We know what you're thinking: "Not another new Mustang!" Well, if that was your first reaction then feel free to skip this item and move on to the next. For those who can appreciate a stylish and solid rwd platform that offers lots of speedy thrills for little dinero, we have a real gem for you. The basic Mustang, whether in V6 or V8 form, offers a lot of bang for the buck, but afficionados know it's merely a starting point. The platform can handle a lot more horsepower and where there's a need, someone will always step in to meet it. Carroll Shelby, Steve Saleen, Jack Roush and others have made a living off of it, in fact.

Shelby, in particular, has a certain cachet associated with his name that has resulted in his signature models being used directly by Ford as their special editions. One of the Shelby projects that didn't end up in a Ford dealership is the CS6 that first popped up at SEMA a couple of years ago. A supercharged V6 pumping out 300 hp is at the heart of this modded 'Stang, but lower weight up front and typical Shelby suspension mods make this car handle even better than the V8 specials. But there are always going to be those people who say they want more. One of those people was Jason Cenora of Hillbank Motorsports in Irvine, CA.

Taking the basic package that turns a V6 Mustang into a CS6, Cenora applied it to a V8 Mustang and ended up with a CS8 -- the world's first CS8, as a matter of fact --but he didn't stop there. As we learn from this Mustang Life profile, the car was designed to be an attention-getter at shows, so things had to be kicked up a notch or two. In the standard CS8 package, an intercooled Paxton supercharger is used to bump the otherwise stock engine to 470 hp and 420 ft-lbs of torque. When Cenora was done, the modifications to the intake, injectors and exhaust had resulted in 476 hp and 442 ft-lbs of torque to the rears! That is awfully close to what a GT500 will do with its larger 5.4L engine.

To handle the extra power, Shelby upgrades the suspension, brakes and rolling stock as well. Falken-clad 20" American Racing wheels, Baer brakes, and a Progress suspension kit make the package pretty balanced overall. This being a demonstrator, tens of thousands of dollars went into upgrades above and beyond the basic CS package. These include an Alphasonik sound system and Vivo Electronics video displays inside, a PS2 and monitor in the trunk, and an Eclipse navi/DVD head unit. There are also various upgrades to interior materials, trim and gauges as well as a massive shot nitrous system for maximum grin-factor. Although the CS8 model hasn't become a production item like the CS6, the package is available through Shelby or one of its authorized dealers. For $14,999 you get the intercooled Paxton unit, the body kit, 3.55 gears, wheels, exhaust, brakes and suspension. So for a price in the low 40s, a buyer can have a unique Shelby Mustang or for a boatload more they can have one of the most extreme Shelbys on the planet.

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I'm having a hard time with these numbers. I understand we live in inflationary times, but $40,000 PLUS for a Mustang.
If I remember correctly, you could get a brand new Mustang for about $1,800 or $1,900 new when they first came out.
Of course that was a bare bones model with a 6 cyl engine and 3 speed trans. I think an AM only radio was an option.
My first house only cost me $27,500 and it had 4 BR, 3 baths and 3,500 sq. ft. on a 1/2 acre of land. Of course that was 40 years ago,
I was making about $9,000 a year back then. Which was considered a very good income at that time.
I was 30, and my farther in-law told me he thought I was insane because my mortgage was almost $350 a month. :eek:
Oh well, guess I'll just have to learn to live with it.

So is this basically a Selby with tweaked looks? So many mustang models these days is getting a bit out of control