Ford Mustang (S550)

Ford Mustang (S550)

Model Years Produced: 2015 to 2023

Summary

The S550 Mustang marked many “firsts” for the Mustang brand. It was the first Mustang with independent rear suspension, the first Mustang to be made for a global market, and the first mustang to be available in right-hand drive configurations. It was originally released in 2015 and received a refresh in 2018 which added more power, upgraded the automatic transmission from an archaic 6-speed to a modern 10-speed, and updated the interior.

If purchasing one, try and find one with MagneRide shocks and the active valve performance exhaust system. If getting a GT, the GT Performance Pack (also known as Performance Pack 1 or PP1) is also highly recommended.

Primary Criticisms

Major

  • Transmission issues:
    • Ford is the defendant in a class-action lawsuit regarding the 10R80 10-speed automatic transmission. Curiously, the issues named in the lawsuit do not appear to affect GM vehicles, even though the transmission was co-developed with GM and it is used also in GM products such as the Cadillac CT4.
    • The Getrag MT82 manual transmission in the 4-cylinder and GT versions of the Mustang has been subject to numerous complaints and even lawsuits due to shifter feel and reliability issues. The Tremec TR-3160 used in the Shelby GT350 and Mach 1 is vastly superior in both regards.
  • The GT350’s “Voodoo” engine has some reliability issues.

Minor

  • The V8-engined variants all have a curb weight of 3700+ lbs, which is relatively heavy for a two-door “sports” car.
  • The interior has been labeled “cheap” and “full of plastic.” The “Premium” trim variants of the GT and the Mach 1 are big improvements over the base GT and Mach 1 as are the Shelby variants, but ultimately the Mustang interior still has cheap roots. Even so, it’s superior to its other muscle car competition, the Chevrolet Camaro and the Dodge Challenger.

Warranty

Information is as of 2022 model year

New

  • Limited: 3 years/36,000 miles
  • Powertrain: 5 years/60,000 miles
  • Safety Restraint System: 5 years/60,000 miles
  • Corrosion (Perforation Only): 5 years/unlimited miles
  • Emissions: 8 years/80,000 miles
  • Roadside Assistance: 5 years/60,000 miles

Gold Certified Pre-Owned

  • Repair Deductible: $100 per visit
  • Limited: 1 year/12,000 miles from CPO purchase date
  • Powertrain: 7 years/100,000 miles from original in-service date
  • Roadside Assistance: 7 years/unlimited miles from original in-service date
  • Rental Car: $35/day up to 10 days
  • Trip Reimbursement: $1000 lodging for 3 days + $75 transportation

Blue Certified Pre-Owned

  • Repair Deductible: $100 per visit
  • Limited: 90 days/4,000 miles from CPO purchase date
  • Powertrain: 7 years/100,000 miles from original in-service date
  • Roadside Assistance: 90 days/unlimited miles from CPO purchase date

GT

The Mustang GT stuffs a 5.0L “Coyote” V8 under the hood. It’s available in two versions: the “base” GT and the GT Premium, the latter of which adds a number of luxury features to the cabin such as leather seating surfaces, a premium stereo, upgraded infotainment, and more. The convertible is only available in GT Premium form.

Performance Packs

There have been two “Performance Pack” option packages available for the GT during the car’s lifecycle, although “Performance Pack 2” or “PP2” has since been discontinued while “Performance Pack 1” or “PP1” has since been renamed to simply the “GT Performance Pack.”

  • PP1: 19″ black-painted aluminum wheels, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, 15″ front brake discs, Brembo six-piston front calipers, aluminum instrument panel, gauge pack, heavy-duty front springs, K-brace, larger radiator, performance rear wing, black painted strut tower brace, Torsen rear-differential, unique chassis tuning, upsized sway bar, front splitter
  • PP2: all PP1 upgrades plus MagneRide shocks, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, stiffer front and rear sway bars, stiffer front and rear springs

Reviews


Specifications

  • Body Style(s): Coupe, Convertible (soft top)
  • Engine: Ford Coyote – 5.0L V8
  • Horsepower: 460 hp
  • Torque: 420 lb-ft
  • Transmission: Ford-GM 10R80 10-speed automatic, Getrag MT82 6-speed manual
  • Drivetrain: RWD w/ standard mechanical limited-slip differential, Torsen differential is optional
  • Fuel Economy: 19 comb / 15 city / 24 hwy

Coupe

  • Curb Weight: 3730 lbs
  • Power-to-Weight: 246.6 hp/ton
  • Cargo Capacity: 13.5 cu ft
  • Starting Price: $38345 (GT) / $43365 (GT Premium Coupe)

Convertible

  • Curb Weight: 3916 lbs
  • Power-to-Weight: 234.9 hp/ton
  • Cargo Capacity: 11.4 cu ft
  • Starting Price: $48865

Mach 1

The Mach 1 serves as a replacement for both the Bullitt and Shelby GT350 editions of the Mustang. Although the Coyote V8 under the hood is not as powerful nor as memorable as the “Voodoo” V8 in the GT350 it replaced, it still features a power boost over the regular GT thanks to the inclusion of the GT350’s intake. It also cribs a number of other features from the GT350 for additional cooling and aero to make it more track-friendly than the regular GT, and the “Premium” version of the Mach 1 features an upgraded interior over the regular GT as well. Unlike the GT350, the Mach 1 is available with an automatic transmission.

