| ROUSH P-51A Mustang: A Real Modern Muscle Car |
| Written by Muscle Car Tech | |
| Friday, 11 January 2008 | |
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When a new car comes out bearing the name of an American classic—a GTO, a Camaro, a Mustang—there's usually a lot of debate. Can the car really live up to its namesake? Can we really call it a muscle car? Will it even be worth driving? More often than not, the answers to those questions are unclear. Flops like the new Pontiac GTO leave muscle car enthusiasts with more questions than answers.
When a new car comes out bearing the name of an American classic—a GTO, a Camaro, a Mustang—there's usually a lot of debate. Can the car really live up to its namesake? Can we really call it a muscle car? Will it even be worth driving? More often than not, the answers to those questions are unclear. Flops like the new Pontiac GTO leave muscle car enthusiasts with more questions than answers. If any modern car comes close to putting those questions to rest, it's a Mustang. But Ford can't take all of the credit for this. Most of the praise has to be given to the “mad scientists” at ROUSH. That's because the car in question isn't the standard Ford product. It's a new aftermarket boutique package from ROUSH. And they have truly outdone themselves this time. The car is the ROUSH P-51A Mustang. Despite its heavy upgrades, the 510 horsepower beast is still a “real” Mustang—and a real muscle car—in just about every way imaginable. It may arguably be more of a “real” Mustang than the standard Ford version is. Rather than ruining the “real” Mustang, the people behind the ROUSH P-51A Mustang may have actually given grumpy classic Mustang lovers a reason to get behind the wheel of a new model. Of course most purists will inevitably argue that it isn't a muscle car—even that it isn't a Mustang. They'll say it's too new, too modern, too pretentious. Some people will never be grateful for genius after market upgrades like the ROUSH P-51A. Let them grumble; you can rest assured knowing that anybody with something negative to say about the ROUSH P-51A Mustang has never driven it. The ROUSH P-51A Mustang is named after a different Mustang—not an old Ford package, or the horse, but the World War II-era airplane. In World War II, the P-51A Mustang was a long range fighter that protected Allied bombers during their runs. Though it won't fly or escort Air Force bombers (wait for the 2010 model) the ROUSH P-51A is crafted with the same dedication and sense of purpose as its namesake. The P-51A Mustang implements the ROUSHcharger supercharger, ROUSH's trademark component that has been used to excellent effect in many other ROUSH projects. But rather than simply “upgrading” Ford's Mustang, ROUSH's technicians redesigned and reworked many integral parts of the Mustang's (previously 300 horsepower) engine, implementing forged steel construction in the crankshaft and H-Bean rods, and using forged aluminum for the pistons. Non-engine upgrades include the ROUSH aerobody kit, ROUSH high-flow grill, sport leather seating, beautiful ROUSH wheels, and custom floor mats. Another attractive upgrade is the P-51A Mustang's 3-year/36,000-mile warranty. Love it or hate it, ROUSH is picking up where Ford left off, and the P-51A Mustang is very close to being a real modern muscle car. |