Ford has revived its one-off V10 Mustang prototype, a quarter-century after it was first built.
The naturally aspirated 5.8-liter V10 now delivers more than 510 horsepower at the wheels.
The experimental engine was essentially a 4.6-liter Modular V8 stretched by two cylinders.
It was never intended for production, but Ford kept the car and has now restored it.
A Hidden Gem Resurfaces
For years, the prototype sat largely out of sight, occasionally coming close to disappearing altogether.
Now, the Ford Heritage Fleet, with help from the original engineering team, has recommissioned the car.
They replaced electronics and went through systems that hadn't received much attention in decades.
Once everything was working, the only sensible thing was to strap it to a dyno.
The result: more than 510 hp at the wheels, which translates to roughly 600 hp (447 kW) at the crank.
That's a significant increase over the car's output two decades ago.
Contemporary testing reported 426 hp at the wheels and 400 lb-ft (542 Nm) of torque.
The car also ran the quarter mile in as little as 11.93 seconds at 117 mph (188 km/h).
It's unclear where the power bump comes from, but a modernized intake appears to be fitted. That alone could account for solid gains.
The Engine's Unique Origins
The engine itself is arguably more interesting than the numbers.
Ford had already developed a V10 for trucks, a larger 6.8-liter unit, but that engine and this one share little beyond the brand name.
The experimental 351-cubic-inch (5.8-liter) unit was based on Ford's aluminum 4.6-liter Modular architecture, stretched by two cylinders and featuring DOHC heads derived from the Cobra R.
It was less than four inches (100 mm) longer than the V8.
The team had to use two ECUs because Ford didn't have a single one that could control the odd-firing V10.
A T56 six-speed manual sends power to a 9-inch rear axle.
Despite never making it to production, Ford has kept the car and clearly cared enough to restore it for future generations.
Perhaps the best part is that nobody has to explain to accounting why they're building it this time.
