Test Drove new 5.0 Mustang

[Curt2000]

Current Cars: V4 equipped E93 and my wife's JB3 Equipped 135.

I stopped by the local Ford dealership to see what all the hype was about over the new Mustang GT 5.0. I test drove a white on red GT premium, sticker $32K.

Impression of the exterior: The lines are dull but were enhanced by a front lip and rear deck spoiler, it also had a cool looking hood cowling which lost all its coolness when I realized it was not functional. The white was un-inspiring but they had a boss blue and black one in the inventory which were nice looking. The ride height is about 2 inches too high...there was a canyon between the tires and the fenders, the factory equipped 18's were pretty drab as well so one would have to equip the car with a serious drop and some nice 19's (the GT500 sports staggered gunmetal 19's front and 20's in rear which was really sweet). There is an optional Brembo brake upgrade which I would consider a must as well.

Interior: Typical Detroit design, not much better than any other Mustang I have ridden in, the red leather was comfortable but coming from a BMW it all seemed cheap and hallow. The hood cowling dominated the forward view and the rear spoiler blocked my view beyond the rear of the car...it really did seem pretty bad how much the spoiler was right in the way of seeing traffic behind me. The shifter was incredibly short and the notch was very weak making me think that it had not slipped into gear when it actually had. It also seemed to naturally guide into 6th on what should have been the 3rd to 4th throw even at WOT. There was a really cool full glass roof option that I would consider a must!

Motor: The new 5.0 motor has a lot of grunt, and was very spirited up top. The gurgle of the exhaust was pretty cool and it revved freely. The bog of power between shifts was pretty bad, coming from the boost holding auto n54. I could tell the car was slower then the E93 and a lot slower than the 135 (both tuned). Even for me coming from the E93 land yacht, the mustang felt incredibly heavy. It just felt like a massive presence all around me. I believe with I/H/E and tune to free up another 50 hp or so the car would feel lighter and more responsive, much like a tune compliments our cars.

Suspension: This was a big improvement! The car was very responsive even though it felt heavy and floaty in a strait line. It pulled through curves very nicely and kept the power on the ground surprisingly well.

Overall Impression: While the suspension and motor are noticeably improved, the car still lacks much refinement. Spec'd out properly I would put the 5.0 around $39K and I would have to put a good $12000 into appearance and performance mods to be satisfied with it, at which point I might as well put down the cash for the GT500. It was fun to drive simply because of the novelty surrounding a redneck icon, every person and their mother I drove by was starring me down. But I believe that stigma will fade when every person and their mother owns one like with the Camaro. So while it is a great improvement and a great bang for your buck car...I just couldn't justify buying it when I am so used to the refinement and total car feeling you can get from a bimmer.

[CMSS2000]

Nice writeup Curt! I had wondered about this new Mustang too, but never got to the point of a test drive.

[BrokenVert]

Nice right up. I compared a stang to a 135 back in 08 and had very similar complaints. Did they fix the clutch? It felt like crap on the old 5 speed and I couldn't really tell where it engaged

[Curt2000]

Originally Posted by BrokenVert

Nice right up. I compared a stang to a 135 back in 08 and had very similar complaints. Did they fix the clutch? It felt like crap on the old 5 speed and I couldn't really tell where it engaged

The clutch felt pretty solid but I was having trouble rev-matching on downshifts, I assumed I was just not used to the sweet spot.

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by Curt2000

The clutch felt pretty solid but I was having trouble rev-matching on upshifts, I assumed I was just not used to the sweet spot.

Rev-matching on upshifts?
Please explain this.

Also, please explain this "power bog" on shifts that you mention.

I haven't driven one yet, as my local dealer doesn't have any MT GT's.
Did the car you drove have the 3.73 rear end, or something else?
If it had the stock 3.15, then I can see you not feeling more power than your tuned 335i. But compared to a stock one, 412hp clearly out powers 300hp.
Inside Line did a dyno, and their GT achieved 395hp and 365lb ft. at the wheels! That's either a 4% power train loss, or it has more HP than advertised. And only 6% loss for claimed torque, or it has more torque than claimed as well.

