The new Porsche Cayman R debuts at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November, 2010 (Image: Porsche)

The new mid-engine coupé is powered by a tuned-up 3.4-litre six-cylinder engine developing 330 hp (243 kW). In the standard configuration it transmits its power to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox that propels the car from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.0 seconds. Or there is the option of the seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) that reduces its acceleration time to 4.9 seconds. For even more impressive sprinting performance, the Cayman R can be supplied with one of the optional Sport Chrono packages, taking it to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.7 seconds. The new mid-engine coupé is capable of a top speed of 282 km/h (175 mph) with manual gearbox, or 280 km/h (174 mph) with PDK. Its NEDC fuel consumption is 9.7 l/100 km (29.12 mpg imp.) with six-speed gearbox and 9.3 l/100 km (30.37 mpg imp.) with PDK. The main aim during the design of the Cayman R was to improve the two-seater even further in its performance, driving dynamics and agility through consistent weight reduction. With a DIN unladen weight of just 1,295 kilograms (2855 lb) the Porsche engineers were able to reduce the power-to-weight ratio of the coupé with standard manual gearbox to 3.9 kilograms (8.6 lb) per horsepower, with the PDK version weighing 4.0 kilograms (8.8 lb) per horsepower. The largest savings were achieved through the use of lightweight components and doing without convenience equipment. As for the 911 GT3/GT3 RS and Boxster Spyder, an optional lithium-ion lightweight construction battery is also available. In addition, the top model in the mid-engine coupé is equipped with the lightest 19 inch wheels the entire Porsche range can offer. The complete rim set weighs less than 40 kilograms.

The Cayman R’s purpose and purist character can be seen at first glance. The extended silhouette of the bodywork, which has been lowered by 20 millimetres (0.79 in) compared to the Cayman S, combined with the distinctive fixed rear spoiler, the high-quality silver-painted wheels and numerous sporting highlights on both the interior and exterior, ensures an individual appearance. The black-framed headlights, black exterior mirrors and the “PORSCHE” lettering on the side – in contrasting black or silver, depending on the body colour – take design cues from classic Porsche racing cars.

Precisely this lettering was the trademark of the first Porsche with the “R” designation, the 911 R of 1967. It was created for racing sport use in a small series of 19 cars. The “R” was a prototype based on the standard coupé with a 210 horsepower Carrera 6 engine and, thanks to its many plastic components and extremely sparse equipment, weighed only 830 kilograms (1830 lb).

The new Porsche Cayman R will go on sale from February 2011. The price in Germany will be EUR 69,830 inclusive of 19 percent VAT and country-specific equipment items. Go to www.porsche.com/cayman-r-live to listen to the Porsche press conference broadcast live from the Los Angeles Auto Show starting 7:55 p.m. German Time.

2012 Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca: The race-ready 2012 Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca (foreground) and the street-legal Mustang Boss 302 (background). (Image: Ford)

They reengineered an entire dynamometer cell to handle the engine’s projected 7,500 rpm redline; put the first engines into Boss 302R race cars and sent them straight onto the track; and they designed a torture test equivalent to running the Daytona 250 race flat-out more than 175 times – in a row.

Only when the 440-hp V8 passed these tests, ensuring maximum power output without sacrificing durability, reliability and drivability, was it worthy of being called a Boss.

Bulletproof and blower-free

Planning began with a small group of engineers within the 5.0-liter V8 team. Starting with open minds and enlisting the help of two members of the original 1969 Boss 302 design team, the group began working its way toward the ultimate evolution of the new 5.0-liter: 440 horsepower and 380 lb.-ft. of torque, along with a broad, flat output curve all the way through its projected 7,500 rpm redline.

The Mustang team knew a supercharger would be the simplest way to extract significant power improvements from the new 5.0-liter V8, but they elected not to pursue forced induction for the 2012 Boss to stay true to the original Boss 302 engine.

