Being at the top of the domestic car food chain, muscle cars have logically earned the sort of respect most mass-produced cars only dream of. Some of the oldest and most emblematic nameplates in the world are associated with powerful and elegant muscle cars. The queen of muscle cars, namely the Corvette, has been around for almost 70 years.
The Corvette is at the top of the hierarchy when it comes to muscle cars. With that said, skilled car fans have turned more affordable muscle cars like the Ford Mustang into a Corvette killer. While there are several obscure facts most gearheads do not know about the Ford Mustang, it is well-known that the Mustang can be tuned to produce a crazy amount of power.
10 Ford Mustang Boss 557
When it comes to classic American cars, nothing is more appealing than a high-end first generation Mustang. Whether it is the outstanding GT/CS or the Shelby-badged Mustang, these cars have achieved the status of ultimate legends. Just like a '67 Shelby GT500 Eleanor, the Ford Mustang Boss 429 is the type of muscle cars that will be worth a lot in 10 years.
Back then, the 1969 Mustang Boss 429 was one of the best Mustangs out there. In an effort to pay tribute to the legendary Boss 429, a shop came up with its own take on the Boss Series. Dubbed the Boss 557, this gorgeous restomodded beast comes with a 460 cu in engine bored and stroked to 557 cu in. Rated at 800 hp and 750 lb-ft of torque, this 429 look-alike is not your average restomod.
9 Mustang: Boss Snake
Older Mustangs are some of the best classic cars to restomod. First, they are plentiful. Outside of some truly unique editions, finding a decrepit Mustang for a project is not that big a deal. Second, some shops specialize in Mustangs only. It is possible to find a network of smaller Ford tuners that are capable of turning any classic Mustang into a head-turner.
Resulting from a collaboration between Kaucher Kustoms and RPM Hot Rods, the Boss Snake is a tribute to the Quarter Horse by Ford in 1970. Since the Quarter Horse never materialized, they brought back a modernized version of the stillborn Mustang. The Boss Snake comes with a Kaase 520 cu in V8 that makes 771 hp and 501 lb-ft of torque.
8 Shelby 1000
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The collaboration between Shelby and Ford started back in the 1960s. In an effort to offer performance parts and vehicles to the public, Carroll Shelby set up Shelby American. Until today, Shelby remains one of the most popular American tuner globally. While not every gearhead worldwide may not be aware of the latest Shelby vehicles made available, they know that Shelby rhymes with madness.
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The 2012 Shelby 1000 may have gone under the radar, given the fact that the GT500 usually garners more attention. The main reason why the Shelby 1000 went unnoticed may be due to the fact that it was produced in extremely limited numbers. Easily recognizable by the wide-body kit and the numerous badges, the Shelby 1000 comes with a 3.6-liter Kenne Bell supercharger fitted to the 5.4-liter V8 that pumps out 1,100 hp and 850 lb-ft of torque.
7 Mustang Jack Roush Edition
The Mustang is the most popular pony car ever made. Consequently, it is quite understandable that gearheads who developed a liking to the Mustang took things to the next level. Roush was established by an avid Ford fan. Jack Roush's love for speed and American sports cars motivated him to come up with some of the best solutions on the market. There are several things gearheads do not know about Roush Mustangs, such as the fact that the latest top-line Roush creation is a true monster.
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The 2020 Jack Roush Edition Mustang is not only a Corvette ZR1 killer, it is also a Shelby GT500 annihilator. While the 2020 Shelby GT500 comes with a supercharged 5.2-liter V8 that makes 760 hp and 625 lb-ft of torque, the Jack Roush Edition beats the Shelby thanks to a Roush supercharged 5.0-liter V8 that makes 775 hp and 670 lb-ft of torque.
6 Saleen S302 Black Label
The rivalry between Ford and Chevrolet has been quite captivating. However, it is far from being the only rivalry worth keeping up with in the automotive industry. Roush and Saleen have gone toe-to-toe for over 30 years. While Jack Roush was inducted in the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame, Steve Saleen saw his name being added to the Mustang Hall of Fame.
