The Ford Mustang is definitely one of the most iconic muscle cars of the American automotive culture, and ‘Gone in 60 Seconds’ is one of the nicest recent movies that talk about cars. Bearing that in mind, it is not to difficult to figure out how, during the latest Dana Mecum Original Spring Classic Auction in Indianapolis, one of the Ford Mustang ‘Eleanor’ used by Hollywood star Nicholas Cage in that movie managed to fetch a cool 1 million dollars (roughly 775,000 Euros at current exchange rates).

The Ford Mustang Eleanor is a special version of the 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback that was specifically created for this flick, though the car became famous before that thanks to a similar movie from the seventies (with a 1971 Mustang that was given the aesthetics of the 1974 model and dubbed ‘Eleanor’). In 1999 they began shooting the remake of the original film - with a slightly different script - and this one of the eleven cars that were used for the filming, though only three of them were actually working. Out of these three, two of them got destroyed during the making of the movie, and this - you guessed it - is the third one.

The rear-wheel drive Ford Mustang Eleanor was built by Cinema Vehicle Services with the help of custom and tuning guru Chip Foose: some of the most significant changes include the modified bonnet and boot lid, the wider track and the additional lights placed in the center of the revised front bumper. The engine is a Ford 351 V8 producing about 400 horsepower and mated to a four-speed gearbox. The car comes with a pretty low ride height and a set of 17-inch alloy wheels fitted with Goodyear F1 tires.

Continue reading: Ford Mustang 'Eleanor' of the 'Gone in 60 Seconds' movie sold for 1 Million Dollars

There are some pretty interesting new models at the Shelby stand of the 2013 North American International Auto Show, but the one model that seems to collect the most attention is the frightening 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Super Snake, a ‘beast’ that is actually able to produce no less than 850 horsepower. Shelby pointed out that in spite of that immense amount of power, in terms of CO2 emissions the car is absolutely legal in 50 American states.

The Super Snake package will be available with Satin Black, Gloss White, Silver, Blue, or Red stripes, which will be matched by a set of 20” Shelby Super Snake 3 Piece Billet Forged Wheels. The post-title package for the 2013 Shelby GT500 Super Snake will cost $28,995 and deliver 662 hp, while the full-spec thingy is priced at and $39,995, and in that case you will get the whole 850 hp. The wide body option adds another $14,995. Bear in mind that none of these prices include the base Ford GT500 Mustang.

The other star at the Shelby stand is the brand new Shelby Focus ST, which comes with suspension and several components courtesy of Ford Racing, bigger brakes and a new exhaust system. The design has been enriched with large air intakes, rear spoiler, massive alloy wheels and some unique elements in the cabin. The tuning options offered by Shalbt can boost its power up to 300 hp. The price of the standard Ford Focus ST is $ 23,700, while the Shelby kit is priced at $ 14,995. By the way, this is a special limited edition series, and just 500 kits will be produced.

Continue reading: Shelby Mustang GT500 and Focus ST live @ 2013 Detroit Auto Show

According to rumours, the next generation Ford Mustang and Ford Focus RS may share the same engine. It seems that the new 2.3-litre EcoBoost four-cylinder that Ford is developing for the future Ford Focus RS, could also equip the 2015 Ford Mustang, making it a perfect entry level unit to launch on both United States and European markets.

The 2.3-litre EcoBoost could be the perfect choice for both cars, as it’s rumoured to develop more than 300 horsepower, while consuming, on average, less than seven litres of petrol per 100 km. Unfortunately, we need to wait a little bit longer to have official details on this engine, but there has been media speculation about the possible appearance of the new Ford Mustang.

The body of the next generation Ford Mustang could have a very similar design to the current model, although the style of some specific parts, like the front and the rear of the car, could undergo a few changes. The nose could come with a new front grille, sporting a beehive design, which drawn in Ford’s current stylistic cues, and new, smaller head-lights that should give the new Mustang a very unique, captivating and sportier look. At the rear, the boot has been shortened and the design of the tail lights has also been heavily revised.

Continue reading: Ford Mustang and Ford Focus RS to get the same 300hp EcoBoost engine?

