Gigantic turbocharger sits right behind one of the air inlets in this Mustang GT’s front bumper.
Most of the revisions Ford made to the 2018 Mustang GT are unanimously loved. Who couldn’t dig 460 horsepower, 420 lb-ft of torque, and available MagneRide dampers? More safety tech and a Drag Strip mode? Cool stuff. However, there doesn’t seem to be a consensus about whether the angular new front end styling is a homerun or a strike. Here’s a surefire way to improve its appearance: Stuff a big turbo behind one of its openings.
That’s what a mechanic named Nick Curtin does in the Mustang Lifestylevideo above. Host Andrew Sheridan gives us a short tour of the mods as they’re being finalized. The front end is off, revealing a large turbo whose down pipe is going to blow out through the passenger-side opening in the bumper. It’s a custom-made turbo setup, but Nick is making it look easy.
When the Mustang finally starts up, it sounds amazing. It’s not just loud; it has a guttural, angry snarl to it, and that’s just at idle. Revved up, it blends those deep tones of rage with a high-pitched turbo whoosh. It’s a combo that should prove to be the harbinger of doom for less powerful cars on the strip and track. According to what Mustang Lifestyle said in the comments section, the track is “exactly where this monster Mustang is headed.”
When this Mustang’s not on the track, it should be plenty comfortable. It has the niceties of the Premium package and a 10-speed automatic to make getting to that extra power even easier. No word on how much power the enhancements enable the 5.0 to produce, but we have a feeling the figures would be pleasing to everyone. Except Camaro drivers, that is.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
