In case you’ve never seen one in action, we can tell you with absolute certainty that Roush Stage 3 Mustangs are fast. In fact, we’d call them “deceptively fast” around a racetrack, since you don’t expect a car with such blue-collar roots and old-school suspension technology to deliver the performance of a Roush Mustang.

Need more proof? Consider this: A Roush Stage 3 Mustang finished third overall in last year’s One Lap of America. Piloted by Grand-Am racer Billy Johnson, the car finished behind the Nissan GT-R driven by fellow racer Leh Keen and a Porsche 911 Turbo S. That’s some fast company to keep.

As Mustangs Daily tells us, the 2013 Roush Stage 3 Mustang will produce 565 horsepower from its supercharged 5.0-liter V-8, offering a near-ideal blend of performance, driveability and durability. Roush is so confident in its Stage 3 Mustangs that it backs them with a 3 year, 36,000 mille powertrain warranty, too.

For the 2013 model year, Roush is again offering up Mustangs in Stage 1, Stage 2 and Stage 3 variants. The idea is to offer prospective buyers Roush customization across a wide range of price points.

Roughly speaking, Stage 1 is an “appearance only” package, featuring Roush’s sixth-generation aerodynamic body kit. In addition to a new front and rear look, buyers also get unique exterior graphics and Stage 1 badging, plus interior upgrades like Roush floormats and emblems.

Stage 2 cars get all the parts of Stage 1, but add a handling package with a larger front stabilizer bar, twin-tube shocks, stiffer springs, firmer bushings, Roush upper control arms, and unique 18-inch wheels shod with specially-developed Cooper tires.

If your budget allows it, the Roush Stage 3 Mustang is the way to go. In addition to the components of Stage 2, Stage 3 Mustangs get the aforementioned 565-horsepower V-8, which makes its additional power via an Eaton TVS supercharger and custom Roush PCM calibration. Stage 3 cars also get unique wheels and exterior graphics.

Considering the amount of development behind the cars, pricing is surprisingly reasonable. Stage 3 cars start at $16,500 (above the cost of the donor 2013 Mustang GT), with Stage 2 cars priced from $7,700 plus donor and Stage 1 from $4,500 plus donor.

For more information on the complete lineup of 2013 Roush Mustangs, check out the Roush vehicles homepage.