 4 Piece Aero body Kit (Front Fascia, Front Chin Spoiler, Hood Scoop, and Rear Wing)
- Lower Valance Fog Lamps
- High Flow Nine Bar Grille
- Two-Tone Paint
- ROUSH Door Sill Plates
- ROUSH 20-Inch Forged Chrome Wheels with High Performance Tires
- ROUSH Fender and Decklid Badges
- ROUSH Front Windshield Banner
- ROUSH Embroidered Floor Mats
- Locking Lug Nuts
- ROUSH Billet Aluminum Shifter Handle w/ Grips (Manual Transmission Only)
- ROUSH Four-Piece Performance Pedals
- ROUSH White Face Electro Luminescent Gauge Cluster
- ROUSH Sport Leather Seating with Suede Inserts
- ROUSH Lowering Springs and Jounce Bumpers
- RTCSerialized Engine Bay Plaque
Options
Chrome ROUSHcharger (430 hp / 400 lb-ft) $6,250.00
Vent Pod w/ Boost Gauge (ROUSHcharger Option Only) $435.00
Interior Dash Trim Kit (Carbon Fiber Design) $350.00
Quarter Window Louvers (Coupe ONLY) $315.00
Short Throw Shifter (can be used with stock shift knob or Roush billet knobs) $340.00
Short Shifter w/ Chrome Shifter Arm and White Ball Knob $445.00
Short Shifter w/ Chrome Shifter Arm and Black Ball Knob $445.00
Trunk Mounted Tool Kit $355.00
ROUSH Exhaust - Dealer Installed (Post Title) $575.00
Sport Brake Kit (slotted rotors and painted calipers) $1,450.00
Strut Tower Brace $220.00
May 21, 2008
2009 Mustang 45th Anniversary Badge Revealed
[Via Jalopnik & MustangEvolution]
The 2009 year will mark 45 years of uninterrupted production of the Ford Mustang and what other way to celebrate than a fancy new badge. The 2009 badge will appear only on the base model Ford Mustangs and be about 4 inches in height and width.
Holy cow, OMG, WTF — it's a real, live badge for the 2009 Ford Mustang! OK, we'll stop with the exclamations now. But why wouldn't we be excited — it's the 45th anniversary of the Mustang and, and, and — OK, we can't really figure out why we should be excited. Especially given we'll see an entirely new Ford Mustang less than one year later for the 2010 model year. Whatever, we salute Ford for 45 years of pony cars. At least they kept going with the muscular muscle cars even when no other 'merican automaker would. That took some guts — and we'll give 'em credit for that. However we'll still poke 'em for that big truck axle in the rear end. Speaking of credit, we're also going to give some credit to Mustang Evolution for pokin' fun at Ford with a snarky little comment on the new 'stangs looking a little thick around the waist. Way to be, guys!
The 2009 year will mark 45 years of uninterrupted production of the Ford Mustang and what other way to celebrate than a fancy new badge. The 2009 badge will appear only on the base model Ford Mustangs and be about 4 inches in height and width.
Holy cow, OMG, WTF — it's a real, live badge for the 2009 Ford Mustang! OK, we'll stop with the exclamations now. But why wouldn't we be excited — it's the 45th anniversary of the Mustang and, and, and — OK, we can't really figure out why we should be excited. Especially given we'll see an entirely new Ford Mustang less than one year later for the 2010 model year. Whatever, we salute Ford for 45 years of pony cars. At least they kept going with the muscular muscle cars even when no other 'merican automaker would. That took some guts — and we'll give 'em credit for that. However we'll still poke 'em for that big truck axle in the rear end. Speaking of credit, we're also going to give some credit to Mustang Evolution for pokin' fun at Ford with a snarky little comment on the new 'stangs looking a little thick around the waist. Way to be, guys!
