The new 2012 Roush Stage 3 Mustang (or RS3) tops the 2011 Roush 5XR which produced a mere 525 horsepower, both up from the 412 horsepower of the standard Ford Mustang GT.
Building a Stage 3 Mustang includes the suspension, which includes Roush front struts and rear shocks, front and rear springs, front and rear stabilizers bars, jounce bumpers and anti-wheel hop kit. High-performance Cooper tires (2XS or ultra high performance RS3) are used.
The Roush exhaust system uses a "unique hollow-chamber muffler design" that Roush says won't change over time like conventional fiberglass-packed exhaust would. Roush coyly calls it "off-road." Street legality is up to how and where it's driven, and Roush isn't going to take responsibility anyone's good or bad behavior.
The 2012 Roush Stage 3 Mustang introduces a new color option package that allow up to 288 different color combinations from eight choices of base vehicle color, six graphic colors and six graphic accent colors, presumably limited by one's good taste. The Roush graphics for the 2012 Roush Stage 3 Mustang will have metallic flaking in the automotive paint grade striping that Roush promises will give a deep tone that looks more like custom paint than applied graphics.
Additional color options for the Roush RS3 are available with the brakes and wheels. The brake calipers for the 4-piston 14-inch rotor system include Roush Red and black, and wheels with the 20-inch Hyper-Black or 20-inch chrome wheel selection. A color configurator at roushperformance.com can be used to test color combinations. Note that Kona Blue will not be available after May due to the earthquake in Japan.
Not just a plain Mustang with paint and a motor, the 2012 Roush Stage 3 Mustang is fully loaded with body styling upgraded including the Roush front fascia with driving lights, chin spoiler, side rocker splitters, rear valence, rear deck-lid spoiler and newly designed square exhaust tips. Inside upgrades include Roush leather seats with an embroidered Stage 3 logo, four-piece performance pedals, Roush illuminated sill plates, a new-design shifter ball in either black or white, and a new interior Stage 3 badge with the car's serial number engraved.
A statement released by Roush Performance says that the 2012 Roush Stage 3 Mustang "is expected to start appearing" on Roush authorized Ford dealer lots by the end of April 201. Roush spokesman Tim Wheeler, however told Toque News that Roush Performance is operating with a full order book through May.
The estimated retail price for a typically equipped 2012 Roush Stage 3 Mustang is around $59,945, though final pricing will depend on options selected. At this time, the RS3 is available only with a manual transmission. And no worries, the 2012 Roush Stage 3 Mustang comes with a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty. And of course, even more than more.
Photos: roushperformance.com
