How much does the Performance Package negatively affect...

[Volstang]

traction when drag racing or just trying to take off quickly from a dig? I have had several Fox body 5.0s and I am ready to move to one of the new GTs. I know cars that are built to handle well don't typically get the front end up enough to transfer weight to the rear tires to help with traction. Handling and drag racing suspensions are at odds with each. In drag racing you want the front end to be able to transfer weight to the back end for traction but road racing you want all four corners to stay planted. I drove a base GT with nothing but the PP last weekend and I loved it! I love the wider tires, the Brembo brakes, the 3.73 gears and the way it handles. I owned a Focus ST last year and had a blast with it on the back roads. So, while I do like to play in the curves, I am and always have been, a drag racer. Will I be taking it to the drag strip to get some time slips? Yes, I will. Will I be doing a ton of drag racing? Probably not. I will do some basic bolt-ons like tune, CAI, and probably something to help the IRS with wheel hop.

I just don't want to be struggling to keep up with similar Mustangs that don't have PP at the ole "Stoplight Grand Prix". I can drive a manual pretty darn well and don't have any issues speed shifting or power shifting if the need arises.

I also see where the A6-equipped Mustangs run very well at the track too. Back in the day, the AOD was total garbage and anyone who cared about performance stayed away from it. I know that subsequent autos are much better and run as well as if not better than the manuals. Does anyone know how a manual trans and an A6, both stock, perform on a dyno? Does the A6 eat more HP than the M6? I know that used to be the case "back in the day". Excuse me for being "middle-aged" and not up on some of the newer stuff. I have read MM&FF since the early 90s and try to keep up as much as I can.

Basically, I want to make an informed decision when I buy my new Mustang and not regret what I end up getting. Does the PP equipped Mustang not perform as well at the drag strip as the non-PP equipped car if all else is the same? Thanks and sorry for being so long-winded.

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[EcoSwag1990]

I think it is generally accepted now that the autos run faster 0-60 and 1/4 mile times. But since you are good with the stick shift and would probably enjoy it more it seems like that would make more sense for you. The PP gets 3.73s and wider rear tires but it lights up these poor Pirellis anyway so as long as you get good rear tires I would think that would beat a similarly equipped car during a meetup in mexico

 

[Nazgul]

The biggest issue I have had when launching this car is the wheel hop and crap-tastic tires.

 

[RoushCharged]

I don't have a lot of experience with the Ford AOD (a 4R70W in my Lincoln MarkVIII) but the 6R80 is a ZF based trans that everyone says it's bulletproof. Manual's certainly are more fragile than autos at higher power levels and slower than the equivalent built auto in my experience.

I'm still not convinced my car would be faster against Ranger (Corvette forum manual wizard) driving the stick but for the 99.9% an auto is going to win the drag race (same mods) because of the shift timing alone.

The auto's put down less HP on the dyno but are faster and can handle more power (and for boosted cars autos have more desirable characteristics).

 

[Asharus]

that's a tough decision. stock PP times at the strip can barely break 13s. meanwhile i see 3.15 equipped autos run mid 12s.

 

[Volstang]

It is crazy that the autos are THAT much faster. I can see a tenth or two but 1/2 sec is a substantial amount. I would like to better understand why there is such a difference between the two.

 

[Asharus]

its the driver mod. i forgot to mention that there were a few mid 12 GTPPs i've seen, but thats 1 or 2, compared to practically 90% of autos getting that same time.

think about it. you have to do a perfect launch, then 4 perfect shifts, compared to just stomping on the gas pedal and hanging on.

 

[ConspicuousConsumption]

I bet I'd run a 14 second quarter with my current driver level.

 

[Asharus]

Nah I've seen mid 13s for newbies with manuals. Just practice a little and you'll get low 13s. Aggressive power shifting will get you 12s

 

[Volstang]

I know it will take some practice to learn the best launch RPM, shift points, etc to achieve the best times. That is part of the fun. I accept the challenge!

 

[50hhh]

It is crazy that the autos are THAT much faster. I can see a tenth or two but 1/2 sec is a substantial amount. I would like to better understand why there is such a difference between the two.

It just comes down to the driver. Plenty of PP cars are in the mid 12s stock where im at....You are probably going off the magazine specs they released when these cars first came out. As more people get used to the new PP GTs the times get better. I went from a 2011 GT TP to the 15 GT PP and for the first week I thought surely this car was slower than my old one. After I got used to the new car and the way it puts down power the 2011 no longer seemed faster. Theres actually a lot of difference in power delivery through the RPMs in the new ones vs the older version.

 

[WeinerDog]

If you look at what the PP gets you, it's not about drag racing. If that's what you are interested in, get an auto with 3.55s. If you are more interested in curvy roads and/or the other kind of tracks, that's what the PP is for.

EDIT: Just read your last question...I can't imagine why the PP car would do worse at a dragstrip than a non-PP manual, should be better due to the 3.73s I guess??

Either way, I drove two autos and two PP's before ordering. No way I could give up the fun and overall balance of the PP for a tenth or two in a drag race. JMO

 

[Khyber]

pp is for road course racing!

and yeah autos are for drag now. it's crazy

 

[EcoSwag1990]

It just comes down to the driver. Plenty of PP cars are in the mid 12s stock where im at....You are probably going off the magazine specs they released when these cars first came out. As more people get used to the new PP GTs the times get better. I went from a 2011 GT TP to the 15 GT PP and for the first week I thought surely this car was slower than my old one. After I got used to the new car and the way it puts down power the 2011 no longer seemed faster. Theres actually a lot of difference in power delivery through the RPMs in the new ones vs the older version.

He's not talking about magazine times. He was responding to the comments in the thread comparing auto to manual based on the times posted in the dragstrip section

 

[Schu]

we like Corners...

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