Reviews

Specifications

  • Body Style(s): Coupe
  • Engine: Ford Coyote – 5.0L V8
  • Horsepower: 480 hp
  • Torque: 420 lb-ft
  • Transmission: Ford-GM 10R80 10-speed automatic, Tremec TR-3160 6-speed manual
  • Drivetrain: RWD w/ standard Torsen limited-slip differential
  • Curb Weight: 3868 lbs
  • Power-to-Weight: 248.2 hp/ton
  • Cargo Capacity: 13.5 cu ft
  • Fuel Economy: 17 comb / 14 city / 22 hwy
  • Starting Price: $56570 (Mach 1) / $58665 (Mach 1 Premium)

Shelby GT350

The S550 Shelby GT350 is a religious experience. It has a V8 with a flat-plane crankshaft which redlines at 8200rpm, and it can only be paired with a 6-speed manual – which just happens to be one of the best-feeling manual transmissions on the market. Because of the way the engine produces power, the 526hp output isn’t overwhelming, with most of it not coming on until after around 3500rpm and peak power only arriving at 7500rpm. The engine wants you to drive the snot out of it, and yet it’s very easy to live with at low speeds.

The GT350 was only produced for the 2016-2020 model years. It features a number of cooling and aero upgrades over the stock GT to make it a more “track-focused” version of the Mustang. There was also a “GT350R” which added Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, carbon fiber wheels, and a more aggressive splitter and rear wing; it also removed a significant amount of sound deadening plus all the carpet, the trunk floorboard, rear seats, air-conditioning, stereo, and even the backup camera to save weight. Despite the GT350 being the “track” Mustang, the Recaro bucket seats are still quite comfortable, and the MagneRide suspension does an excellent job of soaking up bumps in the road when not in sport mode. The GT350 also has a copious amount of Alcantara in the interior compared to the standard GT, making it a nicer place to be – though it’s still not a “luxury” car by any means.

Early models of the GT350 (particularly model years 2016-2017) seem to be especially prone to excessive oil consumption, and the Voodoo engine in general has developed somewhat of a reputation for “shaking itself apart” due to Ford’s unconventional implementation of a flat-plane crankshaft (which uses a different firing order than most flat-plane V8 engines). “Gen 2” 2019-2020 models received a number of upgrades to the engine for added strength thanks to the introduction of the GT500, which shared the engine block (though had a more conventional cross-plane crankshaft). As such, they tend to command a small premium over “gen 1” 2016-2018 models. Because of the reputation of the Voodoo engine, especially with 2016-2018 models, it is strongly encouraged to get one with a warranty (ideally a Gold Certified one) so that you can evaluate its oil consumption and have the engine repaired or replaced if necessary under someone else’s dime.

Reviews


Specifications

  • Body Style(s): Coupe
  • Engine: Ford Voodoo – 5.2L V8
  • Horsepower: 526 hp
  • Torque: 429 lb-ft
  • Transmission: Tremec TR-3160 6-speed manual
  • Drivetrain: RWD w/ standard Torsen limited-slip differential
  • Curb Weight: 3805 lbs
  • Power-to-Weight: 276.5 hp/ton
  • Cargo Capacity: 13.5 cu ft
  • Fuel Economy: 16 comb / 14 city / 21 hwy
  • Price: No longer available new but can be found used and certified starting in the $50s

Shelby GT500

The GT500 is an utterly ridiculous car. It makes far too much power to be usable on the road without racking up points on your license faster than you can blink, but you’re guaranteed to have a smile on your face while doing it. Although it can no longer be purchased new, certified pre-owned examples still pop up on occasion, and used examples abound – though they aren’t cheap. This is the ultimate Mustang, and in fact, it’s Ford’s most powerful road car ever.

Reviews


Specifications

  • Body Style(s): Coupe
  • Engine: Ford Predator – 5.2L V8 supercharged
  • Horsepower: 760 hp
  • Torque: 625 lb-ft
  • Transmission: Tremec TR-9070 7-speed automated dual-clutch
  • Drivetrain: RWD w/ standard Torsen limited-slip differential
  • Curb Weight: 4183 lbs
  • Power-to-Weight: 363.4 hp/ton
  • Cargo Capacity: 13.5 cu ft
  • Fuel Economy: 14 comb / 12 city / 18 hwy
  • Price: No longer available new but can be found used starting in the low $70s, certified examples can be found starting in the $80s