Meh. 64-14 50th. Ford's marketing department changes their mind every time you turn around, it's whatever is convenient for them. The cars went on sale in April. That's not even a mid-year release. It was shown in the beginning of April at the auto show and was on sale three weeks later at the end of April.

The true '65 version had minor tweaks made to it.

 

UPDATE: My dealer just got in a SGM 2015 5.0 stick shift. I'm thinking about heading over today (driving Marilyn of course) to test her out. hmmmmmm

 

Buy itttttttt!!!!!

 

Lol mark! Did you even follow this thread? Haha. The ecoboost 4 didn't woo me. I have doubts this one will either, but I want to put my foot where my mouth is. I'll never know if I like it or not till I try it

Going there tomorrow to test it.

Edit, Marilyn is NOT now or EVER going anywhere. If I get another car, it will be in addition to her

 

Headed over there now. Will bring camera and drive it. I'll post review after.

 

Looking forward to your review Burton. I need to get my butt in there and test drive it as well!

 

I read a lot of the opinions on here and I can certainly see your point(s). If I had a 2011-2014 I would not have been shopping for a new Mustang either. Over the years I have had some great Mustangs but I missed a lot too. Gosh, if I could just keep them in a building like Jay Leno...LOL!


I had a 1983 GT 5.0L with a 4-speed and no options...nothing...no AC, no power seat, nothing. I think it had a rear window defroster. Strong memories and I drove that to well into 6 digits. But I missed the first SN95's and the Cobra's because I was having a lot of fun with that 1983. But it was okay.


I had a 1997 GT 4.6L Convertible with a 5 speed and this one was loaded with options. Looking back on it now I really liked that car but it is rather funky looking now. I am not sure I would buy it again but it was a ball of fun at the time.


I then bought a 2004 base V6 5 speed and have been having tremendous fun with that one too but missed the new 2005 intro. I really liked the 2010 changes and the 2011+ GT's and really thought hard about upgrading but did not. Then my son needed a car at college so I taught him how to drive a stick and sent him on his way with my Mustang.


So, I ordered a 2015 Ecoboost Coupe with the manual. But here is the key to this whole point - any of them are great fun and worth having around you. The car is constantly evolving; I would not want that 1983 back at this point because it was way TOO RAW. But it was super at the time. The EFI changes for 1985 made a world of difference and those buyers were happy but I was still happy too. The SN95 was a great intro and those buyers were happy (the 2009 changes really tempted me though). My 2004 is a blast even if it isn't a GT but the 2005 guys loved the new one too.


So where is all this going? There is no need to 'upgrade' to a 2015 if you are too busy having fun with your car. Eventually you will buy something new...be it a 2018 or 19, or even a 20. By then it may be a hybrid with a 200 HP V6 coupled with a 400 HP electric motor and getting 50 MPG. The owners of the 2015 will say 'ah, I hate the electric motor whine...I am keeping mine...' All the while you have the ride of your life for the next 10 or 15 years.


See how this works? It is ALL GOOD....

 

Well said!

 

no way man, MINE RULES!!!

Seriously though, I am in absolute agreement with you. You said it well. If i hadn't bought the '13 or '14 i'd be all over the '15 GT PP in the showroom this morning.

 

Alright… I was able to stew on it for a little bit, and gather my thoughts.

I have to admit, I wasn't expecting much going in. I got to the dealership mid morning, and I saw the S550 5.0 sitting waiting for me. It's the 3rd time or so, that I've seen the car in person. Again, due to increased subjectivity, I'll refrain from commenting much on the looks of it versus the S197. I'll just say that, seeing it the 3rd time makes it easier on the eyes (You'll see in the pics that despite the BIRD DOO DOO, I still drove it LOL). I parked Marilyn next to her and took some photos for better comparison. You guys be the judge of which looks better

Anyways, I started her up and took her for a 15 minute drive. My dealer and I know each other pretty well so they just throw me the keys and off I go. I took a host of photos beforehand which I'll share below.

