Shnack.com Mustang News

For the first time in 40 years, a Ford Motor Company car will be pacing the field for the NASCAR season-opening Daytona 500 when the 2011 Mustang GT, powered by the all-new 5.0-liter V-8 engine, officially starts the race on Feb. 14 at Daytona International Speedway.

This latest version of Ford’s legendary muscle car will be a Race Red glass roof coupe with an all-new 5.0-liter V-8 engine capable of producing 412 horsepower, while delivering a class-leading 25 mpg on the highway.

The one-of-a-kind model will feature a special Daytona 500 paint scheme, Ford Racing suspension, strut tower brace and mufflers, unique painted wheels, and special interior treatment, including specially branded lit sill plates.

The 2011 Mustang GT Daytona 500 Pace Car model is one of only 50 special editions that will be built and sold to the public.

A genuine American original returns. The 2011 Shelby Mustang GT350 delivers aggressive performance, exhilarating handling and exceptional craftsmanship. Today's Shelby American team fuses advanced technology with sophisticated design to recreate the spirit, passion and performance that made this muscle car a legend. The all new GT350 remains true to the original, which raced its way to the Winners Circle in circuits across the country in 1965.

The 2011 Shelby GT350 represents the lessons learned over the past 45 years. The American muscle car embodies the passion, ingenuity and energy of Carroll Shelby and his team of hot rodders. With the spirit of the first cars built in 1965, the 2011 GT350 remains true to its heritage, but offers the heart-racing performance that can only be invoked through today's advanced engineering. The 2011 GT350 expresses the ultimate in American performance and design that is uniquely Shelby.

Forty years after its namesake became a road racing legend, the BOSS is back on track for 2010 with a new 5.0-liter V-8 engine.

In honor of the 40th anniversary of Parnelli Jones’ 1970 Trans-Am championship in a Mustang BOSS 302 prepared by Bud Moore Engineering, Ford Racing is introducing the BOSS 302R, a factory-built race car ready for track days and road racing in a number of Grand-Am, SCCA and NASA classes.

“To keep pace with consumer demand, the Ford team has built modern versions of the most iconic performance Mustangs over the years,” said Jamie Allison, director, Ford North America Motorsports. “From Shelbys to Bullitt, Mach and Cobra Jet, it is now time for BOSS to join the list of America’s most coveted Mustangs. The original BOSS 302 was a championship-winning legend and the new Mustang BOSS 302R will carry on the tradition. The Mustang was born to race from the start, and this new Mustang is bred to win.”

The 5.0 is back! The 2011 Ford Mustang GT arrives with an all-new advanced 5.0-liter V-8 engine, developed by a passionate cadre of enthusiastic engineers who rallied around the common goal of delivering more than 400 horsepower.

The modern 5.0-liter four-valve Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT) V-8 engine in the new Mustang GT will deliver 412 horsepower and 390 ft.-lb. of torque. At the same time, fuel economy is projected to be better than the previous model and unsurpassed in the segment.

“This all-new 5.0-liter engine is the next chapter in the development of the world-class Mustang powertrain portfolio,” said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, Global Product Development. “It’s a thoroughly modern engine for the times, delivering the performance and fun-to-drive factor that enthusiasts want, while improving fuel economy.”

After Ford's announcement that the 2011 V6 Mustang would have 305 horsepower, it doesn't take a genious to realize the GT would also need a substantial boost. Autoblog has reported receiving information confirming that the 2011 Mustang GT will indeed receive a 5.0L engine, which will crank out an impressive 412 horsepower. This should get the Mustang pretty close to Chevy's 422HP Camaro SS and Dodge's 425HP Challenger SRT8, both of which are heavier than the Mustang.