The Scott McLaughlin Limited Edition SM17 by Herrod Performance – or SM17 for short – is a 578kW/810Nm factory-backed monster built by Herrod Performance and backed by the factory.
Built to the specified desires of V8 Supercars champ Scott McLaughlin, the SM17 is based on the supercharged and limited-edition Mustang R-Spec. It features a twin-screw 3.0-litre Whipple supercharger dubbed the Gen 5 HP 3.0, a design perfected by Herrod Performance (hence the HP part of its name) and offering a flatter torque curve for “more sustained acceleration”.
At more than $100,000 the SM17 isn’t cheap, but it is packed to the gills with good bits. It features the largest intercooler system on the market, a high-flow water pump, 7.5-litre intercooler reservoir, and an engine oil cooler on both manual and automatic iterations of the car. Cars fitted with Ford’s 10-speed automatic transmission also receive a tranny cooler and recalibrated to handle the additional power it channels to the rear wheels.
Speaking of wheels, the SM17 rides on 20-inch wheels shod with 275/35 and 305/30 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres and finished with unique SM17-branded centre caps. Herrod Performance tweaked the Mustang’s suspension to include adjustable sway bars and recalibrated adaptive dampers, the remainder unchanged from the Ford Performance MagneRide setup featured under the Mustang R-Spec.
The rear wing of the SM17 is new, as is the lower front grille, front bar spats and front splitter. The engine cover is paint to match the SM17’s red and black colour scheme, a theme that’s replicated inside the leather-clad cabin which also boasts a Herrod Performance flat-bottom steering wheel.
Scott McLaughlin switched formulas from V8 Supercars to Indy Cars at the end of 2020. He was the highest-placed Team Penske driver going into the May 31 event and placed 20th.