2015 Mustang GT with Roush

VictorH · 03-20-2016, 01:55 PM

I have the enviable position of a next door neighbor who is, like me, is a certified car nut. Last year he bought a 2015 Mustang GT, 50th anniversary edition car with the performance package (unfortunately with automatic, more on that later). He subsequently added Ford performance Brembo front brakes, 6 piston, with street pads, Bridgestone S-04 summer tires all around in square set up, heavy duty sway bars front and back (otherwise stock suspension and alignment) and then took the car to NC for a Roush supercharger install. It's rated at 625 HP, SAE with stock exhaust, but then two weeks ago he added SS long tube headers and high flow cats everything leading into a 3" exhaust system. In the pre-SS header form this car runs high 11s in the quarter mile (me driving), on a warm humid day. So you can imagine its pretty quick.

So, why the long prelude above? Well, we just got back from a three day track event at VIR with the Zone 2, PCA. They run a very nice, low key event, better than BMWCCA in my opinion. We skipped the 3rd day because it was too cold, upper 30sF with 100% humidity and 50% chance of rain, plus the track was wet from rain the night before. Yes, we are babies but when your hands get numb just standing around, it won't be much better in the car with the windows down at speed.

Anyway, my neighbor had asked me on Friday if I wanted to drive his car Saturday morning. Of course I was interested and since he was running in the novice group and I in the advanced so it was no trouble for car exchange (separated by the intermediate group). We cleared it with the head instructor and the only recommendation was that I start in the back of the line when my session started.

Well Saturday AM arrives, it's a bit cool, on the upper 40s with slight drizzle but not enough to affect the track. I set up the Harry's Lap timer and GPS and get ready to go. The field of cars in my group is pretty large so it will be a while for everyone to get on. I was given an orientation, by my neighbor on how to set the track mode, steering effort and how to paddle shift the transmission. He tells me the car pushes heavily and that it's difficult to modulate the power when the car decides to shift itself, so I opt for manual mode. We figure a couple of laps and I will be comfortable with the car.

Get on track and within 1/2 lap I'm in the "zen" with the car. It turns out to be very neutral, with pretty good feedback, no appreciable understeer, and really not too much unlike my E90 M3 except that the suspension is pretty soft but very compliant and of course the power is absolutely ridiculous. And, the power is what makes this session probably the most fun I have ever had in any car on track. It was absolutely epic!

The grip is actually pretty good and the handling is very neutral. I'm able to keep up in the corners, early in the session, with most everyone even though most are running the usual R-comp tires. However, with the huge power this car makes it doesn't matter what people are driving, Cayman, Carreras or GT-3, this car just absolutely sucks them in and then hauls away. On the straights it picks up so much speed that by the time someone sees me coming and puts the point-by out, I'm just about at their rear bumper and then pass with a 30-40 mph speed differential (only did this on the long back straight and was prepared to jam on the brakes if needed).

For the first half of the session, there's no one who can pass me because any short straight gives me a big gap to the next person behind. It's crazy but I'm just eating cars up left and right (I have never been able to do this before). By lap 6-7 or so, the tires are not as grippy and I have to let some folks (perhaps a total of 4) go, and there was a 900 HP, ethanol fueled GT-R that passed me on the straight, but it was a case of the really good track cars that had much more outright speed in the corners who in fairness I didn't want to do the continual, "I'll blow you away in the straight" routine, so I let them go and did my best to dog them the rest of the session.

That session was like your birthday, New Years, Christmas and all holidays combined it was that fun. Other components. The brakes were outstanding, very linear, no fade at all lap after lap and I'm hauling it down from 130 to 140 plus mph. Interestingly my speed at the end of the straight was no different than my M3, even though I was expecting to see perhaps 150+. Two thoughts, first, it's not my car and I'm not going to push it quite as hard, second I was always thinking about the fact that this car has street pads, so I'm not going to run as deep into the braking zone and finally, when I looked at corner speed out of Oak tree, my M3 is exiting about 5 mph faster, I am able to get to full throttle faster on exit and the net effect of this big head start is the final top end is about the same, (145 in the M3 and 141 in the Mustang). If I had one criticism it's the automatic transmission. The lag on upshift or downshift is at least one second sometimes even a little longer. Not like DCT at all. Hit rev limiter twice because you pull the paddle at 5,000 to 5,500 rpm and it's gaining speed so fast it hits the limiter before the transmission shifts, so you really have to plan way ahead for the shifts. So that was really the only negative.
The suspension, stock is pretty nice, it's just dances up the upper esses, is reasonably well planted but not really firm like most of our track oriented cars. The motor sounds like a big-block with a really deep rumble that's not too loud or obnoxious. Anyway, it was huge fun and really made my weekend.

vsix · 03-20-2016, 02:59 PM

I will always have nothing but respect & l.o.v.e. to the Ford crowd.
Owned a couple of stangs and slowly made my way up

As for these new 2015's:
They are a great mod-platform, with saying that:
Dont expect the car to fly to the moon in stock form. You must understand that any stang needs its tuning, or call it better aftermarket refining.
No comparison to the ///M league, though.
None the less, Ford know its game and defintely came a long way!
R-E-S-P-E-C-T!

