Mustangworld at SEMA99

FR500
(Photos Copyright Mustangworld.com)

From the SEMA 99 Show Nov.3rd, 10:30AM.

What IS the FR500 ?
The FR500 is the result of a challenge from Dan Davis (director Ford racing Technology) to FRT engineers to "create the ultimate high-performance Mustang" while creating a showcase for current and future products available through the Ford Racing Performance Parts catalog.

" What we're revealing today is a performance parts story, wrapped up in a car." Said Davis, who was joined in the unveiling by Ford Taurus NASCAR star and FR500 test driver Rusty Wallace. " we wanted a car that would satisfy a Mustang enthusiasts' dream checklist of performance modifications; a car that would be well engineered and very well balanced; and a performance benchmark to outperform the manual transmission Corvette.

"Our interim goal with the FR500 was to get everything right, including it's performance, and to have all the parts designed so that they would be reproducible at a reasonable cost. What we've done is take a lot of the racing knowledge we have here and intergrated a lot of it into what is our version of the ultimate Mustang."

"We Will measure success by how many parts or systems end up being produced and offered for sale" Davis said.

"The end result will come about after feedback from media, suppliers and especially our customers," he said. "Once we do market research, we could end up producing just a few of the parts, or there could be enough of a demand that we could do a limited run of the car. The initial idea is to start offering parts as the market demands them".

Most of the parts we saw on the FR500 were still "wish list", but if this is a hint of what the future holds for Ford Racing, it means having 400+ HP stang could be as easy as walking into a FRPP retailer and bolting the stuff onto your stang ! Our fingers are crossed :-)

The FR500 was tested at: 0-60 in 4.6 Seconds, 1/4 mile in 12.70 seconds / 114mph and a top speed of 175 (est) with street tires !

We would like to see the parts produced, the FR500 looked beautiful at the show.

OK HERE WE GO:
Below are the specs along with some interesting facts we got from the engineers themselves at show (under each pic):

EXTERIOR

The Hood: The new carbon fiber hood on the the Silver FR500 comes clean down to the front bumper. Aprox 23LBS lighter than production. The 2 holes at the lower sides are for brake cooling vs ram air. Engine cooling comes from the massive front lower opening. The white FR500 used a production hood and side pillars. All the body work on this FR500 was in carbon fiber.

BODY

Production 99 Mustang with FR500 carbon fiber front fascia, hood, fenders, rocker pannels, rear fascia and decklid.

COLOR

Du Pont Special Effect Silver

LIGHTING

Head Lamps: Production Cobra lamps with PIAA bulbs
Driving lamps: PIAA

ENGINE CONFIGURATION

The Twins: Notice actual twin Mass Air Flow Meters's vs a single MAF split into 2 (very unique). The throttle linkage works in 2 stages. The passenger side throttle body opens for normal driving (or part throttle), but if you put the pedal down closer to the floor, the second driver side throttle body opens accordingly. Ford engineer's talked about the pedal "feel" of the 2 stage throttle system, it can be made seemless or you can have the "feel" of the 2 stages by adjusting the throttle spring tensioners.

BLOCK

FR500 4.6L-4v cast Aluminum based block enlarged to 5.0L

Bore and stroke: 94mm x 90mm
Displacement: 5.0L
Compression Ratio: 9.85:1
Crankshaft: Fully counterweighted forged steel
Rods: Production Cobra 4.6L-4v
Pistions: New design forged aluminum
Horsepower: 415hp @6800rpm
Torque: 365lbs @ 4200rpm
Redline: 7000rpm (fuel shut off@7200rpm)

CYLINDER HEADS

FR500 high flow cast aluminum cylinder heads

4 valves per cylinder, two intake valves, 37mm head diameter, two exhaust valves, 30mm head diameter.

Camshafts: Double overhead camshafts
Followers: Roller finger followers, hydraulic lash adjustment

INDUCTION SYSTEM

FR500 dual induction sysytem

Air filter: Dual air filter assemblies with production air filters.
Mass Air Sensors: Dual 80mm mass air sensors
Throttle Bodies: Dual 70mm throttle bodies
Intake Manifold: Dual throttle body cast magnesium, variable geometry runners

ELECTRONIC ENGINE CONTROLS

Unique EEC-V calibration to operate FR500 dual induction system

Tips to match: 3.5" tips were added to fill out the rear fisca. The rear is production cobra (IRS) tuned to FR500 specs.

IGNITION SYSTEM

Distributorless coil-on-plug

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