“The core group of engineers on the Boss 302 engine understands and respect the heritage of the name and the history behind the original engine,” explains Mike Harrison, Ford V8 engine program manager. “The first Boss 302 was a specially built, free-breathing, high-revving small V8 that gave it certain desirable characteristics on a race course – and we capture that essence in the new engine.”

The team also realized the additional hardware meant more weight, the bane of any racing program and the opposite of what the Boss design team was attempting to achieve. Instead, the same technology that has made the new Mustang GT engine such a formidable force was applied to the Boss 302.

“In keeping with the spirit of the original, the new Boss 302 engine achieves its maximum power output at speeds at or above 7,500 rpm,” says Harrison. “Unlike the original engine, however, low-speed torque and driveability are uncompromised thanks to twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT) technology and computer-aided engineering design tools.”

Harrison and his team began exploring Boss 302 concepts starting with the engine’s ability to breathe – essential to the production of horsepower. Because credible track performance requires high power production between 5,000 rpm and 7,000 rpm, the team needed a new approach to intake manifold design.

Borrowing from the Ford Daytona Prototype engines, the resulting short-runners-in-the-box design virtually eliminates lag when the throttle is snapped open while producing peak power output at high rpm.

“The effect of the new intake design is dramatic,” says Harrison. “When I took the prototype car to Mustang Chief Engineer Dave Pericak, he took a short drive, tossed me the keys and said ‘Book it…it’s in the program.’ He knew what we were onto, and that’s really the point where the Boss 302 was born.”

To take advantage of the racing intake manifold, cylinder head airflow was fully optimized by CNC porting the entire intake and exhaust port and combustion chamber. The painstaking machining process takes 2.5 hours per head to complete.

To accompany the higher peak-power engine speed, the team had to engineer a lightweight, high-speed valvetrain and bulletproof reciprocating assembly that would not only hold together for 150,000-plus miles but also produce power at peak rpm.

“What most people don’t realize is that engine stresses increase exponentially as engine speeds rise,” explains Harrison. “So moving up from GT’s 7,000 rpm redline required significant re-engineering of many different parts. Sacrificing reliability and usability over the GT engine was never an option.”

Some of the Boss-specific parts contributing to the Boss 302 V8’s output and durability include:

• Revised composite intake system with shorter runners, inspired by Daytona Prototype racing engines, for high-rpm breathing
• Forged aluminum pistons and upgraded sinter-forged connecting rods for improved strength, needed for the higher combustion pressures and engine speeds
• New high-strength aluminum-alloy cylinder heads with fully CNC-machined ports and chambers for exceptional high-rpm airflow without sacrificing low-speed torque
• Lightened valvetrain components to provide excellent dynamic performance up to speeds well above the engine redline
• Sodium-filled exhaust valves for improved heat dissipation
• Race-specification crankshaft main and rod bearings for higher load capability and improved high-speed durability
• 5W50 full-synthetic oil with engine oil cooler for improved oil pressure and longer-lasting lubrication during extreme racing conditions
• Revised oil pan baffling for improved oil control under racing conditions and during cornering loads greater than 1.0 g

Close connection with race teams

Contrary to normal engine development protocol, the first batch of durability test engines weren’t installed in an engine dyno. Instead, thanks to a request from Ford Racing, they went straight to the track.

“Ford Racing had challenged the Boss engine team to give them the first available Boss 302 engines,” explains Harrison. “They came to us in August 2009 and told us they needed engines as soon as possible to build a limited number of Ford Racing Boss 302R cars for the January Daytona race. They got the engines 12 weeks later and the team got five Boss 302R cars prepped for the January race. This gave us a fantastic opportunity to be able to get full-on race experience with the engine so early in the program.”

The Boss engines have run reliably all season without a single mechanical failure. Boss 302R cars have also racked up the most laps led so far this season in Grand-Am racing.

Using race telemetry, the Boss team has been able to gather on-track data to help optimize engine calibrations, oil pan designs and cooling. In order to engage in virtual racing whenever they needed, the team used the telemetry data to re-create a hot lap at Daytona on the dyno back in Dearborn, allowing further fine-tuning.

