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Saturday, June 11, 2011
Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR 2009 Specification
Friday, June 10, 2011
Australia: The Pricey World of Right-Hand Drive Conversions

Car buyers in Australia and other RHD countries have long got the short end of the stick in terms of American muscle cars. The reason is quite simple: they drive on the "wrong" side of the road.
Most manufacturers are unwilling to do right-hand-drive conversions on what are essentially specialist models: cars like the Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Viper, Ford Mustang and the like. There just aren't enough buyers to rationalize the cost.
Fortunately, a cottage industry (or rather a man-in-a-shed industry) has popped up offering RHD conversions of American muscle cars for eager buyers in countries like Australia, the UK and Japan.
In Australia, for instance, you can get just about anything from a AU$359,990 Corvette ZR-1 (or around three times as much as it does in the U.S.) to a AU$139,000 Chevrolet Camaro (or the same as an Audi S5 Cabrio in Australia).
Want a 2011 Mustang GT convertible? Be prepared to pony up AU$142,500 (the same as brand new Porsche Boxster Spyder) for that Pony. And it becomes even more laughable when you look at the U.S. prices for these same cars:
We do not claim to know the full details involved with importing a car and converting it to RHD, but it can't be so difficult as to demand the of a new entry-level Porsche 911...
So the next time you harrumph at some foreign nobody, whining about, "How good you bleedin' Yanks have got it" – spare a thought for the poor, cash-strapped Aussie... selling his 911 to buy a RHD Corvette ZR-1.
By Tristan Hankins
Here's where we found pricing information for the RHD conversions:
Corvette Clinic - makers of the RHD ZR-1
Mustang Australia - builders of RHD Mustangs
Performax - makers of the RHD Camaro and other cars
And Top Gear Australia magazine's August 2010 issue.
ROUSH 5XR Mustang GT with 525HP Supercharged 5.0 L V8

Michigan based Ford tuner ROUSH has taken on the new Mustang GT, resulting in the 2011 ROUSH 5XR Mustang. The 5XR will be limited to just 150 units and is available in either coupe or convertible body style, albeit only with a 6-speed manual transmission.
Utilizing ROUSH's R2300 ROUSHcharger (supercharger), the Mustang GT's 5.0-liter V8 will be good for 525-hp and 465 lb. ft. (630 Nm) of torque. All ROUSH components and the powertrain come with a 3 year, 36,000 mile (58,000 km) warranty.
Jack Roush, ROUSH chairman said:
"I'm always excited to get an opportunity to work on a new engine, and the Ford 5.0-liter is a great platform. It has 412 horsepower [307 kw] to begin with, but our group was able to coax out another 113 horsepower [84 kw] with the ROUSHcharger. The 2011 ROUSH 5XR runs fast, sounds great, and is another amazing addition to the ROUSH Mustang heritage."
ROUSH has upgraded the Mustang's suspension with new front struts, rear shocks and springs and front and rear stabiliser bars.
The exterior gets a square tipped exhaust, full bodykit, new front fascia with driving lamps and upper billet grille, a front chin splitter, side rocker splitters, rear valance and a three-piece boot spoiler. The whole thing sits on 20' chrome rims wearing Cooper RS3 rubber.
The 5XR also gets body stickers, unique 5XR badging inside and out and a lettery of authenticity signed by Jack Roush himself. Options include color-matched sports leather and four-piston brakes with slotted rotors.
The ROUSH 5XR Mustang will only be sold as a post-title vehicle (you have to buy a Mustang before you can get order the ROUSH modifications) and is not available in California. The recommend retail price will be US$15,390, on top of the price of the Mustang base car.
By Tristan Hankins
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Real-Life Transformer Fulfills All Our Childhood Fantasies

