Video: First Drag Tests Of Modified 2015 Mustang GT And EcoBoost

It seems these days we are inundated with news surrounding Ford’s all new 2015 Mustang. Just this week we got our first taste of seat time in the new pony car. Today is another huge day for ’15 news, with the crew at Ford Racing, releasing a video of the first drag tests of modified versions of the S550.

Last week we broke the news about early spy photos of the upcoming Ford Racing catalog, showing that Ford’s performance parts arm is already gearing up for S550 fever. Ford Racing released the video above today detailing just how fast a few bolt-on parts from their catalog can make the new 5.0 and perhaps more excitedly for many the new 2.3 EcoBoost.

Two versions of the 5.0 were tested, both supercharged and naturally aspirated. According to Ford Racing’s Jesse Kershaw, there’s always someone who wants to be first when a new Mustang model or engine debuts. Beating everyone to the punch, the guys at Ford Racing decided they should be the first to go 10s in the quarter-mile with the 2015 5.0 wearing a supercharger.

Adding to that goal they also wanted to be the first to run an 11-second ET with the naturally aspirated 5.0, and the first EcoBoost to run in the 12s. Lofty goals indeed, but as we’ve seen Ford Racing has already produced many of the parts that should be needed to accomplish what they set out to do.

The testing not only shows how potent the powertrain is in the GT and EcoBoost, but should also allay some of the fears that many straight-line performance fans have about how much power the all new independent rear suspension can handle. Ford Racing engineers spent considerable time engineering, developing, and testing these parts. This gives 2015 Mustang enthusiasts a strong foundation to start from.

EcoBoost Stunner

While we love the rumble, torque, and high-revving fun of a Coyote V8, we have been eagerly awaiting the EcoBoost model. This is the car that could change the Mustang market for Ford, drawing in considerable new clients, who, may have never considered a Mustang as a viable option. The light weight, and Ford’s short-history of the EcoBoost engines responding magnificently to bolt-on parts, has had us anxiously awaiting a test of these cars under pressure.

The EcoBoost test car in this video was outfitted with the following parts from Ford Racing:

Performance Rear Subframe Kit
Heavy Duty Half-Shaft Kit
Driveshaft Safety Loops
Prototype Off-Road Exhaust
Ford Racing Development Engine Calibration

Additionally the car received some help to get it down the quarter-mile a little faster from the aftermarket. Those parts include:

Hoosier Slicks (size not mentioned)
Weld Racing AlumaStar rear wheels
Four Point Roll Cage
Recaro Race Seat

While some of these parts are still under development, we expect most of them will be available at the time the Mustang hits dealer showrooms, or shorty after. Additionally you can be certain that with winter coming for most of the country, by the spring there will be an additional aftermarket explosion of support for these cars, which will give consumer sa variety of options for parts.

The EcoBoost four-cylinder, which our sister publication Engine Labs, recently did an in-depth look at, proved once again to be the little engine that could. With a goal of a 12.99 set for the strip, the manual trans-equipped, boosted four-pot turned in a very respectable 12.56 ET, exceeding its goal by nearly a half second.

The Natural

Since its introduction in 2011 the Coyote has proven to be the new favorite engine of Mustang enthusiasts everywhere. Ford’s potent V8 has been revised somewhat for 2015 (see the Engine Labs article here). The end result is quite possibly the best V8 to ever come out of the blue oval.

To get the performance Ford Racing wanted for the first 11-second naturally aspirated 5.0 they went with the following parts:

From Ford Racing
Performance Rear Subframe Kit
Heavy Duty Half-Shaft Kit
Prototype Off-Road Exhaust
Driveshaft Safety Loops
Ford Racing Development Engine Calibration

Aftermarket Parts
Hoosier Drag Slicks (size not given)
Weld Racing AlumaStar rear wheels
ARH Cobra Jet Long Tube Headers
Four-Point Roll Cage
Recaro Race Seat

In this trim the GT did not disappoint either. While it didn’t blow away the goals set out by engineers the way the EcoBoost did, it still more than exceeded its number. Down the strip at Milan Dragway, the NA GT turned in a time of 11.77.

Boosted Super Star

Relying on a ROUSH version of the Eaton TVS 2.3 supercharger, the supercharged 5.0 was the car we really wanted to see make a hit in this video. Modular engines on the whole have always responded well to boost, and the Coyote is no exception. Our own Project Silver Bullet 2013 GT went into the 10s with a ROUSH charger based on the same rotor pack.

To get the blown GT into the 10s, Ford relied on the following parts:
Ford Racing:

Ford Racing/ROUSH Performance Supercharger Kit
Performance Rear Subframe Kit
Heavy Duty Half-Shaft Kit
Driveshaft Safety Loops
Ford Racing Development Engine Calibration

From the Aftermarket

Hoosier Drag Slicks (size not given)
Weld Racing AlumaStar Drag Wheels (rear)
Four-Point Roll Cage
Recaro Race Seat

The boosted 5.0 also did the job, turning in a stout 10.97 ET at the end of the day. Impressive numbers that again prove the Coyote will be the go to engine for serious drag racers.

We were also impressed by how hard Ford’s test driver launched these cars. On slicks, the boosted GT pulled a 1.53 60-foot time, and the EcoBoost a 1.63. This demonstrates to us that with some upgrades, Ford seems to be giving us the best of both worlds with the Mustang’s new IRS.

Stay tuned,  plenty more tests are on the way.

About the author

Don Creason

Don Creason is an automotive journalist with passions that lie from everything classic, all the way to modern muscle. Experienced tech writer, and all around car aficionado, Don's love for both cars and writing makes him the perfect addition to the Power Automedia team of experts.
Read My Articles

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