Thursday 10th March 2011

Video: Boss Mustang At Laguna Seca

US car mag proves the latest hardcore Mustang's worth at iconic California circuit

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Back in August last year, when Ford first unveiled its latest version of the Iconic Boss Mustang, the Blue Oval made big noises about how it could take on - and beat - the BMW M3 at Laguna Seca.

Now, courtesy of US car mag Motor Trend, Ford has had to put its muscle car where its mouth is. And the result? Definitely chalk one up for the Boss mustang. It managed to lap the spectacular California track in a time of 1m 40.75secs, a startling 2.75secs quicker than the BMW M3 managed.

To further cement the point that Americans really can make decently rapid track-focused cars, the Boss's time was even half a second better than Motor Trend managed in an Audi R8.

You can see how the lap panned out by checking out the video below.

 

[dinkel]

440 brake 5 litre vs 400 brake 4 litre, not to forget about torque.

http://www.sub5zero.com/auto-news/2012-ford-mustan...

Mhhh, different strokes for different blokes.

[BBS-LM]

Is that Eddie Izzard driving the car?

[Mjpmark]

Love it, nice to see..

[tim milne]

All nice and smooth and all...shame about the mom-jeans the driver's wearing.

You'd think he'd have dressed for the occasion?

[tim milne]

All nice and smooth and all...shame about the mom-jeans the driver's wearing.

You'd think he'd have dressed for the occasion?

[anonymous-user]

I'd still buy the M3 though.

[scubadude]

Although lapping anything close to that speed is likely beyond me and its likely the footage wasn't of the fastest lap... but it seemed to me he was really labouring the gearchanges, yes it was smooth I'll grant him that but even my mum shifts faster than that (and she has an Automatic Rav4!)

[TimmmyT]

I know I'm being cynical but I always have my doubts when tests like this come from America. It's a bit like when they host the Olympics. Until I see the car tested in the UK on a UK track against an M3, or an R8, driven by an impartial racer or raced against one another I just don't know how much I believe. It's not that I don't want it to be quicker I just don't put much weight behind their claims.

Edited by TimmmyT on Thursday 10th March 13:55

[wackojacko]

Awesome !

[LuS1fer]

TimmmyT said:

I know I'm being cynical but I always have my doubts when tests like this come from America. It's a bit like when they host the Olympics. Until I see the car tested in the UK on a UK track against an M3, or an R8, driven by an impartial racer or raced against one another I just don't know how much I believe. It's not that I don't want it to be quicker I just don't put much weight behind they're claims.

Always nice to doubt it but from my expereince, the American rags are not biased in any way and are only too willing to vaunt the European offerings on plastic plinths. I believe they have always rated the R8 and their Top 10 cars usually have Germans at the top.

This showdown was on the cards and you can google the Mustang 5.0 vs the M3 test where the M3 won but by the slimmest of margins. In that test, it was also noted that BMW threw their full competition pack into the equation too and equally noted that the M3 had a tendency to understeer.

Of course there will always be those who favour the M3 and the BMW may well be better quality. However, what you really need to know is that the Mustang is vastly cheaper, even fully specced (in the US you can buy two 5.0 Mustangs for the price of the M3)and costs half as much to service.

In short, even if you concluded the test was biased, the achievement of matching the M3 with a live-axled car, for half the money, is a pretty amazing achievement. What is certain is you won't find the same test hailing the Camaro or Challenger the winner and that is maybe because they are nearer the weight of the M3 because besides the extra 40 horses, the Mustang is also considerablyb lighter than the M3 so maybe the surprise is that the M3 was that close to the Mustang.

My own experience, backed up to a large degree by your own post, is that the bias lies very much n this side of the Atlantic and that the fan-boys here are far more vociferous in their doubt than when the opposite is applied. In general, I find that most American tests are in line with European conclusions, doubtless aided by the fact that America still fits hard as nails rubber tyres to most of it's cars.

Edited by LuS1fer on Thursday 10th March 14:01

[EDLT]

TimmmyT said:

I know I'm being cynical but I always have my doubts when tests like this come from America. It's a bit like when they host the Olympics. Until I see the car tested in the UK on a UK track against an M3, or an R8, driven by an impartial racer or raced against one another I just don't know how much I believe. It's not that I don't want it to be quicker I just don't put much weight behind they're claims.

Why, do you believe Americans are biased where as a certain Porsche fan magazine isn't?