The Saleen S302 Black Label is one of the most unsuspecting super ponies. Commercially outshone by other modified Mustangs, the S302 Black Label is by definition the Mustang to be on the lookout for. Equipped with a 2.6-liter supercharger on the 5.0-liter Coyote that makes a whopping 800 hp and 687 lb-ft of torque, the S302 goes from a standstill to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds.
5 Shelby GT500KR
When it comes to cool Shelby-badged Mustangs, the first things that come to mind are these classics from the '60s. Though it is true that the 1962 Shelby Cobra CSX2000 is a marvel worth the almost $14 million price tag, modern Shelby cars have the potential to one day be worth just as much. Every variant may not appreciate in value in similar fashion. However, the GT500KR will most likely age like fine wine.
The Shelby GT500 is a marvelous vehicle. It attained its legendary status thanks to its sporty look and outlandish performance. As the success of Shelby cars never waned, the company kept on coming with increasingly exhilarating, mean machines. The latest GT500KR lives up to Shelby's reputation. Fitted with a 3.8-liter Whipple supercharger on its 5.2-liter V8, it pumps out over 900 hp, the GT500KR celebrates its 60-year anniversary in style.
4 Hennessey Venom 1000
A large number of domestic car fans heard about Hennessey's existence when the Venom GT. However, Hennessey has been around for over 30 years. The Texan company's first major project was the Venom 650R. Based on a 1996 Dodge Viper GTS, the Venom is fitted with a Chrysler V10 bored and stroked from 8.0-liter to 8.4-liter. With a power output of 650 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque, the Venom 650R is a true retro beast.
The Venom 1000 GT500 by Hennessey is what every gearhead would love to drive on a closed road. Having extensively worked on pushing the limits of the GT500, Hennessey came up with a solution that pushes the power of the Predator unit to 1000 hp and 850 lb-ft of torque on E85. For a little over $140,000, Hennessey will have a Venom ready for you to drive aggressively.
3 Peregrine Revenge GT
Peregrine Automotive may not be the most popular tuner in Southern California, but the company sure caught the attention of gearheads globally when its vehicles started getting featured in every car-related publication. Though the Californian tuner does not specialize in enhancing the potential of Ford's greatest vehicle, it does come up with solutions that would make a Mustang owner salivate.
Peregrine Automotive must have come up with the meanest-looking Mustang out there. Based on the GT trim, the Revenge GT comes with either a stage 2 Whipple or Roush supercharged 5.0-liter Coyote V8 that makes at best 800 hp. This Mustang GT on steroids does not come cheap. With a starting price of $149,000, the Revenge GT will for sure turn heads wherever it goes.
2 Sutton Mustang CS850GT
It is clear at this point that the Mustang is one of the most popular American cars internationally. Being featured in movies might have something to do with it, phe fact that the Mustang also embodies American success and freedom may have contributed. All in all, it is not uncommon to stumble across skillfully modified Mustangs abroad.
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Though it is fair to say that the wing ruins the general look of the car, Clive Sutton did a great job in the engine bay. Modified in a true American fashion, the CS850GT is based on a Mustang GT and comes with a Whipple supercharged 5.0-liter Coyote V8 that churns out a solid 850 hp and 665 lb-ft of torque. It is quite impressive given the fact that Sutton is based in the United Kingdom, where regulations are extremely stringent.
1 Mustang Lithium
When the Mustang Mach-E was first revealed, car fans worldwide were wondering is it was some kind of joke. The pony car went from being a gorgeous stallion to becoming the modernized version of GM's EV1. Now an electric crossover, Ford's attempt to turn the Mustang into an environmentally-friendly vehicle was an epic failure.
The Mustang Lithium by Webasto should be among the world's best road-legal performance EVs. The Lithium is powered by an 800-volt battery that makes 900 hp and 1,000 lb-ft of torque. These figures indicate that the Lithium is literally a silent killer. Though it may grind the gears of combustion engine fans, the Lithium deserves to be looked at and respected.