2015 Mustang - Underpowered?

[FireBird]

I've been reading a lot of guys saying "refined", "strong but not amazing/shocking/beast", "my assometer doesn't feel it", "not as thrilling as the 11').

How can a 440hp/400tq car be underpowered? It has almost double the HP and torque than the original Lambo Countach and a second quicker to 60 as well.

Help me out here, what is it?

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[foghat]

Not sure what you are asking. No one has said it is underpowered and the performance numbers are out there. They are pretty much as expected (trap speeds anyway) for the power/weight ratio.

 

[OppoLock]

I've been reading a lot of guys saying "refined", "strong but not amazing/shocking/beast", "my assometer doesn't feel it", "not as thrilling as the 11').

How can a 440hp/400tq car be underpowered? It has almost double the HP and torque than the original Lambo Countach and a second quicker to 60 as well.

Help me out here, what is it?

An ass dyno isn't going to be the best indicator of a car's acceleration capabilities. When a car is more refined, a lot of the sensations that create the feeling of speed - the nose lifting, engine noise filling the cabinet, mechanical theater, etc. - are reduced or filtered out. Power to weight ratio is another thing. The car is more powerful but it's also a bit heavier.

Solution: add more volume and more power if need be.

 

[Todd15Fastback]

The cars are putting down 385-395RWHP via the 6sp manual. That is not underpowered. It is simple, the car is MORE refined in many ways. That covers up the rawness.

 

[RevvdMedia]

An ass dyno isn't going to be the best indicator of a car's acceleration capabilities. When a car is more refined, a lot of the sensations that create the feeling of speed - the nose lifting, engine noise filling the cabinet, mechanical theater, etc. - are reduced or filtered out. Power to weight ratio is another thing. The car is more powerful but it's also a bit heavier.

Solution: add more volume and more power if need be.

This^

Back when I test drove a 2012 GT, my DD was a 2009 Chev Cobalt SS, it had 280HP/320TQ (according to GM, with the "stage kit" upgrade). The Cobalt probably couldn't do 0-60 faster than about 5.4s, whereas the Mustang should have been able to do 0-60 in 4.5s or less. From the driver's seat, the Mustang didn't FEEL faster, but it definitely was.

 

[FL4T]

This^

Back when I test drove a 2012 GT, my DD was a 2009 Chev Cobalt SS, it had 280HP/320TQ (according to GM, with the "stage kit" upgrade). The Cobalt probably couldn't do 0-60 faster than about 5.4s, whereas the Mustang should have been able to do 0-60 in 4.5s or less. From the driver's seat, the Mustang didn't FEEL faster, but it definitely was.

My buddy had a Cobalt SS (turbo) and I've seen videos of him walking 5.0 Mustang from a roll (Closed course in Mexico). Those cars can't get any traction from a dig and even from a roll it's tough.

My 13 feels fast some days and other days I feel like it's not quick enough (Gotta make sure you're in the right gear when you start moving). Need to wind it out.

 

[SVTFreak]

The flat flat torque curve also hides the feeling of acceleration. Your turbo'd cobalt was peaky probably (funny, it tried to autocorrect to pesky, which is true also).

 

[twsnnva]

I've been reading a lot of guys saying "refined", "strong but not amazing/shocking/beast", "my assometer doesn't feel it", "not as thrilling as the 11').

How can a 440hp/400tq car be underpowered? It has almost double the HP and torque than the original Lambo Countach and a second quicker to 60 as well.

Help me out here, what is it?

Perhaps it's hard to explain. I've owned an 11' and a 15' and I agree with the sentiment that it's more refined. Everything just feels smoother. As an example, I remember feeling a bit of drivetrain lash on the 11'. The 15' does not have that. I remember the 11's shifter feeling very... "loose". The shiftier in the 15' feels very tight, and shifts are very smooth. It handles so much better, especially on imperfect roads. Steering is smoother. Also, everything is much quieter. I think it's the mix of these two things that make the experience what it is. Your hands and feet and body is telling you that the drive is perfectly smooth and your ears are in complete agreement.

Then you lay into the gas and everything changes. Feels just as much "beast" as the 11' did.

 

[vanguard]

in my opinion it's the lack of shaking, rumbling and any strange movements.
If the acceleration feels dampened to the driver and there's no outside noise either, you are going to perceive to be slow as molasses.

I think people are just missing that "RAWRRR" feeling, like you get on a motorcycle for example.

