The Ford Mustang->ke428 and tuning company Roush Performance->ke1434 have long been synonymous with each other because of the latter’s undying devotion to giving some good aftermarket lovin’ to the iconic Ford->ke31 muscle car.

Over the years, we’ve seen a number of Roush-tuned Ford Mustangs, including the P-51B, the Barrett-Jackson Edition, and the 5XR. All these works are mighty impressive, especially for the lofty standards the Mustang is held to in the tuning world.

With all the Mustang experience under its belt, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to find out that Roush Performance has just revealed their new project, the 2012 RS3 Mustang.

The 2012 Stage 3 Mustang, aka RS3, is powered by a 5.0L 4-valve DOHC TiVCT engine equipped with a R2300 ROUSH supercharger that increases the total output to a total of 540HP. Next to it the package also includes a pretty impressive list of paint and graphics and changes made to both interior and the exterior.

UPDATE 04/15/2011: This review has been updated with the official details and new images on the Mustang RS3. Hit the jump for the full details.

UPDATE 08/24/11: Roush Performance has been granted approval by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to sell the ROUSHcharged 2012 Roush Stage 3 Mustangs in all 50 states here in the US. That's right, folks. You can get a piece of this monster Mustang in the US! And if that's not enough good news for you, Roush Performance has released a video of the car performing some serious burnout action. Check it out, peeps!

2012 Ford 'RS3' Mustang by Roush Performance

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2012 Ford 'RS3' Mustang by Roush Performance
  • Engine/Motor: 3.7-liter six-cylinder engine
  • Horsepower: 540 horsepower
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior and Interior

For the exterior package, Roush is offering a new front fascia with driving lights, chin spoiler, side rocker splitters, rear valence, rear deck-lid spoiler, and newly designed square exhaust tips. The final touch has been provided by a new set of 20-inch Hyper-Black or 20-inch Chrome Wheels.

For the interior, the tuner has added leather seats with an embroidered Stage 3 logo, four-piece performance pedals, Roush illuminated sill plates, newly designed shifter ball in either black or white, and a new interior Stage 3 badge with the car's serial number engraved.

Customers will get to choose from eight base vehicle colors, six graphic colors, and six graphic accent colors, meaning a total of 288 unique color combination possibilities. To see them all you should check the online configurator.

Engine

The 2012 Mustang RS3 is powered by a 5.0L 4-valve DOHC TiVCT engine equipped with a R2300 ROUSH supercharger that increases the total output from 412HP to an impressive 540HP. The car will be also equipped with an innovative off-road ROUSH exhaust system that ensures that the system has a unique hollow-chamber muffler design; the sound won't change over time like a conventional fiberglass packed exhaust would.

Prices

The 2012 Roush RS3 is priced at $59,945 and will be offered with a 3-year/36,000 mile warranty.

Competition

When it comes to tuning packages for the Ford Mustang, the list is rather long. Just yesterday, SMS Supercars announced the SMS 302 Black Label. The package not only comes with an impressive 575 HP engine, but also pretty impressive exterior and interior updates.

Of course, American tuners aren't the only ones showing interest in the Mustang . GeigerCars from Germany revealed the Shelby GT640 "Golden Snake" just the other day. This is a model that includes a 640 HP engine and lots of carbon fiber. So, if you really want to customize your Mustang, there are lots of options to consider.