The Evolution of Performance: A Look at Ford's Mustang Performance Packages

When it comes to performance upgrades, few cars are as iconic and desirable as the Ford Mustang. Over the years, Ford has offered various performance packages to take this American muscle car to the next level. In this article, we'll delve into the details of Ford's Mustang performance packages, including the latest Level One and Level Two upgrades.

The Mustang GT Performance Pack: For Enthusiasts Who Want It All

For those who want a Mustang that can handle both street and track duties, the GT-level One performance pack is an excellent choice. This package comes with a range of upgrades that enhance the car's aerodynamics, suspension, and brakes. The Level One performance pack includes features such as an upgraded differential, improved aerodynamics, summer tires, a gauge pack on the inside, upgraded suspension, a big radiator, four-piston brakes, unique chassis tuning, and a thicker rear sway bar.

One of the standout features of the GT-level One performance pack is its tire specification. The package comes with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, which provide excellent grip and handling on both dry and wet roads. In contrast, Level Two upgrades come with wider Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, offering even more grip and stability at high speeds.

The Level Two Upgrade: For the Serious Track Enthusiast

For those who want to take their Mustang to the next level of performance, the Level Two upgrade is the way to go. This package builds upon the features offered in the GT-level One performance pack, with some notable additions. The Level Two upgrade includes the same aerodynamic tweaks as the GT-level One, but also features a more advanced suspension system and improved brakes.

Another key difference between the two levels is the transmission specification. The Level Two upgrade comes only with manual transmissions, while the GT-level One performance pack can be paired with either an automatic or manual transmission. This makes the Level Two upgrade a great choice for those who want to experience the thrill of shifting gears manually.

The EcoBoost Mustang: A More Affordable Option

For those who don't need or want the high-performance capabilities of the GT, the EcoBoost Mustang is an excellent alternative. Despite having fewer cylinders under the hood, the EcoBoost Mustang still packs a punch and offers excellent fuel efficiency. The package comes with features such as an upgraded differential, improved aerodynamics, summer tires, a gauge pack on the inside, upgraded suspension, a big radiator, four-piston brakes, unique chassis tuning, and a thicker rear sway bar.

One of the standout features of the EcoBoost Mustang is its weight savings compared to the GT. Weighing in at around 200 pounds less than the GT, the EcoBoost Mustang handles extremely well on both dry and wet roads. Additionally, the EcoBoost Mustang's automatic transmission makes it an excellent choice for those who don't know how to drive stick or prefer the convenience of an automatic.

Performance Comparison: GT vs. EcoBoost

When it comes to raw power, the GT-level One performance pack leaves the EcoBoost Mustang in its dust. The GT's V8 engine provides a significant boost in power and torque compared to the EcoBoost's turbocharged engine. However, the EcoBoost Mustang still offers excellent handling and grip, making it an excellent choice for those who want a fun-to-drive car without the high-performance price tag.

In contrast, the GT-level One performance pack is designed to provide both street and track capabilities. With its manual transmission, this package allows drivers to experience the thrill of shifting gears manually while still enjoying the convenience of an automatic option. The GT also comes with features such as a gauge pack on the inside, upgraded suspension, and a big radiator that enhance its overall performance.