May 2, 2008
Carroll Shelby Celebrates 85th Birthday & 1966 Le Mans Victory with Commemorative GT40
[Via AutoBlog]
By Drew Phillips
We got our first look at Shelby's 85th Commemorative GT40 back in January at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale. It's as close as you can get to the real thing without spending millions on an original GT40 with the chassis and body nearly perfectly replicating the original. Shelby Distribution has now issued an updated press release as well as the official photos. The GT40, built by Superformance but officially badged a Shelby, celebrates both Carroll's 85th birthday as well as the dominating 1-2-3 Le Mans win in 1966. It's available in all three colors of the original race cars - Arcadian Blue, Black, and Red - as well as unique Shelby badging on the door handles, headlights, side graphics, and floor mats. No engine specs are available since each comes as a rolling chassis, but the engine bay is built to accommodate any Shelby-badged V8 crate engine. Anything but a 427ci V8 would be just plain crazy, though. Follow the jump for the press release and check out nearly fifty high resolution photos in the gallery below.
PRESS RELEASE:
In celebration of Carroll Shelby's 85TH birthday Shelby Distribution USA under license from Shelby Licensing and in partnership with Shelby Automobiles Inc. will reproduce the three dominating Shelby American GT40® race cars that accomplished one of the greatest feats in American automotive racing history into a street legal vehicle that can be driven or simply collected. These rolling chassis will receive a Shelby Automobiles Inc. MSO and will be recorded in the Shelby Registry along with the Safir GT40 Spares LLC assigned licensed mark, identification number and registry that reflects these cars as newly manufactured variants of the original GT40®.
Chassis/Body
The GT40®'s chassis is a near-exact replication of the original race car's monocoque unibody structure down to the pressed steel roof. The only departure is the use of electro-galvanized sheet steel in the construction. The chassis, at over 12,000 pounds per degree, is stiffer than any other chassis on the market, and is made of over 244 laser cut and bent or pressed parts.
Engine/Transmission
The Shelby 85th Commemorative GT40® is built to accommodate only a Shelby branded engine. The top of the line engine includes the Shelby 427FE V8.
Original Style Suspension
The Shelby 85th Commemorative GT40® features an original style fully independent suspension system utilizing an unequal length A-arm design. The coilover system utilizes H&R springs and Bilstein shocks that are fully adjustable as well as the front and rear anti-roll bars. Ride height can be changed from 4.125 to 4.75 inches.
Wheels/Tires/Brakes
Incredible braking performance is achieved through vented Wilwood super light brakes. Both front and rear brakes feature 12.75" discs and 4-piston calipers. Original style 15-inch Halibrand wheels are wrapped with high performance BFGoodrich g-Force Drag Radial tires, 225/50/15 front, 275/60/15 rear.
Interior
The interior features original style seats with rivets and 4-point racing harness seat belts. A racing style dash features Smith gauges, and the pedal box, instruments, quick-release 14-inch steering wheel, and dash accurately replicate the original.
Unique 85th Commemorative Edition GT40® Features
The MKII Shelby GT40®'s will be based on the following cars. Only 85 of each color will be issued.
Car #1, Chassis P/1015: Arcadian Blue, White Stripes/Dark Blue borders, and Dayglo Red Fender Flashes
Car #2, Chassis P/1046: Black with solid Silver Stripes and White Roundels
Car #3, Chassis P/1047 Red with solid White Stripes and Roundels
Features Include:
- Record sale into the Shelby Registry
- Shelby MSO and dash plaque
- Carroll Shelby engraved door handles
- Carroll Shelby etched left and right front headlight covers
- Roundels with 85 number decals
- Leather seating
- Hood wind diffusers
- CS GT40® numbered plaque
- CS GT40® side sill graphics
- Carroll Shelby signature floor and sill mats
- 85th Commemorative hood badge
- 85th Special Edition decal
- Available in right and left hand drive
Available Race Version
While the standard Shelby 85th Commemorative GT40® is as close to a race car as one can get to driving on the street, a race version is also available. This package comes with a roll bar, fuel cell and A/C delete.
Vehicle specifications
Wheelbase: 95"
Length: 163"
Height: 40.5"
Width: 70"
Track (f/r): 57"/56"
Ground Clearance: 4.125" – 4.75"
Curb Weight: 2400 lbs
Weight Distribution: f/r: 40/60%
About Shelby Distribution
Based in Irvine, CA, Shelby Distribution is the official distributor for Shelby continuation cars. Their product lineup includes the CSX4000 Cobra, CSX9000, and the 85th Commemorative GT40. For more information on Shelby continuation cars or to find a dealership, visit www.shelbydistributionusa.com or call 888-SHELBY-USA. The GT40® trademark is owned by Safir GT40 Spares LLC.