“Working with Ford Racing has been invaluable,” said Harrison. “They were a wealth of information for setting up torque and power curves for road racing and for identifying areas of concern during track runs that we wouldn’t have considered if we were just building a hot street engine. Every Boss 302 owner will benefit from their contributions to the program.”

Production engine durability testing

Despite its racing heritage – and the rigors of track-day testing – the Boss 302 V8 is still a production Ford engine, built alongside the 5.0-liter GT engine at Essex Engine Plant in Ontario, Canada. That means it has to meet or exceed all the standard durability testing every Ford engine is required to complete.

The high-winding engine presented a challenge: The engine had no trouble staying together at its redline, but the Ford durability dynamometers weren’t designed to operate at the speeds the Boss engine was capable of.

“Ford had no engine test cells built to run at that kind of sustained speed,” said Harrison. “Ford Racing had one, but it wasn’t instrumented to do production durability testing. So we had to re-engineer the dyno cell with new balancers and jackshafts so the dyno wouldn’t fly apart running at redline hour after hour.”

Once an adequate test stand was configured, the Boss engine was run at its full rated output for tens of millions of cycles, eventually outperforming its specifications at every stage of testing. Engineers calculated that the test regimen was equivalent to running the Daytona 250 race flat-out more than 175 times – in a row.

Team members also devised an additional durability test specific to the Boss 302 engine – one that reflects the unique demands of Boss drivers. The engine was subjected to a regimen simulating 1,500 quarter-mile races typical of events at drag strips across the country.

“Even though the production Boss engine is designed to be very close to a full race engine, it had to achieve the same vehicle durability signoff any other production engine requires,” says Harrison. “Then it went on to get the track durability test signoff too. It’s really an engineering accomplishment that a Boss owner can thrash his car on the track and still expect the same outstanding reliability that the owner of a regular Mustang GT will enjoy.”

2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 (Image: Ford)

What racing fans haven’t known is that the Boss 302R has also been serving as a very public test bed for the all-new road-going Mustang Boss 302, a car that, until recently, has been secret even to many people at the company.

“The old adage that ‘racing improves the breed’ held true as we were building the production Boss 302,” explains David Pericak, Mustang chief engineer. “Since the Boss 302R race cars used many of our planned production parts, we had the advantage of six months’ worth of racing telemetry to add to our standard battery of environmental tests pulled from the 2011 Mustang program. The track experience was helpful in identifying improvements we could make on the production Boss – particularly the Laguna Seca model – to provide a competitive race car right off the showroom floor.”

Identical parts, repeatable results

Collaborating with Ford Racing, the Mustang team decided if they were going to use the 302R for full-scale testing, then the race car would need to use planned production components to get valid data. As a result, engineers installed the first Boss 5.0-liter engine that came off the line directly into the 2011 302R development mule for track testing.

“The 302R engines come straight off our production line with the same short block,” explains Mike Harrison, Ford V8 engine program manager. “The forged pistons, stronger connecting rods and all the other refinements were already designed for racing, so it was straightforward to take what we learned on the track and apply it to the production car.”

The results using the initial engine design were encouraging, though the data pointed out potential concerns with both engine cooling and oil control. Specifically, the car needed more of both, so aerodynamic elements in the front of the car were revised to improve airflow efficiency.

Also, under the hood the Boss radiator was redesigned and plumbing changes were implemented to more effectively use the additional airflow the new fascia aero treatment was able to supply – all changes that have been implemented on standard production Boss models and the race-ready Laguna Seca cars.

Using software that plotted oil pressure at specific g loads and at particular parts of the track, engineers isolated the motions causing oil starvation. Based on the track telemetry, baffles were added in specific locations, eliminating the issue without adding any more weight than necessary.

To aid the brakes, an aggressive engine braking algorithm was employed in the powertrain control module (PCM) – the engine braking allows the driver to brake later in turns, reducing wear on the friction brakes. Brake cooling ducts from Ford Racing were found to dramatically improve fade resistance – the ducts became standard on the 302R and the Boss Laguna Seca, and are available over the counter for standard Boss models.