It's interesting that you don't like the MT's shifter. Pretty much every published test raves about how good it is.

[Curt2000]

Originally Posted by RPM90

Rev-matching on upshifts?
Please explain this.

Also, please explain this "power bog" on shifts that you mention.

I haven't driven one yet, as my local dealer doesn't have any MT GT's.
Did the car you drove have the 3.73 rear end, or something else?
If it had the stock 3.15, then I can see you not feeling more power than your tuned 335i. But compared to a stock one, 412hp clearly out powers 300hp.
Inside Line did a dyno, and their GT achieved 395hp and 365lb ft. at the wheels! That's either a 4% power train loss, or it has more HP than advertised. And only 6% loss for claimed torque, or it has more torque than claimed as well.

It's interesting that you don't like the MT's shifter. Pretty much every published test raves about how good it is.

Pardon me, 'Down Shifts'...blond moment...

It probably had the stock rear ratio but I didn't check the sticker to confirm.

As for the 'bogging' it can be attributed to the difference in feel between N/A and turbo. With my two tuned N54's the boost is held between shifts which gives you a steady power delivery between gears. The torque band is still coming on strong at the beginning of the next gear which always provides a great sensation of acceleration.

With the Mustang the shift was met with a quick grunt and chirp of the tires in lower gears and a disappointing feeling of loosing momentum until the RPMs built back up. From 6-7K the GT felt very strong but the lower RPM ranges left me wanting for a car with more area under the power curve.

[JimmyT]

Nice comments. You went a little further than I did and actually drove the MGT. I called "deal breaker" when I sat in one and felt like I had to Jack the seat up to see over the hood and rear spoiler. I do believe the MGT is the best bang for buck car out there, but it isn't for me!!!

[Curt2000]

Originally Posted by RPM90

It's interesting that you don't like the MT's shifter. Pretty much every published test raves about how good it is.

It was cool at first but when I was putting it through its paces it seemed a bit un-natural. With all the other MT cars I've owned, long and short throw, during WOT quick shifts I could mindlessly slap it into the next gear. With the GT transmission the guides are so close together that I really had to concentrate to grab the right gear, especially on the 3rd to 4th throw. The close guides paired with the very light, almost arcade like, notching of the gears made shifting a very uneasy experience for me.

Of course I was learning the car on the fly and I'm sure I would get used to the shifter in time, but I could foresee many missed shifts in the process. I feel that Ford over did it with the shifter, especially compared to earlier models, it is a drastic difference. It felt shorter than some of the after market STSs that I have equipped some of my past cars with which is pretty dang short.

[Milligan]

Haha, you guys don't drive muscle cars much eh?

Muscle Car check list:
Bad visibility- Check
Poor fit and finish- Check
Rough engine with narrow powerband- Check
Shitty transmission- Check
Bland interior- Check
Tacked on exterior goodies without a purpose- Check

You pretty much went down the check list of a muscle car. They are low in refinement, high in testosterone. There is really no comparing a Mustang to a Bimmer, totally different market IMO. People cross shop them, sure, but after they drive both they are usually all over one and totally dislike the other.

[JimmyT]

tell that to the guys at Motor Trend....they seem to have hit the optimum balance of Ford Koolade and journalism when they compared one to an M3...

ION, I just had a guy with his V6 Mustang try to race me from a stoplight... it was a little embarrassing for him since I didn't take him seriously and drove normal....

[Guynamedsean]

I think that ever since 2008 or so, that auto journalists started feeling guilty for dissing American cars for so many years. It is like they feel partly responsible for what happened to the automakers. I find recent write ups on cars like the mustang, Taurus, caddy cts to be a little bit too comlimentary. It is like they are trying to make up for the past.

When I saw the comparo: mustang gt vs m3, that was the worse.

