Shop cars are nothing new, in the Mustang performance world, building a car to showcase what your shop is capable of is something that many top tier shops will do. We had a chance to talk with Brenspeed owner Brent White at the NMRA finals at Beech Bend Raceway, where White showed us an example of a shop car that also represents a package that many of their customers request.
The 2006 Mustang GT convertible is owned by Brenspeed engine builder Kent Nine. The car features a Brenspeed B302 engine package, Brenspeed Stage Zero Edelbrock E-Force supercharger package, and Kooks headers with Kooks Green Cats, as well as a custom tune. “All of the parts on this car are available through our shop,” says White. The entire package is something that any customer can order through Brenspeed, or drop off their car at one of the company’s two locations (Indiana or Texas) and have installed.
We asked why the Kooks Green Cats, instead of the typical off-road X-pipe. “We are seeing increased environmental awareness from our customers, and more states are requiring emissions testing. The Kooks Green Cats allow customers to retain catalytic converters on their car, without sacrificing performance. We saw no difference in quarter-mile performance between an off-road pipe, and the Kooks Green Cats, and we have tested that on four different cars,” says White.
Nine’s black convertible is a full weight, full interior car, plus a roll cage. The car still utilizes the stock automatic transmission and converter, and weighs in at 4,000 pounds. Putting down 520 hp to the rear tires, the car has been 10.80’s with the current combination. Although with a more aggressive combo tested earlier this year it has run as fast as 10.20’s. Racing is done on RaceStar wheels, with Mickey Thompson ET Street Radial Pros working out back. “The ET Street Radial Pro is working really well for us, we switched three cars to that tire this year,” White says.
“This car represents what many of our customers want; a car they can enjoy at the track on the weekends, but still drive on the street whenever to wherever,” says White. With more Mustang owners demanding packages like this it appears Brenspeed will be busy filling this type of order for quite some time.