Recently Ford invited a bunch of media types to test out the all-new 2012 Ford Boss 302 Mustang at a press event, and now they are sending out press fleet vehicles to publications for their own testing. One of these long standing publications is Motor Trend who, as usual, has put the Boss 302 Mustang through the paces to see just how capable a car it is. They weren’t disappointed, and neither were we.

Among some of the impressive numbers Motor Trend recorded were a 0-60 mph time of 4.0 seconds and a 12.3 second quarter mile time at 115.8 mph. Those are some serious numbers that you don’t get out of cars that cost twice as much as the Boss 302 Mustang. Motor Trend also took the Boss 302 Mustang around Laguna Seca with professional driver Jonathan Bomarito with some even more surprising results.

At Laguna Seca, Bomarito took the Boss 302 around the track at a best time in 1 minute, 40.2 seconds. That’s a great, great time, better than the 2010 Audi R8, the 2009 BMW M3, and even Ford’s own Shelby GT500 (by four seconds, despite a 100 horsepower deficit in favor of the Shelby.) What’s more, this was just a regular Boss, not the Laguna Seca Edition. Astonished yet? We are. Ford insists that the Laguna Seca Edition Boss 302 will be able to complete a lap in under 1 minute 40 seconds, in a car that costs less than $50,000. The Blue Oval has thrown down the gauntlet. Who dares stand up to the challenge?