Took delivery of 2015 GT PP

[Wes]

Thanks for the wishes guys, as time goes on I'll update this with thoughts of differences between the two cars but let me start with this.

Size - The S550 is smaller than the SS. It looks like an optical illusion, but it's definitely lower in height. The SS feels like a much smaller vehicle while driving it, while the S550 feels huge. My buddies who have driven the SS all say it drives like a much smaller car than it is. The S550 looks wider but I'll have to measure it.

Power - I'm a fan of the small block Chevy. The LS3 is one of their best ever and it shows. The torque is more, and lower than it is in the S550. So the SS feels much stronger from full stop, but at the top end the 5.0 really shines. A race with two competent drivers should be near neck in neck.

If I had to choose one, I'd pick the SS just because it's more functional. much more rare, and handles fantastic. I love driving around in a "Impala/Malibu rental car" that will blow the doors off 95% of the vehicles on the road. Im not sure about the resale value but the SS hasn't been as strong as I would have hoped. Regardless, it's not for sale.

The S550 body lines strongly remind me of the 1968 fastback we used to have, lime gold with a 302. Beautiful car back in the day. Shouldn't have sold it.

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[BlackS550]

what gears are in the mustang?

 

[Wes]

what gears are in the mustang?

Performance pack, 3.73

 

[justindo]

The SS feels like a much smaller vehicle while driving it, while the S550 feels huge. My buddies who have driven the SS all say it drives like a much smaller car than it is. The S550 looks wider but I'll have to measure it.

Power - I'm a fan of the small block Chevy. The LS3 is one of their best ever and it shows. The torque is more, and lower than it is in the S550. So the SS feels much stronger from full stop, but at the top end the 5.0 really shines. A race with two competent drivers should be near neck in neck.

If I had to choose one, I'd pick the SS just because it's more functional. much more rare, and handles fantastic. I love driving around in a "Impala/Malibu rental car" that will blow the doors off 95% of the vehicles on the road. Im not sure about the resale value but the SS hasn't been as strong as I would have hoped. Regardless, it's not for sale.

Thanks for your observations. I too noticed that despite the SS weighing a little more, being longer, taller, and a fraction of an inch wider, it feels like a much smaller and lighter car than the Mustang while driving. The professional reviews mention this too and even my wife noticed.

The LS3 definitely seems to have more low-end grunt, probably due to the much larger displacement, but the 5.0 really comes into its own in the higher RPMs.

I also really like the idea of driving a large, comfortable, practical "rental Malibu" that outperforms most cars not only in a straight line but also in the corners. Unfortunately, my wife doesn't like the sleeper aspect of the car, so she may be getting a 2016 GT to go along with my 2015 SS. The only thing I like better about the 2015 Mustang are the front seats, especially the Recaros; the SS's need more bolstering, but the Alcantara helps hold one in the seats. The 2015 Mustang has really stepped up its interior, but the SS is still higher quality.

As for resale, I agree that so far the SS been disappointing and the 2014s that have been actually selling since the beginning of winter have been discounted substantially, but when production stops (I think the 2016 model year will be the last), I think you'll see resale shoot up, just like what happened to the Pontiac G8.

Enjoy both of your awesome cars!

 

[Firepath]

Thanks for the wishes guys, as time goes on I'll update this with thoughts of differences between the two cars but let me start with this.

Size - The S550 is smaller than the SS. It looks like an optical illusion, but it's definitely lower in height. The SS feels like a much smaller vehicle while driving it, while the S550 feels huge. My buddies who have driven the SS all say it drives like a much smaller car than it is. The S550 looks wider but I'll have to measure it.

Power - I'm a fan of the small block Chevy. The LS3 is one of their best ever and it shows. The torque is more, and lower than it is in the S550. So the SS feels much stronger from full stop, but at the top end the 5.0 really shines. A race with two competent drivers should be near neck in neck.

If I had to choose one, I'd pick the SS just because it's more functional. much more rare, and handles fantastic. I love driving around in a "Impala/Malibu rental car" that will blow the doors off 95% of the vehicles on the road. Im not sure about the resale value but the SS hasn't been as strong as I would have hoped. Regardless, it's not for sale.

The S550 body lines strongly remind me of the 1968 fastback we used to have, lime gold with a 302. Beautiful car back in the day. Shouldn't have sold it.

Thanks for the extra comparisons! It is interesting you say the Mustang drives larger. I would think it is the width, the flatter / straighter bonnet / hood, and the reduced visibility in the rear. Is there more to it than that, like more body roll when cornering, etc?

 

[Wes]

Just went for a 100 mile ride in the S550. The SS would outcorner, outstop, and out accelerate the S550, but it would be close. The SS has more interior noise, I'm surprised how quiet the S550 is when cruising on the highway. It sounds mean at idle, but can barely hear the exhaust at cruise. Might need to mod that.

I sure hope the SS becomes a modern day collector. The GTO held it's value pretty well but is now becoming a cheap beater car.

What I'm most amazed at the S550 is how "euro" it is. Drives wonderful, has very nice body lines. I almost bought a Lexus RC-F (not the FSport, the F with the V8). The S550 is a cheaper version of that car, with a stick. The S550 drives 100x better than my 2013 S197 5.0. Way to go, Ford.

 

[IndustryLeech]

Just went for a 100 mile ride in the S550. The SS would outcorner, outstop, and out accelerate the S550, but it would be close. The SS has more interior noise, I'm surprised how quiet the S550 is when cruising on the highway. It sounds mean at idle, but can barely hear the exhaust at cruise. Might need to mod that.

I sure hope the SS becomes a modern day collector. The GTO held it's value pretty well but is now becoming a cheap beater car.

What I'm most amazed at the S550 is how "euro" it is. Drives wonderful, has very nice body lines. I almost bought a Lexus RC-F (not the FSport, the F with the V8). The S550 is a cheaper version of that car, with a stick. The S550 drives 100x better than my 2013 S197 5.0. Way to go, Ford.

I know the SS is a very capable car, but they are pretty dead even on acceleration and skid pad testing, and the PP GT out-brakes the SS by a few feet 70-0. Just sayin'.

 

[nadojay]

Enjoy, Holden stop building cars from 2017. Its funny reading reviews like these because in Australia every man and his dog has a SS and they are generally seen as pretty boring and not at all special.

 

[IndustryLeech]

Enjoy, Holden stop building cars from 2017. Its funny reading reviews like these because in Australia every man and his dog has a SS and they are generally seen as pretty boring and not at all special.

Well yeah, the car is aesthetically inert.

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