“Racing can serve as a technical proving ground for production cars,” said Jamie Allison, director, Ford Racing. “The 5.0-liter block and architecture in the Mustang Boss 302R is the same as the 2011 Mustang GT, and many of the 302R components and much of the engineering knowledge shared between our teams will soon be available to customers in the 2012 Mustang Boss 302. The tradition and the spirit of Boss, a car born for the track, remain today and you can bet more than a few Ford Racing employees will have a Boss 302 in the garage soon.”

The anticipation began in August 1985. That summer Germany’s automobile magazines built up their readers’ expectations for the fastest 3 Series BMW of all times. The key data revealed a sports car that would punch way above its class: 200 hp, top speed in excess of 230 km/h, sprint from a standing start to 100 km/h inside 6.7 seconds. However, the story was that “the most dynamic BMW 3 Series drivers” would have to wait until mid-1986. The pundits were right on that count. But one prediction missed the mark by a mile: anyone who “wants to be in the A Team needs to be turbocharged under the bonnet”. Not true.

BMW M3 E30 Evo1 1988 (Image: BMW)

BMW M3 Sport Evolution Engine 1986 (Image: BMW)

The BMW M3 became the most successful touring car in motor-sport history. The M3 project was launched just a few months earlier. Production of the M1 mid-engine sports car had already been discontinued for some time and BMW CEO Eberhard Kuenheim commissioned a design for a successor, almost as an aside, according to legend. After one of his regular visits to Motorsport GmbH in Munich’s Preußenstraße he said, almost as he was leaving: “Mr. Rosche, we need a sporty engine for the 3 Series.” His aspiration was in good hands. Motorsport GmbH with its managing director of technical development Paul Rosche had demonstrated its expertise with the legendary 5 Series saloons driven by M engines as well as developing the Formula 1 turbo engine that powered Brazilian Nelson Piquet to win the World Championship in the Brabham BMW in 1983.

BMW M3 E30 DTM Roberto Ravaglia 1989 (Image: BMW)

The new 3 Series engine had something in common with this: the crankcase. It originated from volume production and actually formed the basis for the two-litre engine with four cylinders. Four cylinders meant less weight and high torque, an ideal platform for a sports engine in the projected displacement class. Naturally enough, the series four-cylinder engine was much too tame for a sports engine. A comprehensive power boost was called for in order to turn the plucky daily workhorse into an athletic and sporty power unit. The BMW design engineers increased the displacement to 2.3 litres and applied a formulation that had already achieved significant successes over a period of many years: four-valve engineering. There was also another reason for the decision to opt for a four-cylinder engine and not adopt the six-cylinder engine introduced in the BMW 3 Series. The longer crankshaft in the big engine started to vibrate much earlier than the shorter four-cylinder shaft. The design engineers therefore designed the crankshaft drive of the BMW M3 with sufficient torsional stability to achieve 10,000 revolutions a minute and more. By comparison with the four-cylinder engine installed in the series vehicles, this represented an increase of more than 60 percent. The rated speed for the road version of the BMW M3 was still significantly below the critical range at 6,750/min and therefore offered sufficient scope for further developments.

Paul Rosche recalls: “We started work immediately. One advantage was that the big six-cylinder engine originally had the same cylinder gap as the four-cylinder engine. We therefore cut two combustion chambers off the four-cylinder head of the M88 and bolted a panel over the hole on the rear side.” This meant that the new four-cylinder engine had a second forebear. The six-cylinder engine that had initially created a sensation in the M1 and had meanwhile transformed the M635CSi into one of the fastest coupés in the world. Paul Rosche: “Whether you believe it or not – we had created an outstanding four-cylinder engine for the 3 Series within the space of two weeks. Under the development name S14, this engine was to generate headlines in sport and in volume production over the years to come. One Sunday, I drove to von Kuenheim’s flat and gave him the car for a test drive. When he came back he said: ‘Good, I like it.’ And that’s how the M3 came into being.”

