Base GT test drive not impressive. What am I missing

[Ctease]

Stock calibration is pretty weak on GT. Find a dealer or friend that has Ford Performance power pack 1 (or similar). It will get you extra 40tq at 1500rpm. I would've never returned to Mustangs from turbo Japanese. If my dealer, in 2012, didn't have Ford Racing calibration on their demo car. Back then it was 60tq at 1500rpm. Oh and they had 3.73 and better than stock tires. Wasn't a scam because they explained the difference. They I asked to drive a regular GT, was horrible. I know 2012 to 2017 has come a long way but calibration really wakes Coyote in my opinion. The Chevy dealer down the street couldn't compete. All of the cars they had in stock were worst gearing and felt sluggish with stock calibration.

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[jefffrot]

You need to rev the Motor to 4000- 6750. Thats where all the power is


Thats what you missed :headbonk:

+1 ^^

 

[thehunterooo]

I say keep your 4 banger if your not impressed. And save a bunch of money.:shrug:

I think it's just a justification post/thread.

 

[kn7671]

Turbo = Torque @ Low/Mid RPM
NA V8 = HP @ Mid/High RPM

The answer is very simple, you're accustomed to the Torque the twin-scroll turbo produces at low to mid engine revs.

Comparatively, the 5.0L V8 will seem sluggish as turbo's greatly mask a naturally aspirated engines gradual smooth power incline. Additionally, Ford added lots of throttle play to allow for gentle controlled power application, which helps improve fuel economy.

In reality, we all know the 5.0L engine makes more power, especially from 4500-6800 rpm, but in daily driver reality, the turbo 4 makes power and torque in the range where most people can use it, 1500-4500 rpm.

I guarantee you, that if Ford made a 4-cylinder or 6-cylinder Turbo option that equaled the Horsepower output of the 5.0L V8 with a good exhaust note, that the Turbo option would easily outsell the 5.0L V8. Most people don't modify their cars beyond a few simple bolt-ons, leaving the engine stock.

 

[8borerifle]

Went from a 2012 GT Premium auto to a 2015 Ecoboost Premium auto with PP. Installed the Ford performance tune 2 months ago. It is now a great car as the handling is there and the power for EVERYDAY driving feels stronger than my GT did. Like was said above, in the upper rpm range the 5.0 pulls harder than the tuned ecoboost. Much more than the stock Ecoboost but the tune really closes the gap! I would not go back to the 2012 for multiple reasons. I drove my grandsons 2016 GT base stick and feel the 2012 auto GT I had would beat it.

 

[Chad11491]

It felt slow because it was. A base auto gt with the 3.15's is the worst way you can option the car. It feels like it can barely get out of its own way. The PP and MAYBE 3.55's are the only way I'd option it. The 5.0 doesn't make big power down low so it needs the gearing to help it out. I test drive a base gt with the 3.31 and nearly passed on a mustang because my FBO e85 brz "felt" much faster. It obviously wasn't, but the seat of the pants feel is seriously lacking with tall rear gears.

 

[Tommy556]

Get 3.000$, buy a Vargas Stage 2, a cobb Accessport, an Intercooler and get a good tune. Your Eco will feel simply amazing. Torque / power all over the place til redline.
I have driven quite a few GTs myself and I know exactly what you mean. Was not impressed either. Other then the Sound the GT does nothing for me that would be worth selling my Eco for it.

 

[bahasad]

I just got rid of my EB 3.15 for a GT Premium, 3.55, AT. You are obviously not driving this car right. The turbo does have a good amount of torque down low, but the coyote screams past it at high RPMs. That's where the power is. Torque wise the EB feels close, but overall performance, the GT is far better.

 

[tw557]

Thanks for all the input. I will be taking a PP and a Premium auto for a ride next week hopefully. I am sure I will be able to find out the gearing that is in those cars from the dealer. I don't have a problem changing gearing in the future either since its relatively cheap. My last few cars (g35, audiTTS) both had such low gearing that might be what I'm accustomed too. I would like the PP options but I really do want an Automatic for daily driving and so the wife and daughter can drive at times too. I first I was worried about them driving a GT especially with all the coffee and cars videos of mustangs in the crowds but I'm not too worried about them driving this since they would not ever go WOT. Like others have said that really what I was missing was not revving it out enough in the test drive to really get the top end experience.
Some of this thread is a "justification" thread but mostly looking for justification for the GT. I do miss the top end pull that my turbo cars do not have but also want to hold onto the torque as much as possible too. I am looking for a car for the next 8 years or so until kids are thru college and "emotonally" I want a GT even though realistically I won't use its full potential on a daily basis. Take me back to my days of my first car, a 82 GT that was hopped up a bit. So mostly I'm really looking for the advice of what to look for to give me the best experience before I would then start the mild modding over the years to get it where I want it. With warranty concerns I will not be tuning though. That is the same reason I am not tuning the ecoboost.
So it sounds like mostly the gearing that probably has it feeling soft or is there anything with throttle response or anything else that the base GT holds back on? I did get to do a few twisty turns and was surprised the handling didn't feel too bad though. I didn't detect the " it turns like a whale" feeling compared to the ecoboost.

 

[jasonstang]

The Coyote doesn't wake up until about 3000 rpm which is a bit different comparing to your EB.

 

[mjhousto]

Make sure your auto GT is optioned with the 3.55 final drive. It is shorter in 1st and 2nd than the manual with 3.73.

 

[Norm Peterson]

So it sounds like mostly the gearing that probably has it feeling soft or is there anything with throttle response or anything else that the base GT holds back on? I did get to do a few twisty turns and was surprised the handling didn't feel too bad though. I didn't detect the " it turns like a whale" feeling compared to the ecoboost.

Maybe, maybe not.

With an automatic, you'll at least want to experiment with any drive mode identified as 'Sport' or 'Track', as they provide improved throttle response. The base model may not offer selectable modes.

If you didn't push a good bit past about 0.4 lateral g in the turns (which is closing in on double what the average driver normally hits in his street driving), there isn't going to be enough difference to notice unless you're unusually sensitive to this sort of thing. You have to get up above the range where not a whole lot is going on dynamically (everything is still close enough to "linear") before you're going to feel much difference.


Norm

 

[Ebm]

You aren't impressed because the GT lacks the torque that a turbo motor has. Stick with the eco and go big turbo.

 

[BmacIL]

The base GT suspension and chassis (and tires...oh those awful, awful 235 width Pirellis) is actually worse than most sedans I've driven for float and disconnectedness. Most of Honda's, Mazda's and Ford's cars are more capable handlers. The GT PP is on a totally different level. My old Accord coupe (4 cyl manual) would run circles around my base GT in stock form at an autocross.

There's a good reason the '18MY base GT is getting the equivalent to the 15-17 GT PP suspension as standard.

 

[5.0 435]

Wait until the 2018 comes out and test drive one of those. However $8K off msrp on a 17 is sweet. I'd wait for the 18.

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