ROUSH Performance unveiled the 510-horsepower and 510 lb.-ft. of torque P-51A Mustang automobile Tuesday at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. “I’ve often said that there was never a Mustang built that I didn’t like and that includes both the car and the airplane,” said Jack Roush, an aviation enthusiast who currently owns two P-51 Mustang warbirds. “This is the type of product that ROUSH has wanted to produce for at least 10 years but the right platform, the right technology, and the right timing never intersected until now.”

The ROUSH P-51A is easily the highest horsepower Mustang the company has ever produced and represents the first time internal engine components have been upgraded by ROUSH technicians in its Livonia, Michigan, facility. It was determined that the only way to give the P-51A moniker its due was to completely break into the 4.6L, 3V and rebuild several of the functional internal components, which include a forged steel eight-bolt crankshaft, forged aluminum pistons with increased dish to lower the compression from 9:8 to 8:6, and forged steel H-Beam connecting rods. These upgraded parts were necessary for the stock Ford engine (which comes with 300 horsepower from the factory) to be able to withstand the additional power generated from the newest iteration of the legendary ROUSHcharger supercharger system.

Additional alterations include a custom aluminum upper and lower intake manifold for the high-capacity air-to-water intercooler and ROUSHcharger. ROUSH installs a custom fuel rail and high-flow fuel injectors, a high-flow capacity fuel system, and dual electronic throttle body.

The changes to the ROUSH P-51A don’t end under the hood. A ROUSH aerobody kit will be installed, which includes a front fascia, chin spoiler, hood scoop and rear spoiler. The ROUSH black high-flow grill is added along with cooling side shields to give the car the aggressive look it needs while stalking the streets.

Internally, the car will come with ROUSH sport leather seating and custom floor mats, both with an embroidered P-51A emblem. The white face gauges and billet aluminum pedals will get a lot of use as the driver bangs through the gears with the ROUSH short throw shift lever and retro black ball.

For those who look behind the 18-inch ROUSH forged five-spoke wheels will see the vaunted Stage 3 suspension underneath this vehicle. Designed to handle even the tightest twists and turns, this suspension includes specially-engineered and tuned front struts, rear shocks, front and rear springs, front and rear sway bars, and jounce bumpers. The front brakes are also upgraded with 14-inch front two-piece rotors and four-piston calipers. Each component was specifically engineered so that ride comfort was not compromised at the expense of the tremendous gains in performance.

Pricing for the ROUSH P-51A Mustang has not been set, but will be announced shortly. The vehicle is slated to begin production in the first quarter of 2008 and will be limited to 100 vehicles. As with all ROUSH vehicles, the P-51A will carry a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty.

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ROUSH Performance unveiled the 510-horsepower and 510 lb.-ft. of torque P-51A Mustang automobile Tuesday at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. “I’ve often said that there was never a Mustang built that I didn’t like and that includes both the car and the airplane,” said Jack Roush, an aviation enthusiast who currently owns two P-51 Mustang warbirds. “This is the type of product that ROUSH has wanted to produce for at least 10 years but the right platform, the right technology, and the right timing never intersected until now.”

The ROUSH P-51A is easily the highest horsepower Mustang the company has ever produced and represents the first time internal engine components have been upgraded by ROUSH technicians in its Livonia, Michigan, facility. It was determined that the only way to give the P-51A moniker its due was to completely break into the 4.6L, 3V and rebuild several of the functional internal components, which include a forged steel eight-bolt crankshaft, forged aluminum pistons with increased dish to lower the compression from 9:8 to 8:6, and forged steel H-Beam connecting rods. These upgraded parts were necessary for the stock Ford engine (which comes with 300 horsepower from the factory) to be able to withstand the additional power generated from the newest iteration of the legendary ROUSHcharger supercharger system.

Additional alterations include a custom aluminum upper and lower intake manifold for the high-capacity air-to-water intercooler and ROUSHcharger. ROUSH installs a custom fuel rail and high-flow fuel injectors, a high-flow capacity fuel system, and dual electronic throttle body.

The changes to the ROUSH P-51A don’t end under the hood. A ROUSH aerobody kit will be installed, which includes a front fascia, chin spoiler, hood scoop and rear spoiler. The ROUSH black high-flow grill is added along with cooling side shields to give the car the aggressive look it needs while stalking the streets.

