If you're a Ford fan looking for an edge in not just appearance, but also performance, then Roush Performance is where it's at! Founded by Jack Roush, with a "tradition of success," you'll have what you need. If you're looking to spice up your newer F-150, jack up your new-gen Bronco, or speed up your current Mustang, look no further. From: body kits; exhaust; superchargers; wheels; cold air intakes; performance "pacs"; and suspension accessories, you can have your ride modified from mild to wild in every aspect, all for a price of course.
With 24 national championships and titles, the legacy of Roush is built upon power and performance. Over 25 years ago, the Roush Mustang was born. Built upon that history of research and development, the outgoing S550 generation is the latest to wear the Roush badge, taking the 2023 TrakPak 'stang to the road course and streets. With pure performance and head-turning style, the pony car runs with the legacy built by Roush, in an iconic All-American package. Complete with all the goodies necessary to compete all-around, it's enough to make you hold off on that upcoming Dark Horse, awaiting perhaps (if even that) the next GT500 instead.
Run With The Pack As An Alpha
"Become the leader of the pack," with a vehicle "...engineered for performance and total dominance over the competition." That's what you're getting by having your hands on a 2023 Roush TrakPak Mustang, one that's equipped with a six-speed manual, or 10-speed automatic transmission. The choice is yours, but whatever your preference, know you're making use of some of the most advanced technology ever put into a Mustang. For "This exclusive model is a purpose-built track machine, designed for speed, power, and all-out performance."
If you're looking to "go beyond iconic," the Roush package certainly provides that visually. The lower grille, front chin spoiler, and wheel shrouds, paired with rear valance aero foils and the rear decklid spoiler, work in tandem to accomplish two things. First, this provides a unique look to the Mustang, letting everyone know this is a different horse. Second and more importantly, this controls airflow, reduces drag, and increases downforce, all things required to get the most out of a vehicle come track day.
Additionally, there are front high-flow corner pockets, coupled with hood and fender heat extractors. This allows hot air to escape, increasing engine performance. If this doesn't look good enough on its own, the Roush badging lets onlookers know there's a stallion among them. Today's GT500 is auto-only, so there hasn't been a track Mustang quite like this since the GT350R.
Deceptively More Than Meets The Eye
Clearly, we're not just talking about some Saleen body kit here, as there are more package-inspired bits in the cockpit, along with under the chassis. Inside the cabin, the vehicle keeps the theme going. The nicely bolstered and luxurious seats, bear the Roush name and give a different look and feel to any Recaro performance seat that you might otherwise see in a Mustang. These are made from premium leather and flow with the Roush serialized badging, floor mats, illuminated door sills, and gauge overlay. If you elect a manual transmission, as you should, you'll even get a Roush shift ball to complete the look.
Putting the pedal to the metal, yields to the Roush Active Exhaust System, one capped and hinted at with quad black tips. You can select between four unique exhaust settings for tone and performance. Twenty-inch forged wheels paired with a Roush Calibrated MagneRide Suspension that comes with lowering springs, allow you to tune for the track. With Dual Auxiliary Engine Cooling Modules, Performance Oil Cooling, and Active Rear Differential Cooling Systems, you don't have to worry about your horse suffering from heat exhaustion or heat stroke. The same can't be said for every Mustang that's for sure. If you opt for the automatic, there's even a transmission cooler for that, so rest assured if you don't like rowing gears with three pedals.
The Roush TrakPak Mustang is touted as "for the fast and the few," meaning it'll be rare, limited, and exclusive. The car starts at $20,150 above base vehicle price, with the only options as a $700 add-on for 20-inch High-Performance Agate Gray Forged Wheels (over gloss black or Palladium Gray), and Amaretto Brown leather seats at no additional cost. Considering the total price for a car such as this, it's a very complete package out of the box, with only a couple of options. Therefore, it'll suit its purposes very well, and hold its own among other options for platform development.
The Roush Is There For The Taking
Roush Performance has announced that its "race-ready 2023 TrakPak Mustang is now available." The "MagneRide active suspension is highly responsive for corner carving at the track yet easily transitions to comfortable daily driving." The electronically controlled valve in the Roush Active Exhaust System gives the driver total control over the tone and volume of the exhaust note. Coupled with a Roush-branded console-mounted selector dial, the driver may seamlessly select between tour, sport, track, and custom modes. To add to that, an Active Exhaust application for iOS allows the operator to create their own unique sound!
Jack Roush Jr. states: "The 2023 TrakPak is a celebration of over 25 years of performance engineering...we're enthusiasts first, so we wanted to blend top-of-the-line performance modifications with a hint of luxury to create the perfect track machine."
I'd say Roush has accomplished its mission with this car. Certain iterations of the Mustang are known to get hot or burn out their brakes after only a few passes around the track, and this car seems well-equipped to not do so.
Still, as with all Mustangs, they usually require optional packages out of the box to meet such standards. This Roush version is of course no different. Still, though you have your options out there in packages, there's no denying that Roush provides the pedigree to suit such fancy. If you're still concerned, this package comes standard with Roush's 3-year/36,000-mile warranty. So take it from the streets, hit the track, and then head back with confidence!