I did it...test drove the new S550, my thoughts compared to my 12
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I Have No Life
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Road course the S550 wins hands down against the S197. However the S550 is slower in the 1320 than the S197. Fair enough of a summary... I'd have to say the performance differences between the '15 and '14 GTs are immaterial for 95% of those posting here. (Maybe everyone else here is a professional driver, but I certainly don't have the level of strip or road course skills necessary to make the differences between them overly apparent). For sure in daily- and even recreational- driving the cars are pretty much even. Which means it comes right back to aesthetics... I was in the dealership (having the F150 sorted out) again the other day and gave the S550 yet another look inside and out. I swear every time I see it I find something else I don't like (this time its the awful little vents on the front of the hood- I much prefer the extractors on the '14 GT). I hated the new Vette when it was introduced, but I'm warming up to it (except for the crazy fang-like tail lights)- no warming feeling towards the S550.
The recent posters above started talking about speed stock for stock for the two cars, versus. Frankly, I don't much care which is faster. I'm more interested in how the car feels. S550 is very different in feel compared to the S197.
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From: Little north of Stuttgart, Germany
Ok, so we all know the S197 is faster in the straight. And the S550 should be better in the curves. Here is lap time comparison of the S550 vs a 2013 GT TP at streets of willow in the hands of Randy Pobst.
I know this is different days. different track conditions, but I think it's pretty reprsentative
The S550 is 1.4s quicker on a ~85s track. And the 2014 Camaro 1LE still smokes them both
I know this is different days. different track conditions, but I think it's pretty reprsentative
The S550 is 1.4s quicker on a ~85s track. And the 2014 Camaro 1LE still smokes them both
Last edited by 5.M0NSTER; Mar 24, 2015 at 06:16 PM.
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I wish TMS had a 2015 Reviews thread to collect everyone's experiences and comparisons. Wrote a 2015 review a couple months ago on another forum. Here's a link if you're looking for a (now embarrassingly) long diversion.
http://www.allfordmustangs.com/forum...62-post56.html
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From: Little north of Stuttgart, Germany
My personal best at Grattan raceway in Michigan is 1:34.7 so far (and I WILL be improving on that this year). Going by Randy's results I think I could get 1:33.2 or so in an S550. Particularly since I won't ever own one (ugly factor). And I always drive cars which aren't mine harder at the track
. Historically speaking anyway. The only car of my own I ever drove at the track is my 2014 Mustang. I also got to drive an Acure TSX, Acura TL, Honda S2000, Camaro SS and 1LE, Corvette C5 Z06, C6, C6 Z06, Ferrari 599 and Lamborghini Galardo Superlagera at the track. Needless to say I've been fearless and way harder on all of these cars at the track than my own 
. It was for work so I didn't have to worry about tires and things breaking.
Last edited by 5.M0NSTER; Mar 24, 2015 at 07:21 PM.
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Ok, so we all know the S197 is faster in the straight. And the S550 should be better in the curves. Here is lap time comparison of the S550 vs a 2013 GT TP at streets of willow in the hands of Randy Pobst.
I know this is different days. different track conditions, but I think it's pretty reprsentative
The S550 is 1.4s quicker on a ~85s track. And the 2014 Camaro 1LE still smokes them both
I know this is different days. different track conditions, but I think it's pretty reprsentative
The S550 is 1.4s quicker on a ~85s track. And the 2014 Camaro 1LE still smokes them both
Last edited by imeyers302; Mar 24, 2015 at 07:26 PM.
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From: Little north of Stuttgart, Germany
But I'm a fan of apples to apples comparisons, so I will not speculate on this.
Intriguingly enough, what you describes is my own plan for next year. I already have the 275/40 tires all around. Suspension is what I'm planning next year. I'll report back with my lap time improvements this year and next
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Frankly, I don't much care which is faster. I'm more interested in how the car feels. S550 is very different in feel compared to the S197.
That's odd, because I think they both feel very similar- i.e. like the heavy sports cars they are. Having felt both, the difference was negligible. An IRS is not going to fix heavy- if they want the car to be a nimble Euro-type ride, they need to shed some serious weight and get things a bit more compact. Don't get me wrong, I like the way my '14 handles (sometimes a fight to see who is going to handle whom), but coming out of a much lighter BMW you definitely feel the weight of the car fighting against you- and the '15 does nothing to solve this.
If the '15 were 400 pounds lighter and just tons more nimble, then yes- perhaps it would come down to performance. But a 1.5 second difference on a 85 second road course says "go with whichever looks better" to me.
That's odd, because I think they both feel very similar- i.e. like the heavy sports cars they are. Having felt both, the difference was negligible. An IRS is not going to fix heavy- if they want the car to be a nimble Euro-type ride, they need to shed some serious weight and get things a bit more compact. Don't get me wrong, I like the way my '14 handles (sometimes a fight to see who is going to handle whom
), but coming out of a much lighter BMW you definitely feel the weight of the car fighting against you- and the '15 does nothing to solve this. If the '15 were 400 pounds lighter and just tons more nimble, then yes- perhaps it would come down to performance. But a 1.5 second difference on a 85 second road course says "go with whichever looks better" to me.
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So, all you guys that think the rough edges and crudeness of the S197 makes it a muscle car (and the lack of those things makes you dislike the S550), what do you think of the Challenger? It's the softest of the three and still rides on a 10+ year old Mercedes platform.
