When Ford Motor Company released the S550 Mustang model in 2015, it added an all-new powertrain in the form of 2.3-liter turbocharged EcoBoost engine. With a similar power range to the V-6, the EcoBoost Mustang was rated at just over 300-horsepower. Fast forward to the newest 2018 model, and the V-6 is extinct. EcoBoost sales continue to thrive alongside the Coyote 5.0-liter V8. Also for 2018, Ford has upped the performance ante with a highly capable 10-speed automatic transmission replacing the previous six-speed.
Great gas mileage and performance while being cheaper than its eight-cylinder brethren makes the EcoBoost a perfect fit for some enthusiasts’ driving styles. Many EcoBoost owners are still hardcore Mustang people seeking ways to modify their cars and add more power. Often social media is a place to seek information from likeminded enthusiasts. It can also be a bad place to get it. We all know that the internet is a double-edged sword, as everyone has a voice but positivity isn’t always fostered.
Many Mustang enthusiasts on social media belong to different S550 Mustang groups on Facebook where they can gather information on how to do so, but it isn’t all constructive. Sometimes being an EcoBoost owner can be downright ridiculous. Why? While scrolling through these different groups, one thing is obvious, some V-8-0r-bust owners aren’t always welcoming of their four-banger brethren. When an EcoBoost owner asks about upgrading performance, for advice, or even just posting a photo of their car, many comments are often the same…
“Why didn’t you just buy a GT?”
“Poor EcoBoost owners, go to your own page so you don’t feel left out. Go buy a GT.”
“That’s because most people had the common sense to get a real Mustang.”
“#shouldveboughtaV8.”
The list goes on and on and on. Others aren’t even this kind, and sometimes end up starting a full on social media war between the two. Sure, nothing beats the sound of a V-8 rumble, and those 100 extra horses are nothing to sneeze at, but it’s as if those four extra cylinders give some people some sense of Mustang entitlement. Some V-6 and EcoBoost owners are almost bullied and have admitted that they would just rather not post their car at all so they are saved from the backlash of eight-cylinder Mustang purists. Others have gone as far as to trade in their car for a Coyote because of said comments. Others just troll back.
It’s not like the EcoBoost isn’t capable. UPR Products’ EcoBoost Mustang has proven that four-cylinders can fly thanks to its record-setting 9.87 at 138.5 mph quarter-mile run.
So, what’s the deal? Does the EcoBoost engine deserve less respect because the Coyote is so strong? Did the EcoBoost Mustang replace the V-6 as the most hated? Is it really the new redheaded stepchild of the modern Mustang world?
While a little rivalry never hurts, sometimes things tend to get a little out of hand. Do you think we should all get along? Or, do you believe the 2.3-liter and 5.0-liter owners should just keep their distance? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.