2009 ROUSH RS3/C Edition Prototype

[Shay]

Roush Performance and Cooper tires recently announced an 18-month partnership spent to develop the next generation of ultra high performance tires. To celebrate their new RS3 road and track tire, they created new Roush RS3/C edition Mustang. This prototype is the forerunner of a short run of niche edition Roush Mustangs planned for later this year. While some snicker at all the variations of cars Roush has been producing, they have been enormously successful at selling every one of them.



The example we got to hammer out on Michigan’s Gingerman Raceway was equipped much like a Roush 427R or Stage 3 Mustang with the 445hp ROUSHcharged power plant complete with chrome blower. Suspension was the latest iteration of the Roush Stage 3 components tuned specifically for the new 275/40/18 Cooper RS3 tires.



Visually, the RS3/C has the basic Roush body treatment. Our tester had the slick carbon fiber Trak-Pak wing, special black-out Roush badges on the fenders and rear panel, billet grille, and dark charcoal 18” forged wheels also from the Trak Pak. The interior featured highly bolstered Roush leather seating with grabber orange color keyed stitching, short throw shifter and carbon fiber trim.



A single flat black stripe runs from the front fascia to the rear flanks, playing off the dark wheel treatment. It seems a look that will be best suited to highly contrasting light paint colors. Overall, Roush gets kudos for creating a fresh new look for the 4-year old Mustang body style.



On the track, the car was wickedly fun to drive. The Roush 14” front brakes combined with Cooper’s new super sticky tires made pulling this thing down from 110 mph on the straights a shockingly abrupt maneuver. Lap after lap, no fading and little intervention from the ABS. But, this is true of all Roush Stage 3 based cars.



The RS3/C is said to become available sometime around November or December. The exact number to be built, available colors, and standard equipment has not been nailed down yet but we will find out soon enough.

Full Photo Gallery Here: Cooper Tires Roush Test Drive - Gingerman Raceway - Fn-Gallery

[Sabre]

I actually kind of like the look of the stripe, but red is the only color I think the black rims look good on.

Great article and great photos!

[Cshores]

I am starting to sound like my dad but ....WHAT ARE you fn kids doing up there? Translated- What the F are they doing? Same FN car Different FN day.

Big Deal- Coopers! WHOA!!! Isn't Cooper Tire the reason the Roushes went with the KD's in the first place for the Stage 3 a couple of years ago? Now they make a tire that may have caught up to the KD's and they are doing a special edition with them? La DE FN DAH! Interesting.

Sorry- no offense. i needed to vent.

[05 ROUSH RACER]

^^Same here. Roush needs to get real with their so called special editions , the last time i checked my dealership , they was loaded down with these special eds. Saleen is going to be stiff comp. for Roush with their new supercharged edition around 40k. same car for 50k , just a new name!

[Shay]

Originally Posted by 05 ROUSH RACER

....Saleen is going to be stiff comp. for Roush with their new supercharged edition around 40k. same car for 50k , just a new name!

If they are still in business next month

[Roush Puppy]

Originally Posted by Shay

While some snicker at all the variations of cars Roush has been producing, they have been enormously successful at selling every one of them.

Are they talking about us?

I like it, but I'm not excited about it. Same thing, different name - I agree with the above posters.

~ Pup

[WhiskeyRunner]

Yawn .. Just new vinyl .. Another name ..

[05 ROUSH RACER]

With the slow economy ,I don't think any of us is looking for the same car with no changes , for over 50k , all that big over charge is over , late in these production runs , RPP needs to get real!

[redfire427]

I'm not sure what makes it a Special Edition myself. No offence, but I think the Tracpac is the ugliest vehicle Roush has ever made. I can't stand those black wheels, wing, etc. Maybe the car works like it was engineered to work, but the look doesn't "work" for me. As for the the tires, I kind of like the fun factor (limited grip) the stock Coopers provide on my 427. I'm sure this new model of tire would provide some extra bite.
I'm not really sure why Roush is watering down there vehicle line-up with all these re-badges of the same vehicle.

[RoushPony]

me no like'ie

[Mustanger]

Originally Posted by redfire427

I'm not sure what makes it a Special Edition myself. No offence, but I think the Tracpac is the ugliest vehicle Roush has ever made. I can't stand those black wheels, wing, etc. Maybe the car works like it was engineered to work, but the look doesn't "work" for me. As for the the tires, I kind of like the fun factor (limited grip) the stock Coopers provide on my 427. I'm sure this new model of tire would provide some extra bite.
I'm not really sure why Roush is watering down there vehicle line-up with all these re-badges of the same vehicle.

+1 here

Sorry Jack but the wing is & always will be ugly...& I hate all black wheels on any color...I accept the wing because of it's engineered functionality but don't ever want it....If by chance I was handed a Roush with those wheels, I wouldn't even drive them home...I'd give them to the first homeless person I found & then start looking for some decent rims...

