A Race-Ready Mustang Straight from the Factory
Highlights
Price: $75,000
Production Total: 75 (35 exclusively for the Race Series)
A Race-Ready Mustang Straight from the Factory
Vehicle Highlights:
Powertrain
Engine Type: Dyno-checked and sealed 4.6L 3-valve, fuel-injected V8
Bore/Stroke (mm): 90.2x90.0
Compression Ratio (in/mm): 9.8:1
Material: All Aluminum
Horsepower: 325
Ford Racing high-capacity racing radiator and aluminum de-gas bottle
Ford Racing 84mm cold-air intake kit
Ford Racing driveshaft loops
6-speed Ford Racing transmission with upgraded clutch and Ford Racing short-throw shifter
3:73-ratio axle with Ford Racing/Torsen differential
Recalibrated PCM
Ford Racing/Borla stainless steel long-tube headers and X-Pipe
Chassis/Steering/Brakes
Drivetrain Layout: Rear-wheel drive
Front Suspension: Two-way adjustable front dampers with coil springs, adjustable anti-roll bar, adjustable ride height
Rear Suspension: Live-axle; Panhard rod, two-way adjustable rear dampers with coil over springs, anti-roll bar, adjustable ride height
Steering Type: Rack-and-Pinion
Ford Racing front strut tower brace
Ford Racing front and rear sway bars with 3-position front adjustment
Ford Racing front camber/caster plate
Ford Racing/Brembo 4-piston 14” front brakes with race pads front & rear; Race ABS calibration
Ford Racing rack-and-pinion steering
BFGoodrich Tires, g-Force R1 245/40/R18 (spec tire for series)
Racing and the Ford Mustang go hand in hand. After all, with all that power at one’s disposal, the thought of opening up the engine at the track is ever so appealing. Shelby was the first to do it back in 1965 with the Shelby GT350R racer. With its 306 hp Hi-Po (219cid) V8 engine, the car was an instant success on the racing circuit. In 2008, Ford Racing will give buyers the chance to purchase another race-ready Mustang, the FR500S. For the first time in history, Ford Motor Company will build the race cars at a vehicle production facility of their own.
The car, which made its debut at the 2007 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nev., will be offered up for sale to consumers through Ford Racing dealers, with an approximate price of $75,000. Best of all, you don't have to be a pro racer to own one. Anyone who has the money (and gets in early enough) will be able to purchase the FR500S.
So what do you get for all that dough? Well, for starters, the car will be eligible for competition in the Ford Racing Mustang Challenge for the Miller Cup racing series. The race series, which debuts on race tracks across North America in 2008, will consist of approximately 8 races, all of which are sanctioned by the Grand American Road Racing Association. Of the 75 total cars being offered, 35 of them will be reserved exclusively for owners who opt to race the car in the series. However, if the owners want to race, they will need to obtain a national-level racing license.
Performance
Under the hood, the FR500S will boast a 4.6L 3-valve, fuel-injected V8 production engine with Ford Racing cold-air intake to match. Estimated output for this production racer is 325 hp. In addition, the car will feature a 6-speed transmission with an upgraded clutch and Ford Racing short-throw shifter. The racer will also feature unique two-way adjustable front dampers with coil springs and an adjustable anti-roll bar in both the front and rear suspension.
Race Ready
What really makes this car a racer, however, is all the racing accessories included in the package. For instance, the FR500S comes complete with FIA-spec racing rollcage, lexan rear and quarter windows, tow hooks, Sparco racing seat, and a dash-mounted start button. The car also includes a high-capacity radiator, Borla stainless-steel headers and X-pipe, Torsen differential, four-piston Brembo brakes with brake booster kit, fire suppression system, racing steering wheel with quick-release hub, front splitter and rear wing, and BFGoodrich g-Force R1 DOT tires.
Production
Initial production of the FR500S will take place at Ford’s Auto Alliance International plant in Flat Rock, Mich. The cars are produced without air bags or other components which would make the vehicle unsuitable for racing. Then the cars will be shipped to Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele County, Utah where the various racing accessories, such as the rollcage, window net, and data acquisition system will be installed.
In all, about six vehicles will be produced every two weeks. The first batch of FR500S Mustangs arrived at the Tooele County facility on November 17th, 2007. For more information, or to order a Ford FR500S Mustang, visit the Ford Miller Cup Racing Web site. Ford also offers the FR500GT, which races in the Mustang Super Series, and the FR500C which was introduced in 2005.
A ton of Fun for $75,000 vs $250K for an FR500C ( in know it's not the same but still)
