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2012 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet is the Fastest Accelerating “Production” Car  When Bugatti set the bar for 0-to-60 mph times on production cars at 2.4 seconds, most enthusiasts saw this as similar to the person that can limbo under a 1-foot-high bar. So for the most part, the Veyron was assumed to maintain the crown as fastest production car from 0-to-60 mph for many decades. In addition, we all assumed when someone finally did beat it, it was bound to be one of the other supercar builders. In both cases we were all completely incorrect. First off, the record didn’t even last a decade. The second incorrect assumption is by far the most surprising, as it wasn’t a Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini, or even a Maserati that smoked the Bugatti Veyron, it was a Ford Mustang… Let’s explain this one. Back in 2010, Ford announced that it was releasing a revamped version of its existing Cobra Jet model, and that it would boast a 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 engine that would pump out 430 to 500 horsepower, depending on which supercharger it came with. This 2012 Mustang Cobra Jet shredded the Bugatti’s 0-60 mph time by almost a full second, clocking in at 1.52 seconds. It also hit 100 mph in just 3.26 seconds, again killing the Veyron. Having said all of that, don’t think that you are just going to waltz into Joe Blow’s Ford Dealer and snag one of these Cobra Jet Mustangs for $50K and drive out a racecar driver. Nope, the term “production car” is used very loosely here, as there were only 50 2012 Mustang Cobra Jets produced and they are not street legal. To boot, these beasts have a base price of $91,990 and run about $104K fully loaded. This all means that the Veyron still holds the record for the quickest road-legal production car, plus it does still hold the top-speed record of 267.857 mph. Eat that, Ford. Then again, we just received word on the 2013 Cobra Jet late last year, so we’ll see what Ford has in store for Bugatti this time. Shelby GT500 To Survive Until Next-Generation Mustang in 2014 In the midst of global economic uncertainty and further clampdowns by governments, automotive brands all of the world are looking for cheaper and more energy efficient fuels to replace oil, but thankfully the internal combustion engine is set to stay for at least the foreseeable future. Why do we say this you ask? Well, if Mustang Daily is to be believed, the Shelby GT500 will live on in the next-generation Ford Mustang said to be previewed next year before hitting the market as a 2014 model. The current GT500 is the most powerful one ever produced and with it delivering no less than 650 horsepower, it really has reached the upper echelons of the muscle car market, and is edging ever closer to sports car domination. No additional details have been released about the next GT500 however; it’s unlikely to hit the market until 2015 or 2016 once the facelifted model has been in showrooms for at least 18 months. Shelby America president John Luft reportedly released the news to Mustang Daily and said that further collaborations between Ford and Shelby are assured beyond 2015 due to the recent signing of a contract extension. It’s more than likely that the next GT500 would feature a host of improvements to further reduce fuel consumption and the simplest way to do so would be to reduce the car’s overall weight. And with carbon fiber becoming cheaper and more accessible, Shelby could very well look down that exotic path if it really wants to create a muscle car to not only destroy competitors but to also compete with far more expensive supercars from Europe. 2013 Ford Mustang RTR Monster Energy Falken Tire by Vaughn Gittin
It’s not hard to come to grips with the fact that we’re all envious of Vaughn Gittin Jr. Not only is the man considered one of the best race car drivers in the world, but he’s also a master drifter of the highest order. But if there’s one thing that really makes us jealous of Gittin Jr., it’s that he gets to drive a pretty sick, custom-tuned Ford Mustang during the Formula Drift season. For 2012, Gittin Jr. will be fielding a sick-as-they-come Mustang that comes with a fully modded 6.7-liter V8 engine that produces a sick 800 horsepower. Built by Ford Racing and Roush Yates, the 410-cubic-inch powertrain gives Gittin Jr. plenty of ammo as he tries to conquer the 2012 Formula Drift season, especially after a disappointing 2011 year that saw the man finish 11th in the standings. Gittin Jr is looking at the 2012 season as the perfect bounce-back year, where he is expected to challenge for the championship only two years removed from his last title reign. With an 800-horsepower Ford Mustang RTR by his side, we don’t expect anything less from the man that has made his name in the world of auto drifting. Steve Saleen Returns to the Company he Founded