Conclusion

When it comes to performance upgrades, Ford's Mustang offers an excellent range of options for drivers who want a fun-to-drive car with impressive capabilities. From the GT-level One performance pack to the Level Two upgrade, there's something for every driver who wants to take their Mustang to the next level. Whether you're looking for a car that can handle both street and track duties or simply want a more affordable option with excellent fuel efficiency, Ford's Mustang has something to offer.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enhey this is Eric brand with auto trader and today I'm at the Montella motor club in Upstate New York comparing 2018 models of the Ford Mustang equipped with performance pack options for more of my thoughts on these cars click the link below and check out my column on autotrader.com let's start with the basics most Mustangs come in two basic variants the base EcoBoost model and the high performance GT clearly The Styling of the two cars is very similar the biggest difference between these two cars is the engine as its name implies the EcoBoost model is powered by a turbocharged 2.3 l EcoBoost inline 4 while the more muscular GT comes with a 5 L coyote V8 under the hood so what if you want a Mustang with track friendly modifications like upgraded suspension brakes and steering but you don't quite have the budget for a Shelby GT350 which starts at over $55,000 that's where the new performance pack options come in a Ford Mustang GT equipped with the performance pack splits the difference in both price and performance between the standard Mustang GT and the Shelby GT 350 a performance pack is also available on the EcoBoost Mustang if you want a Nimble four-cylinder sports coupe that can hold its own on the track and is more affordable and more efficient than the GT the Mustang GT is available with two different levels of the performance pack they both include Brembo six piston brakes unique chassis tuning with magnar ride available on level one and standard on level two torsion differentials thicker sway bars and enhanced structural bracing both cars also have mean appearance packages that give a hint of the upgrades that lie beneath and aerodynamically tweaks the car to create more downforce for the most part the level two upgrade is just a further upgrade of what level one offers one of the biggest differences between the two is the tires level one comes with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires and level two comes with wider Michelin Pilot Sport cup two tires providing more grip the 4S tires on the level one car are a little more Street friendly with deeper Treads while the cup two tires are pretty close to just being racing slicks another big difference is that level one is available with an automatic transmission and level two is manual only basically the level one performance pack is for the Enthusiast who still plans on doing most of their driving on the street and likes to enjoy the occasional track day while the level two car is for the more committed track rat who has big plans for driving their Mustang on the track as often or more often than they drive it on the street as for the EcoBoost Mustang there is only one performance pack available which comes with similar upgrades as the GT level one performance pack it comes with an upgraded differential improved aerodynamics summer Tires a gauge pack on the inside upgraded suspension a big radiator four piston brakes unique chassis tuning and a thicker rear sway bar so how do these cars perform on the street let's start with the EcoBoost thanks to the EcoBoost Mustang there's no longer any shame in getting the non GT Mustang you're really not giving up much by getting the EcoBoost the EcoBoost does have a lot less power than the GT but it's still a very fun car to drive and it's an easy car to live with and it returns good fuel economy this mustang is equipped with an automatic transmission and personally I think a car with the performance P makes a lot more sense with a manual transmission since it's kind of an Enthusiast option but the fact that you can get one with an automatic is still nice if you don't know how to drive stick or if you just don't want a drive stick the EcoBoost Mustang is also noticeably lighter than the Mustang GT by I think about 200 lb the weight difference is especially noticeable on the handling it's not carrying all that weight of a V8 and you can really tell when you're putting it into a corner getting into the Mustang GT the power difference is pretty noticeable between the EcoBoost and the GT the EcoBoost still moves pretty well but the GT just has that V8 grunt that you can't get from anything else the GT is a little bit more of a brute than the EcoBoost Mustang but it's also very refined like in the EcoBoost you can switch it into sport mode track mode and it completely changes the character of the car if you want raw straight line performance if you want to do a lot of burnouts obviously the GT is the one that you want what people love about the Mustang GT isn't just the power the performance but it's the character it's the sound and all of that stuff is very much still alive in this Mustang GT when you get a Mustang GT with one of the performance packs it's priced in between the GT and the lby GT 350 which is the really crazy track car and I think it's priced about right for what it is uh it's not the most affordable Mustang obviously but I think it's still a pretty good value for what you're getting so if you want a V8 Mustang that you can drive every day and also have some fun with at the track but you don't quite have the budget for a Shelby GT 350 then this is the car for you the Mustang GT with the performance back while the track performance of these cars is extremely impressive what might be even more impressive is their versatility when I think of a car that's modified from the factory for track use I think of something Spartan something that performs really well on the track but might not be something you actually want to drive on the street that's not the case with these Mustangs Ford has done an excellent job making these serious track cars without sacrificing much in the comfort and convenience department so the EcoBoost Mustang is the more efficient more affordable choice that doesn't compromise much on performance while the Mustang GT gives you that V8 character that you might find synonymous with mustangs the GT is more fun on a back road and on the track than the EcoBoost but the EcoBoost Mustang is still a great car for anyone who wants the look of a Mustang but doesn't care how