[Motorrad]

I like the way he sits there and revs it a bit for no reason in the garage I usually do that to scare the crap out of the cat

BTW there is no way a Mustang could be faster than an M3 for half the price it just isn't possible, damn Americans rigging the test so their crappy live axle POS wins. They are also cheating by selling them so cheap.

[Crunchy Nutter]

If I'm honest I'm reluctant to believe it. I read the chap above's comments on American car mags being unbiased, but Americans seem to LOVE America so much that it's difficult to believe they wouldn't swing the test one way or another. And let's be honest, as a nation of straight-road-driving, NASCAR-loving... people, it would perhaps be fair to say that they don't view cornering in the same way as Europeans. Which is why I don't believe that a Mustang is faster around Laguna Seca than an R8.

[Motorrad]

Crunchy Nutter said:

If I'm honest I'm reluctant to believe it. I read the chap above's comments on American car mags being unbiased, but Americans seem to LOVE America so much that it's difficult to believe they wouldn't swing the test one way or another. And let's be honest, as a nation of straight-road-driving, NASCAR-loving... people, it would perhaps be fair to say that they don't view cornering in the same way as Europeans. Which is why I don't believe that a Mustang is faster around Laguna Seca than an R8.

I don't believe it either- they are liars, flat out plain and simple. They don't have any corners in their country either it's all straight lines, pah they have no idea about how good we Europeans are they can't even change gear, fat lazy fkers the lot of them.

[Stig]

Crunchy Nutter said:

And let's be honest, as a nation of straight-road-driving, NASCAR-loving... people, it would perhaps be fair to say that they don't view cornering in the same way as Europeans.

Cobblers. What a sweeping, stereotypical generalistation. Unbelievably, those 'in the colonies' do like circuit driving too.

Still, don't let that get in the way of your prejudices

[EDLT]

Crunchy Nutter said:

If I'm honest I'm reluctant to believe it. I read the chap above's comments on British car mags being unbiased, but the British seem to LOVE Germany so much that it's difficult to believe they wouldn't swing the test one way or another. And let's be honest, as a nation of traffic-driving, football-loving... people, it would perhaps be fair to say that they don't view cornering in the same way as Americans. Which is why I don't believe that a Mustang isn't faster around Laguna Seca than an M3.

EFA, or something.

[LongLiveTazio]

TimmmyT said:

I know I'm being cynical but I always have my doubts when tests like this come from America. It's a bit like when they host the Olympics. Until I see the car tested in the UK on a UK track against an M3, or an R8, driven by an impartial racer or raced against one another I just don't know how much I believe. It's not that I don't want it to be quicker I just don't put much weight behind their claims.

Edited by TimmmyT on Thursday 10th March 13:55

From what I see of MT, R&T, Edmunds etc. they review cars much like Motor used to a few decades ago. They seem far more interested in engineering specs, a full battery of acceleration tests, slalom, skidpan, track, etc. in as close to ideal conditions as possible for every car. No 'mildly moist' laps in sight. I think they do the most easily comparable and unbiased examinations of certain criteria and they're generally my go-to for finding out the genuine performance of cars.

The fact that this is a Yank car is an irrelevance, it's obviously very fast and if you look at Ford's work on the Mustang they've been trying very hard to get it better and better, especially now they've restructured. Kudos, I think it's a fantastic looking car, it grabs me by the balls and I'd much rather have one than an M3.

And yes, I would pretend to be Steve McQueen.

[Bob_Defly]

Wow you guys are being obnoxious pricks.

As a Brit lving in North America I have seen both side of this, and there are a lot of flag waving loonies that hate everything European and just love drag racing. But Ford have done amazingly well with this car, and as soon as there is some stats out there everyone says they just don't believe it.

You sound like a bunch of raving Victor Meldrews.

I have also had this same opinion for a long time, but when you see the Corvette's doing pretty well at Le Mans, and cars like this continuously compared to Euro cars double the price, the US manufacturers are starting to get it right, it's obvious. As petrolheads you should be happy that thunderous well handling cars like this are still being made, or would you prefer a new Nissan Leaf?

Grow up kids.

[TomTVR500]

This is great news, because i would much much MUCH rather have a Mustang than a BMW M3, the only reason until now i would have been forced to buy the M3 is the way it drives but now i could finally buy a Mustang, avoid the awful M3 image and not compromise on the handling.

[EK993]

Crunchy Nutter said:

as a nation of straight-road-driving, NASCAR-loving... people, it would perhaps be fair to say that they don't view cornering in the same way as Europeans.

There are plenty of roads out here that are equal to a UK country lane in terms of twisties. The US only having straight roads is a preconception that isn't true.