By Drew Phillips
We got our first look at Shelby's 85th Commemorative GT40 back in January at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale. It's as close as you can get to the real thing without spending millions on an original GT40 with the chassis and body nearly perfectly replicating the original. Shelby Distribution has now issued an updated press release as well as the official photos. The GT40, built by Superformance but officially badged a Shelby, celebrates both Carroll's 85th birthday as well as the dominating 1-2-3 Le Mans win in 1966. It's available in all three colors of the original race cars - Arcadian Blue, Black, and Red - as well as unique Shelby badging on the door handles, headlights, side graphics, and floor mats. No engine specs are available since each comes as a rolling chassis, but the engine bay is built to accommodate any Shelby-badged V8 crate engine. Anything but a 427ci V8 would be just plain crazy, though. Follow the jump for the press release and check out nearly fifty high resolution photos in the gallery below.
PRESS RELEASE:
In celebration of Carroll Shelby's 85TH birthday Shelby Distribution USA under license from Shelby Licensing and in partnership with Shelby Automobiles Inc. will reproduce the three dominating Shelby American GT40® race cars that accomplished one of the greatest feats in American automotive racing history into a street legal vehicle that can be driven or simply collected. These rolling chassis will receive a Shelby Automobiles Inc. MSO and will be recorded in the Shelby Registry along with the Safir GT40 Spares LLC assigned licensed mark, identification number and registry that reflects these cars as newly manufactured variants of the original GT40®.
Chassis/Body
The GT40®'s chassis is a near-exact replication of the original race car's monocoque unibody structure down to the pressed steel roof. The only departure is the use of electro-galvanized sheet steel in the construction. The chassis, at over 12,000 pounds per degree, is stiffer than any other chassis on the market, and is made of over 244 laser cut and bent or pressed parts.
Engine/Transmission
The Shelby 85th Commemorative GT40® is built to accommodate only a Shelby branded engine. The top of the line engine includes the Shelby 427FE V8.
Original Style Suspension
The Shelby 85th Commemorative GT40® features an original style fully independent suspension system utilizing an unequal length A-arm design. The coilover system utilizes H&R springs and Bilstein shocks that are fully adjustable as well as the front and rear anti-roll bars. Ride height can be changed from 4.125 to 4.75 inches.
Wheels/Tires/Brakes
Incredible braking performance is achieved through vented Wilwood super light brakes. Both front and rear brakes feature 12.75" discs and 4-piston calipers. Original style 15-inch Halibrand wheels are wrapped with high performance BFGoodrich g-Force Drag Radial tires, 225/50/15 front, 275/60/15 rear.
Interior
The interior features original style seats with rivets and 4-point racing harness seat belts. A racing style dash features Smith gauges, and the pedal box, instruments, quick-release 14-inch steering wheel, and dash accurately replicate the original.
Unique 85th Commemorative Edition GT40® Features
The MKII Shelby GT40®'s will be based on the following cars. Only 85 of each color will be issued.
Car #1, Chassis P/1015: Arcadian Blue, White Stripes/Dark Blue borders, and Dayglo Red Fender Flashes
Car #2, Chassis P/1046: Black with solid Silver Stripes and White Roundels
Car #3, Chassis P/1047 Red with solid White Stripes and Roundels
Features Include:
- Record sale into the Shelby Registry
- Shelby MSO and dash plaque
- Carroll Shelby engraved door handles
- Carroll Shelby etched left and right front headlight covers
- Roundels with 85 number decals
- Leather seating
- Hood wind diffusers
- CS GT40® numbered plaque
- CS GT40® side sill graphics
- Carroll Shelby signature floor and sill mats
- 85th Commemorative hood badge
- 85th Special Edition decal
- Available in right and left hand drive
Available Race Version
While the standard Shelby 85th Commemorative GT40® is as close to a race car as one can get to driving on the street, a race version is also available. This package comes with a roll bar, fuel cell and A/C delete.
