2012 10Best Cars: 2012 Ford Mustang GT / Boss 302 - Car and Driver

[thierry911]

The boss beats the r8 4.2 beats the m3 beats the m5 :p beats the sti (lollll easy shot) beats the camaro ss beats the challenger 392 beats the audi rs5 the c 63 amg with the 450 hp package etc etc etc etc and its 50 k in canada te other ones are 50 k and above !!!

[Buttnut105]

Okay to all you Euro fanboys out there, yes, the M3 is a better package because of the extra refinement and the sedan option and what not...but there is no denying the capabilities of the Mustang GT and Boss. It's time to realize America can be a real competitor.

[vitto]

it's still a stang so it stinks..buy an european car.

[GoGoggansGo]

@vitto go stick that eurocar up you asshole and how much does it cost

[vitto]

@GoGoggansGo are you poor?

U MAD?

[GoGoggansGo]

@vitto neither just a realist 

[vitto]

@GoGoggansGo i have an Audi..much better than any american car.

[GoGoggansGo]

@vitto two different styles of cars but what ever floats your boat i am just tired of this bs between european cars and american car two completely different designs we like the low end power and you like high reving expensive to fix stuff

[vitto]

@GoGoggansGo the expensiveness is a lie..stick that in your rear..lol

[GoGoggansGo]

@vitto funny because i am an auto tech and i should know lol

[vitto]

@GoGoggansGo funny..it's well know that American ''mechanics'' charge way too much money for the job.

On other countries the ''mechanics'' do a better job and they charge you the right amount.

[GoGoggansGo]

@vitto dont be dissing my work

[vitto]

@GoGoggansGo don't hide your work..changing the name it's like you where ashamed of it..never be ashamed of a work. WORK IS WORK.

[TheErickkkk]

I still prefer the GT350. Handles just a tad better. Just a skosh faster. A lot more refined and polished. Extra 15-20K is worth it, to me.

[Jeredin13]

Yay, for American muscle! ^_~

[dradabau]

I love it for what it is, not what it competes against. Thank you Ford.

[Janusha]

Its funny how they set the bar at 80 000 dollars when they name "car of the year" so that they can exclude all the otherwise unbeatable high end products out of Europe.

[Proudrebel7]

@Janusha They want to name cars that you can ACTUALLY buy. Above that point, no normal person could touch them.

[Janusha]

@Proudrebel7

Why are americans so provoked with the price of upper market cars... If European top brands were too expensive. Nobody would buy them, they would go bankrupt like US brands, problem solved.

This is purely so that they can put american names on their list. So that US car manufacturers can quote this and sell their cars as "CAR OF THE YEAR!" by this and that magazine. So their readers can feel good about america and forget that the upper market is 100% European dominated.

[Proudrebel7]

@Janusha I would agree with you, until you look at the rest of the list, pretty much all foreign cars, all under $80,000. So, there's that...

[Janusha]

@Proudrebel7

My point was that Its not just supercars and hypercars for the rich america DONT make. Its also GT cars, sporty SUVs, sporty saloons, hothatches, hatchbacks, superminis, traditional sportscars, track cars and certainly no executives. Infact no american car competes for any positions from BMW quality and up. Leaving the entire upper market free for Euro brands to dominate. How americans are unable to see this is a mystery to me. Even in the lower price ranges its pretty one-sided.

[Proudrebel7]

@Janusha Yeah, I agree, but American car companies are getting into those categories, it may be a while before they are as good as the foreign competitors, but I believe we will one day get to that point, and hopefully, it'll be cheaper than those. xD

[Janusha]

@Proudrebel7

Cheaper... Its always about going cheap for you guys isnt it. Today you guys build cars in China, Korea, Brazil, Mexico. We all know quality dont come out of third world countries.

Then there is the fact that the US government puts import tax on all foreign vehicles and they all get luxury tax on top of it to FORCE them up in price. Still they dominate the market. Just face it... There are no US cars aiming at upper market these days.

[Proudrebel7]

@Janusha Yeah that's true... Not all American companies are doing that though. Chrysler, while yes it was like that, has just recently brought the company back to the U.S. And Chrysler is one of those companies getting into most of those categories, the 300 is a true to the wire luxury car now, in my opinion. The Grand Cherokee SRT8 is a very sporty SUV. And etc. I do think it sucks that we have to pay so much more for such awesome cars, however it's not going to change anytime soon. :(

[Janusha]

@Proudrebel7

Chrysler...? What cars are you talking about. The new Dodge Challenger forexample is just a redressed Chrysler 300C which again is a 16 years old Mercedes M210. They used Mercedes cars as base for their own and are now switching to Fiat bases. Whats ameircan about it? The 300C is styled to look like a Continental GT but fails completely to match even lower end BMW. Cherokee is a fairly basic SUV but infact... Fiat is making an upper market model out of it.

[thesuperdingos]

I have a GT, it's teh sex! Love it!

[dinonoce]

Can't watch these uploads on my iPad.

