Roush is a performance tuning house that mostly modifies various versions of the Ford Mustang. However, there have also been a few F-150 models, like the 5.11 Tactical Edition and the Nightmare. With the popularity of the brand increasing, it’s important to know what the badge means and if it’s authentic.
How To Check For the Badge of Authenticity
Some car enthusiasts modify their vehicles to look like Roush vehicles. Most of the time, this is simply harmless creativity, but it might also be the intent of an unscrupulous seller. It’s important to know how to identify a real Roush vehicle if you happen to be looking for one at a Ford dealer.
The first thing to check for is the production serial number. This is a white decal that can normally be found on the passenger side door jamb. The number should start with two digits, followed by a dash, and then several more numbers. For example, a number that reads 08-1234 means that the vehicle is a 2008 model year and was the 1,234th vehicle made that year.
Another badge to look for is the Modified By Roush badge that can be found on the driver-side door jamb. Looking under the hood will reveal a dedicated plaque for that specific model. Most Roush models have this plaque, but the SportTM, Stage 1, and Stage 2 models don’t.
If all else fails, you can do a VIN search on the Roush Performance site to verify that it’s an authentic model. Roush models also come with their own original paperwork and owner’s manuals.
Authentic Roush Vehicles
Another thing to know about the brand is that it has only applied to a few models over the years. Most of these models are the Ford Mustang, but there are also two Ford F-150 models, the 2020 Roush F-150 5.11 Tactical Edition and the 2008 Roush F-150 Nightmare. The first Roush vehicle was the 2008 Speedster Mustang.
The 2009 model year saw four more Mustang models released with the Roush badge, including the P-51B Mustang, the RTC Mustang, the BlackJack Mustang, and the P-51A Mustang. 2010 saw the release of the Barrett-Jackson Mustang, and then in 2012, the Hyper Series
Mustang. 2017 and 2018 included the P-51 and JackHammer Mustang, respectively. 2020 was more prolific with the Stage 3 Mustang for Ford Fairlane Estate, the F-150 5.11 Tactical Edition, and the Jack Roush Edition Mustang.
The Roush Story
Jack Roush is the founder of the Roush Performance tuning house. He is an automotive legend and the co-owner of Roush Fenway Racing. He turned his passion for fast cars into a business by offering aftermarket performance packages and products for the Ford Mustang.
Eventually, that turned into modifying models and offering them for sale. As previously mentioned, this is mostly limited to Mustang models. But there are a couple of F-150 models as well. You can see the latest models available by visiting their website.
If you’re buying a Roush model second-hand, it’s important for you to verify that it’s an authentic model to avoid paying too much for one.
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