Vehicle specifications
Wheelbase: 95"
Length: 163"
Height: 40.5"
Width: 70"
Track (f/r): 57"/56"
Ground Clearance: 4.125" – 4.75"
Curb Weight: 2400 lbs
Weight Distribution: f/r: 40/60%
About Shelby Distribution
Based in Irvine, CA, Shelby Distribution is the official distributor for Shelby continuation cars. Their product lineup includes the CSX4000 Cobra, CSX9000, and the 85th Commemorative GT40. For more information on Shelby continuation cars or to find a dealership, visit www.shelbydistributionusa.com or call 888-SHELBY-USA. The GT40® trademark is owned by Safir GT40 Spares LLC.
May 1, 2008
Ford Mustang GT500KR Priced at $79,995
[Via AutoBlog & Jalopnik]
By Damon Lavrinc
Ford will be producing 1,000 GT500KR Mustangs this year, with another 700 in 2009, so FoMoCo is pricing the ultimate 'Stang accordingly. For $79,995 (including destination and gas-guzzler tax), you get everything included in the "standard" GT500, plus Ford Racing's Power Upgrade Package, which includes a new exhaust and a recalibrated ECU to push out 540 hp and 510 lb.-ft. of torque from the supercharged 5.4-liter V8. The only options on the ordering form are a Shaker 1000 stereo, Sirius satellite radio and a navigation system. Ford hasn't disclosed fuel economy numbers yet, but we doubt anyone willing to drop $80k on a blown V8 is troubled by topping off their own KR with $4.00-a-gallon premium. Get your orders in now; sales begin later this month.
Don't forget to check out Part 1 and Part 2 of our First Drive: 2008 Shelby GT500KR if you haven't already, as well as the galleries below that contain a number of high-res images begging to be your next desktop wallpaper.
PRESS RELEASE
FORD SHELBY GT500KR: WORLD-CLASS PERFORMANCE FROM THE MOST POWERFUL PRODUCTION MUSTANG EVER
The 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR is the new "King of the Road" – the most powerful production Mustang ever produced, thanks to a 540-hp supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 with 510 lb.-ft. of torque.
* The 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR is the new "King of the Road" – the most powerful production Mustang ever produced, thanks to a 540-hp supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 with 510 lb.-ft. of torque.
* New GT500KR blends performance engineering expertise of Ford SVT, trackside learnings from Ford Racing Technology and ingenuity of Shelby Automobiles to deliver world-class handling and performance. The Ford Shelby GT500KR arrives at select Ford dealerships in late May.
Long live the King! The 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR, "King of the Road" assumes the throne, taking its rightful place as the ultimate American muscle car.
The GT500KR builds on the already impressive stats of the Shelby GT500, with 40 more horsepower, an additional 30 foot-pounds of torque and an array of chassis, aero and weight-reduction measures to offer world-class performance. Engineered by Ford SVT with final assembly by Shelby Automobiles, it blends track learnings from the Ford Racing Mustang FR500C and the ingenuity of Carroll Shelby to deliver the ultimate in Mustang performance.
"Every new Shelby Mustang renews my energy and passion for performance," said Carroll Shelby, founder of Shelby Automobiles. "I'm just as excited about the 2008 KR as I was when I developed the first one. The team has done a great job with this car. It is this is truly the best Shelby Mustang we've ever built...so far."
The Shelby GT500KR is the latest in a royal lineage that spans more than 40 years, beginning with the 1965 Shelby GT350 and including the original 1968 Shelby GT500KR that provided the inspiration. Carroll Shelby has played an active role in the development of every one.
"When the names Mustang and Shelby come together, the results are never anything less than amazing," said Robert Parker, Ford Car Marketing manager. "Mustang has earned an endearing place in America's hearts, topping the sports car segment for 22 straight years. The GT500KR is sure to get those hearts pumping even faster."
Delivering the Ultimate in Mustang Performance
Just like its 1968 namesake, the 2008 Shelby GT500KR builds on the strong foundation of the Shelby GT500. Ford and Shelby designers collaborated to channel the classic KR design cues and finesse them into the iconic lines of the new Mustang. Most noticeable are the modern interpretation of the distinctive, sculpted KR hood and classic Le Mans-style striping.