American magazine Motor Trend just did it again! The renowned mag has set up the second edition of the World’s Greatest Drag Race, putting up back-to-back on the quarter mile straight some of the most spectacular sportscar currently available on the market. The Nissan GT-R, which had triumphed in 2011, will have to see off some fierce competition coming from Europe and led by the awesome Lamborghini Aventador and the equally menacing McLaren MP4-12C. However, this year the GT-R is even more powerfull, so that’s going to be a tough task. Completing the European line-up there will also be a Porsche 911 Carrera S, a Mercedes C63 AMG Black Series and the elegant Jaguar XKR-S, powered by a supercharged V8.

There most angry variant of the Ford Mustang, the Shelby GT500, will also give the GT-R a run for its money, just like the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. The last challenger of the lot would be the Subaru BRZ, which we can consider as some sort of ’special guest’ as it lacks something like 200 hp on its less powerful opponent, a figure that would go up to 500 if compared with the most powerful antagonist, the Aventador. However, you might be surprised by the sort of drag that this little Japanese babe and its 4-cylinder unit (the less fragmented engine of the lot) can come up with when sprinting from standstill. Well, for a few meters at least..

As usual, we are not going to spoil the surprise by writing the name of the winner here or anything, you might wanto to watch the video to find that out, but we are also sure that the most competent readers, after reading through that line-up, wouldn’t really need to watch the footage to know which car crossed the finish line first. By the way, if you missed last year competition, the video-highlights of GT-R’s triumph in 2011 are available right after the jump.

Continue reading: World's Greatest Drag Race 2012 /video

The Ford Mustang RTR is a special version of the Mustang GT that has been specifically modified with input coming drom Drifting World Champion Vaughn Gittin Junior. The car is an evolution of the previous 2011 version which has been updated with some cool and sporty aesthetic details as well as some mechanical enhancements for suspension and engine.

The model boasts newly designed front bumper, side skirts, aluminum rear spoiler, a diffuser and some distinguishing badges that set it apart from the other versions of the Munstang. Other highlights include 19″ wheels, a remapping of the ECU and a brand new exhaust system, which provide the car with a pretty impressive 525 hp. A supercharger will also be made available as an optional extra to fully exploit the power of its V8 unit, boosting the the output of the RTR up to 624 horsepower.

The RTR package, which has to be purchased directly with the car, is made of two steps: the first one is available for $ 6,250 and includes some cosmetic upgrades, sports exhaust and lowered suspension, while the second one is priced at $ 11,995 and includes a more rigid structure, all the aero/cosmetic enhancements and the modifications to engine mentioned above.

Continue reading: Ford Mustang RTR

The very last creation of the late and great Carroll Shelby is about to be introduced at the imminent Goodwood Festival of Speed. In the weekend, the Mustang Shelby GT500 will be presented to the public with its powerful 5.8-liter V8 engine entirely made of aluminum and equipped with a supercharger as well as an intercooler which is 36% bigger than the one in use by the current version of the GT500.

According to Shelby, the model boasts an average fuel consumption of 13.07 liters/100 km, a figure that gets to a peak of 15.67 l/100 km in the urban traffic and 9.8 l/100 km on the highway. The car’s top speed is rated at 320 km/h (roughly 200 mph), while its aerodynamic behaviour above 250 km/h (155 mph) is 33% more efficient over than the previous model thanks to the adoption of new aerodynamic solutions aimed at improving downforce and decreasing the Cd.

One of the highlights of the renewed GT500 is the addition of a cool Brembo braking system with new six-piston calipers at the front and low-friction materials. specific adjustable. The electronic control systems can be calibrated on the base of three different settings to ensure that drivers of all levels will be able to get maximum fun out of this amazingly powerful car.

Does Ford have plans to import the Mustang in Europe? Not officially, as Ford Europe think that currently our market is not yet ready to welcome the arrival of the next-generation of the great American muscle car. But given the positive customer response towards new models introduced on the European market, the Blue Oval is considering the opportunity to import the Mustang in the future.

