First drive evaluate: 2020 Ford Mustang 2.Three Excessive Efficiency Package deal challenges the GT
It’s a lovely September day on California’s Freeway 1 north of San Francisco and the 2020 Ford Mustang 2.Three Excessive Efficiency is doing its greatest to make me a believer. I choose V-8s in my muscle automobiles, however the Ford Focus RS engine on this automobile is raucous enjoyable and a boon to dealing with.
It solely takes a number of jabs of the throttle and turns of the wheel to study that the Mustang 2.Three Excessive Efficiency is a viable various to the Mustang GT.
Ford first put in a turbo-Four within the current-generation Mustang in 2015 with its 310-horsepower 2.Three-liter engine. The corporate even supplied a Efficiency Package deal for the turbo-Four, however the V-Eight-powered GT all the time had higher efficiency goodies.
Now, Ford is taking one other shot at turbo-Four efficiency with the two.Three Excessive Efficiency Package deal and including an EcoBoost Dealing with Package deal that performs off the strengths of the GT and even the Shelby GT350.
2020 Ford Mustang 2.Three Excessive Efficiency Package deal
2020 Ford Mustang 2.Three Excessive Efficiency Package deal
2020 Ford Mustang 2.Three Excessive Efficiency Package deal
$5,000 to strategy V-Eight efficiency
The Mustang 2.Three Excessive Efficiency Package deal is a $Four,995 field patrons can examine for any Mustang trim stage, from base 100A to decked out Premium. All of it begins with the Focus RS engine.
With extra weight to hold round than within the Focus, Ford engineers wished to make the two.Three-liter Four-cylinder’s energy simpler to entry and that meant a flatter torque curve. The reply was a brand new turbocharger. Designed in solely two weeks, the brand new turbo helps the engine make 332 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque, 90 % of which is out there all the way in which from 2,500 to five,300 rpm. Torque additionally holds stronger as much as its 6,500-rpm redline.
The additional torque prompted Ford to regulate the shift factors of the obtainable 10-speed computerized transmission by 500-600 rpm. Consumers may also go for a 6-speed guide transmission, however Ford says the automobile is faster with the 10-speed, which helps it hit 60 mph within the mid-Four-second vary. It additionally provides $1,595. With the guide, Ford says the Zero-60 mph time is just under 5.Zero seconds.
That’s mighty fast for a Four-cylinder, and it pushes up towards the 2020 Mustang GT, which launches to 60 mph in about Four.Zero seconds. With a spot of only a half-second or so, the engine is one cause why the two.Three Excessive Efficiency Package deal Mustang makes a compelling case towards the Mustang GT.
On coastal CA-1, the two.Three is up for the duty of dashing from bend to bend with both the guide or the automated. The Four-cylinder revs willingly, delivers energy all through its rpm vary, provides prepared grunt when exiting turns, and sounds a raspy notice (although not as sonorous because the dulcet tones of the V-Eight). The 10-speed shifts shortly and easily and retains the engine within the meat of its rev band, although it typically dawdles to shift by way of the skinny plastic steering wheel paddles. Quick throws and a pure clutch really feel make the guide enjoyable and interesting, and the carbon-fiber cueball gearshift on the Premium convertible mannequin I drove is a murals I wish to show in my workplace.
However the 2.Three Excessive Efficiency Package deal is extra than simply an engine. It will get 13.9-inch entrance brake rotors and Four-piston calipers from the Mustang GT, a strut-tower brace, heavy-duty entrance springs, a bigger rear sway bar (21.7 mm as an alternative of 20), a bigger radiator, and 19×9-inch 255/40 Pirelli P Zero summer season efficiency tires. In reality, the two.Three Excessive Efficiency Package deal is the one option to get summer season tires on a Four-cylinder Mustang.
2020 Ford Mustang 2.Three Excessive Efficiency Package deal
2020 Ford Mustang 2.Three Excessive Efficiency Package deal
2020 Ford Mustang 2.Three Excessive Efficiency Package deal
2020 Ford Mustang 2.Three Excessive Efficiency Package deal
The bundle additionally contains inside and exterior adjustments. Up entrance, it has the GT Efficiency Package deal’s splitter and stomach pan, a multipiece black grille with the tri-bar pony brand, and stripes that fade from entrance to again alongside the hood strains. It additionally will get darkish exterior mirror caps, quad-exhaust suggestions, and a rear spoiler. Inside, it options oil strain and increase gauges, an engine-spun aluminum instrument panel, and a splash plaque with the chassis construct quantity.
If the engine isn’t sufficient, the suspension and tire adjustments are one more reason to decide on the two.Three Excessive Efficiency Package deal. Regardless of the larger wheels and tires, the suspension absorbs bumps whereas offering fast turn-in response. With a stiffer rear bar and 200 fewer kilos than a V-Eight-powered GT over the nostril, the entrance finish feels mild, physique lean is minimal, and total dealing with is impartial. The steering is very sharp and communicative.
For many who need even sharper dealing with, Ford provides another choice bundle.
2020 Ford Mustang 2.Three Excessive Efficiency Package deal
2020 Ford Mustang 2.Three Excessive Efficiency Package deal
2020 Ford Mustang 2.Three Excessive Efficiency Package deal
$2,000 nicely spent
Consumers who go for the two.Three Excessive Efficiency Package deal may also tick the field for the $1,995 EcoBoost Dealing with Package deal, which provides adjustable MagneRide dampers, semi-metallic brake pads, a Torsen limited-slip rear differential with a Three.55:1 rear axle gear, and a thicker 24-millimeter stable rear sway bar. These components gave the automobile extra dealing with functionality, so it wanted extra grip. With that in thoughts, Ford installs wider and stickier 265/40R19 Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires on half-inch wider wheels. Ford used the identical traction technique on the 2019 Mustang Shelby GT350 by putting in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires.
On these twisty roads, the EcoBoost Dealing with Package deal transforms the automobile. The stiff entrance finish makes the steering really feel faster than its 16:1 ratio would recommend. When pushed onerous, the entrance finish relentlessly traces its line with out washing out and the rear finish follows alongside dutifully. Chief engineer Carl Widmann stated that is the least seemingly model of the Mustang to succumb to understeer, and I consider it. He additionally stated the automobile is able to greater than 1 g of lateral grip and that feels proper, too. Whereas the V-Eight has nearly 130 extra hp, this automobile’s mild entrance finish, impartial dealing with, and glorious grip most likely make it a greater autocross competitor than a base GT. The even-stiffer rear bar and the tuning of the MagneRide dampers within the Sport and Observe modes, nonetheless, create a stiff journey that received’t play nicely on pocked roads.
The 2020 Mustang with the two.Three Excessive Efficiency Package deal prices about $33,000 to start out and patrons can get right into a higher-spec Four-cylinder Mustang with each efficiency packages for round $37,000, which is the worth of a base Mustang GT. That provides patrons a alternative: go for the facility and rock and roll soundtrack of the V-Eight or the additional tools and dealing with of the best-handling Four-banger.
I’d nonetheless select the V-Eight-powered Mustang GT as a result of it simply sounds so good, however meaning I’d should spend 1000’s extra to strategy the dealing with of the two.Three Excessive Efficiency with the EcoBoost Dealing with Package deal. I’m no fan of faux engine notes, however, hey Ford, are you able to pipe within the GT’s soundtrack so patrons can have the perfect of each worlds?
Ford paid for journey and lodging for Web Manufacturers Automotive to convey you this first-hand report.