Internally, the car will come with ROUSH sport leather seating and custom floor mats, both with an embroidered P-51A emblem. The white face gauges and billet aluminum pedals will get a lot of use as the driver bangs through the gears with the ROUSH short throw shift lever and retro black ball.

For those who look behind the 18-inch ROUSH forged five-spoke wheels will see the vaunted Stage 3 suspension underneath this vehicle. Designed to handle even the tightest twists and turns, this suspension includes specially-engineered and tuned front struts, rear shocks, front and rear springs, front and rear sway bars, and jounce bumpers. The front brakes are also upgraded with 14-inch front two-piece rotors and four-piston calipers. Each component was specifically engineered so that ride comfort was not compromised at the expense of the tremendous gains in performance.

Pricing for the ROUSH P-51A Mustang has not been set, but will be announced shortly. The vehicle is slated to begin production in the first quarter of 2008 and will be limited to 100 vehicles. As with all ROUSH vehicles, the P-51A will carry a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty.

If you would like immediate updates, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

A diverse array of customized and high-performance cars, trucks and SUVs again dominates the General Motors display at the 2007 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show, but this time there is an underlying message: Green goes with mean.

Many of the 28 vehicles GM will bring to the annual convention of the automotive aftermarket performance and appearance industry either run on alternative fuels, such as E85 ethanol, or feature fuel-efficient performance without compromise. The lineup is headlined by an E85-powered Corvette Z06 owned by Jay Leno. The “Tonight Show” host’s new supercar boasts a custom, 500-cubic-inch engine that generates approximately 600 horsepower and is fueled solely by E85.

Another mean, green Chevy at SEMA is FlexFuel Chevy Hot Rod, built by GM Performance Division – a re-creation of the hot rods that competed at early drag strips and land-speed venues of the late 1940s and 1950s. With bodywork inspired by a 1934 Chevy and period styling touches, FlexFuel Chevy Hot Rod mixes vintage style with contemporary technology; it’s powered by a 500-horse FlexFuel version of the turbocharged Ecotec engine. It runs on E85, gasoline or any combination of the two.

In addition to the alternative-fueled performers in the display, GM will also use the SEMA platform to introduce some influential concepts and production models, including the Pontiac Solstice SD-290 concept, which showcases a unique passenger compartment closeout evoking the spirit of vintage racecars, and a tuner-inspired version of the upcoming 2008 Saturn Astra. Chevy will make a couple of sport compact production announcements on Monday, Oct. 29, that will surely please the tuner crowd.

Celebrity endorsements will be in full force all over the SEMA show floor as three urban-inspired Enclaves customized by a trio of the industry’s most influential designers, including Rick Bottom, former NBA star Jerome Williams’ Automotive Street Style, and Mitek will be on display, along with a new Pontiac G8 GT built by rapper 50 Cent and Unique Autosports.

Additional concept and specialty vehicles in the display include:

Cadillac –Factory customized CTS Sport and Escalade Sport concepts show how sporty these new models can look with a few, carefully crafted styling and stance enhancements.

Chevrolet –In addition to the E85 ethanol-powered machines described above, Chevy is featuring a bevy of tricked-out trucks and custom cars, including:

Silverado HD Crew Cab Z71 “Big Red” concept, influenced by last year’s Dale Earnhardt Jr. Big Red concept
Silverado HD Country Music concept with fold-out, portable stage
Silverado Major League Baseball show vehicle
Silverado/GM Performance Parts LSX-powered regular cab truck with 640 horsepower
Suburban HD Z71 diesel, with a new 4.5L diesel engine
Camaro Convertible concept
Impala SS “Car of Tomorrow” NASCAR racecar show vehicle
GMC –The Yukon All-Terrain show vehicle follows in the tracks of last year’s Sierra All-Terrain concept and is designed to complement active lifestyles; and the Sierra HD Denali is a “what if” look at applying GMC’s most premium aesthetic to the Sierra 2500HD.

HUMMER –A pair of serious off-roaders is on hand, including the racing-inspired H3R and the adventure-seeking H2 Safari.

