THE RED KEY!!!!
Pretty smart if you ask me.
GTR Member
Joined: September 28, 2009
Posts: 6,284
Likes: 1
Well if the PCM is different then there is no reason that you couldn't have the new PCM with dual programs installed into your car. While it might be a bit pricey that's doesn't negate it being possible.
Ford could actually have quite a good little aftermarket from this type of thing. Lot's of owners would opt for this type of "tuning" that still gave them full warranty protection and a Red Key to show to all of their buddies.
Ford could actually have quite a good little aftermarket from this type of thing. Lot's of owners would opt for this type of "tuning" that still gave them full warranty protection and a Red Key to show to all of their buddies.
BOSS Member
Joined: May 21, 2010
Posts: 396
Likes: 0
I think some people are misunderstanding the launch control feature. It is not to limit wheelspin when trying to perform a drag style launch. It is simply a two step rev limiter from the factory to help you maintain your desired rpm while performing a drag launch without having to watch the tach.
Some information also up on the FRPP site as well (not really anything new though). No pricing info yet.
http://www.fordracingparts.com/trackey/default.asp
http://www.fordracingparts.com/trackey/default.asp
Cobra Member
Joined: September 10, 2004
Posts: 1,302
Likes: 0
From: Charlotte NC
Some information also up on the FRPP site as well (not really anything new though). No pricing info yet.
http://www.fordracingparts.com/trackey/default.asp
http://www.fordracingparts.com/trackey/default.asp
Shelby GT350 Member
Joined: November 20, 2010
Posts: 2,382
Likes: 1
From: Sioux Falls, SD
Unlikely since the Boss motor is different than the GT. For one I don't think Ford will run the redline to 7500 on the standard 5.0
Last edited by cloud9; Dec 18, 2010 at 07:25 PM.
There is more than just the redline in the BOSS motor, specifically the CNC heads and the valvetrain to sustain 7500+ RPM. I don't think the tune will be viable for the GT.
GTR Member
Joined: September 28, 2009
Posts: 6,284
Likes: 1
Yeah, not happening for GT owners, at least not right now. I hope it eventually comes out. I think Ford has a great idea with this, and it could be the future of tuning from FRPP.
Shelby GT350 Member
Joined: November 20, 2010
Posts: 2,382
Likes: 1
From: Sioux Falls, SD
"The Mustang team knew a supercharger would be the simplest way to extract significant power improvements from the new 5.0-liter V8, but they elected not to pursue forced induction for the 2012 Boss to stay true to the original Boss 302 engine.
"The core group of engineers on the Boss 302 engine understands and respect the heritage of the name and the history behind the original engine," explains Mike Harrison, Ford V8 engine program manager. "The first Boss 302 was a specially built, free-breathing, high-revving small V8 that gave it certain desirable characteristics on a race course - and we capture that essence in the new engine."
The team also realized the additional hardware meant more weight, the bane of any racing program and the opposite of what the Boss design team was attempting to achieve. Instead, the same technology that has made the new Mustang GT engine such a formidable force was applied to the Boss 302. "In keeping with the spirit of the original, the new Boss 302 engine achieves its maximum power output at speeds at or above 7,500 rpm," says Harrison. "Unlike the original engine, however, low-speed torque and driveability are uncompromised thanks to twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT) technology and computer-aided engineering design tools."
Harrison and his team began exploring Boss 302 concepts starting with the engine's ability to breathe - essential to the production of horsepower. Because credible track performance requires high power production between 5,000 rpm and 7,000 rpm, the team needed a new approach to intake manifold design. Borrowing from the Ford Daytona Prototype engines, the resulting short-runners-in-the-box design virtually eliminates lag when the throttle is snapped open while producing peak power output at high rpm.
"The effect of the new intake design is dramatic," says Harrison. "When I took the prototype car to Mustang Chief Engineer Dave Pericak, he took a short drive, tossed me the keys and said ‘Book it…it's in the program.' He knew what we were onto, and that's really the point where the Boss 302 was born."