Mopar '10 Challenger. For the first time in its history, Chrysler Group LLC will launch a special-edition Mopar version of one of its vehicles. With pricing starting at $38,000, this instant collector arrives next month. Mopar will build only 500 of these models which will be available only in Brilliant Black with a choice of three accent colors: Mopar Blue, Red or Silver. (Image: Chrysler)

“Our Mopar ’10 Challenger is a collaboration of two iconic brands with tremendous heritage,” said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of Mopar, Chrysler Group LLC. “Dodge put the heart into this Challenger and Mopar added the soul. The result is a unique, special-edition car that only we can offer.”

The U.S. Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for Mopar ’10 is $38,000 for an automatic transmission and $39,000 for a manual transmission. Both prices include $750 for destination. Customers may pre-order now.

“Mopar ’10 has a wicked, sinister appearance that will turn heads.” said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO of Dodge, Chrysler Group LLC. “The Mopar brand resonates with hard-core enthusiasts, and this car will too.”

Dodge and Mopar collaborated to create Mopar ’10, a “Mopar modified” 2010 Dodge Challenger R/T. Under-the-hood features include the legendary 5.7-liter HEMI^® V-8 engine, a hood-venting system, a cold-air intake, a front strut-tower brace with shock caps, and a unique engine cover. Under the decklid is a rear strut-tower brace that stiffens the chassis and improves handling characteristics of the car.

Mopar ’10 will be available in Brilliant Black with a choice of three accent colors: Mopar Blue, Red or Silver. Accent colors will appear on side stripes as well as in the stitching on the steering wheel and seats. Exterior features include 20-inch forged heritage gloss-black wheels, black-chromed grille surround, and a functional, vented T/A-style hood with vintage hood pins. Mopar logos and graphics are prominent on the front fascia, hood, hood-pin caps, body-side stripes, windows and on the chromed fuel door. A special Mopar ’10 car cover also comes with the vehicle.

Interior features include Katzkin leather seating, custom leather-wrapped steering wheel with baseball-style stitching, Mopar shift handles (T-handle for automatics, Pistol Grip for manuals), a serialized dash plaque with Mopar ’10 logo and Mopar branding throughout.

Every customer who purchases a Mopar ’10 will receive a special owner kit that includes a certificate with the vehicle identification number (VIN), date of build completion, and build number. The kit also includes a limited-edition sketch of the vehicle signed by Chrysler Group design chief Mark Trostle, a book that highlights the special vehicle build, and Mopar ’10 merchandise.

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Detroit Dodge Brand President and CEO Ralph Gilles (right) and plant manager Shelly Brown Gordon (third from right) welcomed more than 400 hundred loyal Viper owners at the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit today to present the ultimate factory customized 2010 Dodge Viper coupe to proud new owner D'Ann Rauh (second from right). (Image: Chrysler)

A member of the Mid-South Viper Club of America, D’Ann Rauh worked exclusively with the Dodge Design team to select the personal touches she wanted on her car. The custom bronzed gold exterior paint was supplied by House of Kolor. The custom interior features various leather appointments, which were crafted by Tony Spampinito from Venzano, who has worked with the Rauhs on previous Viper projects.

Bob Soroka, from Chrysler Group LLC’s Street and Racing Technology team, airbrushed layouts of Viper-significant race tracks into the custom-painted copper stripes applied by Prefix. The five-spoke forged-aluminum wheels are custom painted in dark graphite.

Members from both the Motor City Viper Club and the Viper Club of America participated in the celebration.

Rauh’s Viper is the last of the current-generation Vipers built at the plant. Dodge has created more special-edition Viper models for the 2010 model year than all other model years combined. Production on the Dodge Viper started in 1992.