JMO though...it don't count for much

[TPSMak]

One of my favorite S197 Mustangs is the 427R BUT C'Mon Jack..... just about every one of these special Mustangs basically are a 427R with different graphics or stripe.... Don't the people at Roush have more creativity than that? The P51 is pretty cool but needs to have more than 510HP.. the Saleen Extreme has 620HP.

I'm not sure how people can say that the sales of every Roush Mustang has been wildly successful when they have a bunch of unsold inventory in MI at Roush. Our local Roush dealer, which is one of the larger ones in the country, have a TON of unsold inventory with some 2007 models.

As far as the car goes... I'm 100% sure it performs AWESOME just like every one of the Roush's out there. BUT I hate the wing... didn't like it on the Trak-Pak and don't like it on the Cooper. The wing looks like it was taken off a 2 Fast 2 Furious car.. I don't care that the wing is functional it's butt ugly.

BTW, Saleen is selling quite a few of their Racecraft product right now.... we'll have to see if they are in business next month as Sam says... if I was a betting man.. I would say they will be.

[Scarface]

More like the Boring RS3 4U. Stop the stupidity and stop rebadging the stage3 over and over. Running out of ideas?? are we gonna see the 427R1, 428R2, 429R3, P51B(opps to late), P51C(ya its coming) Stage1s (stage one with the sports) Stage2s (stage two with the stage3 suspension) Stage3s (with a different exhaust tip and the S is for more $). This is the reason why I will not buy another Roush, they are no longer limited and special.

[TPSMak]

Originally Posted by Scarface

More like the Boring RS3 4U. Stop the stupidity and stop rebadging the stage3 over and over. Running out of ideas?? are we gonna see the 427R1, 428R2, 429R3, P51B(opps to late), P51C(ya its coming) Stage1s (stage one with the sports) Stage2s (stage two with the stage3 suspension) Stage3s (with a different exhaust tip and the S is for more $). This is the reason why I will not buy another Roush, they are no longer limited and special.

Does any any one know how many different Roush editions there are.. here's the list that I came up with.. 21 in the last 2 years..

Sport
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Black Jack
Roadster
427R
428R
Speedster
Speedster SC
Speedster SC Coupe
MAC S/E
Special Content
Special Content SC
Hillbank Roush
Cooper Roush
Track Pack
Yellow Rose
Roush V6
P51a
P51b

[06Roush_st_3]

429r......

[Vapor 429R]

You forgot the 429R that would make 22 in 2 years. Does it really matter there are less then 2,000 cars a year made. To me that is still a rare mustang considering how many are produced for the model year. Oh by the way Saleen is not going to out due Roush, they can't even sale out the Parnelli Jones SE Mustang and they only made 500. So when it comes wright done to it be happy that you have Roush instead of a Saleen at least Roush is still involved in the company. Just my 2 cents.

[Rangersfan]

That wing is horrible! I don't think Roush has been all that successful in selling what they have considering all the inventory of leftover 2008's floating around. All these rebadges are just a way to try and sell what they have, but what it's doing is causing brand confusion. They aren't really offering anything new with this version, except for some different trim.

By the way, the Racecraft stuff might be selling a little bit, but that ain't Saleen by any means. That's also just another way to sell off leftovers. Both Saleen and Roush have been left with way too much leftover cars due to the downturn in the economy. Kind of hard to sell 50K Mustangs now.

[TPSMak]

The Saleen PJs are actually sold out.. the problem is dealers were jacking up the price which is why the cars still sat the the dealership lots.

Unfortunately, the economy has really been hard on both companies as far as car sales go....

[BratFireman]

I feel the same as most have posted. When I actually had the opportunity to buy my Roush I was really stoked because Roush was a fairly "exclusive" vehicle to own. I am really disappointed in the number of "special models" that have been produced since. I drive around now and see at least two other Roushes on a daily basis. To pay 40-50k for a mustang which face it in stock form are not the most elegant and nimble rides on earth as compared to similarly priced vettes, or low level exotics ie Lotus Exige. I really expected to have that level of exclusivity. Special models are supposed to special. The P-51 is about the only special model that is ok with me. They actually did something different with the engine, blower. I was pretty disappointed in reading what the P-51b is planned for. Change it up a bit please. Different paint scheme, new hood, different scoops, side scoops something! Any average joe can throw a set of black rims on and a billet grill. Look at my car for example. Creativity is bust at Roush right now. Maybe they all their brain cells are working on making a kick a$$ 2010 ride, I don't know. Yes the economy is crap and sales may be slow, but this is my personal take on how I might handle buisness. Make less cars and sell for a higher price. I think Roush owners would rather pony up 50-60K for a car that is going be much more rare and perform better than paying the 40-50K that we have already to by a car that is becoming more and more common place. Bottom line is that dealer "creations" are actually more rare than our cars that were intended to be top of the line exclusives.

[Mustanger]

I don't know why but I am a bit negative today, so bear with me...my sunny disposition will come back someday!! LOL....

Roush DOES have an exclusivity plan! They quit making replacement parts for their cars around 3-4 years old...SO by attrition they will become more & more rare as time goes by. The SN95's are mostly a lost cause now & the New Edge are on the way.