To take advantage of the racing intake manifold, cylinder head airflow was fully optimized by CNC porting the entire intake and exhaust port and combustion chamber. The painstaking machining process takes 2.5 hours per head to complete. To accompany the higher peak-power engine speed, the team had to engineer a lightweight, high-speed valvetrain and bulletproof reciprocating assembly that would not only hold together for 150,000-plus miles but also produce power at peak rpm.
"What most people don't realize is that engine stresses increase exponentially as engine speeds rise," explains Harrison. "So moving up from GT's 7,000 rpm redline required significant re-engineering of many different parts. Sacrificing reliability and usability over the GT engine was never an option."
Some of the Boss-specific parts contributing to the Boss 302 V8's output and durability include:
-Revised composite intake system with shorter runners, inspired by Daytona Prototype racing engines, for high-rpm breathing
-Forged aluminum pistons and upgraded sinter-forged connecting rods for improved strength, needed for the higher combustion pressures and engine speeds
-New high-strength aluminum-alloy cylinder heads with fully CNC-machined ports and chambers for exceptional high-rpm airflow without sacrificing low-speed torque
-Lightened valvetrain components to provide excellent dynamic performance up to speeds well above the engine redline
-Sodium-filled exhaust valves for improved heat dissipation
-Race-specification crankshaft main and rod bearings for higher load capability and improved high-speed durability
-5W50 full-synthetic oil with engine oil cooler for improved oil pressure and longer-lasting lubrication during extreme racing conditions
-Revised oil pan baffling for improved oil control under racing conditions and during cornering loads greater than 1.0 g "
The one thing I picked up from re-reading this that gets me a little excited is: the new Boss 302 engine achieves its maximum power output at speeds at or above 7,500 rpm," says Harrison.
Is he hinting that the Red Key tune will raise the rev limiter?
Bullitt Member
Joined: November 3, 2010
Posts: 454
Likes: 0
OK here are all the reasons why the Boss track tune won't be available for the GT:
"The Mustang team knew a supercharger would be the simplest way to extract significant power improvements from the new 5.0-liter V8, but they elected not to pursue forced induction for the 2012 Boss to stay true to the original Boss 302 engine.
"The core group of engineers on the Boss 302 engine understands and respect the heritage of the name and the history behind the original engine," explains Mike Harrison, Ford V8 engine program manager. "The first Boss 302 was a specially built, free-breathing, high-revving small V8 that gave it certain desirable characteristics on a race course - and we capture that essence in the new engine."
The team also realized the additional hardware meant more weight, the bane of any racing program and the opposite of what the Boss design team was attempting to achieve. Instead, the same technology that has made the new Mustang GT engine such a formidable force was applied to the Boss 302. "In keeping with the spirit of the original, the new Boss 302 engine achieves its maximum power output at speeds at or above 7,500 rpm," says Harrison. "Unlike the original engine, however, low-speed torque and driveability are uncompromised thanks to twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT) technology and computer-aided engineering design tools."
Harrison and his team began exploring Boss 302 concepts starting with the engine's ability to breathe - essential to the production of horsepower. Because credible track performance requires high power production between 5,000 rpm and 7,000 rpm, the team needed a new approach to intake manifold design. Borrowing from the Ford Daytona Prototype engines, the resulting short-runners-in-the-box design virtually eliminates lag when the throttle is snapped open while producing peak power output at high rpm.
"The effect of the new intake design is dramatic," says Harrison. "When I took the prototype car to Mustang Chief Engineer Dave Pericak, he took a short drive, tossed me the keys and said ‘Book it…it's in the program.' He knew what we were onto, and that's really the point where the Boss 302 was born."
