Oh, got ya! So the 4 banger is a real mustang but falls short of the true mustang experience for you.

 

Looks like ya may have answered your own question here

 

Not really because it's still a Mustang, it's still a real Mustang. It may not meet up to the standards that everybody has for it but none the less it's still a real Mustang

 

I have to chime in here and say that the Ecoboost even though was a very good car just did not give me the experience I wanted. Now the new 2010 I just bought has that in spades. I think I went over kill though. I think the comp cam and 4.10 gears in this car makes MPG horrible. I might have to change the gears back to a 3.73 or even a 3.55. Since I am doing a ton of highway driving.

 

For me, just me: the Ecoboost has been a "what's wrong with this picture" car. Yes, its ugly too. If I'm not used to its looks by now, I'll never be. The V6 IMO is better but you can't get any premium features with it. When I saw the 2015, I rushed out to get the lowest mileage 2014 GT I could find. So here I am.

Good call OP.

 

I could not agree more.

 

I have to say a muscle car deserves a V8, but I think the good ole Gov. played a roll in Ford placing a 4 banger in a stang. Ford has to maintain a MPG standard out of its fleet and no better way than a 4 cyl.

 

Big issue there is the S550 is no muscle car. Its a euro looking sports car. Not muscle. The Challenger is modern day muscle. It doesn't look like a muscle car, it doesn't have a large displacement like a muscle car! Its not a muscle car!

 

IMHO the mustang never was a muscle car, except maybe in its bloated years like 70-72. It was always a "four passenger sports car."

Muscle car means medium to big, fairly heavy car with big engine that only goes fast in a straight line. Sports cars go around corners too.

 

The Challenger is the only modern day muscle car. Heavy and larger displacement!

 

Well thanks to the bloody British is ine reaain it has the euro look. Lol. Actually Im not sure if thats why or not, but it sounds good.
Op its a nice car and I bet it rides a lot smoother with the IRS.

 

Ha ha ha. Its the darn French's fault. Lol

 

I agree!

 

I know my new Mustang sounds boss with those comp cams and it will out run anything but a gas station with those 4.10 gears.

 

Your spot on about the Mustang never being a muscle car, however I must respectfully disagree with your statement about it being a four passenger sports car..

As Ford referred to the original Mustang as a 4 passenger sporty car a.k.a the "Pony Car"

In addition, the 1st generation Mustangs were based off the Falcon platform and handled poorly around corners.. IMHO Ford didn't improve upon the Mustang's suspension until the Fox generation arrived, but still never the less not even close when compared with a sports car suspension (Corvette, Viper, BMW, Audi, Porsche)

 

Fair enough . . . but didn't the Mustang win road races against those "real sports cars" even back in the day?

And today it says "four passenger sports car" right on the window sticker.

And wow, this thread sure is off on a tangent . . .

 

I believe your right about the window sticker for the S550, as the Mustang has indeed evolved from it's original " Pony Car" roots into more of an upscale euro designed "Sports Car" which I am not criticizing Ford by any means..

I totally understand the reason for evolving the Mustang's design, as the car is now competing on a much larger global market and not just here in North America anymore.. Therefore in order to be successful, the Mustang has to appeal to a much wider market compared to years past..

Anyhow I was just pointing out in my previous response that prior to the current S550 platform, the Mustang was still considered a " Pony Car"

As for the Mustang winning road races against those other "real sports cars" back in the day ? They did win several times at the "Trans Am" events back in the late 60's- early 70's, but IIRC the Trans Am series didn't include a sports car class, but I could be wrong about that..

If I'm also not mistaken, I believe the Cobra/Mustangs participated in SCCA events, but don't remember if any base GT models were involved or not

 

After owning the Ecoboost I understand why Ford made it. I just really missed the experience of the V8 and convertible.

 

I have lots to say about his topic but generally get myself into trouble. All of this is my opinion.

1. The new Mustang looks very Japanese Euro (AKA 370Z and G37). The profile shot of they car (side view) is very 370Z ish

2. I hear people say the outgoing Mustang (S197) appears fat and tall now. Fact is the new Mustang is 5 inches wider and only an inch shorter at the roof line.

3. The drag coefficient of the GT350 is the same as that of the 2014 GT500

4. The new car is heavier

5. The 2014 out sold the 2015 almost 2 to 1. This is typically the reverse as folks await the new model. (some attribute this to the incentives). I disagree. I know of many folks who waited for the reveal of the 2015 as I did and went to the dealer to order a 2014. The outgoing model has never outsold the incoming model of a Mustang by 2:1 ever. This should tell you something.

6. Ford is taking the car to a new direction. This is fine. I am glad there is a following for the S550 Mustang. It's important that the sales are strong so that the name/legend goes on.

7. More and more folks are interested in tracking their car as opposed to drag racing their cars. Just look at the dwindling fan base of the NHRA. At the age of 45 I am now old school. For me I love the hard launch. Today the younger generation is more interested in a car that is well balanced and set up for road racing.

8. The new S550 is just set up for a completely different mission. The S197 is the last of the dodo bird. It was Ford's last hurrah for this generation of folks. The generation of folks that are up salivating at the mouth over 1969-1970 Mach 1's, Boss 302's, 1971 Boss 351's, etc. This is it. It was ford paying homage to this generation of buyer and demographic.

