Supercharged S550 Mustang Duo Provides Lesson in Contrast
If you’ve been trying to decide between a centrifugal and TVS-style supercharger for your Mustang, this will help.
With the exception of turbos, no mod provides more bang for your buck on a modern Mustang than a supercharger. Tossing one on an S550 Mustang is the easiest and dirtiest way to gain hundreds of horsepower in one felt swoop. The only problem is, which one do you choose? There are so many superchargers available it’s enough to make your head spin, and each one has its own unique pros and cons. Thus, we found this recent video from That Dude In Blue to be extra interesting.
The man behind the incredibly popular YouTube channel, David Patterson, has driven his fair share of cars over the years. And he owns a supercharged S197 Mustang himself. So you could say he’s more than qualified to compare and contrast this pair of S550s, owned by two friends. Both of these cars are obviously showstoppers, but they’re also quite unique in their approach to making power.
First up, a Grabber Blue 2017 model packing a centrifugal-style Paxton 2200 supercharger. “It’s an absolute beast of a head unit,” Patterson says. “It’s running 10.5 pounds of boost. I’ve driven plenty of Paxton Coyotes. Bang for your buck? Pretty hard to beat. But the power comes in very late in comparison to, say, a TVS style supercharger. When you’re doing highway pulls, you’re gonna beat a lot of people.”
This is an important point, and answers one of the more common questions we hear from Mustang owners cross-shopping superchargers. “With a TVS, you’re just adding displacement,” Patterson explains. “It’s part of the motor. The Paxton is almost like a separate unit. It’s forcing that air into it much like a turbocharger. But at the same time, it’s gonna have some lag.”
This point becomes clearer when Patterson jumps behind the wheel of the 2.9-liter Whipple supercharged S550. “Rather than having that delay, it hits super hard,” he explains. “It just turns on.” Which is a great way to sum up these two unique builds. On paper, they look pretty similar. The Paxton car lays down 700 wheel horsepower, while the Whipple makes 742. But the way they drive and deliver power is completely different.
So what’s the right answer to this question? Well, that depends on what you’re looking for. Want a car that’s tame around town until you’re ready to rip? Or are you looking to spend a few grand less? Then the Paxton or another centrifugal blower is the way to go. If you want instant power through the entire rev range and have the cash, opt for a TVS style blower like the Whipple. Either way, it’s pretty much a guarantee you’ll have a smile on your face!
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