Of all the American makers, I admire ford the most because they remained independant, but I can't think of any ford that I would want to drive.

The average person can't tell a 2010 mustang from a 2009.

[IZAGLO]

i have had very similar experience with the Mustang and the Camaro..Except for the engine these cars are in another league compared to the BMW.
coming from my 135i Sport interior one hour ago and getting in a Mustang GT it is like walking into another era....The Mustangs trim, molding, seats, steering wheel, everything on the inside looks 10 years dated and much more "cheaper quality". The exterior paint and finish, Rims (grey) was not as bad but as well was dated compared to the BMW...And this GT did not have the Brembo pack and the brake rotors painted shiney silver looked horrible...There is no doubt the performance end og the GT is where this car shines, and rightly so, it is nice.....but i was very happy to get back into my JB3 Map5 135I !!!! It looked and felt so much more refined and smaller....For what it is the Mustang GT is a really nice car, and anyone should be proud to own one....just not me, and the BMW feels and looks like it should be more money.., but we BMW enthusiasts pay a premium for a reason.

[Ash83]

Thx for the info..

[ErvGotti]

Originally Posted by JimmyT

tell that to the guys at Motor Trend....they seem to have hit the optimum balance of Ford Koolade and journalism when they compared one to an M3...

ION, I just had a guy with his V6 Mustang try to race me from a stoplight... it was a little embarrassing for him since I didn't take him seriously and drove normal....

But he threw a KnN filter in there he has to pushing in the 11's. Lol

[jdash]

I just recently was deciding between a new 2011 5.0 Premium 6MT with Brembo and the used 135i that I ultimately bought.

My impressions are a bit different. I drove both cars several times back-to-back with different options and ultimately chose the 1er, but it was a *narrow* win, in my case.

Interior:
Coming from an Audi, both cars were definitely a downgrade here. I felt the 2011 Premium Mustang had the nicest interior I have seen in an American car. The base model (non premium) is downright bad. The cloth seats are not horrible, but the base steering wheel, shifter, and parking brake make the car feel cheaper than my old Honda in college. The Ford dealer was willing to sell me the non-premium and swap in the seats and steering wheel from a premium package car. I was pleased at how much the Ford dealer was willing to do for me. The 135i with M-Sport has probably a more upscale-looking interior, however I would still classify both as hollow. The 1er's heavy use of hard plastics brings it down several notches for me. The Ford feels much roomier front and back.

Drive:
I will say I think both cars handle great in normal city and aggresive driving. Compared to our Audi, these coupes have firm rides, but I wouldn't call either of them harsh at all.

The 5.0 makes instant power everywhere. I drove a 6MT with the 3.73 rear-end and Brembo package. The engine sounds *amazing* sitting idling, and even better when you mash it on onramps. Phenomenal power. The 1er is much more civilized when you don't want to drive aggressively, and with a tiny bit more skinny pedal well all know it GOES. The n54s' power delivery felt much smoother, and just keeps building and building. Both engines are intoxicating, just in different ways. To me it felt like I could drive my wife around in the 1er without a lot of work, where as the beastly Ford took a lot more effort and attention in order to keep things "civil". Of course, at first this was a draw to me

As far as brakes, the Brembo-equipped Mustang was sublime. Very linear and powerful, I am still not used to the grabby 1er brakes -- the initial bite that you roundel guys seem to love keeps sneaking up on me.

Appearance:
I think both cars are good looking, overall. However, they both have awkward angles that make me grimace -- like the Seinfeld "angles" girl haha.

Both cars can be made to look great with the right wheels and color combos, but the 1er has slightly more style, IMO.

In the end, I went with the 1er because of how bipolar it is: civilized during regular driving, and an absolute rocket with enough skinny pedal. I also enjoyed how few 1ers there are in this area and that it's a total sleeper. My wife favored it simply because it was more like our Audi, however she very much prefers the outgoing car... hopefully it'll grow on her

The 5.0 is a total "beast", and if I had the funds to own three cars vs. two, I'd also have a 5.0 sitting in my garage.

