Baron95
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #1
So.... I land LAX last night, head over to the Avis lot and see not one but TWO 2015 Mustang GT Premiums parked in front of the preferred isle in the "upgrade" section. One Red one Silver.
I go over to the clerk and ask "Hey can I have one of those two Stangs for no [additional] cost?" Guys says - "Sure, let me go get the keys for you - which one do you want?" I say "Bring me the silver one".
So, I head straight past Santa Monica to the Malibu hills like a kid with a new Christmas toy
So, first a bit about myself, so you can relate to my biases in my impressions below. I currently have a 2012 Mustang GT Premium Brembo with some mods (CAI+Tune, 1" lowered springs, Adjustable shocks, track pads). I am an HPDE instructor and occasional road course racer. I am deciding between a new Mustang GT or a Stingray Z51 Corvette (I know big difference). I was also considering the M4, but the price with options is literally double the Stang (so off the list).
So here are some of my quick impressions. Car attracts a lot of attention even in the dark. People took pictures while I was driving off Avis, and lots of double takes on the road.
First the fluff.....
Seats are much, much better as is the front cabin. Seat ventilation is as good as my Jaguar XF. Interior up front is a big improvement. The steering wheel is a massive improvement, but your 9 and 3 track grip still touches the hard aluminum, but at least it is flush now, vs the painful experience of the 2012.
Seating in the back is a HUGE step backwards and went from tight but usable for adults to basically unusable for kids over 10. If you sit in the back your head rests against the rear glass. That is right you are hunched over with glass pressing down on your head. On my 2012 my large high school boys ride in the back without complaint, and I too (6'0") have been there without pain. There is no way anyone in my family other than my 8 year old daughter can fit there. And I can't imagine her riding there with in the sun coming through the top of the rear glass.
Trunk space is also substantially reduced, I can see a problem fitting my track stuff there. The spare wheel well seems less deep, but should still work for a full size spare (which I always carry - 5 wheels always the same on every stang).
Now the fun stuff, the driving...
First the not so good. Automatic transmission is junk. Substandard these days for a sporty car. Shifts are super slow both in paddle mode and auto sport. They are out of phase, inconsistent in shift speed, it would be impossible to time right on track. It is the biggest dynamic disappointment in the car. Since I'd buy a manual anyway, it does not affect me, but I was shocked how bad this transmission is compared to even the Chevy 8-speed out on the Vette, let alone the ZF and DSG/PDK/DCT.
The exhaust is too quiet for me and it is a must do mod to even hear the engine with helmet on.
Brakes - it has the standard GT 4-piston fronts - are massively good. These are better than my Brenbo brakes on the 2012. Nice hard pedal feel (no fade at least as I could test on the highway with multiple stops), a lot less nose dive (even with my upgraded suspension on the 2012), and a lot less rear axle instability. If the PP (which is what I'd buy) are even better, this will be an incredible improvement.
Steering is still too light, even in track mode and sport setting, so really no noticeable improvement vs 2012 - good but not great - but being able to grip the smaller steering wheel properly and being adjustable makes a big difference.
Launching.... I did a few (don't ask me how/where) - launches from 0-60 (always traction control off). No axle hop is a massive win. Car still squirms and snakes off the line, but it is easily controllable (even on its skinny ass 235, Pzero Nero tires). I like the way it launches. You need to work it, and you have to be careful not to over correct. Just minute input will keep it straight. I can see some people over correcting and getting in trouble. But this is another massive improvement. I got mostly in the 5.0 to 5.4s 0-60 (track apps), since I was trying to be as stealthy as possible.
Handling - obviously I didn't have a chance to push it on the streets, but the ride seems to be well composed. I don't get Pobst's comment that the car in under dampened. I had the base car and it seemed to handle well. I assume the PP is a big improvement over it. So unless there is some big vice in transitions or something, I can't understand his complaints. But again - I was driving on the street.
The car still feels very wide and the air vents are somewhat distracting while driving, but the feeling is a lot more like you are sitting in and low (vs on and high) in the car. You feel a lot less roll than before.
So overall, if I look at it as a 4-seat coupe, it loses big to the 2012 GT, the M4, even the M235i on rear seat space. It is really unusable.
If I look at it as a 2+small2 or a 2-seater the PP premium manual I'd consider ($41K) it is 2/3 the price of a Vette and 1/2 the price of an M4 for a performance that is close enough and nearly as much fun.
Now, I'm heading for a meeting now, but hope to be able to go back to the hills with daylight today, before I have to return it tomorrow.
Overall Plus:
- Brakes (massive improvement)
- Launch (massive improvement)
- Body control (big improvement)
- Seats, steering wheel, driving position (big improvement)
- The front speakers are recessed and no longer make your knees bleed when driving on track
Overall Minus:
- Rear seat accommodations (huge step backwards - going from OK to unusable)
- Auto transmission (still slow shifting and unusable, and embarrassment vs the competition)
- Exhaust (too quiet for a mustang 5.0)
Neutral:
- Performance - no noticeable improvement, if anything felt a tad slower
- Steering - about the same as the 2012
Thanks Avis for giving me an extended 5.0 GT test drive.