many cylinders are under the hood the best way to know which Mustang is right for you is to drive them find the Mustang that fits your taste and your budget on auto trader if you enjoyed watching and hearing these lovely Mustangs like this video And subscribe to AutoTrader for morehey this is Eric brand with auto trader and today I'm at the Montella motor club in Upstate New York comparing 2018 models of the Ford Mustang equipped with performance pack options for more of my thoughts on these cars click the link below and check out my column on autotrader.com let's start with the basics most Mustangs come in two basic variants the base EcoBoost model and the high performance GT clearly The Styling of the two cars is very similar the biggest difference between these two cars is the engine as its name implies the EcoBoost model is powered by a turbocharged 2.3 l EcoBoost inline 4 while the more muscular GT comes with a 5 L coyote V8 under the hood so what if you want a Mustang with track friendly modifications like upgraded suspension brakes and steering but you don't quite have the budget for a Shelby GT350 which starts at over $55,000 that's where the new performance pack options come in a Ford Mustang GT equipped with the performance pack splits the difference in both price and performance between the standard Mustang GT and the Shelby GT 350 a performance pack is also available on the EcoBoost Mustang if you want a Nimble four-cylinder sports coupe that can hold its own on the track and is more affordable and more efficient than the GT the Mustang GT is available with two different levels of the performance pack they both include Brembo six piston brakes unique chassis tuning with magnar ride available on level one and standard on level two torsion differentials thicker sway bars and enhanced structural bracing both cars also have mean appearance packages that give a hint of the upgrades that lie beneath and aerodynamically tweaks the car to create more downforce for the most part the level two upgrade is just a further upgrade of what level one offers one of the biggest differences between the two is the tires level one comes with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires and level two comes with wider Michelin Pilot Sport cup two tires providing more grip the 4S tires on the level one car are a little more Street friendly with deeper Treads while the cup two tires are pretty close to just being racing slicks another big difference is that level one is available with an automatic transmission and level two is manual only basically the level one performance pack is for the Enthusiast who still plans on doing most of their driving on the street and likes to enjoy the occasional track day while the level two car is for the more committed track rat who has big plans for driving their Mustang on the track as often or more often than they drive it on the street as for the EcoBoost Mustang there is only one performance pack available which comes with similar upgrades as the GT level one performance pack it comes with an upgraded differential improved aerodynamics summer Tires a gauge pack on the inside upgraded suspension a big radiator four piston brakes unique chassis tuning and a thicker rear sway bar so how do these cars perform on the street let's start with the EcoBoost thanks to the EcoBoost Mustang there's no longer any shame in getting the non GT Mustang you're really not giving up much by getting the EcoBoost the EcoBoost does have a lot less power than the GT but it's still a very fun car to drive and it's an easy car to live with and it returns good fuel economy this mustang is equipped with an automatic transmission and personally I think a car with the performance P makes a lot more sense with a manual transmission since it's kind of an Enthusiast option but the fact that you can get one with an automatic is still nice if you don't know how to drive stick or if you just don't want a drive stick the EcoBoost Mustang is also noticeably lighter than the Mustang GT by I think about 200 lb the weight difference is especially noticeable on the handling it's not carrying all that weight of a V8 and you can really tell when you're putting it into a corner getting into the Mustang GT the power difference is pretty noticeable between the EcoBoost and the GT the EcoBoost still moves pretty well but the GT just has that V8 grunt that you can't get from anything else the GT is a little bit more of a brute than the EcoBoost Mustang but it's also very refined like in the EcoBoost you can switch it into sport mode track mode and it completely changes the character of the car if you want raw straight line performance if you want to do a lot of burnouts obviously the GT is the one that you want what people love about the Mustang GT isn't just the power the performance but it's the character it's the sound and all of that stuff is very much still alive in this Mustang GT when you get a Mustang GT with one of the performance packs it's priced in between the GT and the lby GT 350 which is the really crazy track car and I think it's priced about right for what it is uh it's not the most affordable Mustang obviously but I think it's still a pretty good value for what you're getting so if you want a V8 Mustang that you can drive every day and also have some fun with at the track but you don't quite have the budget for a Shelby GT 350 then this is the car for you the Mustang GT with the performance back while the track performance of these cars is extremely impressive what might be even more impressive is their versatility when I think of a car that's modified from the factory for track use I think of something Spartan something that performs really well on the track but might not be something you actually want to drive on the street that's not the case with these Mustangs Ford has done an excellent job making these serious track cars without sacrificing much in the comfort and convenience department so the EcoBoost Mustang is the more efficient more affordable choice that doesn't compromise much on performance while the Mustang GT gives you that V8 character that you might find synonymous with mustangs the GT is more fun on a back road and on the track than the EcoBoost but the EcoBoost Mustang is still a great car for anyone who wants the look of a Mustang but doesn't care how many cylinders are under the hood the best way to know which Mustang is right for you is to drive them find the Mustang that fits your taste and your budget on auto trader if you enjoyed watching and hearing these lovely Mustangs like this video And subscribe to AutoTrader for more\n"