There's something about the holidays that brings out the good in people. Take the folks at SPX Corporation. This week they donated a Ford Mustang FR500S Racer to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The car, number 56 of 75 total, will roll across the auction block at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale show in January.

For those of you who remember, the FR500S was the first production racer to roll down Ford's assembly line. The car, which raced in the Mustang Challenge for the Miller Cup, featured a 4.6L V8 high-performance engine capable of cranking out an impressive 325 hp. It was designed to be race-ready from the factory, and included essentials such as a FIA-spec racing rollcage, tow hooks, fire suppression system, and more.

For more details on the FR500S, check out my full profile. The Scottsdale Barrett-Jackson Auction will take place January 18-24 in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Photo © Jonathan P. Lamas

Source: MotorAge

You know the saying the more things change the more they stay the same? Well, yesterday Shelby Automobiles announced it is changing its name. The company's new name is Shelby American. Sound familiar?

Well, if you were around back in 1962, you probably remember Carroll Shelby launching his sports and muscle car line under the Shelby American banner. And here we are, years later, in 2009.

In a press release Shelby said, "Enthusiasts have asked us many times to bring back the Shelby American name over the past several years. Though I'm proud of the cars that we built as Shelby Automobiles, we're fulfilling that wish for fans worldwide. Using the Shelby American name will better connect our current vehicles to our heritage of building great cars like the GT350 and Cobra."

Amy Boylan, president of Shelby American added, "With the [45th] anniversary of Shelby American's two most revered models (427 Cobra and Shelby GT350), it's the right time to return to our roots through a name change. And just like the 1960s, the Shelby American name will soon appear on one of the most exciting vehicles we've ever built."

Photo of Carroll Shelby Courtesy of Ford Motor Company

Wow, where does the time go? Seems like I was out in the backyard just the other day cooking up burgers on the grill. And here we are now, closing in on Christmas. That said, it's time to buy those last minute holiday gifts for your favorite Mustang enthusiast.

My buddy Dean recently came across one heck of a gift idea, although it will set you back a cool $15,000. Definitely a gift for the ultimate Mustang fan. I'm talking about a Mustang styled Pool table. That's right, a pool table designed to look like a 1965 Ford Mustang. It even comes with its own VIN number. Man oh man, what will they think of next?

But seriously, if you're looking for a Mustang gift, check out my Holiday Gift Guide. I've updated it this week with a few new items.

Would you like to get behind the wheel of a sharp looking 2009 Shelby GT500KR while helping out a worthy cause? Well Guardians of Animals, which is based in Charlotte, N.C, will give one person the opportunity to do just that. The winner will also win a trip for two to the Shelby Automobiles factory in Las Vegas and a Barrett-Jackson VIP package valued at $2,000. Raffle tickets are going for $50 a piece and can be found at www.racingtosaveanimals.com through January 4th, 2010.

Money from the raffle will go to educate children and adults regarding topics such as puppy mills, harmful behavior towards animals, and the care of abused or neglected animals.

The Barrett-Jackson VIP package is for the 2010 Palm Beach event on April 1st through the 3rd, 2010.  The Barrett-Jackson VIP package includes 2 VIP passes, 1 parking pass, 2 tickets to Opening Night Gala and 1 Event Program.

On Wednesday ROUSH Performance announced the company will launch their own car club for owners and fans of their products. Similar to Team Shelby, which is run by Shelby Automobiles, the yet to be named ROUSH Club will be backed by Jack Roush and his company.

The ROUSH Owners and Enthusiasts Association (ROEA), an independent, volunteer-run organization, has been providing a community for ROUSH Performance enthusiasts for some time now. Out of respect for all the club has done, ROUSH Performance says it will offer ROEA members free membership into Roush's new car club.

Joe Thompson, ROUSH Performance vice-president & general manager said, "We appreciate the efforts of the ROEA and thank them for their unwavering support and dedication. However, we came to realize that running a club and all that it takes to put on events requires much more time and resources than the dedicated volunteers of the ROEA are often able to provide. As we looked out into the future we saw an opportunity to create a new ROUSH lifestyle club that can bring our fans across the country together to participate in a variety of local and regional get-togethers as well as some national level events. The resources that we have internally offer us the ability to put together a tremendous framework for a club that will be as high-performance as the ROUSH Mustangs that we put on the street."

Although the club does not yet have a name, one will be selected in January by popular vote. ROUSH Performance said they will reveal the name to the public in February.

If you want to learn more, you can attend a Live Webcast "Town Hall" Meeting on Tuesday December 15th at 8 p.m. ET. Details can be found at  www.ROUSHperformance.com/club.

Photo © Jonathan P. Lamas

Last week I told you about the 2011 V6 Mustang. Ford says it will produce 305 hp and 280 lbs.-ft of torque courtesy of a new 3.7L Duratec engine. They also say it will get 30 miles per gallon on the highway. All good things. No doubt, I'm impressed. But what about the 2011 Mustang GT? Will it get more power as well?

