2012 Shelby GT500 tops Forbes’ list of fastest cars under $50,000

Forbes magazine has put together a list of the fastest vehicles available for under $50,000, and the results aren’t surprising (at least to us). The 2012 Shelby GT500 tops the list, barely squeezing under the limit with a base price of $49,605, while the 2012 Boss 302 made it a Mustang 1-2 by taking home second place. With Forbes using a horsepower-to-weight ratio rather than acceleration times or top speed to determine the best performance car, the two Mustangs dominated the list with 6.9 lb/hp and 8.2 lb/hp, respectively. Other cars on the list include the 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 (8.4 lb/hp), 2012 Dodge Challenger SRT8 (8.9 lb/hp) and the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro SS (9.1 lb/hp).

Interestingly, the 2012 Mustang GT wasn’t included in the article, perhaps to prevent a list consisting mostly of Mustangs. It’s horsepower-to-weight ratio of 8.7 lb/hp would have put it fourth on the list. The 2012 Mustang V6 with a ratio of 11.3 lb/hp is just outside the top ten, just behind the Subaru Impreza WRX STI’s 11.1 lb/hp.

You can see the full list of cars over at Forbes.com.

World’s fastest 2011+ Mustang V6 does the quarter mile in 11.20 sec @ 119 mph

Despite having a more-than-respectable 305 horsepower and 280 lb-ft torque from the factory, V6-powered Mustangs don’t get quite as much respect as their V8 siblings. The aftermarket especially doesn’t give much love to the Mustang V6, with companies mainly producing parts for the 5.0L V8, and performance shops generally use the Mustang GT as their base for project cars. Even so, we can always appreciate when someone takes the performance plunge on two less cylinders.
Out of all companies ProCharger has led the V6 charge, producing a supercharger kit that boosts the 3.7L mill to more than 475 horsepower. We’ve seen the ProCharger  system prove its worth more than once, with one owner netting the first 12 second 1/4 mile, and American Muscle taking that one step further with the first 2011+ Mustang V6 in the 11s.
Now a new company, Central Florida Motorsports, has arrived on the scene and is pushing the boundaries of V6 performance thanks again to ProCharger power. After smashing the record for a 2011+ Mustang V6 back in March with a run of 11.28 seconds @ 119 mph back in March, the company’s supercharged Yellow Blaze project car improved on that further last week with a 11.20 @ 119 mph. That’s fast for any Mustang, regardless of cylinder count.
You can watch a video of the impressive run at the drag strip in the video below, and can keep up to date on CFM’s Mustang V6 project over at the car’s official Facebook page.

2013 Roush Stage 3 Mustang to compete in One Lap of America

Roush Performance will be entering their recently launched 2013 Stage 3 Mustang in the 2012 Tire Rack One Lap of America event scheduled for May 4th through 12th, 2012. As the One Lap website states, “The Tire Rack One Lap of America event is the toughest 8 days of racing featuring the fastest street-legal cars on America’s most challenging racetracks!” The Roush Performance engineering team has packed impressive horsepower, styling and handling performance into the redefined 2013 Roush Stage 3 Mustang. The supercharged 5.0L engine now produces a whopping 565HP and 505 ft/lbs of Torque. The all-new Roush Stage 3 graphics and body kit presents a menacing stance and appearance, and the Roush race-inspired suspension puts the power to the pavement while on the track or street.

“I can’t think of a better, more comprehensive vehicle endurance test than the Tire Rack One Lap event,” says Roush Performance #61 driver Jack Roush, Jr. “Pushing the vehicle through the One Lap skid pads, drag races, road courses and the thousands of road driving miles in between the tracks can add up to tremendous forces being put on the car and driver. I thoroughly enjoyed competing in the 2011 Tire Rack One Lap event, along with my co-driver Bill Johnson. It’s a grueling racing event, for sure.”

“The 2013 Roush Stage 3 Mustang competing in this year’s Tire Race One Lap event is the exact vehicle that can be optioned out and ordered through a Roush Authorized Ford Dealer,” says Tim Wheeler, VP Sales and Marketing for Roush Performance. “No additional power-adders, calibrations or racing modifications are part of this One Lap package. We think the 2013 Roush Stage 3 Mustang – right from the Dealer — can compete extremely well under these tough track conditions, and then provide a comfortable ride to the next track event 300 miles away.”

