The 2001 Roush Mustang

NOTE: This is not a review on the 2001 Ford Mustang, but it is a review on the 2001 Roush Mustang. A Roush Mustang is a high performance Mustang. This review will give the reader all the necessary information on the Roush Mustang.

When people think of specialized and high performance Ford Mustangs, the first thing to come to mind is Saleen. Saleen is not alone in the production of high performance Mustangs these days. NASCAR renowned Jack Roush has thrown his hand in to the mix of high performance Ford Mustangs. Acceleration, suspension, and body upgrades are incorporated in to the Roush Mustang. When converting a Mustang to a Roush Mustang, there are 3 Stages. Each stage upgrading the performance of the automobile even further in addition to jacking up the cost.

Each stage has its basic options when it comes to upgrades; however, if you are interested in upgrading your Mustang GT to a Roush Stage I package, you are not limited to just that. It is possible to get some of the options from Stage II without purchasing the entire Stage II upgrade package.

Stage I
The Stage I Roush incorporates the same engine as the Mustang GT. Upgrades include a full body kit and a new exhaust system. Side exhaust exit gives the Mustang a great roaring sound and a very cool look. Rear wing is very different than the stock Mustang wing, and in my opinion makes a huge difference.

Stage II
The next stage in the Roush conversion brings more upgrades. 18 inch chrome Roush wheels are absolutely stunning looking. Cosmetic upgrades make up most of the package, however, suspension work gets massive upgrades with anti rolls bars and new shocks. The engine is still a 260 HP producing SOHC V8. Other features for the Stage II include interior upgrades with extremely comfortable Roush racing seats. If you are greedy and just want some more speed, keep going and upgrade to Stage III.

Stage III
The Stage III package is all about a single upgrade: speed. This upgrade gives your Mustang a Roush supercharger which will boost your horsepower all the way to 360. With 360 horsepower, your Roush Mustang is a complete high performance road warrior.

Pricing
If you visit a Roush licensed Ford dealership, you can find Roush Mustangs for sale. I test drove a Stage II white convertible that was for sale for $39,000. The car was absolutely beautiful, and drove completely different than my V6 Mustang which I own. Adding a supercharger with the Stage III package could make the total car over $40,000. More information on pricing can be found at http://www.roushperf.com.

My experience
I have driven a Stage II Convertible Roush Mustang. My dad and I decided to test drive one at the dealership at which I bought my Mustang. My dad and I were astonished at the power and handling of the Mustang. My V6 Mustang handles average at best, so I was shocked that a Mustang could handle the road as such. The ride was still not very smooth, but man could you take a corner in that machine. The power was unbelievable as anyone can imagine the difference between the 317 horsepower Roush and my 190 horsepower Mustang. I can only imagine how fast the Stage III Roush could be; I hope to drive one of these as well in the future. Once I have driven one, I will add to this review, and give my personal experience with the Roush supercharger.

Conclusions
The Roush Mustang is an amazing machine with killer looks. Roush and Saleen now must compete with eachother in the high performance Mustang category. One of the main reasons why I love Ford Mustangs so much is the fact that they have so many upgradable options and features as can be seen by the Roush and Saleen Mustangs. I hope to write a review about the Saleen Mustang in the future. Thanks for reading.