 

[Rickycardo]

This car isn't underpowered. I test drove 2 and the feeling of raw speed is hidden more in the 15. My '11 would bruise your kidneys and peel your eyelids back taking you from 0-100 mph. Certainly not the fastest Mustang but you knew you were accelerating. My first test drive in a '15 I pulled around a turn only to have a Prius jump in front of me. I was complaining about being slowed by a damn hybrid when I looked down and realized both of us were going 10 mph over the posted limit. This car hides its speed well.
Wallet, prepare thyself to be ticketed.

 

[JonnyMustang]

Refinement. My 66 chevelle seemed lightening quick, but those were 15-16 second 1/4 cars back in the 60s. Now the Mustang is in the 13 second territory with a smaller motor and heavier weight. The Chevelle felt fast because there was very little separating you from the road, the noise, and the engine. Now everything is so quiet and smooth, you don't realize what's going on outside.

I test drove the 3.7L when it first came out and was surprised by this. I worked on a friend's 2009 GT that had cams, full exhaust, and all the goodies. It screamed and it felt like the fastest thing in town. I hopped in this new 3.7l and got on the highway. I turned to my wife and said, "well this is kinda slow..." I looked down and I was going 85 mph by the time I reached the end of this on-ramp. It felt slow but the speedometer doesn't lie.

 

[Potrillo]

It is not underpowered at all. The deliver of that power is just so smooth and seamless that the sensation of speed is muted. It happens quite often that I am merging from the on ramp and spinning it up in 4th gear to be going in a speed that may be excessive. The way this motor is more than happy to rev AND deliver torque is intoxicating.

I have a TSX that was my daily driver, that 4 spins well and needs to deliver power. The Coyote seems to spin up just as fast but the amount of power it is delivering is tremendous and well managed.

 

[volsfan0911]

Refinement. My 66 chevelle seemed lightening quick, but those were 15-16 second 1/4 cars back in the 60s. Now the Mustang is in the 13 second territory with a smaller motor and heavier weight. The Chevelle felt fast because there was very little separating you from the road, the noise, and the engine. Now everything is so quiet and smooth, you don't realize what's going on outside.

I test drove the 3.7L when it first came out and was surprised by this. I worked on a friend's 2009 GT that had cams, full exhaust, and all the goodies. It screamed and it felt like the fastest thing in town. I hopped in this new 3.7l and got on the highway. I turned to my wife and said, "well this is kinda slow..." I looked down and I was going 85 mph by the time I reached the end of this on-ramp. It felt slow but the speedometer doesn't lie.

This. I've driven the new S class Merc. Damn near 5,000 lbs, boatloads of power and does 0-60 in approximately 5 seconds. You'd never know it other than 1) you mat the throttle 2) notice that you're going 100 mph VERY shortly afterwards. So smooth, so linear? Yes ;-)

 

[Darrinm03]

I've been reading a lot of guys saying "refined", "strong but not amazing/shocking/beast", "my assometer doesn't feel it", "not as thrilling as the 11').

How can a 440hp/400tq car be underpowered? It has almost double the HP and torque than the original Lambo Countach and a second quicker to 60 as well.

Help me out here, what is it?

When you're flying on a commercial airline, does it feel like you're moving through the air at 400-500 MPH? Maybe during takeoff and landing only, but thats mostly due to the various sounds that create that sensation. Think of older less insulated cars as the aircraft taking off. The bumps in the runway, landing gear absorbing those bumps, and the airframe starting to flex in order to generate lift (also keep in mind most planes are 70's-80's models anways....some older). Then think of newer cars, in this instance an S550 as the cruising altitude of the flight. Less creaks and sounds, a less harsh outside environment create the illusion of going much slower than a couple hundred miles an hour.:eyebulge:

 

[Rickycardo]

When you're flying on a commercial airline, does it feel like you're moving through the air at 400-500 MPH? Maybe during takeoff and landing only, but thats mostly due to the various sounds that create that sensation. Think of older less insulated cars as the aircraft taking off. The bumps in the runway, landing gear absorbing those bumps, and the airframe starting to flex in order to generate lift (also keep in mind most planes are 70's-80's models anways....some older). Then think of newer cars, in this instance an S550 as the cruising altitude of the flight. Less creaks and sounds, a less harsh outside environment create the illusion of going much slower than a couple hundred miles an hour.

Flying. The second greatest thrill known to man.
Of course landing is the first. :lol:

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