Roush Performance is pleased to announce that Evan Smith (Editor, Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords) and his co-driver Jeff Lacina (Owner, Track Guys DETROIT MUSCLE | REDEFINED Performance Driving Events) will be piloting the 2013 Roush Stage 3 Mustang during this year’s event.

“Evan and Jeff are both accomplished drivers that know their way around a Mustang, and how to push a performance vehicle to its limits out on the track,” says Jack Roush, Jr. “I’ve been to the track with Evan before and know that he is an excellent racer in his own right. We’re excited to have them experience our 2013 Roush Stage 3 Mustang’s power, handling and comfort while representing Roush Performance over the course of this marathon event.”

Marti Reports announces expanded Tagbook for 1965-1973 Mustang

Marti Auto Works, who offers a wide and varied selection of production fact books, specifications manuals and sales literature for the Ford Mustang, has announced that they will be offering a new tag book for the 1965-1973 Mustang and Cougar.
“Our new book features details never before published about various tags used on the 1965-1973 Mustangs and Cougars,” stated Kevin Marti, Marti Auto Works President.
Kevin and his team have spent over 20 years researching this subject, unlocking the keys to all the mysterious tags on these cars. The book is a complete guide to decoding the engine, transmission, carburetor, steering box, VIN owner card, radiator and more. The Mustang and Cougar Tagbook is a valuable source for authentication or restoration.
As a Ford licensee to the Ford Motor Company’s entire database, Marti Auto Works is able to offer exclusive books like Mustang by the Numbers 1967-1973. This publication is packed with over 12,000 statistics about how many Mustangs were built each year with various paint/trim, engine/transmission and option schemes with user friendly charts that offer the answers to a host of questions. Very high quality, color 1965-1970 Mustang sales brochures are also available.
In addition to the Marti Reports, Marti Auto Works has provided the finest quality restoration products that meet or exceed original design specifications at auto supply store prices including belts and hoses, spark plug wires and battery cables for over 29 years.

Production of first Shelby 1000 begins in Las Vegas

Sometimes it can take months for a product to come to market after it’s initially shown to the public, but that’s not the case for Shelby’s latest Mustang. After debuting the 950 horsepower 2012 Shelby 1000 at the New York Auto Show earlier this month, the company is already hard at work building the first customer car at their facility in Las Vegas, NV. The vehicle shown is actually a Shelby 1000 S/C, a track-only version of the car that is rated at an incredible 1,100 horsepower thanks to longtube headers, race fuel and increased boost from the massive 3.6L Kenne Bell supercharger.

As you can see from the photos below, the modifications required to create a Shelby 1000 are so extensive that the entire drivetrain and front suspension have to be completely removed from the vehicle and assembled separately. In addition to the new engine components, the car is also scheduled to get larger front and rear brakes, an all new suspension system, a 9-inch rear end and more.

2013 Shelby GT500 certified at 662 horsepower and 630 lb-ft torque

Ford and SVT shocked the automotive world when it announced the 2013 Shelby GT500 would be packing 650 horsepower – the highest of any production V8 in the world – thanks to a new 5.8-liter supercharged V8. That extra horsepower, combined with improved aerodynamics and revised gearing, allows for an incredible top speed of 202 mph, putting the new Shelby in an elite group of supercars at a fraction of the cost.

As if that weren’t impressive enough, it now looks like the production Shelby GT500 could be officially rated with more horsepower and torque when it’s released in the summer. At a special sneak preview of the car last week in Los Angeles for a select number of Shelby owners, Jim Owens, VP of marketing for Shelby and Boss 302, and Jamal Hameedi, SVT chief engineer, revealed that the 2013 GT500 was recently certified at 662 horsepower and 630 lb-ft torque.

Amazingly, the 2013 Shelby GT500 will also have improved fuel consumption  – 16 city / 24 highway compared to 15/23 for 2012 – thanks to taller gearing. This means that the 2013 GT500 will once again avoid the gas guzzler tax.

American Muscle’s Dyno Wars finds out which pony makes the most power

AmericanMuscle.com and Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords magazine have teamed up for a new competition called Dyno Wars, pitting the most powerful Mustangs in the country against one another to see who makes the most horsepower. The rules are simple – “Run whatcha brung, and hope you brung enough!” Four of the events will be held throughout the country this year, the most recent happening a few weeks back at the American Muscle headquarters in Malvern, PA. The results are certainly impressive, with only one Mustang making less than 700 rwhp and the most powerful car – a turbocharged 2011 Mustang GT built by JPC Racing – netting over 900 rwhp. Combined the six Mustangs produced a total of nearly 5,000 horsepower.