Many years ago, okay maybe less than two years ago, if you were cruising down the road in your hopped up Mustang GT and came across a Mustang bearing the “Saleen” name on the side, you knew your poor GT had no chance. In 2007, this all started to change, as Steve Saleen left the company. Then in 2011, the performance vehicle side of Saleen shut down altogether. This rendered the once feared custom car builder just a high-performance parts supplier. Shortly after leaving Saleen, Steve Saleen started SMS Supercars, basically a new version of Saleen. A long legal battle ensued after Saleen’s new ownership group refused to honor warranties for the performance vehicles it manufactured prior to taking ownership and SMS Supercars stepped in to try to help. The legal battle circled around whether or not SMS Supercars had the right to use the “Saleen” name. After what seems like ages, there is finally a decision. Steve Saleen has been awarded the rights to use the “Saleen” name on all of his vehicles. In addition, all previously manufactured SMS Supercar vehicles will be added to Saleen’s master registry, making them official Saleen vehicles. Plus, Saleen will start producing badges for all of the old SMS Supercar vehicles, which SMS Supercar owners can buy and put in place of the old “SMS” badges. SMS Supercars essential now becomes one with Saleen, which means Saleen will begin producing super high-performance models of the Dodge Challenger, Ford Mustang, and Chevy Camaro. Saleen lovers of the world rejoice! The days of Saleen being little more than AutoZone on steroids are over. We cannot wait to see the first Saleen branded cars, which should be coming very soon, though there is no official release date. Hit the jump for the official press release Full story Video: Burnouts are Fun, but Not With Cops AroundWe all love high-performance cars and nearly everyone that loves high-performance cars loves seeing these cars do burnouts. Regardless of the love, there is a time and place for everything. I remember my first ever burn out well, it was in a 1986 Camaro IROC-Z, which I had just finished painting and doing body work on. On my way home from school, some buddies talked me into power-blocking it at a stop light. Well, after about 30 seconds of intense tire smoke, there was a gigantic clunk and the wheels stopped. Yeah, I destroyed the rear end. $250 later and about two nights of installing the new rear end, I learned never to power-block a car again. I am sure the guy in the above video has learned an important lesson too. When you are at a car meet and there are cops there, you can oftentimes get away with more than you can on a public street. However, if there is a crowd of people around your Mustang and you decide to power-block it, you are just one slip of your foot away from mowing down a bunch of people. When the cops see that, regardless of it being private or public property, they will immediately place you under arrest for endangering the lives of others. That’s exactly what happened to the dude in this video. After some enticing by his “friends” he decides to light ‘em up on his Mustang and the cops literally pull him from the car and take him directly to jail, he did not pass “Go” and did not collect $200, just right to jail. So what did we learn today, guys? Don’t power-block a car in a crowded area with cops around, that’s bad, mmmkay? 2013 Ford Mustang by Roush
Roush has just announced their upgrade packages for the new 2013 Mustang. The new model will add an even more aggressive look compared to their previous packages, and as usual, will be offered in three different stages. The most powerful version, Stage 3, will deliver up to 565 HP. All three stages have received the newly designed 6th generation Roush Aerobody package that includes a remodeled Roush upper grille, high-flow lower grille, corner fascia aero-pockets with driving lamps, and a front chin splitter. It continues with a new hood scoop, rocker panel and rear fascia side splitters, a three-piece rear decklid spoiler, new ROUSH rear aero-valance featuring race-inspired diffusers, and integrated dual chambered, chrome exhaust tips. The Mustang will ride on a new set of 18" aluminum, five spoke, chromed wheels. The Stage 3 version gets a bit extra in the form of an RS3 graphics package available in multiple color. The interior features a custom gauge cluster, Roush embroidered floor mats, a Roush center console button, and a Stage 3 dash medallion. Under the hood of the new Stage 3 Mustang is a newly updated Roush supercharged 5.0L-4v powertrain delivering a massive 565 HP and 505 lb-ft of torque. No details have been revealed on the car’s performance just yet, but we will get back to you as soon as we have them! 2012 Ford Mustang by Ford Racing
