2010 Roush 427R
During both our first drive and in our full review, we concluded that the 2010 Ford Mustang has raised the bar for modern day pony cars. The sculpted body, finely tuned suspension, higher quality interior and additional horsepower make it one of the best Stangs to ever come from the Blue Oval's stable. With a flood of aftermarket variants sure to come, we couldn't help but wonder if the new Mustang would provide an even better platform to work with, or if tuners might struggle to improve on an already excellent product. We now have the answer.
Roush, who were given inside access to the 2010 Mustang by Ford for their own product development, were first to market with their 427R Mustang that was unveiled back in March. We were lucky enough to be one of the first to get behind the wheel, and recently spent a full week with the 427R. Was Roush able to use their five years of experience with the S197 platform to capitalize on the upgrades and refinements made available in the 2010 Mustang?
When Roush Mustangs come to mind, we think of aggressive, edgy styling. Since the late '90s, Mustangs coming from the Livonia, MI assembly plant have had a distinctive look that we could spot from a mile away. That's why we were so surprised when the wraps came off the 2010 427R. Instead of the boy racer Mustang we were expecting, a fairly subtle pony car sat in its place. We had to do a double take to see if Roush had even added a body kit, as the overall profile is so close to a stock Mustang.
We were also somewhat disappointed by the lack of any significant horsepower increase compared to the previous 427R. Not that 435 horsepower is anything to scoff at, but it's the same as the 427R Trak Pak we tested last summer. We also had our doubts. Could Roush improve on the performance of the suspension without rendering it too harsh? How much would they actually be able to improve the interior?
With those expectations, we took delivery of a brand new 2010 Roush 427R. To our complete surprise, it took only a few minutes for us to completely fall in love with the car. You could say it was a case of love at first sound. The Roush exhaust system completely transforms the character of the Mustang from a pony car to a mean, snarling muscle car. The exhaust sounds fantastic doing just about anything – idling, cruising, downshifting, and, of course, at full throttle. Even while slowing to a stop, the tailpipes emitted a wonderful rumble and burble. A quick visit to the Roush web site revealed that the exhaust system is actually an option and not standard on the 427R, but to us it would be mandatory. Since Roush also sells their parts individually, the exhaust is also available for regular Mustangs. If you've recently purchased a 2010 Mustang GT, go buy the Roush exhaust. No seriously, do it right now. It's worth every penny.
That's not to say the exhaust is the only part of the car we loved. While the standard 2010 Mustang is significantly down on power compared to the Camaro SS and Challenger R/T, Roush has made sure that owners of the 427R won't need to shy away in a meeting of the musclecars. A roots style supercharger has been added atop the Mustang's 4.6-liter V8, boosting horsepower to 435 horsepower and 400 lb-ft torque that helps to enforce our fondness for this fortified Mustang.
Yes, it's the same rating as the 2009 Roush lineup, but we were reminded that Mustang does far more with its horsepower than either the Camaro or Challenger. The 427R pulls strong and hard from any rpm, with a torque curve flatter than Kansas. We had the chance to strap the Roush to a dyno, and the results more than confirmed that the supercharged V8 was putting out as advertised. The 400 horsepower and nearly 370 lb-ft torque at the rear wheels easily cover a 15% driveline loss and indicate Roush is probably underrating the 427R's motor.
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