The current 2010 Mustang GT features a 4.6L V8 engine which produces 315 hp and 325 lbs.-ft of torque. On the other hand, the Chevy Camaro SS features a standard 6.2L V8 engine which cranks out 426 hp and 420 lbs.-ft of torque. Okay, so the current V8 Camaro puts out more power than the GT Mustang. Let's dig deeper.

Last month Chevy sold 6,827 Camaros. Ford sold 3,627 Mustangs. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this one out. More folks seem to be buying Camaros and fewer people seem to be buying Mustangs. Let me say, I don't really know who these Camaro buyers are, I stick to the Mustang circles, but they do exist, and they're moving in on Mustang sales.

I was really hoping to get some big news regarding the GT at the LA Auto Show last week. While the V6 news was music to my ears, I couldn't help but wonder about Ford's V8 Mustang. Many predict the 2011 GT Mustang will utilize a new 5.0-liter four-valve V8 engine named the "Coyote". This engine is rumored to produce 400 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. Not bad.

Another rumor floating around involves the California Special. It's reported this special edition Mustang will return to the 2011 lineup (Package 402A). They also say the Mustang will get an SVT Performance Package (Option 67F). Oh, and then there's that Brembo Brake Package (Option 55D).

When will we know for sure? Only Ford knows the answer to that question.

Source: Jalopnik

Photo © Ford Motor Company

I came across a story this weekend that really hit home. According to Seattle's KomoNews.Com news,  40 Mustang enthusiasts paid tribute this weekend to the five police officers shot and killed in the Seattle area in the past month. The group drove their Ford Mustangs to the parking lot of the Forza Coffee Co. where four officers were shot. KomoNews.Com says the club members used to meet in the parking lot prior to the shooting. The group brought along a memorial plaque honoring the officers. It was placed next to others at the location.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Mustang clubs bring people together. They also bring communities together. From raising money for charities to remembering the values of family and friendship, car clubs all over the country do things all the time that put a big smile on my face. This is a perfect example of the things they do. Many kudos to all the folks who helped take part in this event. It's good to see people honoring those who give so much for others on a daily basis.

Source: KomoNews.Com (Mustang owners pay unusual tribute to slain officers)

A one-of-a-kind 2010 Ford Mustang GT, commemorating the opening of the brand new Yankees stadium, is currently up for auction online. According to auctioneer Rob Doyle, the car has less than 1,000 miles on the odometer and comes complete with all paperwork validating the authenticity of the car as well as copies of the publicity pictures. The car was originally offered as a prize in the Tri-State Sweepstakes.

Doyle said, "The original winner of the vehicle, a lifetime Yankees fan, has commissioned us to auction the car so that he can put the proceeds towards the education of his children. This is the investment opportunity of a lifetime for sports memorabilia collectors and Yankees fans alike. There is no duplicate to this car. There is only one."

As of this morning, the highest bid on the car was $21,500. The online only auction ends Tuesday, December 15, 2009 at 8 p.m. eastern. For all the details, or to enter, visit www.aarbids.com. Oh, and for all you Yankees fans, the car is signed by Derek Jeter.

Photo Courtesy of  Absolute Auctions & Realty

Yesterday Ford Motor Company released sales figures for the month of November. This November Ford sold 3,627 Mustangs. In November of 2008 the company sold 3,667. That's a decline of 1.1 percent. Okay, enough of the stat talk. What this really means is Ford sold 40 more Mustangs in November 2008 than they did this year. Not a huge difference, but a difference none-the-less.

So how are sales doing month-to-month? Well, this October Ford sold 4,789 Mustangs. That's 1,162 more Mustangs than they sold in November. Why the decline? Maybe folks have been holding out because they're wondering what Mustang options Ford will offer in 2011. Nothing-for-nothing, but the redesigned V6 Mustang should jump start sales when it hits the streets in 2010.

As for the competition,  Chevrolet sold 6,827 Camaros in November, while Dodge sold 2,040 Challengers.

So far this year Ford has sold 60,096 Mustangs, which is a 31.1 percent decrease when compared to 2008.

Photo © Jonathan P. Lamas

There's something to be said about longevity. Just ask the folks at the Southern Arizona Mustang Club. This 150+ member club has roots that date back to 1963. Heck, this club was around a year before the Ford Mustang even hit the streets. Of course, when the Mustang did debut, many club members began trading in their Ford Falcons for Ford's new pony car. And the rest, they say, is history.

In addition to their popular car shows,  this club hosts a monthly In-N-Out Drive-In burger/cruise. They even throw a yearly masquerade party known as the "Great Pumpkin."

If you're ever in the Tucson, Ariz. area, you should stop by and say, "Hello." To learn more about this club, check out my Southern Arizona Mustang Club Profile.

Photo Courtesy of Mike Champlin