American Muscle Dyno Wars Northeast/Mid-Atlantic Region:

    Dan Frayko – 2009 GT500 – Vortech 3.3L Supercharged – 689 HP
    Clinton Smith – 2011 Mustang GT – Built Motor w/ 76mm Turbo at 19PSI – 925 HP
    Chris Jurkowitsch – 2004 SVT Cobra – 324ci Motor w/ Whipple 3.4L Supercharger at 25PSI – 908 HP
    Anthony Bongiovanni – 2010 GT500 – Whipple 2.9L Supercharger w/ Super Cobra Jet Cams – 771 HP
    Chris Pilla – 2003 SVT Cobra – Built Motor w/ Whipple 3.4L Supercharger at 25PSI – 782 HP
    Mike Corrin – 92 Mustang LX – 331ci Motor w/ 88mm Precision Turbo at 27PSI – 894 HP

Understated Class – Pristine 1967 Ford Mustang GTA

Although we often post about Eleanor on this site I cannot help thinking back to the original 1967 Mustangs. If I had my time over I probably would have gone down the route of a restoring my Mustang back to its original form and not an Eleanor. But never the less, It is great when you read about someone who has done just that. This is the case with Angelo Pavlis, the owner of this magnificent Silver Frost Metallic 1967 GTA Mustang.

There’s something about an original looking Mustang. It’s clean, simple and just classy. Forget the bolt on body kits, extravagent wheels and exhausts and modern add-ons. Keeping it original appeals to me so much more. It’s understated class to say the least.

Mustang Restorations in Illinois worked on the car to meet Angello’s exact specifications. Angello demanded a full restoration having every piece pristine to ensure the car looks and runs better than the day it rolled off the lot.

A street cam was added to give the car a nice idle. The 289CID engine was retained in favour of a larger block and the original automatic C-4 transmission was also used.

Saleen debuts newly badged Mustang lineup

It was only a few weeks ago that Steve Saleen announced he would once again be taking control of the Saleen brand, and already the company is making use of the familiar logo and branding. At the Fabulous Fords at Knott’s Berry Farm event this past weekend Saleen displayed their current 2012 Mustang lineup in their booth with new banners and badges to reflect the recent name change. The SMS name could still be seen on various places on the cars, although we fully expect the company will update their tooling for all future vehicles.

Currently Saleen offers three Mustang variants, starting with the base White Label ($35,540) that features basic modifications, the Yellow Label (45,540) that adds a supercharger system and 19-inch wheels and tires, and finally the Black Label ($48,000 naturally aspirated, $58,000 supercharged)) that gets a full body kit and interior upgrade.

For the future Saleen plans to revise their lineup with four new models based on the 2013 Mustang including the 302 4V, 302 SC, 302 SSC and 302 X.

5.0 Mustang & Super Fords crowns its 2011 King of the Street winner

Every year 5.0 Mustang & Super Fords magazine puts a call out to the fastest street Mustangs in the country, and ultimately ten entrants are selected to compete for the ‘King of the Street’ title. Held at Beech Bend Park in Bowling Green, KY during the NMRA World finals, this year’s competition brought in everything from SVT Cobras to Shelby GT500s to a variety of supercharged and turbocharged S197 Mustang GTs.
Contestants for KOTS are put through a variety of tests, starting with dyno runs to get horsepower and torque figures, two passes down the drag strip, and a ride and drive sessions with an editor of the magazine. The cars are also judged on engineering as well as fit and finish, and a popular vote cast by spectators at the NMRA race is also taken into account.
While each of the Mustangs in the KOTS competition is impressive in their own right, at the end of the weekend there was one clear winner – Chris Cruz’ 2011 Mustang California Special. Cruz scored high in each performance category, putting down 815 rwhp (the third highest of the group) and netting the fastest pass on the dragstrip with  9.7 second time slip, but what set his car apart from the rest was its drivability. “The best thing about Chris’ GT/CS is its simplistic nature,” says 5.0 associate editor Michael Johnson. “We already knew the car was 9-second capable, so that it was a simple drive-in-the-park was quite astonishing.” Cruz’ Mustang also received high marks for engineering and fit and finish, giving him the highest final score of 81.
You can learn more about Chris Cruz’s King of the Street winning Mustang in the video below, or head over to 5.0 Mustang & Super Fords to read the entire article.

