2019 Supercharged Roush RS3 Hits the Road

Turn key performance cars just don't get much more thrilling than the Roush RS3 Mustang, an aftermarket hot rod with a warranty.

By Brett Foote - April 30, 2019
2019 Supercharged Roush RS3 Hits the Road
2019 Supercharged Roush RS3 Hits the Road
2019 Supercharged Roush RS3 Hits the Road
2019 Supercharged Roush RS3 Hits the Road
2019 Supercharged Roush RS3 Hits the Road
2019 Supercharged Roush RS3 Hits the Road
2019 Supercharged Roush RS3 Hits the Road
2019 Supercharged Roush RS3 Hits the Road
2019 Supercharged Roush RS3 Hits the Road
2019 Supercharged Roush RS3 Hits the Road

Golden Age

We Mustang fans live in what you might call the glory days of the pony car. Never before have we enjoyed such an insanely capable platform as the S550, especially those equipped with the 3rd gen Coyote V8. Even if you're not the tinkering type, turn-key vehicles like the Roush RS3 offer up extreme performance with warranty intact, as Hot Rod found out in their recent test drive.

Photos Courtesy of Hot Rod

Well Rounded Machine

Needless to say, HR came away quite impressed with Roush's latest and greatest Mustang. "Roush has turned a capable, iconic, and formidable pony car into a 710hp toy that scares the neighbors, looks fast sitting still, turns freeway on-ramps into high-speed, banked-ovals, and canyons into the Nürburgring."

Photos Courtesy of Hot Rod

>>Join the conversation about the 2019 RS3 Roush right here in The Mustang Source forum.

Multi-Trick Pony

But the fact that you can achieve all of those lofty performance goals and maintain dead reliability is what really sets this platform apart from everything else. And the days of one-trick ponies that only do well in a straight line are gone, too.

Photos Courtesy of Hot Rod

>>Join the conversation about the 2019 RS3 Roush right here in The Mustang Source forum.

Touring Machine

In fact, Hot Rod points out that the Roush RS3 makes quite the touring machine, too. "Put the exhaust in Touring mode, roll down the windows, blast some tunes on the killer stereo, and I felt like I was in the opening scene of a Hollywood blockbuster action film."

Photos Courtesy of Automobile

>>Join the conversation about the 2019 RS3 Roush right here in The Mustang Source forum.

Giggle Inducing

Of course, the Roush RS3 gets the job done in a straight line as well. "The acceleration from a dig quickly becomes addictive, and with a true manual gearbox, the driving experience is as it should be in a car like this: Fun!"

Photos Courtesy of Automobile

>>Join the conversation about the 2019 RS3 Roush right here in The Mustang Source forum.

Forgiving Nature

But unlike muscle cars of old, the clutch in this Mustang isn't so heavy you'll feel like you've worked out after a stint in traffic. And yet, the automatic rev-matching makes even a novice driver feel like a pro racer.

Photos Courtesy of Automobile.

 

>>Join the conversation about the 2019 RS3 Roush right here in The Mustang Source forum.

Too Quiet?

If there's anything to complain about with the Roush RS3, Hot Rod believes it's the fact that it might be too subdued in some ways. "The TVS2650 supercharger is audibly not really present which for the touring or everyday use of the car is actually not that bad. However, the juvenile side of me wants to hear Hellcat-esque blower whine."

Photos Courtesy of Automobile

>>Join the conversation about the 2019 RS3 Roush right here in The Mustang Source forum.

Crank It Up

That lack of whine is quickly made up for with the loud exhaust, however. This particular car comes equipped with active exhaust, and the reviewer found himself leaving it in Track mode most of the time.

Photos Courtesy of Automobile

>>Join the conversation about the 2019 RS3 Roush right here in The Mustang Source forum.

Rave Reviews

The rave reviews extend to the exterior styling updates, which give it "the sinister face of a muscle car," the interior that "is the perfect balance of track and road car," and the brakes that "stop on currency smaller than a dime." 

Photos Courtesy of Automobile

>>Join the conversation about the 2019 RS3 Roush right here in The Mustang Source forum.

Added Bonus

Overall, our reviewer found the Roush RS3 to be an "awesome driver's car" that, so long as you don't go crazy with options, offers "outstanding value per dollar." And the fact that it comes with warranty intact is just another added bonus, of course.

Photos Courtesy of Automobile

>>Join the conversation about the 2019 RS3 Roush right here in The Mustang Source forum.

And, for information on maintenance and repairs for your Mustang, head on over to our How-Tos at MustangForums.com! 

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