This video of a real-life Transformer snapped rolling on Hollywood Boulevard has been making the rounds on YouTube for a few months. No, it's not a lame viral marketing attempt by Citroen or a trailer for a new shaky cam Michael Bay / Jerry Bruckheimer movie.
It's a guy in a transforming Transformers costume. How cool is that? Remember when you were a kid and you had that cardboard box that you used to hold around your waist, pretending to be a fire truck? This is like that, but a million times cooler.
The video says its Optimus Prime but come on; everyone knows Optimus is a big rig. Binaltech has a Mustang Transformer called Wheeljack, but that's pretty obscure even from a fanboy perspective. It could be Barricade from the 2007 movie but if so, where's the police get up?
The pièce de résistance of course is the vinyl roof. Well, it's either that or a convertible roof, but the former is much funnier.
By Tristan Hankins
Shelby Releases 800-Horsepower Super Snake on the Unsuspecting Public

Shelby American, the company responsible for creating modern "Shelby" Mustangs (except for Ford's own GT500), has released details about its Super Snake package for the 2011 Mustang GT500. No surprise there, except that the "post title" package can be pushed up to 800 horsepower (no torque figures have been released for that one, yet). Interested? Get in line, because only 1,000 will be built for 2011.
The base 2011 Super Snake package gets people a 660-horsepower / 590 lb-ft supercharged V8, a Ford Racing suspension kit, Borla exhaust system, new Shelby-designed Alcoa rims, and more (check out the rest below, because the list is just your standard bolt-ons and my fingers grow weary).
Package options include a supercharger upgrade to Shelby / Ford Racing or Shelby / Kenne Bell supercharger - anything to tack "Shelby" onto a part - that puts out 750 horsepower and throws in a new driveshaft, throttle body, and badges for good measure; or, if you're really in the mood to spend some cash, you can opt for that 800-pony package. Shelby American says that its Super Snake packages will only be available from the company or one of its "mod shops".
Company president John Luft says, "Ford Motor Company did a marvelous job making the 2011 model year GT500 lighter and more powerful. Our team applied its experience building Super Snakes over the past several years to offer a package that dramatically increases the new car's capabilities. And with the visual changes we've made, it will be a definite stand out on the road or track."
To give you an idea of pricing, the 750-horse package will run $30,245 including installation. You know, don't worry about getting in that line I mentioned earlier; if the price adds that kind of cash to the $49,500 price of a base...BASE...GT500, just go get yourself a Viper. Hell, at least you'll be driving one hell of a cool snake-themed sports car. That, and your neighbor's kid won't have a V6 version of the same thing.
By Phil Alex
Via: Jalopnik , Source: Shelby
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The 2011 Ford Shelby GT500 Super Snake post title package includes:
• Ford Racing handling pack including dynamic adjustable dampers, lowering springs, tuned stabilizer bars, and front strut tower brace
• 6-speed manual transmission with 3.73:1 rear axle ratio
• Shelby/Ford Racing supercharger upgrade producing over 660 HP and 590 ft.-lbs. of torque
• Either a Shelby/Ford Racing or Shelby/Kenne Bell supercharger kit producing 750 HP with upgraded drive shaft, billet twin 75mm throttle body and exclusive badges
• Optional Shelby/Kenne Bell 800 horsepower tune on pump gas
• Borla exhaust system
• An optional Shelby / Eibach handling pack is also available
• Shelby-designed Alcoa 20-inch wheels in durabright or anthracite
• Short-throw shifter
• Forged Shelby / Baer brakes with 6 piston calipers and cross drilled / vented rotors
• Front brake cooling ducts and behind the door side scoops
• Unique fiberglass hood featuring classic Shelby design and pins
• Shelby signature Super Snake stripes in either matte black or matte white
• "Shelby" lettering across the rear deck lid
• "Super Snake" vehicle badges and official Shelby CSM interior plate
• Optional two tone leather interior
• Shelby signature embroidered headrests, floor mats and other Shelby designed components
Shelby Introduces Limited Edition 2012 Shelby GT350, Adds Convertible Option for the First Time Since 1970
At the 2011 Chicago Auto Show, Shelby unveiled the limited edition 2012 Shelby GT350, which enters the new model year with two fresh color options and, for the first time since 1970, a convertible body style. Based on the Ford Mustang GT, the Shelby GT350 comes with three engine choices, including a base version with a naturally aspirated 430HP V8 mated to either a manual gearbox or an automatic transmission, and two supercharged variants delivering 525HP and 624HP.
The new color options are Race Red and Kona Blue, both with white Le Mans stripes, while the Performance White with blue Le Mans stripes combo continues for the 2012MY. Last but not least, the new GT350 convertible can be ordered with a light bar, while other options include a once piece drive shaft and color coordinated billet aluminum engine cap set.
“Last year, we brought back the GT350 45 years after it was launched,” said Carroll Shelby, founder of Shelby American. “They look and sound just like the ones we built in 1965. We’re repeating history by offering two additional colors and building a few convertibles for the second year of production.”
Prices, not including the donor Mustang GT, start from US$26,995 for the naturally aspirated version and US$33,995. The company said it plans to keep production limited to 350 units.