Successful in US - avaiable in Europe from spring 2011: the Camaro (Image: Chevrolet)

According to John Fitzpatrick, Chevrolet Camaro marketing manager, the success can be attributed to the Camaro’s appeal to both loyal fans, and those new to the brand. “When the new Camaro went on sale, it was predominantly bought by Chevrolet owners, or Camaro enthusiasts who already owned a previous-generation. Today, about half of 2010 Camaro buyers are new to Chevrolet,” said Fitzpatrick.

Camaro sales outside the U.S. are expected to grow significantly, as Chevrolet increases production to accommodate exports for Chevrolet’s biggest markets, including Brazil, China, Russia, South Korea. In Europe, the Camaro coupe and convertible will be added to the Chevrolet product line-up in spring 2011.

Heading for Europe: the Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport (Image: Chevrolet)

Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport (Image: Chevrolet)

The new Grand Sport combines the Corvette’s LS3-based powertrain with wide-body styling, a wider track and a racing-bred suspension for a distinctive model that delivers a great balance of road and race track performance. It is offered with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. The LS3 6.2L engine is rated at 436 horsepower (321 kW) and 575 Nm of torque with the standard exhaust system.

The Grand Sport brings an even greater degree of handling performance, with wider wheels and tires; revised shock, stabilizer bar and spring specifications; and specific gearing. A combination of 0-100 km performance of four seconds, skid pad adhesion of 1 g and an estimated extra-urban fuel consumption of only 9.2 l/100 km makes it a very well-rounded sports car.

Grand Sport coupe models equipped with the manual transmission are uniquely outfitted for race track competition, too, with a dry-sump oiling system, differential cooler and a rear-mounted battery.

Interior of the Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport (Image: Chevrolet)

The LS3 6.2L engine is rated at 436 horsepower (321 kW) and 575 Nm of torque. (Image: Chevrolet)

The complete list of content and special features for the Grand Sport includes:

• Wider front and rear fenders – including specific front fenders with integrated Grand Sport badges
• Z06-style front splitter and tall rear spoiler
• Functional brake ducts and extra cooling
• Unique 18-inch front and 19-inch rear wheels; painted finish standard and chrome finish optional
• Large 275/35ZR18 tires in front and 325/30ZR19 tires in the rear
• Z06-size brakes, including 355 mm front rotors with six-piston calipers and 340 mm rear rotors with four-piston calipers
• Specific manual transmission gear ratios
• Specific rear axle ratio on automatic-equipped models

With its special equipment, the Grand Sport offers a unique blend of performance and amenities. Its suspension package approaches that of the Z06, but includes a removable roof on coupes (Z06 has a fixed roof) and, of course, the availability of a convertible body style. Also, the paddle-shift six-speed automatic transmission is offered, while a manual transmission is the only choice with the Z06.

All of Corvette’s exterior colors are offered on the Grand Sport, and an available Heritage package adds iconic front fender hash marks offered in four colors, as well as two-tone seats with Grand Sport embroidery. The Grand Sport can be ordered with four different trim  packages, too.

Grand Sport history

Envisioned by legendary Corvette engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov as a factory-built, lightweight and race-ready production model that would trump domestic and foreign road-racing competitors, the original Corvette Grand Sport was a promising idea that led to the production of five special prototypes in 1963. The project was later shelved, following GM’s decision to stay out of manufacturer-backed motorsports.

The five prototypes were based on the styling of the 1963 Corvette and were hand-assembled under Duntov’s watchful eye. But while they looked like production models, the prototypes were purpose-built race cars that shared little with their assembly line cousins. Duntov also oversaw the Grand Sport engine program that featured a special, 377-cubic-inch small-block V-8 with side-draft carburetors.

Although never officially sanctioned by General Motors, the five Grand Sport prototypes saw extensive racing experience throughout the 1960s in the hands of “private” racers who had strong contacts within Duntov’s engineering circle. All five original cars are accounted for today and are among the most valuable in the collector market.

Chevrolet offered a limited-edition Grand Sport production model in 1996, commemorating the original racing cars and marking the end of the C4 era in Corvette production. All of the 1,000 units were painted Admiral Blue and featured a white center stripe and red “hash mark” graphics on the left front fender, a graphic scheme that mimicked the look of some of the original race cars.