I go over to the clerk and ask "Hey can I have one of those two Stangs for no [additional] cost?" Guys says - "Sure, let me go get the keys for you - which one do you want?" I say "Bring me the silver one".
So, I head straight past Santa Monica to the Malibu hills like a kid with a new Christmas toy
So, first a bit about myself, so you can relate to my biases in my impressions below. I currently have a 2012 Mustang GT Premium Brembo with some mods (CAI+Tune, 1" lowered springs, Adjustable shocks, track pads). I am an HPDE instructor and occasional road course racer. I am deciding between a new Mustang GT or a Stingray Z51 Corvette (I know big difference). I was also considering the M4, but the price with options is literally double the Stang (so off the list).
So here are some of my quick impressions. Car attracts a lot of attention even in the dark. People took pictures while I was driving off Avis, and lots of double takes on the road.
First the fluff.....
Seats are much, much better as is the front cabin. Seat ventilation is as good as my Jaguar XF. Interior up front is a big improvement. The steering wheel is a massive improvement, but your 9 and 3 track grip still touches the hard aluminum, but at least it is flush now, vs the painful experience of the 2012.
Seating in the back is a HUGE step backwards and went from tight but usable for adults to basically unusable for kids over 10. If you sit in the back your head rests against the rear glass. That is right you are hunched over with glass pressing down on your head. On my 2012 my large high school boys ride in the back without complaint, and I too (6'0") have been there without pain. There is no way anyone in my family other than my 8 year old daughter can fit there. And I can't imagine her riding there with in the sun coming through the top of the rear glass.
Trunk space is also substantially reduced, I can see a problem fitting my track stuff there. The spare wheel well seems less deep, but should still work for a full size spare (which I always carry - 5 wheels always the same on every stang).
Now the fun stuff, the driving...
First the not so good. Automatic transmission is junk. Substandard these days for a sporty car. Shifts are super slow both in paddle mode and auto sport. They are out of phase, inconsistent in shift speed, it would be impossible to time right on track. It is the biggest dynamic disappointment in the car. Since I'd buy a manual anyway, it does not affect me, but I was shocked how bad this transmission is compared to even the Chevy 8-speed out on the Vette, let alone the ZF and DSG/PDK/DCT.
The exhaust is too quiet for me and it is a must do mod to even hear the engine with helmet on.
Brakes - it has the standard GT 4-piston fronts - are massively good. These are better than my Brenbo brakes on the 2012. Nice hard pedal feel (no fade at least as I could test on the highway with multiple stops), a lot less nose dive (even with my upgraded suspension on the 2012), and a lot less rear axle instability. If the PP (which is what I'd buy) are even better, this will be an incredible improvement.
Steering is still too light, even in track mode and sport setting, so really no noticeable improvement vs 2012 - good but not great - but being able to grip the smaller steering wheel properly and being adjustable makes a big difference.
Launching.... I did a few (don't ask me how/where) - launches from 0-60 (always traction control off). No axle hop is a massive win. Car still squirms and snakes off the line, but it is easily controllable (even on its skinny ass 235, Pzero Nero tires). I like the way it launches. You need to work it, and you have to be careful not to over correct. Just minute input will keep it straight. I can see some people over correcting and getting in trouble. But this is another massive improvement. I got mostly in the 5.0 to 5.4s 0-60 (track apps), since I was trying to be as stealthy as possible.
Handling - obviously I didn't have a chance to push it on the streets, but the ride seems to be well composed. I don't get Pobst's comment that the car in under dampened. I had the base car and it seemed to handle well. I assume the PP is a big improvement over it. So unless there is some big vice in transitions or something, I can't understand his complaints. But again - I was driving on the street.
The car still feels very wide and the air vents are somewhat distracting while driving, but the feeling is a lot more like you are sitting in and low (vs on and high) in the car. You feel a lot less roll than before.
So overall, if I look at it as a 4-seat coupe, it loses big to the 2012 GT, the M4, even the M235i on rear seat space. It is really unusable.
If I look at it as a 2+small2 or a 2-seater the PP premium manual I'd consider ($41K) it is 2/3 the price of a Vette and 1/2 the price of an M4 for a performance that is close enough and nearly as much fun.
Now, I'm heading for a meeting now, but hope to be able to go back to the hills with daylight today, before I have to return it tomorrow.
Overall Plus:
- Brakes (massive improvement)
- Launch (massive improvement)
- Body control (big improvement)
- Seats, steering wheel, driving position (big improvement)
- The front speakers are recessed and no longer make your knees bleed when driving on track
Overall Minus:
- Rear seat accommodations (huge step backwards - going from OK to unusable)
- Auto transmission (still slow shifting and unusable, and embarrassment vs the competition)
- Exhaust (too quiet for a mustang 5.0)
Neutral:
- Performance - no noticeable improvement, if anything felt a tad slower
- Steering - about the same as the 2012
Thanks Avis for giving me an extended 5.0 GT test drive.
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