The development team spent countless hours designing a car that pays homage to the 1968 "King of the Road," but this thoroughbred is more than just a pretty face. The GT500KR is inspired by Ford Racing's experience on the race track and finessed with the trademark SVT engineering and Shelby Automobiles' proven delivery of balanced performance production for the street. Its chassis incorporates unique suspension components developed especially for the KR.
The suspension's stiffness has been enhanced with wheel rates 17 percent higher in the front and 7 percent higher in the rear. Every other element of the chassis system – such as sway bars and shock absorbers – has been tuned especially to improve King of the Road's handling.
The new suspension was tuned to work with the Goodyear high-performance, P255/45Z18 front and P285/40ZR18 rear tires, developed specifically for the KR, with a compound that is exclusive to North America. The stickier tires help the short 3.73:1 rear gear (compared to the GT500's 3.31:1 rear gear) send maximum horsepower to the road and are an important component in the overall handling balance.
"The KR is much more than just a great straight-line performer. It's the complete package − handling, power and performance," said Jamal Hameedi, chief program engineer at Ford SVT. "The team put the GT500KR through rigorous testing and have witnessed slalom runs with sustained lateral acceleration of 1.0g on the skidpad. Those are world-class numbers."
The GT500KR doesn't just go better, it stops better. The new tires work with a recalibrated anti-lock braking system (ABS) that results in improved stopping distances 6 feet shorter from 60 to 0 than the stock GT500. The ABS system has been tuned to be unobtrusive during spirited driving. Similar honing was undertaken with the vehicle's traction-control system to optimize acceleration
The GT500KR's impeccable balance of handling and performance is the result of a holistic approach to the development, looking at the total vehicle with chassis and powertrain engineers working together to optimize all vehicle attributes.
For example, a new front splitter and revised rear spoiler aid in aerodynamic improvements, adding downforce over the front axle and moving the center of aero pressure forward in the vehicle to improve high-speed balance and stable, predictable braking character. The ride height has been lowered to the optimum setting for on-the-limit handling, lowering the front by 20 mm and the rear by 15 mm.
"The KR is more responsive and has more body control," said Gary Davis, vice president of production for Shelby Automobiles. "It delivers even more racing feel than a stock GT500. Yet it's still extremely comfortable and doesn't beat you up like some performance cars. We've been able to increase handling substantially without giving up a lot in ride comfort."
GT500KR 5.4-liter V-8 Receives the Royal Treatment
The 2008 "King of the Road" packs a walloping dose of Ford performance under a sculpted carbon fiber hood. The Ford SVT-engineered 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 is enhanced with a series of Ford Racing-inspired upgrades that boosts horsepower to an estimated 540 and torque to 510 lb.-ft.
The added power is delivered courtesy of a revised ignition and throttle calibration and a cold air intake system that replaces the stock unit.
The unique carbon fiber hood, secured by a pair of stainless steel, twist-down hood pins, serves to relieve high-speed underhood pressure, move air from the front intake and engine compartment to the rear extractors and channel supplemental fresh air into the new cold air intake that feeds KR's massive V-8.
The Shelby GT500KR cold air intake seal was designed with the new hood to prevent hot engine compartment air from reaching the air intake. This channels ambient air to feed the supercharged intake for optimal combustion efficiency for horsepower and torque.
Calibration modifications include advancing the ignition timing as well as re-mapping the electronic throttle settings to provide quicker throttle response for better off-line and mid-range acceleration. Increased throttle response is met with a sharper roar from the Ford Racing-inspired exhaust system.
"Throttle response has been dramatically improved," said Hameedi. "The KR launches with authority and provides power on demand – throughout the entire power band."
Power is delivered to the rear wheels through a Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual transmission. Gear selection is courtesy of an all-new Ford Racing short-throw shifter. Topped with a white ball, the new shifter throws are 25 percent shorter than the unit on the GT500 providing for crisper, quicker shifts.
Inspired by Ford Racing Mustang FR500C motorsport experience, the Shelby GT500KR has been fitted with an elevated axle vent reservoir to prevent axle fluid expulsion during sustained periods of performance driving or track-day use.
