The 2012-2013 Ford Mustang BOSS 302 is easily one of the best track Mustangs to ever be built, delivering a road-thumping 444 horsepower with a world class, race-bred suspension package. But with a MSRP north of $40,000 and a limited number ever built, the closest most of us will get to owning one of these rare and awesome Mustangs is sitting in it at the local car show.
But that doesn’t mean we can’t experience the same speed and thrill as the BOSS 302 Mustang, even if it is on a smaller scale. We didn’t believe it at first either, but this 36 horsepower go-kart is able to tackle the famous Laguna Seca circuit in almost the same time as the BOSS 302 (Laguna Seca Edition of course), but for a fraction of the cost.
So how exactly does a go-kart keep up with a Mustang? Well despite displacing just 125ccs to the Mustang’s 5.0 liters, the 36 horsepower Honda motorcycle engine actually makes more power-per-liter than the BOSS. Do the math for yourself if you don’t believe us, or better yet, just watch the whole video. The go-kart handles and accelerates with the same gusto as the BOSS 302, but costs a whole lot less.
The list price on a 2012 Mustang Boss 302 is over $48,000, but the Honda-powered go-kart costs just over $3,000 when all is said and done. Sure, you can’t have any passengers along for the ride, and it may lack the presence and prestige of a Boss 302 Mustang. Despite all that though, it still laps Laguna Seca in 1:41, the same time as the BOSS, providing the same sensation of speed if nothing else, and at just a fraction of the cost.