For those of you unaware, the Ford Mustang has undergone a minor facelift for the 2018 model year. Part of that update included a new fascia, ranging from updated headlights, to a more pronounced grille, to new wheel options, and the departure of the aging V6. Up until this point, we hadn't seen any tuners attempt to work their magic on the new pony car – thankfully these spy photos prove a new Roush Mustang will be one of the first.
Spy photos show the nearly uncovered Roush Mustang testing on public roads in the Rocky Mountains. Though the prototype pictured here doesn't stray far from the look of the standard Mustang, it does gain a few new features like a larger lower grille, a new front splitter, a vented hood, a carbon fiber roof, and a more pronounced rear wing out back.
When the final production version is revealed, expect to see similar design cues found on the outgoing Roush model. The bespoke grille with horizontal slats and a Roush badge can already be seen, while new wheels, and some minor upgrades to the cabin should carry over to the new model year.
This particular example uses Ford's 5.0-liter V8, which produces a hearty 460 horsepower (343 kilowatts) from the factory. It's safe to assume that a Roush Stage 2 supercharger will see that figure jump to well over 500 hp (372 kW). The outgoing Roush Mustang produced 435 hp (324 kW) and 400 pound-feet (542 Newton-meters) of torque.
The new Roush build will also benefit from Ford's magnetic ride control with adaptive dampers, which comes as an option on both the EcoBoost and GT. It's still unclear exactly what else will be available when the aftermarket Mustang debuts, but expect to see the new pony car show up in full at SEMA in a few weeks.
