Of all the sports cars we love at TopSpeed, the Mustang scores very highly. Partly this is due to the excellent prices. You can get into a base 2.3-liter, four-cylinder car for less than $35,000. That gives you 315 horses for not much money. Clearly Ford is packing a bazooka for a knife fight. The other cars that even remotely match the base Mustang’s price don’t pack anything like the EcoBoost ‘Stang’s punch.
So what will the new RTR have to offer? Well, more of everything. And it is ours guess that Ford will wisely cap this new package at around $40,000 to avoid cannibalizing the V-8 Mustangs further up the price chain. And of course to keep up with their rivals.
Ford is leaving some mystery in the RTR spec, but here’s what we know for now.
Ready to rock!
Yes, we know that “Ready to Rock” as a model name is kind of… hmmm… ‘hair band’? But we love it, because Ford doesn’t take itself too seriously, while another automaker would give the car some kind of alphanumeric code that doesn’t even correspond to the engine displacement. And by the way, some Ford is allowing the RTR to pass the ROCK ON! name is a bona fide, fast and fun gear.
Better suspension
We tested the Mustang Dark Horse. It’s freaking awesome. But not cheap. So go with the RTR and at least some fairy dust will float down. Ford donates the RTR with the Dark Horse’s front and rear stabilizer bars and rear subframe. Ford notes that this takes advantage of a feature the EcoBoost already has, which is an almost equal 50:50 weight distribution. The stiffer setup should lead to quicker turn-in, which will only benefit the RTR’s cornering on the street and on the track.
Drifting made easier
Ford had their Drift Brake technology out for a minute now, and thankfully it’s part of this package. Because if you want a Mustang with an automatic transmission (unfortunately the only way this car is offered), you’re going to have to do some hassle. FYI: There are several great aspects to this. Rumors previously circulated that Ford would completely tighten up the Drift Brake. That is clearly not the case.
How it works
The drift brake doesn’t use a cable, even though you get a pull-style e-brake. Instead, it works electronically if you have Drift Brake mode enabled. Pull the lever up and at the same time the stability and traction control are disengaged while the rear tires are locked. This allows you to pull the e-brake lever and slide that rear end out, then twist the throttle and spin the wheel to create a perfect slide.
Ford is also adding this to the RTR package. It is not a standalone offer. That should be Ready to Rock finishedand it is.
A popular motorcycle massage
Faster response in turbo technology is all the rage these days, and it seems automakers have come up with at least a dozen ways to get around delays. In Ford’s case, they take technology from the Bronco Raptor. Or at least we suspect so, as they mention they’re using an anti-lag turbo lifted from their LeMans GT technology bin – already deployed on the Bronco Raptor.
Anti Lag Turbo Technology
On the Bronco Raptor, in certain driving modes, the turbos don’t turn off completely when you lift off the throttle. Instead, the accelerator pedal is tricked into sending a signal to the turbos’ compressors to keep them running, as if the engine were running at part throttle. This also doesn’t waste fuel because, unlike other systems, it doesn’t actually send fuel through the injectors. It’s just keeping the turbos on point. We suspect this is also the essence of the RTR’s standard anti-lag turbocharging. Ford says this will give this Mustang a sharper response. They don’t mention extra horsepower or torque, but they do claim quicker response, which is really what you want in a turbocharged sports car.
Better brakes too
A car that is moving fast but cannot stop effectively is actually a slower car; control is how you win races. If you don’t buy it from us, ask any racing driver! So it’s great that Ford is including the Brembos from the Mustang GT Performance Pack. That means six-piston calipers up front and four-piston calipers slowing the rear wheels. Speaking of which, the hoops are 19 x 9.5-inch Tarnished Dark wheels with a 30-millimeter offset.
The Bling
You can’t really call a car ‘Ready to Rock’ without doing a little extra, right? So RTR takes a GT front and adds LEDs to the front nostrils. Then there are unique Mustang RTR badging on the grille and front fenders. In addition, there is an RTR label on the tailgate. Lime green interior accents are standard, but if you don’t want them you can remove them for free.
TopSpeed’s opinion
If we’ve learned anything about Ford this year, it’s that they do everything they can to excite enthusiasts of every model line. Ford’s powerful internal voices, such as designers, also brought the street truck vibe of the Ford Lobo to market. And speaking of which, Ford also clearly has more runway with the Maverickwhich we bet will have more achievements coming their way as well. Because Ford really stands alone among the Big 2.5 when it comes to the Mustang, the question is more how much market share they think they can have in a fairly small segment. Probably the short answer is simply: more.
#Ford #bringing #Mustang #Performance #Fighter #masses