It’s an equation that shouldn’t come as a surprise to anybody. If there ever was anybody that had proverbial aftermarket dibs on a car like the Mustang, it’s gotta be Ford’s very own racing division. So now that the Blue Oval has introduced the 2013 Mustang, Ford Racing is taking a crack at highlighting the things they could to the mighty Mustang if they got their hands on one. For this particular example, Ford Racing opted to dress up the Mustang in the now popular "Gotta Have It Green" paint finish. Together with the unique color scheme, Ford Racing also fitted the Mustang with a new Laguna Seca adjustable front spoiler, as well as a new set of 19" Mustang Track Pack Black wheels wrapped in Pirelli PZero tires with a Brembo 4-piston caliper, 14" front brake kit, and a Laguna Seca brake duct kit. Under the hood of the Mustang, Ford Racing took the muscle car’s standard 5.0-liter Ti-VCT engine and added their very own FRPP 2.3-liter supercharger system. In addition, they also installed a new Mustang GT side exhaust system, a new sport muffler kit, a Getrag MT82 six-speed manual transmission with a Boss 302 Trans Cooler Scoop, and a Copperhead PCM system, all of which have given the Mustang a more ferocious bite than ever before. Exact performance numbers have yet to be announced, but considering the extensive tuning job done on the muscle car, we expect those numbers to be eye-popping, to say the very least. 2012 Ford Mustang RTR by Performance Auto Sport
Back in 2010, Vaughn Gittin Jr. unveiled a very cool Ford Mustang RTR, and now he’s teamed up with Performance Auto Sport to come up with a track-based version of that very same car. This is not just an ordinary Mustang; it has already scored an impressive 1st place finish at the Virginia International Raceway, making for a total of four wins this season. Performance Auto Sport is now a certified RTR installer because of their in-depth experience and expertise. They have announced that a very impressive street/track Mustang RTR Spec 2 package will be completed soon and customers will be able to install it on all models of the new 2013 Ford Mustang. "Vaughn Gittin Jr. has his finger on the pulse of the Mustang community and his passion is infectious,’ says Mark LaMaskin, owner of Performance Auto Sport. "RTR knows what the enthusiast wants and gives it to them one hundred percent. The brand is always evolving and changing with the trends and needs of the Mustang enthusiast. That alone will help keep RTR relevant and successful for a long time to come."
2012 Ford Microstang by Microsoft and West Coast Customs
There’s a reason Bill Gates is one of the wealthiest people in the world; he takes ideas and runs with them until they make him so much cash, he can start to work on something else. As co-founder of Microsoft, one would expect Gates’ expertise to stick strictly to computers, but the company as a whole has found another way to roll in the profit: a West Coast Customs collaboration on an all-American Ford Mustang. Their project is appropriately called the Microstang and it’s a Mustang equipped with Windows 8 and Kinect. The Microstang has received Dynacom’s 1967 fastback replica body and plenty of Microsoft’s latest technologies. We’re not very sure about those shiny wheels, but the interior is what makes this car really cool. Microsoft has fitted it with cool gadgets like an Xbox 360 with Kinect, a Windows operating system, a Windows Phone, Windows Azure, Bing, Ford Sync, and a rear windshield projector screen. There is also a Viper SmartStart app that can help the driver remotely start the car via the Windows Phone. The Ford Microstang by Microsoft and West Coast Customs will officially be presented on March 25, 2012 at 6 PM Pacific (9 PM Eastern) on the Discovery’s Velocity Network during the Inside West Coast Customs show. Hit the jump for a short video on the MicroStang. Full story 2005 Ford Mustang Konquistador by Reifen Koch
While awaiting the debut of the new generation Mustang, German tuner, Reifen Koch, started its work on a Mustang that debuted 40 years after the original: the 2005 Mustang V. Their package is called the "Konquistador" and features the 4.6 liter V8 engine with an impressive output of 414 HP. This is a 114 HP increase over the car’s standard 300 HP. The muscle car was given a mean, exterior upgrade worthy of being called a conqueror. It includes a Cervini body kit that consists of new bumpers and side sills, a new bonnet, and a small rear spoiler. The kit continues with the addition of a specially featured exhaust system which includes side pipes at both ends, KW-coilovers with electrically lifting axles, and an HLS (Hydraulic Lift System) Kit. The entire setup goes for €8,000 (or about $10,450 at the current rates). The tuner has also installed a new set of 20" Gotham wheels combined with a high performance Brembo braking system, which will run customers an additional €4,500 ( or about $5,875 at the current rates). | Ford Mustang latest reviews:
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