[djmarkian]

I love what Ford has done to the mustang. It evolved it into a nice performance sports car that can hang with more expensive cars. It's like how Porsche evolved a poorly designed lay out and made it work, just like its solid rear axle setup. Just put a telescoping steering wheel and im sold.

[TheCarVlogger]

Multi-link geometry, dual rate remote reservoir dampers, and a fully independent rear suspension. These are just some great technologies...that aren't in this car.

[gogmorgoaway]

@TheCarVlogger Which just goes to show that they aren't needed. It's a basic engineering principle, simple is better.

[TheCarVlogger]

@gogmorgoaway Well kind of. While yes lotus, the Gt3 and gt3 911's, cayman r. Those are all very simple and raw cars that are a ton of fun and are kept simple. With the mustang it seems that ford is just being cheap. I like the mustang, the performance you get from the massive 5.0 liter v8 or the quick v6 for the money are amazing. However, many do complain about the live real axle. In this time and age, it needs to be upgraded(it should've been in 2005). Hight hopes for the 2013 mustang.

[gogmorgoaway]

@TheCarVlogger Could it not be that Ford's found a formula that works, and they're sticking with it? Another basic engineering principle, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Live axles do a much better job of handling weight and putting down power than independent systems do, and the Mustang is a fairly powerful, but also somewhat portly car. I also disagree with you that 5 litres is massive, having grown up in an environment where 5 litres is on the small end of average ;)

[TheCarVlogger]

@gogmorgoaway Actually no. Ford themselves did mention that they would have put a independent rear suspension in the car but it would then cost about $5,000 more, so it is actually a price thing. They would have to spend more money and charge more. A live axle will prove problematic during any types of bumps mid corner and the handling is actually worse and the independent rear suspension has a smooth ride. And maybe not for you but in a time where most cars average 2-4 liters, 5 is big.

[gogmorgoaway]

@TheCarVlogger So basically they didn't want to charge more... I'd say that's trying to stay competitive in their market, not being cheap. A muscle car buyer isn't going to pay a $5000 premium over the others.

The handling and mid-corner bumps can be compensated for by a good operator. You've really got to know what you're doing anyway if you're serious enough about your driving that it makes a difference to you. I personally have no complaints about a slightly rougher ride.

[saeep]

@gogmorgoaway whats the cleaning thing called at 0.43

[gogmorgoaway]

@saeep I'm not sure why you're asking me, but I'd call it a wand wash, some people call it a coin wash, or coin op. Basically it's a coin-operated pressure washer inside a building.

[TheCarVlogger]

@gogmorgoaway Yes the mustang is competitively priced with the camaro and challenger, but not competitively optioned. The other cars have modern suspension systems and the mustang is one of the few cars to still be using a live axle.

Yes the driver plays a big role but must muscle car divers who are serious do drag races. It doesn't matter how good you are, if a sudden bump sends your car spinning, its over. A mustang is a daily driver car in which 99% of the drivers want it to be smooth.

[gogmorgoaway]

@TheCarVlogger You just argued my point. Solid axles are better for drag racing than independent rear setups, because they do a better job of putting down the power. Not so much wheel hop, and they're much more durable. You also don't need to worry about handling or bumps on a smooth, straight drag strip. A properly set up live axle does just as well as an IRS on a road course, too.

You want smooth, get a land yacht. "Must divers" get the Mustang because it's still a muscle car.

[TheCarVlogger]

@gogmorgoaway Yes but look at the percentage of people who actually drag race mustangs compared to people who don't. A mustang is a highly produced car that is often used as a daily driver. Most mustangs on the road today are either stock v6's or gt's that are used from getting to a persons home to wal-mart. They will never do anything close to drag racing, so since ford mass produced this car they need to build it according to a wide audience and just drag racers aren't it.

[gogmorgoaway]

@TheCarVlogger The reason most people who buy Mustangs do so is because it's a relatively inexpensive car that's relatively fast, looks cool, and has the solid reputation of a muscle car. People don't buy Mustangs just to get them to work and back, or down to the Walmart. That may be why they chose to buy a car, and it might be all they do with it, but it's not why they chose the Mustang. That kind of person buys a bland econobox. Not a Mustang.

[gogmorgoaway]

@TheCarVlogger That's like making fire suits thinner and lighter because 90% of the people who buy them won't ever catch on fire. You're completely defeating the purpose of the product.

[TheCarVlogger]

@gogmorgoaway Yeah except that the IRS is better than the solid axle, so its the other way around, they're making it better for the daily consumer. There is a reason that in nearly every review about the mustang the talk about the solid axle and the issues with it.

[guitaristwagner]

@TheCarVlogger But ya gotta give them credit as what ford has done with the rear axle.

[TheCarVlogger]

@guitaristwagner oh no don't get me wrong, I like the mustang, its a great car and has excellent performance at a good value. To make a car that good using that old technology is an achievement on its own already(like the corvette still using leaf springs). Ford definitely did their homework and research when working with the real axle to maximize its use and I congratulate them for that. But just think what they could then achieve with a independent rear suspension and newer technology?!

