Roush Mustang, Shelby GT & Saleen Mustang
MILD ADRENALINE ROUSH
Jack Roush, a former Ford employee who left the automaker to start Roush Performance Engineering in 1976, has experienced victory in such series as Trans-Am, IMSA, and most notable, NASCAR. So in 1995 when he founded Roush Performance Products, a company that would sell crate engines and aftermarket parts for one of his favorite vehicles, the Mustang, it's no surprise that he carried over his winning ways. But would they find their way into this shootout?
To find out, RPP delivered to our offices a Mustang with the Stage 2 package, an $11,635 enhancement that includes a redesigned front fascia with unique foglamps and chin spoiler; special rocker panels and rear valance and wing; a Roush window banner; a high-performance exhaust system; 18-inch chrome wheels with Cooper Zeon tires; and a suspension composed of proprietary struts, dampers, springs, and anti-roll bars. Our test vehicle, which started life as a $27,445 Mustang GT Deluxe, also came with a bevy of options, including a $2699 14-inch front brake upgrade, a $445 short-throw shifter, and $1725 leather-covered sport seats. Final tally? A Chili's dinner shy of $47,000.
Weighing 3592 pounds, 35 pounds heavier than the stock GT (see sidebar), but 22 pounds lighter than the Saleen, the Roush, featuring a bone-stock 300-horsepower three-valve 4.6-liter V-8 and a 3.55:1 axle ratio, rushed from 0 to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds and through the quarter mile in 13.8 at 100.9 mph. Surprisingly, the stock GT, which managed times of 5.3 and 13.9 at 101.7, respectively, actually made one more horsepower on the dynamometer (see sidebar)-just goes to show that "matching" stock engines always vary slightly.
With minimal but welcome acceleration improvements in the bag, the Stage 2 attacked the handling exercises, posting a sticky 0.94 g on the skidpad-second best to the Shelby and substantially better than the stock GT-and a 25.5-second run through the figure eight, again, trailing only the Shelby but superior to the GT. Perhaps more important, technical editor Kim Reynolds notes, "The Roush is the most composed and neutral of the three, making it the easiest in which to approach the limit." Credit the larger 35mm front and 24mm rear anti-roll bars (versus stock's 34mm front and 20mm rear), 35-percent-stiffer springs, W-rated summer tires, and one-inch-lower ride height. And the brakes? An upgrade, indeed, providing excellent feel and performance, halting the Roush from 60 to 0 in 117 feet, 13 feet shorter than the GT.
Out on city streets and country roads, the Roush was praised for its supple ride, poised handling, and basso profundo exhaust note. Per senior editor Ed Loh: "Could be the best ride/handling compromise, but overall not the best package compromise." What gives? According to road-test-editor Scott Mortara: "The slow throttle response, stiff, notchy shifter, and cheesy add-ons-the window banner, the pushed-out nose, and the vestigial hood scoop-make it hard to pick the Roush." Inside, the faux-carbon-fiber trim also was deemed too cheddar, although the sport seats were lauded for their comfort and quality. At the end of the day, despite its planted moves and relatively thrifty price tag, the Roush was considered the easiest to live with during the week, but the least exciting to take out on the weekend.
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