Autocar has reported that Ford has kicked off a campaign to gauge the public reaction to the Mustang. If the muscle car lands in Europe, an engine downsizing could prove necessary. The engines of the Mustang are specially designed for the American market, but due to high consumption and operating costs are not at all convenient for European consumers. The news of a 4-cylinder turbocharged engine replacing the current V6 under the hood of the next-generation of Ford Mustang further strengthens this hypothesis.

Another solution could be to raise the target customers by improving the construction quality of the car while keeping the American engines, and to aim to an audience who’s more inclined to buy powerful vehicles. Currently the Mustang European market is supported by a growing number of enthusiasts who import cars directly from the U.S. The possible arrival of the Mustang in Europe would represent an opportunity to expand Ford’s market in order to gain a significant market share in a segment yet unexplored at European level.

View the full Ford Mustang Shelby 1000 and 1000 S/C photo gallery

The new generation of the Ford Mustang is expected to surface in 2015, and here is a new rendering which has recently surfaced on the internet that some ‘insider’ from the US claims to be pretty close to what the final design of the model will be. The new Mustang is likely to become a global model, meaning it is being designed to meet the tastes of both American and European customers, but it will also retain several elements recalling the previous generations of this popular muscle car. However, according to website Inside Line, at the moment the Blue Oval isn’t really considering the idea of exporting it abroad.

The style of the new model will probably be more aggressive too, with a sleeker and lighter body that should draw some inspiration from what we have seen with the Evos concept. The Detroit-based manufacturer has already confirmed that the overall design and proportions of the model will remain the same (hence the long boot and short tail) whereas the technical contents will be enhanced with the adoption of a lighter frame as well as a fully independent suspension systems, both of which will improve its driving accuracy.

As for the engine range, rumor has it that a brand new supercharged 4-cylinder engine will replace the current V6, ensuring the same kind of performance with much better fuel consumption and CO2 emission figures. Almost needless to say, a classic and powerful V8 will also be part of the game. The definitive version of the next Mustang is likely to make its debut at the 2014 New York Auto Show.

Here are a few spy shots of the next Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, that the Blue Oval said it will come with the most powerful V8 production engine in the world. Apparently, this 5.8-litre turbocharged unit entirely made of aluminum will produce a staggering 662 hp with 855 Nm of peak torque and use an intercooler heat exchanger with the volume increased by 36% over the previous version. The model boasts a dry weight of 1750 kg and comes with a 6-speed manual gearbox with upgraded gears, bearings and housing to manage its outstanding torque.

Ford also claims that the new car will be the most efficient model of its segment: average fuel consumption is rated at 13.07 l/100 km (15.67 l/100 km in the city and 9.8 l/100 km on motorways). Top speed is rated at 320 km/h (about 200 mph). Nearly every part of the powertrain has been optimized for producing the additional horsepower, including a new supercharger, new cross-drilled block and heads, updated camshaft profiles, a new carbon fiber driveshaft and upgraded clutch, transmission and axle. The Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 comes with 19″ forged aluminum rims at the front and 20″ on the rear.

Ford Racing releases the first official images and data of their enhanced version of the Mustang model year 2013. The pictured model is based on the V8 GT variant, sports a flashy ‘Gotta Have It Green’ paintjob and is equipped with a whole bunch of fancy bits that can be ordered from the Ford Racing Performance Parts catalogue.

Among the most remarkable new parts, there are a twin-screw Whipple supercharger with a 2.3-litre intercooler, 14″ brake discs with 4-pistons calipers courtesy of Italian masters Brembo, a Laguna Seca adjustable front splitter and a Ford Racing Handling Pack that includes shocks and struts from Dynamic Suspensions, one-inch lowering springs, front and rear anti-roll bars, a front strut upgrade and Ford Racing jounce bumpers.

The Ford Racing Mustang GT comes with a supercharged 5.0-litre Coyote TiVCT V8 petrol engine credited with an output of 624 hp and 726 Nm (536 lb-ft) of maximum torque with a new injection system, which is coupled to a 6-speed Getrag MT82 manual gearbox and a specific Mustang GT Side Exhaust System.

View the Ford Racing Mustang GT photo gallery