Overall, as most of you expected, driving the 5.0 is a much better experience than when I drove the Ecoboost. Amazing what "power" does to the senses, eh? Might I add that this also had the 6 speed manual and the 400A package. So no track pack, etc. That probably would have changed my view somewhat.

The ride itself is still very refined. Not as isolated as the Ecoboost I tested earlier, but still much more isolated than mine. Good thing or bad thing? eh, depends on what a person is looking for. Bumps on the road and overall steering feel were very similar to the Ecoboost. Very different from my car. It's still a little too "refined" for me, especially for a "toy car".

The transmission/shifter/clutch were VERY different from mine (when stock). This one was very easy to drive. The clutch had initial resistance when depressed, but then gave in wayyyy too easy upon take up. After a few start and stops, I got the hang of it and was smooth. Which do I prefer? I would prefer this style tranny and clutch if I was driving this DAILY. But I prefer the stiffness of mine for when I'm really ready to romp it

The power/engine was decent. Again, very "refined". I wish I could describe it better. It really is THAT. It's unlike the S197, in that it seems more modern, more up to date. Is that necessarily a good thing? To some/most people, probably. Do I like it? Yes and no… I'll explain below.

I finally figured out how to describe the new 5.0 S550. I drive an Acura for my daily, and it's a refined, muted, entry luxury ride. Imagine transplanting a mustang V8 engine (albeit a more refined one) into an Acura (or even a Euro car, say a Volkswagen GTI or Audi A3). In other words, you get ALL the creature comforts and civility and refinement of a pseudo luxury car, but with MORE power. That's the best way I can describe it. Very simple, actually.

Again, that's what Ford wanted, they wanted a global car, modernized, but still tried to maintain its roots. Ford has succeeded no doubt. It made my current mustang feel "old" with the way it rode, shifted, and sounded. Yes, I mean that. The new Mustang feels NEW. My mustang feels "old" (insert other words like unrefined, raw, old school, etc). But…some people, like me, PREFER that "old"ness.

Does that mean I don't LIKE the new S550? no, it doesn't mean that. Would I BUY it if I had 40k to burn? Sure. If I bought it, it'd be for DAILY use, not for a toy. It's that kind of a car. Easy to drive, easy to look at, a car that "makes sense". My wife actually asked me, would you really buy it if we could burn 40k? hmmmm I thought of that for a while, but decided, if I wanted a fun daily car, I'd get a Subaru STi for 38k. I dunno… I just like more of the raw feel for a car. It's tough.

In summary, the new S550 5.0 for me is a great car. I really enjoyed driving it, particularly the 5.0. Would I give up Marilyn for the new one? Never. Ever. Would I get it alongside it? Maybe. Problem is, when you reach the 40k realm, there's a lot of cars that match it at that price. Nothing feels like the S197 anymore, and that's what I love. Maybe the GT350???

 

First, great write up. Second, there is no comparison of your S197 to the S550 on looks. Hands down your 2014 is a better looking, meaner looking, muscle car looking. The rear end on your 14 is beautiful and the S550 is a train wreck.

For those who love the look of the 2015, that's super cool. Go buy it! I'm super patient, I can wait till the next generation stang comes out in 2025.

 

Lol your car looks so much more serious in those photos.

 

I was hoping you would drive the PP but that's cool. Nice review. I personally would never spend 40k on a mustang, sorry. If I were to get a S550 it would be a base model for around 33k, and then mod it to my liking. The base S550 comes standard with some pretty decent stuff.

 

Wish I coulda been able to go with you that would've been fun! Side by side id say I prefer yours over the 15, some of that may have to do with your styling as well but I like and dislike the look of the 15 as well. Sounds like you had a good chance to really test it though to see how you felt about it

 

Ultra refined is good. 435 hp is good. safety is good. an attractive car is good. I have owned a 97, 2000, '04, '12 and this new S550 I bought is just fine. Faster, safer, more comfortable as well as IRS, and a heck of a lot more potential. I am satisfied 100%

 

People like what they like. I waited for the reveal of the 15' before pulling the trigger for a new Mustang. For me I hated the 15' and that same day placed my order for a 14'. All that said. Your comment regarding more potential, could be true depending upon what you're trying to accomplish. There is certainly more potential for road racing. As for faster. I disagree. The folks at American muscle ran a new 15' side by side with a stock 12' and the 12' beat the 15'. In fact it beat the 15' 3 passes in a row consecutively. Again both cars were stock. The additional 15 HP the new Mustang has gets negated with the additional weight.