[Curt2000]

Good comparison, I feel the same way...I'm looking for ways to justify having the E93 and a GT

Originally Posted by jdash

I just recently was deciding between a new 2011 5.0 Premium 6MT with Brembo and the used 135i that I ultimately bought.

My impressions are a bit different. I drove both cars several times back-to-back with different options and ultimately chose the 1er, but it was a *narrow* win, in my case.

Interior:
Coming from an Audi, both cars were definitely a downgrade here. I felt the 2011 Premium Mustang had the nicest interior I have seen in an American car. The base model (non premium) is downright bad. The cloth seats are not horrible, but the base steering wheel, shifter, and parking brake make the car feel cheaper than my old Honda in college. The Ford dealer was willing to sell me the non-premium and swap in the seats and steering wheel from a premium package car. I was pleased at how much the Ford dealer was willing to do for me. The 135i with M-Sport has probably a more upscale-looking interior, however I would still classify both as hollow. The 1er's heavy use of hard plastics brings it down several notches for me. The Ford feels much roomier front and back.

Drive:
I will say I think both cars handle great in normal city and aggresive driving. Compared to our Audi, these coupes have firm rides, but I wouldn't call either of them harsh at all.

The 5.0 makes instant power everywhere. I drove a 6MT with the 3.73 rear-end and Brembo package. The engine sounds *amazing* sitting idling, and even better when you mash it on onramps. Phenomenal power. The 1er is much more civilized when you don't want to drive aggressively, and with a tiny bit more skinny pedal well all know it GOES. The n54s' power delivery felt much smoother, and just keeps building and building. Both engines are intoxicating, just in different ways. To me it felt like I could drive my wife around in the 1er without a lot of work, where as the beastly Ford took a lot more effort and attention in order to keep things "civil". Of course, at first this was a draw to me

As far as brakes, the Brembo-equipped Mustang was sublime. Very linear and powerful, I am still not used to the grabby 1er brakes -- the initial bite that you roundel guys seem to love keeps sneaking up on me.

Appearance:
I think both cars are good looking, overall. However, they both have awkward angles that make me grimace -- like the Seinfeld "angles" girl haha.

Both cars can be made to look great with the right wheels and color combos, but the 1er has slightly more style, IMO.

In the end, I went with the 1er because of how bipolar it is: civilized during regular driving, and an absolute rocket with enough skinny pedal. I also enjoyed how few 1ers there are in this area and that it's a total sleeper. My wife favored it simply because it was more like our Audi, however she very much prefers the outgoing car... hopefully it'll grow on her

The 5.0 is a total "beast", and if I had the funds to own three cars vs. two, I'd also have a 5.0 sitting in my garage.

[crzy4135i]

[quote=jdash;8022385]

As far as brakes, the Brembo-equipped Mustang was sublime. Very linear and powerful, I am still not used to the grabby 1er brakes -- the initial bite that you roundel guys seem to love keeps sneaking up on me.

quote]

Haha.. yea, I have braking issues now that my 135i is sold. I'm driving my old saab 900 and I ease my foot on the brake pedal like I did with the 135i and it keeps going.. so I have to press it much more to get it to brake. It's funny how you get used to one car then have issues going back to another that isn't as precise. I was coming up behind another car at a stop light and got scared for a second or two until I pressed the brake pedal down another inch or so.

[jdash]

Haha.. yea, I have braking issues now that my 135i is sold. I'm driving my old saab 900 and I ease my foot on the brake pedal like I did with the 135i and it keeps going.. so I have to press it much more to get it to brake. It's funny how you get used to one car then have issues going back to another that isn't as precise. I was coming up behind another car at a stop light and got scared for a second or two until I pressed the brake pedal down another inch or so.

Heh, trying going from a 1er to a Jeep TJ... keeps us sharp and on our toes