Porsche 918 Spyder Concept Car with Record-Breaking Emissions and Fuel Economy (Image: Porsche)

In its design and interior architecture, the Porsche 918 Spyder combines classic elements with appropriate solutions for the future. Starting on Tuesday, March 2nd, at 8:15 am (CET), the Porsche 918 Spyder will also be presented at the Porsche Stand in Hall 6 of the Palexpo Building during the Geneva Motor Show.

It's the stuff dreams are made of. One lucky enthusiast will have the rare opportunity to own the new 2011 Ford Mustang GT that will serve as the Official Pace Car for the 52nd Daytona 500 prior to the race. (Image: Ford)

Before the new Ford Mustang takes to the track, one lucky enthusiast will have the rare opportunity to own the pace car pony and help a deserving charity at the same time.

The Race Red Mustang, which carries a special Daytona 500 striped paint scheme, will be auctioned at the 39th Annual Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Collector Car Auction on Jan. 23 at WestWorld of Scottsdale, in Scottsdale, Ariz. The event will be televised live on the SPEED channel. All proceeds from the car over MSRP will benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), a leader in research leading to a cure for Type 1 diabetes.

“Over the past three years, Ford is proud to have raised more than $2 million for JDRF through the sales of vehicles at Barrett-Jackson,” said Jamie Allison, director, Ford North America Motorsports. “This year, one lucky bidder will not only experience the thrill of seeing his or her 2011 Mustang pacing the Daytona 500 in front of 43 of the world’s greatest race car drivers, but will contribute toward finding a cure for juvenile diabetes at the same time.”

According to Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson, while many collectors have experienced the thrill of buying pace vehicles and historic racers on the Barrett-Jackson auction block, buying a pace car before it hits the track has never happened before at the famed auction house.

“It would be a thrill to own this early VIN, one-of-one 2011 Mustang GT Glass Roof Coupe Daytona 500 Pace Car and watch it lead the famous race in February,” he said. “And knowing that you helped an amazing organization like JDRF would make it even better.”

This is the first time in four decades that a Ford Motor Company vehicle will pace the Daytona 500. The last time was in 1970 when the Ford Torino GT convertible had the honors.

In addition to the special paint, the Mustang pace car features a Brembo brake package, Ford Racing suspension, strut tower brace and mufflers, unique 19-inch painted wheels, summer-only tires and a special interior treatment, including lit sill plates. It also carries an early VIN and will be among the first 2011 Mustang GT 5.0-liter V-8s made available for sale to the public.

2011 Ford Mustang GT: Heritage, high technology and horsepower

The all-new 5.0-liter V-8 engine is the next chapter in the development of the world-class Mustang powertrain portfolio, delivering the performance and fun-to-drive factor that enthusiasts want, while improving fuel economy.

The modern 5.0-liter four-valve Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing V-8 engine in the new Mustang GT will deliver 412 horsepower and 390 ft.-lb of torque. At the same time, fuel economy is projected to be better than the previous model and unsurpassed in the segment. For 2011, the new Mustang GT adds specially tuned Electric Power Assist Steering, 11.5-inch front and 11.8-inch rear vented disc brakes, and an enhanced suspension featuring an improved rear lower control arm and stiffened rear stabilizer bushings.

A Brembo brake package upgrade – featuring larger rotors and calipers from the Ford Shelby GT500® Mustang – will be available for serious enthusiasts. Unique 19-inch wheels and summer performance tires also will be offered.

The new Mustang GT also offers drivers new convenience technologies, including:

• Standard message center
• Integrated blind spot mirrors
• MyKey™ programmable vehicle key

From the signature 5.0 fender badges to the new engine cover, Mustang GT honors and continues the proud heritage of its predecessors. The speedometer increases to 160 mph, and the tachometer redline advances from 6,500 to 7,000 rpm.

Three vibrant new colors are being added for 2011; along with Race Red, these include Yellow Blaze Tri-Coat and Ingot Silver.