A Legend in the Making
Each Shelby GT500KR begins life as a GT500, built at AutoAlliance International Inc., in Flat Rock, Mich. From there, the cars are shipped to Shelby Automobile's facility in Las Vegas.
"We are so proud of the Ford and Shelby teams coming together and working tirelessly for the last year to bring you the Ford Shelby GT500KRs with the specially engineered chassis, powertrain and exhaust components along with the unique carbon-fiber hood and the new short-throw shifter," said Amy Boylan, president of Shelby Automobiles, Inc. "Every GT500KR will be hand customized and delivered to each customer in an enclosed transporter, just like the Ford GT."
Each 2008 GT500KR model is identified by a special 40th Anniversary badge on the fenders and grille, distinctive body colored mirror caps and Shelby lettering stretching across the front of the hood and along the rear portion of the deck lid. A special Shelby Automobiles, Inc., Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) tag is affixed inside each vehicle's engine compartment.
Each new GT500KR also will be entered into the official Shelby Registry.
The all-leather interior features Carroll Shelby signature embroidered headrests and an official Shelby CSM 40th Anniversary GT500KR dash plate mounted at the top of the center stack.
Other standard equipment includes HID headlamps, an interior ambient lighting package, wrapped and stitched instrument panel, center console and armrests, as well as an electrochromic rearview mirror. Optional equipment includes a Shaker 1000 audio system, DVD navigation system and SIRIUS satellite radio.
The GT500KR or "King of the Road" Mustang is the fourth limited-edition Mustang that Shelby Automobiles and Ford have brought to market since resuming their collaboration in 2001. The public will get its first taste of the GT500KR in late May, when selected dealers will offer the latest Shelby Mustang in a limited edition of 1,000 units for 2008. The manufacturer's suggested retail price of the Mustang GT500KR is $79,995, including destination and delivery charges.
By Damon Lavrinc
Ford will be producing 1,000 GT500KR Mustangs this year, with another 700 in 2009, so FoMoCo is pricing the ultimate 'Stang accordingly. For $79,995 (including destination and gas-guzzler tax), you get everything included in the "standard" GT500, plus Ford Racing's Power Upgrade Package, which includes a new exhaust and a recalibrated ECU to push out 540 hp and 510 lb.-ft. of torque from the supercharged 5.4-liter V8. The only options on the ordering form are a Shaker 1000 stereo, Sirius satellite radio and a navigation system. Ford hasn't disclosed fuel economy numbers yet, but we doubt anyone willing to drop $80k on a blown V8 is troubled by topping off their own KR with $4.00-a-gallon premium. Get your orders in now; sales begin later this month.
Don't forget to check out Part 1 and Part 2 of our First Drive: 2008 Shelby GT500KR if you haven't already, as well as the galleries below that contain a number of high-res images begging to be your next desktop wallpaper.
PRESS RELEASE
FORD SHELBY GT500KR: WORLD-CLASS PERFORMANCE FROM THE MOST POWERFUL PRODUCTION MUSTANG EVER
The 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR is the new "King of the Road" – the most powerful production Mustang ever produced, thanks to a 540-hp supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 with 510 lb.-ft. of torque.
* The 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR is the new "King of the Road" – the most powerful production Mustang ever produced, thanks to a 540-hp supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 with 510 lb.-ft. of torque.
* New GT500KR blends performance engineering expertise of Ford SVT, trackside learnings from Ford Racing Technology and ingenuity of Shelby Automobiles to deliver world-class handling and performance. The Ford Shelby GT500KR arrives at select Ford dealerships in late May.
Long live the King! The 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR, "King of the Road" assumes the throne, taking its rightful place as the ultimate American muscle car.
The GT500KR builds on the already impressive stats of the Shelby GT500, with 40 more horsepower, an additional 30 foot-pounds of torque and an array of chassis, aero and weight-reduction measures to offer world-class performance. Engineered by Ford SVT with final assembly by Shelby Automobiles, it blends track learnings from the Ford Racing Mustang FR500C and the ingenuity of Carroll Shelby to deliver the ultimate in Mustang performance.