To take advantage of the racing intake manifold, cylinder head airflow was fully optimized by CNC porting the entire intake and exhaust port and combustion chamber. The painstaking machining process takes 2.5 hours per head to complete. To accompany the higher peak-power engine speed, the team had to engineer a lightweight, high-speed valvetrain and bulletproof reciprocating assembly that would not only hold together for 150,000-plus miles but also produce power at peak rpm.
"What most people don't realize is that engine stresses increase exponentially as engine speeds rise," explains Harrison. "So moving up from GT's 7,000 rpm redline required significant re-engineering of many different parts. Sacrificing reliability and usability over the GT engine was never an option."
Some of the Boss-specific parts contributing to the Boss 302 V8's output and durability include:
-Revised composite intake system with shorter runners, inspired by Daytona Prototype racing engines, for high-rpm breathing
-Forged aluminum pistons and upgraded sinter-forged connecting rods for improved strength, needed for the higher combustion pressures and engine speeds
-New high-strength aluminum-alloy cylinder heads with fully CNC-machined ports and chambers for exceptional high-rpm airflow without sacrificing low-speed torque
-Lightened valvetrain components to provide excellent dynamic performance up to speeds well above the engine redline
-Sodium-filled exhaust valves for improved heat dissipation
-Race-specification crankshaft main and rod bearings for higher load capability and improved high-speed durability
-5W50 full-synthetic oil with engine oil cooler for improved oil pressure and longer-lasting lubrication during extreme racing conditions
-Revised oil pan baffling for improved oil control under racing conditions and during cornering loads greater than 1.0 g "
The one thing I picked up from re-reading this that gets me a little excited is: the new Boss 302 engine achieves its maximum power output at speeds at or above 7,500 rpm," says Harrison.
Is he hinting that the Red Key tune will raise the rev limiter?
"The Mustang team knew a supercharger would be the simplest way to extract significant power improvements from the new 5.0-liter V8, but they elected not to pursue forced induction for the 2012 Boss to stay true to the original Boss 302 engine.
"The core group of engineers on the Boss 302 engine understands and respect the heritage of the name and the history behind the original engine," explains Mike Harrison, Ford V8 engine program manager. "The first Boss 302 was a specially built, free-breathing, high-revving small V8 that gave it certain desirable characteristics on a race course - and we capture that essence in the new engine."
The team also realized the additional hardware meant more weight, the bane of any racing program and the opposite of what the Boss design team was attempting to achieve. Instead, the same technology that has made the new Mustang GT engine such a formidable force was applied to the Boss 302. "In keeping with the spirit of the original, the new Boss 302 engine achieves its maximum power output at speeds at or above 7,500 rpm," says Harrison. "Unlike the original engine, however, low-speed torque and driveability are uncompromised thanks to twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT) technology and computer-aided engineering design tools."
Harrison and his team began exploring Boss 302 concepts starting with the engine's ability to breathe - essential to the production of horsepower. Because credible track performance requires high power production between 5,000 rpm and 7,000 rpm, the team needed a new approach to intake manifold design. Borrowing from the Ford Daytona Prototype engines, the resulting short-runners-in-the-box design virtually eliminates lag when the throttle is snapped open while producing peak power output at high rpm.
"The effect of the new intake design is dramatic," says Harrison. "When I took the prototype car to Mustang Chief Engineer Dave Pericak, he took a short drive, tossed me the keys and said ‘Book it…it's in the program.' He knew what we were onto, and that's really the point where the Boss 302 was born."
To take advantage of the racing intake manifold, cylinder head airflow was fully optimized by CNC porting the entire intake and exhaust port and combustion chamber. The painstaking machining process takes 2.5 hours per head to complete. To accompany the higher peak-power engine speed, the team had to engineer a lightweight, high-speed valvetrain and bulletproof reciprocating assembly that would not only hold together for 150,000-plus miles but also produce power at peak rpm.
"What most people don't realize is that engine stresses increase exponentially as engine speeds rise," explains Harrison. "So moving up from GT's 7,000 rpm redline required significant re-engineering of many different parts. Sacrificing reliability and usability over the GT engine was never an option."