Pontiac –Along with the Solstice SD-290, Pontiac will feature two new G8 performance sedans, including a slightly enhanced version of the G8 GT production model and a completely customized G8 GT from 50 Cent and Unique Autosports (viewed in the Pirelli Tires display).

A collaboration between Pontiac, 50 Cent and Unique Autosports – the New York-based custom shop featured on the show “Unique Whips” – 50 Cent’s red-and-black performance sedan is equipped with a GM Performance Parts LSX 427 engine, custom paint, 22-inch chrome wheels and a custom-tailored interior boasting an 800-watt audio system.

Saturn –Marking the introduction of the all-new Astra sport-compact, Saturn shows off a tuner-inspired example that uses subtle exterior and chassis mods, as well as unique wheels, to give the car a street-wise stance.

GM Accessories and GM Performance Parts

In addition to the concept vehicles at the GM display, General Motors introduces products and initiatives that will surely influence enthusiast projects of the near future, including a collaboration with DUB to develop a variety of appearance and performance components.

GM Performance Parts (GMPP) teamed up with GM Performance Division to give the most famous 1957 Chevy magazine car of all time – Popular Hot Rodding’s Project X – its ultimate “rectification.”

GMPP also introduces a bevy of high-performance engines and engine support components, led by the Anniversary 427 crate engine – a limited-edition, all-aluminum big-block based on the legendary ZL-1 engine. It is completed by the ZZ427, a regular-production crate engine that features most of the same high-performance attributes of the Anniversary 427, but with an iron cylinder block.

Also new from GMPP is an LS3 crate engine, tall-deck LSX cylinder block and a trio of “LS” engine controller kits that make engine integration easy.

General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world’s largest automaker, has been the annual global industry sales leader for 76 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 280,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 33 countries. In 2006, nearly 9.1 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn and Vauxhall. GM’s OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com.

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by Chris Tutor

Not that there was a lot of speculation about Dodge possibly dropping out, but Dodge’s senior manager for motorsports, Mike Deahanty, says the brands presence in NASCAR will remain under Chrysler’s new ownership by Cerberus Capital Management. Petty Enterprises and Evernham Motorsports have both renewed their contracts with Dodge.

Top Speed, however, says sponsorship for the Evernham team, which currently includes Dodge dealers and the United Auto Workers, could change, with Budweiser rumored to be interested in paying Kasey Kahne to wear its red livery.

So rest easy, NASCAR Dodge fans. You’ll still be able to see Dodge Chargers (or at least machines with Charger written across the nose) roaring around in circles.

[Source: Top Speed]

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by Damon Lavrinc

The question of the day is, “If you’re tasked with teaching a three-time Formula One champ to drive, what’s the curriculum?” Some instructor in Brazil will be forced to answer that very query when he gets Nelson Piquet behind the wheel for a refresher on the rules of the road.

Piquet, who’s racked up quite a collection of speeding offenses and parking tickets, is being forced by a Brazilian judge to go back to school for 30 hours over the course of eight days, after which he’ll be required to re-take the driving test.

The 54-year old F1 wiz seemed rather jovial when asked to comment on the matter, simply saying that, “I think we have to pay for our mistakes.” We’re more than interested to see how it turns out, and we’d expect his instructor to come away with a host of intriguing stories and maybe a few new skills of his own.

[Source: Yahoo! News]

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by Alex Nunez

Excessive on-screen graphics and sports telecasts seem to go hand-in-hand. While some truly are innovative, there will always be crap that we can all do without. Some examples are more hideous than others — the relentlessly annoying “FoxTrack” puck that made its debut in NHL telecasts back in ‘96 immediately leaps to mind. This week, ESPN introduced something that could become irritating in a hurry if overused. It’s called Draft Track, and it’s a graphical representation of the airflow over the race cars in the net’s NASCAR Nextel Cup telecasts. Nice idea, but it happens to make the cars look like they’re on fire in some kind of videogame. Sigh. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should, you know? Since we’re talking TV graphics, we’ll conclude by taking this opportunity to state that the inventor of the yellow first-down stripe used in football ‘casts should have had a new Nobel Prize category created for him.

If you want to see what the Draft Track looks like in motion, head over to Jalopnik by clicking the image above or the “Read” link below. They captured some of the action and have video hosted at their place.

[Source: Jalopnik]

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