Deeplakes
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Thought I would give first impressions on the install of the Ford Performance Pack Level 2 on my 2017 GT Convertible, Automatic with 3.15 gears.
With the convertible being a little heavier it loses a step off the line and the 0-60 times are typically .2 seconds slower than the Fastback.
Last summer after breaking it in, the power of the car was not disappointing at all, but there was something missing. When you hit the pedal it almost felt like an old-time carb that was not set right and the engine felt like it was bogging with the flood of fuel and then it would kick in and take off. Of course it was not bogging, I think between traction control and the tune was it was done purposefully by Ford to rein in the pony a bit, what their motivation really was, we can only speculate.
So, I was really looking forward to this spring and the Level 2 install but of course it was raining so back into the stall went the Pony
Last night the roads dried out and off I went, here are my very first impressions after driving for a couple of hours.
Normal Mode: Not a really significant change here, there is a change but its subtle. The pedal is more responsive, but the feel and sound is much the same as before.
Sport+ Mode: there is a complete transformation of this car! This is more like what I would expect from a Mustang with this much HP. I grew up in 289’s and had friends with a 69 Boss 302’s so when you buy a car rated at 435HP there are expectations, now those expectations have been met.
The best way to describe the improvement is how noticeable the closing rate is now, it surprised me at first, my first thought was “well this could get me in trouble”. The shifting in sport mode keeps the car in the sweet spot of the rev profile and a touch of the gas give you the launch at highway speed that was there but now ITS THERE.
Off the line, the most noticeable thing is for the first time I now understand why there is so much “stop the hop” hardware out there. I had experienced wheel hop on this car before but is was only under certain conditions and not too bad, just a little stuttering. Now, if you hit it, the wheel hop is extreme. After a couple of launches I did get a better feel on feathering the pedal to stop this from happening.
The increased red line makes you almost pull off the pedal the first couple of times you approach top revs, it is such a huge change, the car just seems to keep going and going.
Downshifts have changed, in my opinion they are much better than before, the timing of when they kick in is helpful when coming down in speed.
The sound of course changed a bit with the removal of the sound tube but I took my wife out for a run and her comment is the car is louder. I thought so too but it is more the revs the car holds when you are asking for acceleration, it sits for a bit, and only shifts up if you let off the pedal or remain at a constant speed so the car seems to be louder. I was looking at an exhaust change and now maybe not, may need to spend that money on “stop the hop”.
In my short run the mileage appears to have improved slightly or at least did not get any worse. But time will tell.
The look of the engine compartment is so much better with this setup.
I think Ford should make this standard equipment for all of us that drove cars in the late sixties and seventies, we can drive a car like this without sending it into a crowd.
I will check back in as I drive this a little more, I still have to drop the top
With the convertible being a little heavier it loses a step off the line and the 0-60 times are typically .2 seconds slower than the Fastback.
Last summer after breaking it in, the power of the car was not disappointing at all, but there was something missing. When you hit the pedal it almost felt like an old-time carb that was not set right and the engine felt like it was bogging with the flood of fuel and then it would kick in and take off. Of course it was not bogging, I think between traction control and the tune was it was done purposefully by Ford to rein in the pony a bit, what their motivation really was, we can only speculate.
So, I was really looking forward to this spring and the Level 2 install but of course it was raining so back into the stall went the Pony
Last night the roads dried out and off I went, here are my very first impressions after driving for a couple of hours.
Normal Mode: Not a really significant change here, there is a change but its subtle. The pedal is more responsive, but the feel and sound is much the same as before.
Sport+ Mode: there is a complete transformation of this car! This is more like what I would expect from a Mustang with this much HP. I grew up in 289’s and had friends with a 69 Boss 302’s so when you buy a car rated at 435HP there are expectations, now those expectations have been met.
The best way to describe the improvement is how noticeable the closing rate is now, it surprised me at first, my first thought was “well this could get me in trouble”. The shifting in sport mode keeps the car in the sweet spot of the rev profile and a touch of the gas give you the launch at highway speed that was there but now ITS THERE.
Off the line, the most noticeable thing is for the first time I now understand why there is so much “stop the hop” hardware out there. I had experienced wheel hop on this car before but is was only under certain conditions and not too bad, just a little stuttering. Now, if you hit it, the wheel hop is extreme. After a couple of launches I did get a better feel on feathering the pedal to stop this from happening.
The increased red line makes you almost pull off the pedal the first couple of times you approach top revs, it is such a huge change, the car just seems to keep going and going.
Downshifts have changed, in my opinion they are much better than before, the timing of when they kick in is helpful when coming down in speed.
The sound of course changed a bit with the removal of the sound tube but I took my wife out for a run and her comment is the car is louder. I thought so too but it is more the revs the car holds when you are asking for acceleration, it sits for a bit, and only shifts up if you let off the pedal or remain at a constant speed so the car seems to be louder. I was looking at an exhaust change and now maybe not, may need to spend that money on “stop the hop”.
In my short run the mileage appears to have improved slightly or at least did not get any worse. But time will tell.
The look of the engine compartment is so much better with this setup.
I think Ford should make this standard equipment for all of us that drove cars in the late sixties and seventies, we can drive a car like this without sending it into a crowd.
I will check back in as I drive this a little more, I still have to drop the top
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