Some of the Boss-specific parts contributing to the Boss 302 V8's output and durability include:
-Revised composite intake system with shorter runners, inspired by Daytona Prototype racing engines, for high-rpm breathing
-Forged aluminum pistons and upgraded sinter-forged connecting rods for improved strength, needed for the higher combustion pressures and engine speeds
-New high-strength aluminum-alloy cylinder heads with fully CNC-machined ports and chambers for exceptional high-rpm airflow without sacrificing low-speed torque
-Lightened valvetrain components to provide excellent dynamic performance up to speeds well above the engine redline
-Sodium-filled exhaust valves for improved heat dissipation
-Race-specification crankshaft main and rod bearings for higher load capability and improved high-speed durability
-5W50 full-synthetic oil with engine oil cooler for improved oil pressure and longer-lasting lubrication during extreme racing conditions
-Revised oil pan baffling for improved oil control under racing conditions and during cornering loads greater than 1.0 g "
The one thing I picked up from re-reading this that gets me a little excited is: the new Boss 302 engine achieves its maximum power output at speeds at or above 7,500 rpm," says Harrison.
Is he hinting that the Red Key tune will raise the rev limiter?
GTR Member
Joined: September 28, 2009
Posts: 6,284
Likes: 1
I could see the whole "Red Key" program expanding to more Mustang models in the coming years. It'd be a variant of the FRPP tuning pack they offer now, just in key form.
Now, if they integrate the ability to tweak the tunes for aftermarket parts, then things will get really interesting...
Now, if they integrate the ability to tweak the tunes for aftermarket parts, then things will get really interesting...
Legacy TMS Member
Joined: February 8, 2004
Posts: 3,399
Likes: 7
From: Cincinnati, OH
The announcement for this mentioned it was a Ford Racing product. The Speed TV special leads one to believe the key itself would come with the car. The calibration activated by that key, however, would be the purchasable aftermarket item. The announcement did not include pricing, although it is speculated to be comparable in cost to other aftermarket tunes (in the neighborhood of $300).
Shelby GT350 Member
Joined: November 20, 2010
Posts: 2,382
Likes: 1
From: Sioux Falls, SD
Agreed. I thought the same thing. They all kind of look at each other and smirk and grin before they say that. I also wonder what some of the other things they "shut off" in the tune might be. I'm ordering track wheels and if they'd turn off TPMS that would save us all a lot of wasted dough on sensors and bands for track wheels. I wish they'd share some more info with us on it.
Bullitt Member
Joined: November 3, 2010
Posts: 454
Likes: 0
Agreed. I thought the same thing. They all kind of look at each other and smirk and grin before they say that. I also wonder what some of the other things they "shut off" in the tune might be. I'm ordering track wheels and if they'd turn off TPMS that would save us all a lot of wasted dough on sensors and bands for track wheels. I wish they'd share some more info with us on it.
I'm not sure they have figured it out yet.
ugh TPMS I hadn't even thought about that stupid crap...what happens if there is no TPMS signal (ie: no sensors/bands)?
Shelby GT350 Member
Joined: November 20, 2010
Posts: 2,382
Likes: 1
From: Sioux Falls, SD
Well on my GT500 you get a warning bell/ding and a digital message on the bottom of the tach saying "TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM FAULT". You also get the "flat tire" symbol in orange on the speedo. I have sensors and bands on both of my sets of track wheels. Still trying to sort out what is needed and will work for the Boss. PITA.
Food for thought, a Corvette racer I know throws 4 go-kart wheels/tires in the back of his car w/ the bands attached and properly pressurized to fool the system 
Shelby GT350 Member
Joined: November 20, 2010
Posts: 2,382
Likes: 1
From: Sioux Falls, SD
I've heard of other tricks too like putting all four inside a PVC pipe with a valve stem and pressurizing it, but apparently that doesn't work on the system Ford uses.........