"Every new Shelby Mustang renews my energy and passion for performance," said Carroll Shelby, founder of Shelby Automobiles. "I'm just as excited about the 2008 KR as I was when I developed the first one. The team has done a great job with this car. It is this is truly the best Shelby Mustang we've ever built...so far."
The Shelby GT500KR is the latest in a royal lineage that spans more than 40 years, beginning with the 1965 Shelby GT350 and including the original 1968 Shelby GT500KR that provided the inspiration. Carroll Shelby has played an active role in the development of every one.
"When the names Mustang and Shelby come together, the results are never anything less than amazing," said Robert Parker, Ford Car Marketing manager. "Mustang has earned an endearing place in America's hearts, topping the sports car segment for 22 straight years. The GT500KR is sure to get those hearts pumping even faster."
Delivering the Ultimate in Mustang Performance
Just like its 1968 namesake, the 2008 Shelby GT500KR builds on the strong foundation of the Shelby GT500. Ford and Shelby designers collaborated to channel the classic KR design cues and finesse them into the iconic lines of the new Mustang. Most noticeable are the modern interpretation of the distinctive, sculpted KR hood and classic Le Mans-style striping.
The development team spent countless hours designing a car that pays homage to the 1968 "King of the Road," but this thoroughbred is more than just a pretty face. The GT500KR is inspired by Ford Racing's experience on the race track and finessed with the trademark SVT engineering and Shelby Automobiles' proven delivery of balanced performance production for the street. Its chassis incorporates unique suspension components developed especially for the KR.
The suspension's stiffness has been enhanced with wheel rates 17 percent higher in the front and 7 percent higher in the rear. Every other element of the chassis system – such as sway bars and shock absorbers – has been tuned especially to improve King of the Road's handling.
The new suspension was tuned to work with the Goodyear high-performance, P255/45Z18 front and P285/40ZR18 rear tires, developed specifically for the KR, with a compound that is exclusive to North America. The stickier tires help the short 3.73:1 rear gear (compared to the GT500's 3.31:1 rear gear) send maximum horsepower to the road and are an important component in the overall handling balance.
"The KR is much more than just a great straight-line performer. It's the complete package − handling, power and performance," said Jamal Hameedi, chief program engineer at Ford SVT. "The team put the GT500KR through rigorous testing and have witnessed slalom runs with sustained lateral acceleration of 1.0g on the skidpad. Those are world-class numbers."
The GT500KR doesn't just go better, it stops better. The new tires work with a recalibrated anti-lock braking system (ABS) that results in improved stopping distances 6 feet shorter from 60 to 0 than the stock GT500. The ABS system has been tuned to be unobtrusive during spirited driving. Similar honing was undertaken with the vehicle's traction-control system to optimize acceleration
The GT500KR's impeccable balance of handling and performance is the result of a holistic approach to the development, looking at the total vehicle with chassis and powertrain engineers working together to optimize all vehicle attributes.
For example, a new front splitter and revised rear spoiler aid in aerodynamic improvements, adding downforce over the front axle and moving the center of aero pressure forward in the vehicle to improve high-speed balance and stable, predictable braking character. The ride height has been lowered to the optimum setting for on-the-limit handling, lowering the front by 20 mm and the rear by 15 mm.
"The KR is more responsive and has more body control," said Gary Davis, vice president of production for Shelby Automobiles. "It delivers even more racing feel than a stock GT500. Yet it's still extremely comfortable and doesn't beat you up like some performance cars. We've been able to increase handling substantially without giving up a lot in ride comfort."
GT500KR 5.4-liter V-8 Receives the Royal Treatment
The 2008 "King of the Road" packs a walloping dose of Ford performance under a sculpted carbon fiber hood. The Ford SVT-engineered 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 is enhanced with a series of Ford Racing-inspired upgrades that boosts horsepower to an estimated 540 and torque to 510 lb.-ft.
The added power is delivered courtesy of a revised ignition and throttle calibration and a cold air intake system that replaces the stock unit.
The unique carbon fiber hood, secured by a pair of stainless steel, twist-down hood pins, serves to relieve high-speed underhood pressure, move air from the front intake and engine compartment to the rear extractors and channel supplemental fresh air into the new cold air intake that feeds KR's massive V-8.