9. Albeit I do not like the way the S550 looks to me. I do not like the direction in which Ford has gone but it was necessary. Ford is smart.

So we can complain about the S550, as I do (guilty here) but Ford did what needed to be done. People like us are a dying breed. I blame the yuppies. I blame the generation of every kid getting a trophy. I blame those who turned the Ford Bronco and Chevy Blazer into the vehicles they are today. They are no longer trucks, they are teenage personnel carriers. I blame those that wanted a smooth ride. I blame those who wanted something refined. I blame those who basically ruined the Mustang. It wasn't Ford. It's what the masses want. And the reality is we are no longer the largest market Ford wishes to appeal to.

So as I get off of my soap box. The S550 is OK, it's a highly evolved, refined, modern looking vehicle. It is doing exactly what Ford set out for it to do. It's just not what I want.

I am a Ford person. I bleed blue. My Father is a Ford person and he brain washed me at a young age. Just as I will my son. I will never falter. I do not like this direction but as I do not like this direction I am certain there are those who didn't like the direction Ford took when the Thunderbird went to a 4 passenger car, or as Ford took the Mustang to the Mustang II, or as those who absolutely cringed when Ford switched from the Fox body to the SN95, or as my Father was disgusted when Ford abandoned the Flat Head V-8, and so on and so on. The point is we are lucky. There are still plenty of S197 cars around for those who want that raw retro look and pure drag car. And if you want something modern with an IRS then the S550 is here. One of my pet peeves is when people just go out and get a new car because they want to keep up with the Joneses. They just have to have the latest and greatest and will go at great length to tell you why their new model is better than your old model, etc. Or the person that dubs themselves as a car guy and the extent of their knowledge of automobile technology is filling the car with fuel, maybe changing oil, and washing and waxing their car. Because they have a wallet large enough to buy a car they call themselves car guys. Or the folks that can rattle off all of the crap they read in a magazine but don't know how to use a screwdriver. Again these people absolutely drive me crazy. Kind like the guy you know that brags about all of the stuff they do to their car or house and position it as if they did the work. You now the type. "Yeah I installed a new hardwood floor in my house". And they paid someone to do it. or the person that says "yeah I upgraded my brakes to 6 piston calipers " and again paid someone to do it. These are folks I call car appreciators but not car guys or car enthusiasts. I have more respect for the guy or gal that goes and busts their butt to buy a 2008 mustang GT, spends their hard earned dollar and modifies the car themselves, does a real nice job, and actually creates something than the shlep who just happens to be fortunate enough to have a large wallet and buys themselves a GT500 and brags about how great their car is and has no idea how to even turn a wrench. These are the folks that ruined our Mustang. Any way. I will get off of my soap box for real now. Many will want to hang me on a cross for saying all of this and thats OK. This however is reality.

 

Nice car OP!

I own 2 s197 currently and love them both. I really like the new body style too....does that make me as rare as a unicorn . One of my s197s is a 2014 gt500 and the other is a 3.5 ecoboost swap that I'm just getting finished. I owned the gt500 for two years before building the ecoboost car. If I owned a 700 RWHP mustang why would I spend nearly a year and a pile of money to build a v6 mustang? My answer is why I think ford offers a turbo 4 cyl.

My DD is a 2013 ecoboost supercrew with a tune and it's a blast to drive. I surprise people at red lights all the time, it's fast for a truck. I raced a challenger RT the other day and hung dead even to the next light. Ecoboost turbos are a lot of fun, even if your missing the v8 sound. My Shelby is loud, it snarls and pops and gets lots of attention and no one ever wants to race me. It's so fast that unless it's a race-car pulling they don't even have a chance. I built the ecoboost car to be a sleeper, quiet until I hammer down. Plus I will beat stock v8 mustangs with ease, 500-550 RWHP for phase 1 and 800 RWHP after a bottom end rebuild for phase 2. Can you imagine how fun it will be to beat v8 corvettes, camaros, and mustangs with a 3.5 v6? It will be a hilarious to me!

Ford made a turbo 4 cyl to get you guys ready for the future of mustangs. When they come out with the 3.5 ecoboost for the stang the v8 will become the mid engine choice just like it has for the trucks. They have already done this with the raptor and the ford GT, the mustang is just a matter of time. The mustang 4cyl ecoboost are running deep in to the 10s now! I don't think they will ever get rid of the v8 though, to many fans.

I drove a s550 at a road course race-track. I made laps all day in my track pack Shelby and then jumped in to a friends s550 GT for a lap. Obviously it's wasn't as powerful but the handling was a vast improvement over my Shelby. The gt500 wiggles and sways through the corners, but the s550 was solid. I was pushing the limit of the tires on the s550'the entire time and I still felt like I was in control.

Just to be clear I love my Shelby and will never sell it. It's a sledge hammer of epic proportions and it's the last of its kind. I would be shocked if you ever see another engine this size offered in a mustang. I have plans to buy the next gt500 whenever that comes out, I'm sure I will love it too even if it's a twin turbo V6.