Autoblog

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We're rather pleased that Saleen has seen fit to offer their excellent 302 cubic inch V8 as a crate engine. Having driven several Mustangs equipped with the powerplant , we feel qualified to say that this is an engine more than worthy of carrying on the 5.0 legacy. If you want take-no-prisoners style horsepower, consider opting for the supercharged model, which we found almost too powerful for every day use in the Saleen S302E Mustang. Perhaps a more streetable choice would be the naturally-aspirated version that we sampled in the Saleen/Parnelli Jones Limited Edition Mustang.

Regardless of your choice of induction, the base engine will have started life as one of Ford's 4.6 liter modular blocks. After being bored and stroked to the requisite five liters, the block receives bigger injectors, ported aluminum heads, performance camshafts, forged-aluminum pistons, forged-steel connecting rods and a forged-steel crank. Power levels range from 390 to 580 horsepower, depending on your choice of options. You can peruse the complete press release after the break.

[Source: Saleen]

The pressure is on now for Ford, which has had the ponycar market to itself for the better part of a decade. With the return of the Chevy Camaro and Dodge Challenger, Ford will surely be stepping up the Mustang's performance when it receives a makeover for 2010. In an interview with stuff.co.nz, Bill Osborne, President of Ford Australia, claims that Ford is considering using a 5.0L V8 for the new Falcon - the same engine being developed for the upcoming Mustang. While nothing has been officially confirmed by Ford, this is further evidence that the 5.0 will be making a return since it was dropped from the Mustang back in 1995.

Assuming the 5.0 V8 will be available for the 2010 Mustang, there are many questions that still remain. It's possible the 5.0 could become standard, but it could also be reserved for use in a special edition Mustang like a Boss or Mach 1. There is also the question of how the engine is being developed. The simplest answer is that it will be based on the current modular V8 architecture and could be a stroked version of the 4.6L V8.

We would love to see something similar to the 5.0 V8 in the Saleen Parnelli Jones Limited Edition Mustang that we sampled last year. With 400 bhp and 390 lb-ft of torque, it was a smooth and powerful engine that suited the Mustang well.

[Source: Stuff.co.nz via MustangEvolution.com]