Marc UrbanoCar and Driver
Lap Time: 3:04.4
Class: LL2 | Base: $36,855 | As Tested: $42,070
Power and Weight: 330 hp • 3649 lb • 11.1 lb/hp
Tires: Pirelli P Zero Corsa PZC4, 265/40ZR-19 98Y
The EcoBoost Mustang’s lap shows what’s possible when a manufacturer fits a moderately powerful car with tires that are stickier than an IHOP syrup dispenser. When Ford’s sixth-generation pony debuted for 2015, the 435-hp V-8-powered GT ran a 3:05.2 at VIR. Even down 105 horses, this four-cylinder car laps quicker.
Equipped with the $4995 2.3L High Performance engine upgrade and the $1995 Handling package, this colt makes 330 horsepower, 20 more than the base model. An active exhaust announces the car, upgraded brakes rein it in, and a limited-slip differential prevents the base Stang’s favorite party trick: the one-tire fire. But for the Mustang with half a heart, the replacement for displacement comes down to the Pirelli P Zero Corsa PZC4 track tires included in the Handling kit.
Marc UrbanoCar and Driver
After leaving the back straight 1.1 seconds behind the 2015 GT, the EcoBoost Mustang mounts a dramatic comeback. It claws back the lead through the infield, where the steering wheel is always turning and the accelerator doesn’t stay flat for long. Magnetorheological dampers keep the tires planted, and those Pirellis stick the front and rear ends with tremendous stability. The breakneck cornering carries through Roller Coaster and Hog Pen, opening a gap the old GT can’t close despite hitting a 10.2-mph-higher peak speed on the long front straight.
This four-cylinder track special isn’t exactly a giant-killer. Ford has built faster GTs since 2015 that can turn sub-three-minute laps. This redemption story—the standard EcoBoost Mustang ran a disappointing 3:15.6 in 2015—reveals that the best go-fast parts are trickling down through the Mustang lineup. The 20-horse upgrade is overpriced, but the Handling package is an incredible value for anyone who finds more joy in the corners than in the straights.
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