Autoblog

The epic saga of Unique Performance and its fall from grace isn't over yet. An auction was held in March to help clear the bankrupt company's back debts, but it only raised $1 million. That wasn't enough to compensate the many ripped-off owners and fleeced employees, not to mention the federal government. Auction firm Rosen Systems has a new, very spare listing on its website for another Unique Performance auction coming up on the 24th of June. The scarce information offered by Rosen Systems only states "approximately 40 Mustang Fastback shells, body parts, tools, lifts." A catalog of items to be offered for this online-only event has yet to be released, but it's safe to assume that these are the items that failed to sell the first time around. We're not sure we'd consider this auction a good way to get a viable Mustang body unit, with reports of multiple gallons of body filler in each car. Thanks for the tip, Cameron!

Gallery: Unique Performance auction

[Source: 67MustangBlog]

Click above for a high-res gallery from our First Drive of the GT500KR.

Ford will be producing 1,000 GT500KR Mustangs this year, with another 700 in 2009, so FoMoCo is pricing the ultimate 'Stang accordingly. For $79,995 (including destination and gas-guzzler tax), you get everything included in the "standard" GT500, plus Ford Racing's Power Upgrade Package, which includes a new exhaust and a recalibrated ECU to push out 540 hp and 510 lb.-ft. of torque from the supercharged 5.4-liter V8. The only options on the ordering form are a Shaker 1000 stereo, Sirius satellite radio and a navigation system. Ford hasn't disclosed fuel economy numbers yet, but we doubt anyone willing to drop $80k on a blown V8 is troubled by topping off their own KR with $4.00-a-gallon premium. Get your orders in now; sales begin later this month.

Don't forget to check out Part 1 and Part 2 of our First Drive: 2008 Shelby GT500KR if you haven't already, as well as the galleries below that contain a number of high-res images begging to be your next desktop wallpaper.

Hit the jump for the full press release and a video of Mr. Shelby talking up the GT500KR and its history.

Click above for new high-res gallery of our GT500KR First Drive

Our initial drive of the Shelby GT500KR on public roads revealed that Ford, SVT and Shelby had addressed many of the issues that we had with the standard GT500. The KR's revised suspension is better balanced and more capable of handling the excessive amounts of horsepower and torque that the blown 5.4L generates, and a new short-throw Hurst shifter makes changing gears a joy instead of a chore. To top it all off, a Ford Racing cold air intake, new exhaust system, and 3.73 gears give the KR an extra kick in the pants. The changes were so spot-on that we wondered why Ford didn't build the GT500 this way in the first place.

With a ride like the GT500KR, however, only so much of the car can be experienced on public roads. At 540 horsepower and 510 lb-ft torque, the KR quickly reaches posted speed limits and the car stays well under its limits around corners. Fortunately, Ford let us loose to run hot laps around Miller Motorsports Park. Follow the jump to see how the "King of the Road" fared at the track.

All photos Copyright ©2008 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

Click here to read First Drive: 2008 Shelby GT500KR, Part 1.

Click above for a high resolution gallery of the 2008 Shelby GT500KR

I have to admit, the Shelby GT500 was somewhat of a letdown. I have no complaints about the 500 horsepower or the muscular lines, but at nearly 4,000 pounds, it's got a serious weight problem. The iron block, 5.4-liter V8 and the addition of a supercharger puts much the weight in the worst possible place -- the front -- so the GT500 feels unmotivated around the corners compared to a regular Mustang GT. Other complaints include a suspension that doesn't seem up to snuff to handle the prodigious power, as well as a vague and rubbery shifter. Despite its shortcomings, the GT500 is one of the world's best performance bargains. Never before has such a powerful car been available for so little cash (although the Ford dealers did a pretty good job of ruining its value with markups). Still, one couldn't help but think that the GT500 could have been better.

All photos Copyright ©2008 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

Check out First Drive: 2008 Shelby GT500KR, Part 2 by clicking here.

The Mustang passed yet another landmark less than a week after its 44th anniversary on April 17 when production reached nine million units. The milestone Mustang, a GT Convertible, went to a dealership in Iowa for delivery to its lucky customer. As Ford's longest running nameplate, the Mustang had one of the best starts of any production car with over 22,000 sold on the first day and more than one million sold in the first two years. It's had its ups and down over the past 40+ years, but it's safe to say that the Mustang has enjoyed an upswing in popularity since its retro-restyle a few years back.

[Source: Ford]

Autoblog drives the 2008 Bullitt Mustang

The Ford Mustang has been the lone-surviving pony car since the last Camaro hit the chopping block back in 2002. Even though the Blue Oval no longer had any competition in the rear-wheel-drive muscle car market, the Mustang was given a major overhaul for the 2005 model year, and to keep the RWD coupe fresh, limited edition variants have been popping up with regularity. One of our favorites is the understated Bullitt Mustang, which we reviewed earlier this month. We had so much fun with the 315-hp retro coupe that we put it back on the street for some video love. Hit play on the video above for just over three minutes of a beautiful green Bullitt in glorious motion. It'll be worth your time. High resolution photos from our earlier review are available below, as well.

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]

Click above to view more of the Lego Mustang in our gallery

A fair share of us Autobloggers were ambitious Lego builders as kids, but we never cooked anything up like this. From Crowkillers, the same hands that brought us the new Camaro made from the plastic Danish bricks, comes this replica 1967 FordMustang fastback, complete with model V8 engine, shaker hood, working suspension with live rear axle, 4-speed transmission, rear spoiler and automatic opening doors. No kidding. With creations like this – and the dozen or so more he's got up on his site – we wonder if this guy didn't have too much time on his hands, but hey, we're bloggers. Who are we to judge? We'll let you judge for yourself with the images in the gallery below.

[Source: Brickshelf via CarScoop]

Charles Ales is into Ford Mustangs. In fact, he owns several; his collection includes all three BOSS variants and four new Shelbys. Over years of collecting cars and hobnobbing with others who share his interests, he noticed that the real car people's enthusiasm for their rides borders on religious fervor. An idea popped into Charles' head last summer, and The Mustang Church of America and Museum was born. It's even got its own logo: the Christian fish symbol with the running pony inside.

Built next to the house in which he was born, the facility is set to open later this summer and will display Mr. Ales' collection of Mustangs. He also plans to host car shows, swap meets and two Mustang blessings a year. Charles and his adopted son Robert Brunch, both ordained ministers, will preside over Sunday services in the non-denominational church. "I'll preach goodness and helping my fellow humankind. I'll preach what we're supposed to do - make this a better world than we found it," he told the local Pittsburg, KS Morning Sun newspaper.

The mural behind his pulpit will show Jesus at the wheel of a '66 Mustang. Bet you don't have one of those at your church.

[Source: The Morning Sun via MustangBlog]

Click above for a high resolution photo gallery of the Mustang Bullitt

It would appear that the Mustang Bullitt does not have the same magic as the Shelby GT500. While it's taken over a year for dealerships to lower prices on the GT500 to near MSRP, customers can get their hands on the Bullitt for well under the starting price of $31,075. Ford's April incentives for the Mustang, including the Bullitt, include a rebate of up to $1,500 and an additional $1,000 off in some regions if you purchase the vehicle with Ford Credit. With the potential of $2,500 in rebates, the $3,310 cost of the Bullitt package sounds like a pretty good deal is reduced to just $810. Check out the source below for the rest of Ford's incentive lineup, including money back on the not-yet-available F-150 Chip Foose Edition.

[Source: Kicking Tires]