NEWS: Mustang EcoBoost First Impressions
For most, when we think of the Ford Mustang we think of good ole' American V8 power. However to appeal to a wider audience across the globe, Ford has decided to put an EcoBoost 2.3 liter four-cylinder under the hood of the Mustang.
The 4cylinder powered pony car will sit as the mid-range engine, the V6 still being the base engine and come matted to either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic tran with paddle shifters.
Ford invited a group of journalists to visit and take a ride in the new Mustang Ecoboost to try and show it is still a Mustang at heart.
One thing Ford focused heavily on in the Mustang Ecoboost was handling. It will be the lightest Mustang in the line up. They worked to ensure there is minimal body roll, as well as minimal nose dive when the car is under heavy braking.
Ford fitted 255/40R-19 Pirelli P Zero summer tires on the EcoBoost. They seemed to fit the nature of the car, providing good grip and very little tire squeal at high cornering speeds. The new independent rear suspension also contributes to the new cars improved handling and grip.
The car that journalists rode in also had the performance pack, which adds upgraded brakes, measuring 13.9 inches in the front and 13.0 inches in the rear and ups the axle ratio to 3.55:1 versus the stock 3.15:1 ratio of non-performance pack equipped models.
The new turbo four-cylinder will crank out upwards of 305 hp, the same as the V6, but will produce peak torque much lower in the rev range thus waling away from the V6 equipped car on the track. The new turbo engine is also significantly lighter than the V6 with the transmission offering several different shift modes, including a track mode where the automatic is more willing to hold gears and will shift almost immediately when you press the paddles.
One thing that has always made a Mustang a muscle car is the sound. Whether you opt for the V6 or the V8, the Mustang has always provided a nice exhaust note. So the question is, does the Mustang Ecoboost live up to this? Well it does have a snarl to it, but it is still a little muffled by the turbo, however, Ford has not completed the sound tuning, but it will likely follow in the footsteps of the Focus ST and be slightly artificial rather than the natural sound that you get from a naturally aspirated engine - not the mention a V8 engine.
By: Joshua Kashinsky
Image Credit: Motor Trend
