SEMA 2016: Roush flies in with Mustang

Famed US tuner Roush Performance has pulled the covers off its new Mustang-based flagship, the P-51.

The third Roush Mustang model since 2007 to carry the badge, which is a tribute to the famed P-51 Mustang fighter plane of World War Two, it punches out 542kW (727hp) from a 5.0-litre Ford Racing Aluminator V8 crate engine that's been boosted with a Roush Phase 2 supercharger.

The engine drives through a six-speed manual transmission and waste matter exits via a Roush active exhaust with quad tips.

That's backed up by Roush's own three-way adjustable coil-over suspension, Street Performance brake rotors and PFC pads, and Roush TrakPak 19-inch forged alloy wheels by Weld, fitted with Continental ExtremeContact Sport tyres.

"The P-51 Warbird was a true legend in its time, it helped change the course of World War Two by protecting its bombers in hostile territory," Jack Roush Jr told the audience at the car's unveiling at the SEMA show overnight, Aussie time.

"But for us this symbol is much more personal than that. My father, Jack Sr, was a small child when these stories came to light and it helped inspire a lifelong passion in him for engines, aviation and the warbird itself.

"But trust me, this car is more than a symbol; it has some really cool stuff on it."

To match the performance with the appropriate amount of visual appeal, Roush has bolted on a TrakPak front splitter, P-51 carbon rear wing and daubed the car in a combination of P-51 silver and military green paint.

There's also ambient lighting grille lighting, a Roush front fascia, side body scoops, quarter window scoops, side rocker winglets, a diffuser, a rear decklid blackout panel, hood heat extractors, Roush windshield banner and P-51 badging – one in red and yellow to pay tribute to the 357th fighter group, which flew Mustangs in WWII.

Inside the car has been upgraded with P-51 brown leather seating and door inserts, P-51 gauge logos, red Roush shifter ball, Roush performance pedals and bespoke plaque.

Roush Performance has also developed a 370kW version of the Ford Focus RS for Ford Performance debuting at SEMA.

Roush tuning calibration work produced the extra neddies, while there's also enhanced cooling required to handle the extra heat being generated in the engine bay.

Conti tyres, lightweight Weld forged alloy 19-inch wheels, three-way adjustable suspension with camber plates and PFC brakes with slotted rotors are also part of the package.

The appearance is tricked up by a front splitter, rear wing, side splitters, diffuser, custom graphic stripes, hood heat extractors and ambient grille lighting. Inside there is black shifter ball and performance pedals.

Final member of the Roush SEMA three-some is an F-150 dubbed Nitemare, which is being hyped as the "world's fastest production street truck".

Both P-51 and Nitemare go on-sale in the USA this year.
Picture courtesy of CTB Performance and Accessories