As for me. I am a drag racer at heart and will take a live axle over an IRS car any day of the week and twice on Sunday. Again American Muscle broke an axle in their 15' GT. Of course they were pushing 9 second quarter miles with this car. In order to get an axle shaft worth a tar in these new 15's you need to spend about $800 per axle and that BTW still doesn't get rid of the wheel hop. That's more money.

Again this is all my opinion and I certainly don't blame anyone for liking the 15' better.

As for faster, I don't think so. As for more potential. Maybe. The forged bottom end certainly does make the 15' more capable for handling boost. But then again now you need to spend a ton of money on the back of the car to get that power to work. The S197 guys have to spend money on their bottom ends to make them comparable to a 15'.


All in all it gets down to what you like. That's why there is Vanilla and chocolate.

Over time I believe the S197 cars will go down as being more desirable, similar to the 69 and 70 Mach 1 cars. Only time will tell. Certainly all of the R&D is now going toward the S550.

I will agree Ford is doing what is necessary to insure the survival of the Mustang. Taking it global is the right decision from a business stand point. It will appeal to more people worldwide. The thing is, people here stateside want a pony car. Hopefully Ford got the marketing research correct, or it will be the biggest mistake since the Mustang II. (Just joking, it could never be that bad)

When I look at the S550 from the side, it reminds me of a 370Z. That is a bit disappointing. I like lots of feedback when I drive a car. The 15' doesn't give great feedback. If I want a smooth soft ride I'll buy a Lexus, or a Benz. If I want a brawny car I want a muscle car. That used to be the Mustang. But that isn't the market Ford is targeting any longer. That isn't up for debate. Ford has left the NHRA and that is a big message. The GT350 will use a flat plane crankshaft and that is a setup for one purpose only. Ford isn't double talking. They are clear in the messaging.

The NHRA is losing viewership each year. There are articles all over the place that drag racing is becoming the gray hair sport. Meaning the younger generation doesn't have the interest in drag racing like my generation does.

As I digress. Again my point is unless someone is making the payments for you, buy what you like.

 

Ha, let's see. I have a few counter points:
1) take a look at the photos above, look in the mirror, and tell yourself you like the S550 better a 100 times. Still not enough to make it true.
2) Ultra refined is good ... for a sedan, or a luxury coupe. Not for an American muscle car.
3) Faster? Nope. Safer and more comfortable? Sure. But not faster.

And lets be honest. Who buys a Mustang for comfort and refinement?
My Mustang is true American Iron. It takes skill to drive fast at the track, and it's more like breaking a horse than riding one. I don't know what the S550 is, but it's not that.

 

THIS. I did the same thing. I waited to see the new one, and as soon as I saw pictures I pulled the trigger on the 14. I'm really glad I did. Otherwise I'd be a 1LE driver right now.

One other thing I notice when I see them in person, and particularly in this pictures. The S550 has the OPPOSITE of rake. The front end seems to be riding higher than the rear. I looks like it has sandbags in the trunk. Blah!

Z, your car is stunning.

 

Thank you for this specific paragraph. You put to words what I was trying to say. Your statement on "feedback" is spot on. That's what I meant when I said "isolated".

I also resonate with you about the 370z. I used to own a 2010. So I can really see how the new S550 resembles a 370z crossed with a Honda Accord coupe from the side.

 

Thanks a ton, monster. I appreciate it. My "old" car held its own at the dealership next to the new one. In fact, it garnered a lot of attention from the sales managers, salesmen, and also the service shop