Stage_3

Yeah,.......the 2013/2014 Mustangs look A LOT better and more aggressive for sure.

m05fastbackGT

Although I don't dislike the current S550, I totally agree Tony about the 2013/2014 Mustangs looking more aggressive and better.. But then again, my preference has always been the S197 to begin with anyhow.. Therefore if that makes me out to be biased ? Then so be it.. IMHO the S550 appears more refined and more like a Euro sports coupe rather than a Pony car/Muscle car..

TheReaper

I think the GT 350-R looks pretty good. I don't care for white cars but this one was really nice.

kylerohde

Nope. The rumor is that there will be a new one in 2020 but that has yet to be confirmed.

SpectreH

If anything, an accelerated update would be the result of losing at the drag strip to the new Camaro, not lack of sales. Performance-wise, GM hit the ball out of the park. Styling, as always, is a matter of personal taste.

Stage_3

Perfect Rocky.
I agree 100%. Looks too refined. But, still an awesome looking car when done up correctly.

Yes, they are hot looking cars. One of the nicest looking Mustangs out there as far as new Mustangs goes. That front end is the game changer for the S550 Mustangs. As is Roush's front end. A LOT of Roush front end changes on the new Mustang forum.

Mustang Freak

Ford obviously doesn't care about the drag strip with their withdrawal from NHRA!

junkman9096

I would have thought you'd finish that statement with "Get off of my lawn."
Grant that I haven't been paying attention to drag racing for a while but has Ford been relevant in the upper levels of NHRA in past couple of decades? John Force I guess, but the only Ford part on his funny car was the sticker.

BTW, I STILL get "nice car" regularly even after 4 years of ownership.

Mustang Freak

Since the S550 came out Ford dropped their NHRA participation so they aren't interested in 1/4 miles anymore.

kylerohde

Do the turnkey Cobra Jet drag cars not count? That's more relevant to the street than Funny Car anyway. Ford's motorsport focus has really been street-relevance anyway, other than NASCAR. Hence no F1 or IndyCar either.

Mustang Freak

Of course but Ford backing IMHO with $ is not there in the NHRA so they are getting away from straight line racing. V6 development and other worldly pursuits seem to be their focus as of lately which just happened to coincide with the debut of the S550.

metroplex

2021 is the next update after 2018.

kylerohde

Ehhhh I don't think the S550 was the driver of that. They still care enough to make line lock a feature on all 2018 Mustangs, which is surprising and cool. They've just made the decision that any racing investment has to have street car tech benefits. NASCAR is the only exception to that rule because it's still the biggest motorsport in the US, by a longshot, and I would bet Ford is lobbying behind the scenes for NASCAR to get with the times there too. Imagine if Ford could start running the EcoBoost V6 in NASCAR against GM pushrod V8's and whatever Toyota wanted to bring to the party. That's more interesting to me, personally.

m05fastbackGT

What isn't so cool about the line lock feature, is if you blow out your drivetrain or any engine components, Ford will not pay for the repairs under warranty.. So what good is really having a factory line lock if you're not able to use it to begin with

berzerk_1980

Supposedly this is only the case if you have been racing (against other cars). Have you heard differently?

m05fastbackGT

No I haven't heard anything different at this point.. However what I don't quite understand is this.. The purpose of a line lock is to intentionally lock up the front wheels in order to do burn outs.. Now I'm quite certain that Ford didn't offer a factory line lock for people to do burnouts on public streets, so what other purpose is there other than for either track or drag racing purposes.. Perhaps it's just me, but it just doesn't make any logical sense as to why Ford would even offer a factory line lock function knowing full well that most are going to use it for racing purposes anyhow.. And who's to say that something can't go wrong or break down even when the line lock function isn't used at a track or racing event to begin with

berzerk_1980

I read in multiple articles that track use does not necessarily constitute racing. For example, practicing. Or racing a clock without a competition.

For example:

https://goo.gl/5nRKhy
How the 2015 Ford Mustang Line Lock Will and Won't Void Your ...

"In speaking with the Motor Authority, Ford Motor Company global Mustang communications coordinator Brian Cotter explained that there are perfectly acceptable ways to use the line lock to bring out the performance potential of the new Mustang GT – but there are some stipulations.
...
Bracket racing against the clock or heads up racing against another car on the drag strip will void the warranty in your 2015 Ford Mustang GT – so how do you use it at the track? Well, if you are making time only runs, you are not racing. If you make a run down the quarter mile without any predetermined time goal (as when bracket racing) or without another car in the other lane, you are testing your Mustang’s performance capabilities – not racing."

YMMV. I remember reading this in multiple sources when line lock came out.

5.M0NSTER

This is precisely why most road cousrse HPDE events are not officially timed, and there is no standings at the end of the sessions. Not technically racing, even though you're pushing the car as far as you dare, with the purpose of going as fast as possible around a racetrack.

And Line Lock specifficaly, I bet you 90% of Line Lock use is outside of the racetrack. Parking lots, allays, behind buildings, strip malls this is where line lock comes into play.

It's "Hero" mode for people who can't do an old fashioned burnout with a manual. Oh, and it helps warm up the tires before a drag strip run too by the way.

m05fastbackGT

IMO even when testing your Mustang's performance capabilities, your never the less pushing the limits of your car's engine/drivetrain components despite not bracket racing as your still racing your car against a clock in which the odds of blowing a piston are much higher than driving under spirited conditions on either a road course or on the interstate which is less stressful on a car's engine and drivetrain components.. So in the end, who's really to say for certain what stipulations Ford may decide to use or not to use when it comes to either accepting or denying a factory warranty claim..

And if I were a betting man Marty, I would also say that 90% of line lock use is put to the test behind buildings, back roads and mall parking lots as well, especially by those under 25 years of age lol.

MRGTX

I finally got to see a 2018 refresh up close. It's MUCH improved over the looks and proportions of the 2015 style (who knew that dropping a little height out of the hood would help that much???) but I still can't make myself like it as much as the S197s.

Can I just have the upgraded motor, suspension and interior and keep the rest of my S197 in tact?