The Shelby GT500KR cold air intake seal was designed with the new hood to prevent hot engine compartment air from reaching the air intake. This channels ambient air to feed the supercharged intake for optimal combustion efficiency for horsepower and torque.
Calibration modifications include advancing the ignition timing as well as re-mapping the electronic throttle settings to provide quicker throttle response for better off-line and mid-range acceleration. Increased throttle response is met with a sharper roar from the Ford Racing-inspired exhaust system.
"Throttle response has been dramatically improved," said Hameedi. "The KR launches with authority and provides power on demand – throughout the entire power band."
Power is delivered to the rear wheels through a Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual transmission. Gear selection is courtesy of an all-new Ford Racing short-throw shifter. Topped with a white ball, the new shifter throws are 25 percent shorter than the unit on the GT500 providing for crisper, quicker shifts.
Inspired by Ford Racing Mustang FR500C motorsport experience, the Shelby GT500KR has been fitted with an elevated axle vent reservoir to prevent axle fluid expulsion during sustained periods of performance driving or track-day use.
A Legend in the Making
Each Shelby GT500KR begins life as a GT500, built at AutoAlliance International Inc., in Flat Rock, Mich. From there, the cars are shipped to Shelby Automobile's facility in Las Vegas.
"We are so proud of the Ford and Shelby teams coming together and working tirelessly for the last year to bring you the Ford Shelby GT500KRs with the specially engineered chassis, powertrain and exhaust components along with the unique carbon-fiber hood and the new short-throw shifter," said Amy Boylan, president of Shelby Automobiles, Inc. "Every GT500KR will be hand customized and delivered to each customer in an enclosed transporter, just like the Ford GT."
Each 2008 GT500KR model is identified by a special 40th Anniversary badge on the fenders and grille, distinctive body colored mirror caps and Shelby lettering stretching across the front of the hood and along the rear portion of the deck lid. A special Shelby Automobiles, Inc., Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) tag is affixed inside each vehicle's engine compartment.
Each new GT500KR also will be entered into the official Shelby Registry.
The all-leather interior features Carroll Shelby signature embroidered headrests and an official Shelby CSM 40th Anniversary GT500KR dash plate mounted at the top of the center stack.
Other standard equipment includes HID headlamps, an interior ambient lighting package, wrapped and stitched instrument panel, center console and armrests, as well as an electrochromic rearview mirror. Optional equipment includes a Shaker 1000 audio system, DVD navigation system and SIRIUS satellite radio.
The GT500KR or "King of the Road" Mustang is the fourth limited-edition Mustang that Shelby Automobiles and Ford have brought to market since resuming their collaboration in 2001. The public will get its first taste of the GT500KR in late May, when selected dealers will offer the latest Shelby Mustang in a limited edition of 1,000 units for 2008. The manufacturer's suggested retail price of the Mustang GT500KR is $79,995, including destination and delivery charges.
April 28, 2008
First 2009 GT500KRs From Shelby Autos
[Via AutoBlog]
By Jeremy Korzeniewski
We got a chance to visit Shelby Automotive out in Las Vegas a week or so ago to witness the first 2009 GT500KR going through final assembly. Although the KR was originally intended to be an '08-only model release, demand for the new King of the Road was high enough that Ford and Shelby decided to keep on rollin' for another year and plans to offer an additional 746 units for 2009. As a refresher, these beasts are powered by a 540-horsepower version of the GT500's supercharged V8. If you love special edition versions of the Mustang like this one but aren't ready yet to buy, fear not... we have a feeling that there will be many more to choose from in the coming years.
By Jeremy Korzeniewski
We got a chance to visit Shelby Automotive out in Las Vegas a week or so ago to witness the first 2009 GT500KR going through final assembly. Although the KR was originally intended to be an '08-only model release, demand for the new King of the Road was high enough that Ford and Shelby decided to keep on rollin' for another year and plans to offer an additional 746 units for 2009. As a refresher, these beasts are powered by a 540-horsepower version of the GT500's supercharged V8. If you love special edition versions of the Mustang like this one but aren't ready yet to buy, fear not... we have a feeling that there will be many more to choose from in the coming years.
April 17, 2008
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