Late Model Restoration begins 2013 Mustang ‘Project High Impact’

Late Model Restoration 2013 Mustang Project

When the Mustang fanatics over at Texas-based Late Model Restoration aren’t selling performance parts, they’re generally getting their hands dirty with some sort of project car. Since completing their custom Mustang RTR track car and Project Six Appeal last year the company has been looking for their next vehicle to put under the knife, and they’ve recently found it in the form of a brand new Deep Impact Blue 2013 Mustang GT. As LMR admits, the car is already very impressive in stock form, fitted with the Track Package that includes front Brembo brakes, Torsen differential and upgraded cooling systems, but they also know there’s always room for improvement.

First up on the to-do list for ‘Project High Impact’ was to upgrade the suspension system. LMR wanted to improve upon both the handling and the looks of their 2013 Mustang so they turned to Ford Racing Performance Parts, who they’ve used several times on past projects, for a set of adjustable dampers (part #M-18000-C) and 1-inch lowering springs (part #M-5300-P). To fill up the wheel wells LMR once again went browsing though the FRPP catalog, and picked out a set of staggered 19-inch forged wheels wrapped with Nitto Invo tires.

The result, LMR says, is that the Mustang has a much sportier ride without feeling to harsh or stiff. The combination looks fantastic as well.

We’ll update you on ‘Project High Impact’ as it progresses over the next several months. For now, you can see photos of the car in the gallery below.

Shelby president John Luft on the development of the Shelby 1000 and the future of Shelby Mustangs

At the New York Auto Show last week we sat down to talk with Shelby American president John Luft to talk about the company’s latest vehicle, the 2012 Shelby 1000, as well as the future of Shelby Mustangs.

MD: How involved was Carroll with the Shelby 1000 project?

JL: Carroll’s handprints are all over this car, more so than others. Carroll always reviews our product plans every time we come out with a new product, but he basically took his size 12 boot and said ‘we will build a 1000 horsepower car’ and we actually did. Upon the completion of the 800 horsepower Super Snake we took him around the track in it and he was excited and he jumped out of the car and we all stood there expecting to get a big ol’ Shelby hug and he looked at the development team and said ‘ok, when are we going to have 1,000?’ Carroll is all about horsepower. His involvement in the Shelby 1000 was from the day we put a pencil to paper to the day we took it around the track.

MD: What did Carroll think of the 1000 once it was done?

JL: When Carroll was taken around the track during the first test of the car it rolled back into the pits he jumped out and said ‘this is the most power I have felt in the seat of my pants, ever.’ Coming from Carroll Shelby that is a big deal. But he was involved every step of the way. Carroll hates meetings. His ideal meeting is about five minutes, but we sat for over two hours how we were going to name this car. He was there for all two hours, which had to have been painful for him, but he was so involved and so excited about it that he endured the meeting to be a part of the naming.

MD: Is the subtle look intentional? For example, there’s no stripes on the car.

JL: For years now we’ve had people who buy our Super Snake who have asked for a stripe delete because they want to stay below the radar. But we stay true to our build on our Super Snakes so we don’t do a stripe delete. In the development sessions on the Shelby 1000 we sat there and thought that we should let this vehicle be understated as it relates to styling cues and identity and let’s let it speak for itself when the guy puts his foot into it. So it was all done by design.

MD: Was there any thought about basing the 1000 on the 2013 GT500?

JL: It would have taken too long. The 2013 GT500 is in job one now and it hasn’t even gone to the dealers yet. We still haven’t received out development car yet. We’ve learned to move forward and not stop and start again based on what may or may not be in the production queue with Ford. We just wanted to go with what we know works.

MD: How many Shelby 1000s will be produced?

JL: We’re only going to build 100 of them. That’s it. Very collectable.

MD: Does Shelby already have plans for vehicles based on the 2013 GT500?

JL: Now the 2013 GT500 will be exciting.  Just imagine – we’re starting with 650 horsepower. If you think about the incremental gains in horsepower we were running on an average of 100-125 horsepower is what we typically took from the base to the next level Super Snake. Now to take the 550 horsepower GT500 to take it to 800 was a big leap. We probably won’t be able to maintain that same amount. So when it comes to the 2013 generation of Super Snake, maybe there won’t be as much gain under the hood as we’ve had in the latest version, but where we make it up is in the styling, braking, handling, cooling, etc.

MD: What can we expect from the next generation Super Snake?