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Frankly, I don't much care which is faster. I'm more interested in how the car feels. S550 is very different in feel compared to the S197. That's odd, because I think they both feel very similar- i.e. like the heavy sports cars they are. Having felt both, the difference was negligible. An IRS is not going to fix heavy- if they want the car to be a nimble Euro-type ride, they need to shed some serious weight and get things a bit more compact. Don't get me wrong, I like the way my '14 handles (sometimes a fight to see who is going to handle whom ), but coming out of a much lighter BMW you definitely feel the weight of the car fighting against you- and the '15 does nothing to solve this. If the '15 were 400 pounds lighter and just tons more nimble, then yes- perhaps it would come down to performance. But a 1.5 second difference on a 85 second road course says "go with whichever looks better" to me.
), but coming out of a much lighter BMW you definitely feel the weight of the car fighting against you- and the '15 does nothing to solve this. If the '15 were 400 pounds lighter and just tons more nimble, then yes- perhaps it would come down to performance. But a 1.5 second difference on a 85 second road course says "go with whichever looks better" to me.
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So, all you guys that think the rough edges and crudeness of the S197 makes it a muscle car (and the lack of those things makes you dislike the S550), what do you think of the Challenger? It's the softest of the three and still rides on a 10+ year old Mercedes platform.
Last edited by imeyers302; Mar 25, 2015 at 10:05 AM.
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It's funny that the S550 is being compared as polished to the S197. Having spent the winter in my 90 Mustang LX 5.0 and just starting to drive the 2011 again, the 2011 is worlds better then the 1990, which I am sure everyone here knows. My point is, that is the natural progression of things. The IRS made the car a better ride, as well as the front suspension. It did gain weight, but would you rather have the light Fox body that has a rough and crude ride?
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It's funny that the S550 is being compared as polished to the S197. Having spent the winter in my 90 Mustang LX 5.0 and just starting to drive the 2011 again, the 2011 is worlds better then the 1990, which I am sure everyone here knows. My point is, that is the natural progression of things. The IRS made the car a better ride, as well as the front suspension. It did gain weight, but would you rather have the light Fox body that has a rough and crude ride?
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I guess it depends on what you are doing with the car. I daily drive my Fox to work on the pothole marred streets of NYC. It is like driving on the surface of the moon. So I prefer the ride of the S197. I haven't driven the S550 yet so I can't comment on its lack of communication to the driver.
Last edited by 88lx50; Mar 25, 2015 at 10:39 AM.
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I love it!! If I had to replace my 2014 GT today it would be the Challenger Scat Pack. But then again I love all cars. New, old, ford, dodge, Chevy, even Pontiac, its all good. Just give me a good ole american V8 and a stick shift and I can be happy in it, however there is just something about the S550 that does not stir the hot rod emotions like the previous gerneration. When I saw my 2014 GT TP for the first time I said I gotta have it. Nothing else would do. When I see the S550 I think hmmm, what else is out there for that money. With my 2014 I did not care what else was out there for the money. I had to have it.
)? If I already had a 2010-2014 Mustang I would not have given the S550 a second glance. This is totally okay. I liked my 2004 V6 before it went off to college with my son and if I were still driving it I may not have even looked at an S550 in that case either! LOL....
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Ah, yes...see, my point I tried to make earlier...exactly. You already have a 2014 GT. It becomes a matter of perspective. What if you were driving a 2012 Focus SE Sedan and wanted to get another Mustang like you had before the appliance like Focus (er...like me )? If I already had a 2010-2014 Mustang I would not have given the S550 a second glance. This is totally okay. I liked my 2004 V6 before it went off to college with my son and if I were still driving it I may not have even looked at an S550 in that case either! LOL....
)? If I already had a 2010-2014 Mustang I would not have given the S550 a second glance. This is totally okay. I liked my 2004 V6 before it went off to college with my son and if I were still driving it I may not have even looked at an S550 in that case either! LOL....Before I had my 2014 I had a 2005 Escape. So when the S550 was released I was in the exact scenario you descibed above.
When I saw the S550 I had no desire to buy it. Just didnt like what I saw. I was reading as much as I could about the car and looked at any picture or video (including that silly 80's dance video) trying to like it...just didnt happen, then I saw that a local dealer was getting the exact S197 that I wanted. I had to have it knowing it was my last opportunity I had to own the car I really wanted new.
If my current s197 hadn't came to my dealers lot. I would prob still be driving the escape and be looking at other cars as its replacement...maybe even a focus.
Last edited by SouthernStang79; Mar 25, 2015 at 11:55 AM.
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Before I had my 2014 I had a 2005 Escape. So when the S550 was released I was in the exact scenario you descibed above.
When I saw the S550 I had no desire to buy it. Just didnt like what I saw. I was reading as much as I could about the car and looked at any picture or video (including that silly 80's dance video) trying to like it...just didnt happen, then I saw that a local dealer was getting the exact S197 that I wanted. I had to have it knowing it was my last opportunity I had to own the car I really wanted new.
If my current s197 hadn't came to my dealers lot. I would prob still be driving the escape and be looking at other cars as its replacement...maybe even a focus.
When I saw the S550 I had no desire to buy it. Just didnt like what I saw. I was reading as much as I could about the car and looked at any picture or video (including that silly 80's dance video) trying to like it...just didnt happen, then I saw that a local dealer was getting the exact S197 that I wanted. I had to have it knowing it was my last opportunity I had to own the car I really wanted new.
If my current s197 hadn't came to my dealers lot. I would prob still be driving the escape and be looking at other cars as its replacement...maybe even a focus.