2011 Kona Blue

So my wife and I are at the local Ford dealership getting some routine maintenance done, oil, filter in cabin air filter change. We had 1.5 hours to kill so of course we made our way over to the 2013 mustangs. As luck would have it they just happened to have a auto 5.0 with 3:15 gears. Being that I have never driven in a 5.0 and so needed to see and feel the power of the 5.0. I was ready to be blown away by the feeling of being thrown and pined back in my seat. We spoke to the salesman and shortly after, the test drive began. I drove and my wife sat in the front seat. We made our way onto a on ramp just prior to getting on a highway. I was doing about 35 MPH on the on ramp and had a clear shot of no cars in front of me. Well, I'm ready to floor this baby and see what I have been so missing from my 91 Hybrid tuned sixer. I floored that 5.0 and wow what a freaking delay. I so forgot how much a delayed throttle response Ford places in the cars compared to my instant throttle response tuned car. There must of been a 2 tenths second delay. Once the delay was over the car took off but where was the throw back in the seat feeling. Not in this 5.0. Wow was I disappointed in the acceleration of this 420 HP car. I floored it on several occasions during the test drive and so not impressed with it. Perhaps it was the 3:15 gears because the off line stopped at traffic light feeling was nothing to write home about. My 11 sixer feels way more responsive with its 91 Hybrid tune, CAI and Flowmaster Axle back Force II exhaust system. I would almost bet with me getting 3:73 gears and one piece aluminum driveshaft on my sixer and my current mods one could run faster times 0-60 and 1/4 mile than a 5.0 with 3:15 gears. The down low torque really didn't feel that much better even though it has 100 more torque than the sixer.

Mustang Freak

Well all I can say is mine will pin you to the back of the seat and give you a grin from ear to ear!!!

blackbullitt

when i picked up my car i was also slightly disappointed with the off the line acceleration, i to attribute that to ford tuning. there was also some delay. at the same time there is not denying its a fast car. I can almost assure you that your car will not be faster. I had a 2009 bullitt with exhaust 4.10 and a tune, and it was not faster than my new 5.0. by the way i think it cool how people are modding the v6's i really would like to drive one some time, what a great value they seem to be.

bones302

I'm thinking this is more due to the fact it's an auto with the 3.15 gearing.
drive a stick with 3.73s and I think you will have a much different experience.

Flagstang

it might not feel fast but I am sure its much faster in the quarter mile. I agree a stick with good gears would be way more fun.

Rando

Speaking of gears, how hard are they to install?

2011 Kona Blue

I was thinking the same about the 3:73 gears but still was really expecting more even with the 3:15 gears. The throttle response is not good with a very noticeable delay compared to my 91 Hybrid tuned sixer. Off the line at a dead stop the 5.0 I tested was nothing to write home about. I figured with almost 100 more torque than my 11 sixer I was going to feel the down low power. To be completely honest, my tuned sixer feels way more responsive off the line even with its 2:73 gears compared the 3:15 geared 5.0. I'm in no way downing the 5.0 but just very disappointed in how this felt compared to my sixer which was 8g less.

Now I will say the leather seats in the 5.0 are way nicer and comfortable than my cloth seats.

2011 Kona Blue

I totally agree its faster factory stock V8 to factor stock V6 but this 5.0 didn't feel much faster than my tuned sixer. My perception was for 7.5k more I was expecting the second coming of Jesus, so to speak. I think with 3k of bolt on mods ones 11 plus sixer would take this factory stock 5.0 with the 3:15 gears. Don't get me wrong, the 5.0 was fast, just not as fast as I thought it was going to be after listening to all the talk and hype on it.

I'm sure a sct performance tuned 5.0 with 3:73 gears would be a different all together. The throttle response delay from the factory is hugely noticeable to someone who has a tuned vehicle, even if its a sixer. My sixer just felt more responsive.

Stevedotmil

I think in some way Ford designed that particular car so people would be really tempted to get it boosted. auto/3.15/5.0/boosted = tons of usable power. I would have to switch my gears out plus the autos get super consistent times at the 1/4. Just my thoughts. Sorry you didn't get the experience you wanted. Mine is plenty put you in your seat.

blairnr67

Same here!

mikeship911

Fuel economy. Ford has to make its fuel economy numbers. That's why the high gears and slow throttle response.

JPMotorSport

Why is it this is common feedback from the v6 drivers who happen to step behind the wheel of a 5.0?

It was an auto-tragic + 3.15 gears coupled with 'one Ford' refinement. This is a platform that can go 200+ MPH; do you really think flooring a Ford auto on an on ramp will pin you to the seat? This isn't a fox body without any crash or pedestrian measures, remember...

Tron

Was the car still in transport mode? Or do they not have that with the GT's? I was told my car would be in transport mode for the first 20-25 miles or 10 starts. It was a night and day difference after about 30 miles.

TheReaper

Maybe I should trade for a V6 car.

2011 Kona Blue

Maybe because the v6 is very quick and after some light bolt on mods and performance tuner its even quicker. We expect a much higher level of performance from a vehicle that comes factory stock for 7.5k more than the v6 model. No sour grapes with owning the v6 or envy. I was simply just giving my feedback on my experience of my first test drive of a 5.0 Mustang

2011 Kona Blue

I was off the ramp and already merged onto the level highway by the time I floored it. Several times did I floor it and not a huge wow factor. I know its against the mustang code to speak less of the v8 and death to anyone who claims less of the vehicle. Its a great car, huge potential for HP gains, but if someone is looking for performance out of there 5.0, don't get 3:15 gears and buy a performance tuner. Its was very disappointing. I have no reserve a 3k modded 11 plus sixer will walk the dog over a factory stock 5.0 with the standard 3:15 gears.

2011 Kona Blue

I have no idea. The car had around 175 miles on it.

Aleksandar Dragosavljevic

Hehe... fair enough... Well to the OP sorry that you were disapointed. My fiance and I went to local ford dealer here just to test drive the new mustangs. The sales guy told me to floor it once i went on the Freeway. Now I owned a 01 GT 5spd ( sold ) and still own a 97 GT Triple black CVT with just about everything done than a blower or power adder, bolt ons, full energy suspensions bushing kit, and FRPP MACH 1 suspensions MOSER AXELS, 3.23 gears, COBRA ALUMINUM shaft fully built 4r70w with Kevlar clutches, 2000 rpm stall, etc... MAC Cold air, BBK, flowmasters you get the picture, and wow did the new 5.0 6spd give me the adrenaline rush and grin from one ear to the next.

"Wow take it easy babe, this thing is slamming me in the seat, and my internals feel weird" were her exact words when i dropped it from 4th to the 2nd on a on ramp with the new 5.0

The new mustangs are bad ***!! Especially the V8's paired with good traction and transmittion.

I noticed people getting 4.5sec-4.7 on a manual vs high 4's or 5.5 with auto with the 5.0

Test drive a manual if you can!

Forgot to add: on that same day I went home with a Grabber Blue 5.0 6spd :P

RedCandy5.0

Plus they have 87 in the car from the dealer not 93. My auto gets 4.5 0-60 stock and have hit 4.2 with a tune.

2011 Kona Blue

[QUOTE="RedCandy5.0;6559105"]Plus they have 87 in the car from the dealer not 93. My auto gets 4.5 0-60 stock and have hit 4.2 with a tune.

Just curious, are you running 3:15 gears?