JL: With the base car being such a performer, it’s going to cause us and push us to look at where we can gain in the handling performance. That’s going to be the suspension, the braking, the weight in the vehicle. We are doing a lot with composites and carbon fiber. We’ll look for opportunities like that. The bottom line is that a Shelby has to be distinctly different than the base vehicle. That’s our obligation, and if we can’t give you as much under the hood then we have to find places to increase performance elsewhere.

MD: Looking ahead even further, does Shelby have plans for the next generation Mustang in 2015?

JL: Yes, in fact we have a product plan through 2020. Now think about this – this year was the 50th anniversary of the company and the Cobra – that’s just the beginning because that’s 1962. We have a lot of anniversaries coming. The GT350 has an anniversary coming. The GT500 has an anniversary coming. In our future there are going to be 50th anniversary celebrations of certain products.

Shelby GT500 will continue past 2014 as part of next generation Mustang lineup

Ford took the automotive industry by surprise when it unveiled the 2013 Shelby GT500 back in November. With its 5.8-liter supercharged V8 producing 650 horsepower and new aerodynamics allowing for a top speed of 202 mph, the new GT500 is unequivocally the most impressive Mustang to ever come from the factory. However, with the next generation Mustang coming in 2014 as a 2015 model, what’s in store for the GT500′s future? Will there even be a Shelby GT500 when the next generation Mustang is introduced? Ford could easily return to using the SVT Cobra name or even go with a completely different moniker.

According to Shelby American president John Luft, though, the Shelby GT500 will continue on as a model well into the Mustang’s next generation. In an exclusive interview at the New York Auto Show last week, Luft told MustangsDaily.com that “the contract [with Ford] has been extended, and we have a long-term vision for our relationship. It has been extended through 2015 and beyond.”

Luft went on to explain that the relationship between Ford and Shelby has been extremely beneficial to both companies. “When something works you just don’t change it,” he said. “Clearly, having a Shelby in their stable as their halo car has really worked for them. Ford Motor Company loves it, their dealers love it, and we love it. It gives us a great platform. So we need Ford Motor Company to develop great base cars.”

According to Luft, Shelby plans to continue to focus on small production runs of cars like the GT350, GTS and GT500 Super Snake and leave the large scale operations up to Ford. “We could never produce the volume that they produce,” he told us. “We’ve sized our business to build 500-600 cars per year. That’s our sweet spot. To ever do another production run like the GT was where it was 6,000 or 7,000 cars, it’s not in our game plan.”

Justin Pawlak wins Formula Drift

This weekend Justin Pawlak won the opening round of the Formula Drift season in Long Beach, CA for the second straight year, making it three years in a row that a Ford Mustang driver has won the event. Pawlak, who finished a close second in the overall standings last year, defeated 2009 champion Chris Forsberg in the quarter finals and eventually beat out 2011 season champion and Falken teammate Daijiro Yoshihara in the final round to win the event.

“Its just amazing to come back to Long Beach and put down another win 2 years in a row,” said Pawlak. “This is a great way to start the season and go for the championship. I have to give big thanks to the 2013 Mustang. What an amazing car and amazing platform and that is why it is back on top here in Long Beach.”

“Just being able to take one run at a time, one battle at a time and one round at a time is exactly where I wanted to be,” said Pawlak,  “I really wanted to stay focused on what was at hand and not getting ahead of myself and just staying with the game plan.  We didn’t do it at the last round last season and that cost us the title, but we are back here doing it. I felt great when I woke up today and when we cruised through the first couple of rounds I had a really good feeling in the car. In the Great 8 we went up against Chris Forsberg in his 370z and it was a really tight battle. It felt really good to pull that one off. In the finals I had the chance to take on Daijiro in the finals and get my revenge from last year. We had a couple of good runs with Dai and we came out number one.”

Pawlak’s teammate and fellow Mustang driver Vaughn Gittin Jr, who won the Long Beach event in 2010, qualified third, but was knocked out in the first round of competition. “Today didn’t go the way I pictured it would,” said Gittin Jr. “I made a really stupid mistake in my lead run in the Top 32 and I really tried hard to make up for it on my chase run. I didn’t get it done and that is drifting. Atlanta is a couple of weeks away and I am moving forward. There is no doubt I have the team in Falken and ASD and the car, my Mustang, to win a championship. I just have to work a couple of internal things out with myself and keep moving on. There are no excuses. I made a mistake and this is drifting.”

Round two of the Formula Drift championship is May 11-12 at Road Atlanta.