Any road tests or reviews of "base" suspension GT?

[Zathras]

Just about every online road test or review of a 18+ GT from car mags or auto journalists is of a Performance Pack car, usually with magneride. Are there *any* instrumented tests or reviews of a base suspension, non-magneride, non-PP car (GT model)? I'd just like to see some comparisons in slalom, skidpad, etc. Granted the PP is going to be better, but it'd be nice to see some data on the base level suspension.

Edit: I'm sure the all-season 235s will cause a considerable dropoff in the data, but I'd just like to see how much.

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[Mustangpursuit]

Yes me too other than small quotes in some reviews saying base GT suspension is upgraded from 15-17 base GT suspension... so what is the real difference?

 

[66Bronc1]

I would also like to know. I have a base GT as well and I love the car, performance and handling. The brakes and rotors also also seem large, at least to me. How do they compare to the Eco-Boost GT? I do not intend to track the car, just curious. If I wanted to track it I would have spent the extra 10K and got PP2.

 

[Ebm]

I would also like to know. I have a base GT as well and I love the car, performance and handling. The brakes and rotors also also seem large, at least to me. How do they compare to the Eco-Boost GT? I do not intend to track the car, just curious. If I wanted to track it I would have spent the extra 10K and got PP2.

Brakes and rotors are the same on the '18 as they were on the 15-17. They are still 4-pot (piston). They stop well on the street and will do pretty good for a little track time. Reason they are so big is because the car is a porker. It's edging closer and closer to 4,000 pounds. It takes quite a bit of force to stop 4,000 pounds quickly.

Ecoboost GT? I'm guessing you meant Ecoboost PP. The brakes on the Ecoboost PP are the same as the brakes on the base GT.

 

[BmacIL]

My buddy has a 401a base suspension 2018 GT. I gotta say for cruising and taking an on ramp at high speeds the car handles and rides great. If anything it's almost more fun than my GTPP2 because you can actually burn out and get loose. I literally cannot break the Sport cup 2's loose.

Sounds like you need a tune.

 

[BmacIL]

Nah. I'm not messing with anything. I got a Steeda H pipe on the way and am already looking at "winter" tires. After that I'd probably get the BMR cradle lock out and be done. I do feel the rear end getting wiggly when I really push it.

Yeah the CB005 really helps there. Or consider the new CB762 + CB010/CB005.

 

[Deep Blue]

No they haven't. They did not want any automotive journalists to die in testing.

 

[66Bronc1]

Brakes and rotors are the same on the '18 as they were on the 15-17. They are still 4-pot (piston). They stop well on the street and will do pretty good for a little track time. Reason they are so big is because the car is a porker. It's edging closer and closer to 4,000 pounds. It takes quite a bit of force to stop 4,000 pounds quickly.

Ecoboost GT? I'm guessing you meant Ecoboost PP. The brakes on the Ecoboost PP are the same as the brakes on the base GT.

Yeah my bad- I was thinking compared to the base Eco Boost. The reason I think that the brake rotors look big is compared to my past 2017 Camaro RS- the front rotors and calipers were quite smaller. The brakes do feel very good to me as does the ride and handling for a "base" GT. I don't even have staggered wheels and I originally thought that I wanted staggered. My Camaro RS even had staggered wheels but do I like that the front and back are the same on the GT as I can rotate the tires and they will wear evenly. And the 19: wheels are lighter than my Camaro 20" wheels were; the 20" wheels were pretty heavy.

 

[Mustangpursuit]

Some said no more likeness of driving a whale for with base 18 GT vs base 15 GT suspension... Struts must be upgraded?

 

[jake_zx2]

Here's a test of a non-PP GT against a Camaro SS. Seems to still get decent reviews.


Tbh, I liked tracking my 2018 with base wheels and suspension more than with the PP goodies... with all the PP stuff, the car tends to understeer pretty bad due to the stiffer front sway bar and staggered tires. The base suspension has a softer front sway bar, giving the front end more mechanical grip, and has a square tire setup. This configuration gives the car a fairly neutral balance, with throttle oversteer being fairly easy to initiate and control. The brakes are a completely different story... I'd never trust the stock non-PP brakes on track

 

[Bullitt]

I drove the same blue GT in the press fleet with the base suspension. Granted the car had the 255 tires from the Black Appearance pack, but I thought it still handled great. Unfortunately I don't do any instrumented testing so there's no data to compare there.

 

[TricarboNate]

No they haven't. They did not want any automotive journalists to die in testing.

Hahah, this.

If it is anything close to the 15-17 base suspension, just take it off and throw it in the garbage.

 

[jake_zx2]

Hahah, this.

If it is anything close to the 15-17 base suspension, just take it off and throw it in the garbage.

IIRC the 2018 base GT has the 15-17 PP suspension. I could be wrong though

 

[Zathras]

I had the impression that someone at Ford had said the '18 base had some changes to make it "more like" or "closer to" the 15-17 PP suspension. How much of a change that really is, I don't know.

With the base suspension and all-seasons, the car feels OK to me in general handling--it seems to have less body lean and brake dive than my 2011 GT. However, it does feel heavier than my 2011--it's not "eager" to change direction quickly. It holds a curve, but it feels more like a GT or muscle car, than a "pony car." (Pony car meaning, to me, something in-between a dedicated sports car and a muscle car.)

Based on what my accelerometer track app says, I've never done more than .72 lateral g anyway, so I'm not exactly pushing the car's limits. There aren't any good "driving roads" near me.

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