[Janusha]

@gogmorgoaway

Only a few Corvettes sold are the ZR1, very few Vipers are the ACR and the Cadillac CTSV is way too expensive for most. These top models are just for car reviews and road tests to generate hype for the brand.

Mustangs are no different. We all hear about the Boss 302 and the Shelby Cobra tuneshop jobs but the Mustangs people actually end up buying are the far cheaper, less talented ones. Surprisingly many have a lazy V6.

[gogmorgoaway]

@Janusha er... yes...

Did I say otherwise?

[venom5809]

I am not the demographic for this car and would not be caught dead driving one, but I will admit it is a pretty great car especially for the money. It is like the trashy girl that you don't bring around your friends or bring home, but is lots of fun to be with and do..anyway.

And for the billionth time, M3 or C63 drivers don't care about this car, if they did they would just buy one. BMW drivers generally don't care about Mustangs and Camaros and vice versa.

[maestroadam]

@venom5809 I have an E90 and I'd rather have the stang GT. But, I am an enthusiast so I suppose you're correct. It's sad that people are so ignorant, they're missing out on great things.

[DVDA83]

Love this car. All I want for Christmas is for Ford to bless this car with a telescoping steering wheel.

[Illmatic662]

@DVDA83 There's no telescoping steering?! Really? Damn, I didnt even know that.

[DVDA83]

@Illmatic662 Yup. I test drove the car not too long ago. It was fantastic all around (although a little cramped inside), but I couldn't find the ideal seating position because of the steering wheel. Not quite sure what Ford is thinking.

[tgafire87]

Not on mobile WTF!?

[radar3699]

No thanks, i honestly couldn't car less about the mustang.

[redd7188]

@radar3699 but you watched the video?..............okay

[radar3699]

@redd7188 ie: I much prefer the M3 to this. It's still good to gain knowledge about the cars you don't like so you don't sound like a retard. That was a bit stupidly worded but yeah...

[redd7188]

@radar3699 oh....so you've driven both cars? yea I understand

[desertfox1792]

Kicking the M3's ass....like a BOSS

[colenbrak]

@desertfox1792 TELL 'EM RICK

[stig1995atl]

@desertfox1792 testify!

[hannas1234]

@desertfox1792 And it makes anyone wearing a wife beater look good in it!

[E46MRider]

@desertfox1792 M3 went on sale back in 2007.Its almost 5 years old..It's about time ford came close in performance numbers.As far as quality It's still garbage compared to the M3 boss!

[desertfox1792]

@E46MRider I'll be the first to admit that the interior is no were near as nice as the M3's, but performance wise the 5.0 was only 1 hundredth of a second slower than a M3 around Willow Springs track and that minute difference is negligible due to human error. So by you're comment when you stated its "close" I think you mean its dead even. Besides, for a $30k Mustang being dead even against "Bavaria's finest" I'd say that's a win for Ford. :)

[schmiedrocket]

@desertfox1792 you missed the words "close to" btw, it took them 4 years to finally get a car on the market that will even match the current M3, to bad the 2013 will crush the mustang

[desertfox1792]

@schmiedrocket the funny thing is BMW would have probably kept the same 4l V8 if it weren't for the Mustang embarrassing it. Even if the M3 will beat the standard GT the Boss 302 will destroy the M3. Either way, its pretty embarrassing for BMW to be getting their ass handed to them by a Mustang..with a live rear axle.

[Janusha]

@desertfox1792

The Mustang is a uniquely american phenomenon that you never see anywhere else. I can promise you BMW does NOT cater their cars towards what special edition, tuneshopped Mustangs can or cannot do. Speed and power are DECISSIONS these days. Not achievements. Nothing prevents BMW from putting 650 hp into their cars too. But they arent in that market. BMW and Mercedes are both equal in the top of the high end saloon market in USA. Without competition from Cadillar or Mustang.

[Proudrebel7]

@desertfox1792 The Boss actually doesn't have a live rear axle. ^_^ It makes me happy, this is a track ready car, Ford sells it as a track ready car, and they understand that it takes a slightly more advanced axle to turn a corner at high speeds. :D It's so pretty. Although, all the other Mustangs still have those axles, a little disappointing, however there is word that the others will soon follow suit. I can't wait. :)

[schmiedrocket]

@desertfox1792 your an idiot man, its called fuel consumption and people complaining, thats why they went back to the LEGENDARY 6. and doesnt anyone think its alittle bit disapointing that a brand new just designed car that aimed to beat a 4 year old design of m3 and still failed. ouch

[desertfox1792]

@schmiedrocket Cant really understand what you're trying to say but for a muscle car with a live rear axle, being able to beat a M3 at 1/2 the cost is pretty embarrassing on BMWs part. ouch

[schmiedrocket]

@desertfox1792 what im trying top get across is the m3 has been out for 4 years and it 4 whole years to get on bmw's level. thats the point. and it really doesnt beat it. The new m3 should be an amazing car because it has some tough competition now.