Thursday, June 9, 2011
Lee Iacocca's Ford Mustang 45th Anniversary Silver Edition with up to 400HP
The father of the Ford Mustang, Lee Iacocca, has introduced a coach-built version of the American pony car called '2009 1/2 Iacocca Silver Edition Mustang' that will be produced in a strictly limited run of 45 units. Now in his mid-80s, Lee Iacocca was the president of the Ford division when the company introduced the original Mustang in 1964. The special edition Mustang is the result of the collaborative work of Iacocca, designer Michael Leone, and California-based coachbuilder, Gaffoglio Family Metalcrafters.
The limited production model that is based on the 2009 Mustang platform will be offered with two power plant options, a normally-aspirated 4.6-liter Ford V8 rated at 320 horsepower and an optional supercharged version delivering 400 horsepower. Both V8s are linked to a 5-speed manual transmission.
The Sliver Mustang's suspension has been uprated with a Ford Racing Handling Package that adds firmer springs and re-valved shock absorbers while an optional 14-inch Ford Racing Braking Package is also available.
Designer Michael Leone reworked the car's exterior that features a unique front-end treatment with deep-set headlights and a more prominent fastback look. As the Mustang's name suggests, the only available exterior color is silver.
Inside, the Iacocca Silver Mustang gets special Iacocca Diamond Design leather seats, an Iacocca signature dash plaque with serial number, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with the "I" logo and Iacocca-badged aluminum door sill plates.
All 45 units of the Iacocca Silver Mustang will be offered exclusively at Southern California's Galpin Ford dealership, with prices set to be revealed at a later date.
Source: iLegacy , Via: Autoblog.com
Iacocca Silver Edition Mustang – Specifications
Engines
4.6-liter V8 with 320 HP (Ford Racing Cold Air - under WARRANTY)
4.6-liter V8 with 400HP Supercharger Optional (Ford Racing Supercharger - under WARRANTY)
Drivetrain
5-speed stick shift transmission (there might be automatics)
Suspension
Ford Racing Handling Package (Ford Racing Package - under WARRANTY)
14-inch' Brakes Optional (Ford Racing Package - under WARRANTY)
Wheels & Tires
Iacocca Design 20" Chrome wheels with "I" Design center cap
20''x 9 ½ " (F), 20"x 9 ½ " (R)
Goodyear Eagle RSA 245 X 45 X R20
Interior
Iacocca Diamond Design Leather Seats with Embroidery Stitching
Iacocca Signature Dash Plaque with Serial Number
Iacocca Leather-Wrapped Steering Wheel with "I" badge
Iacocca Aluminum Door Still Plates
One-Touch Up/Down power Windows
Two Power Outlets
Variable-Speed Windshield Wipers
Rear Window Defroster
Air-Conditioning
Exterior
Iacocca DESIGN FASTBACK
Iacocca Design Hood Emblem
Iacocca Design Trunk Cap "I" Emblem
Iacocca Design Trunk Lettering