ASBSECU E93 · 03-20-2016, 11:33 PM

Ford definitely upped their game with the Coyote platform and the 2015's look very nice - it the suspension that needs serious aftermarket help.

The Shelby 500's - they've never had problems making power...putting it to use is another story.

The new Shelby GT350 on the other hand...

Billj747 · 03-22-2016, 01:29 PM

KW V3s transform the handling of the car and amanual would likely be much faster on track. They are quite capable cars with an awesome motor. The Roush supercharger is also a great piece.

VictorH · 03-24-2016, 07:21 AM

If it were my car I would add -1.5 degrees of negative camber up front and otherwise leave it alone for a while. There's much less tire deflection on the Mustang compared to the M3, and his car has no strut tower brace (doesn't fit with the supercharger).

03-20-2016, 01:55 PM	#1
VictorH Major 433 Rep 1,286 Posts Drives: '09 M3 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: SC iTrader: (4)	2015 Mustang GT with Roush I have the enviable position of a next door neighbor who is, like me, is a certified car nut. Last year he bought a 2015 Mustang GT, 50th anniversary edition car with the performance package (unfortunately with automatic, more on that later). He subsequently added Ford performance Brembo front brakes, 6 piston, with street pads, Bridgestone S-04 summer tires all around in square set up, heavy duty sway bars front and back (otherwise stock suspension and alignment) and then took the car to NC for a Roush supercharger install. It's rated at 625 HP, SAE with stock exhaust, but then two weeks ago he added SS long tube headers and high flow cats everything leading into a 3" exhaust system. In the pre-SS header form this car runs high 11s in the quarter mile (me driving), on a warm humid day. So you can imagine its pretty quick. So, why the long prelude above? Well, we just got back from a three day track event at VIR with the Zone 2, PCA. They run a very nice, low key event, better than BMWCCA in my opinion. We skipped the 3rd day because it was too cold, upper 30sF with 100% humidity and 50% chance of rain, plus the track was wet from rain the night before. Yes, we are babies but when your hands get numb just standing around, it won't be much better in the car with the windows down at speed. Anyway, my neighbor had asked me on Friday if I wanted to drive his car Saturday morning. Of course I was interested and since he was running in the novice group and I in the advanced so it was no trouble for car exchange (separated by the intermediate group). We cleared it with the head instructor and the only recommendation was that I start in the back of the line when my session started. Well Saturday AM arrives, it's a bit cool, on the upper 40s with slight drizzle but not enough to affect the track. I set up the Harry's Lap timer and GPS and get ready to go. The field of cars in my group is pretty large so it will be a while for everyone to get on. I was given an orientation, by my neighbor on how to set the track mode, steering effort and how to paddle shift the transmission. He tells me the car pushes heavily and that it's difficult to modulate the power when the car decides to shift itself, so I opt for manual mode. We figure a couple of laps and I will be comfortable with the car. Get on track and within 1/2 lap I'm in the "zen" with the car. It turns out to be very neutral, with pretty good feedback, no appreciable understeer, and really not too much unlike my E90 M3 except that the suspension is pretty soft but very compliant and of course the power is absolutely ridiculous. And, the power is what makes this session probably the most fun I have ever had in any car on track. It was absolutely epic! The grip is actually pretty good and the handling is very neutral. I'm able to keep up in the corners, early in the session, with most everyone even though most are running the usual R-comp tires. However, with the huge power this car makes it doesn't matter what people are driving, Cayman, Carreras or GT-3, this car just absolutely sucks them in and then hauls away. On the straights it picks up so much speed that by the time someone sees me coming and puts the point-by out, I'm just about at their rear bumper and then pass with a 30-40 mph speed differential (only did this on the long back straight and was prepared to jam on the brakes if needed). For the first half of the session, there's no one who can pass me because any short straight gives me a big gap to the next person behind. It's crazy but I'm just eating cars up left and right (I have never been able to do this before). By lap 6-7 or so, the tires are not as grippy and I have to let some folks (perhaps a total of 4) go, and there was a 900 HP, ethanol fueled GT-R that passed me on the straight, but it was a case of the really good track cars that had much more outright speed in the corners who in fairness I didn't want to do the continual, "I'll blow you away in the straight" routine, so I let them go and did my best to dog them the rest of the session. That session was like your birthday, New Years, Christmas and all holidays combined it was that fun. Other components. The brakes were outstanding, very linear, no fade at all lap after lap and I'm hauling it down from 130 to 140 plus mph. Interestingly my speed at the end of the straight was no different than my M3, even though I was expecting to see perhaps 150+. Two thoughts, first, it's not my car and I'm not going to push it quite as hard, second I was always thinking about the fact that this car has street pads, so I'm not going to run as deep into the braking zone and finally, when I looked at corner speed out of Oak tree, my M3 is exiting about 5 mph faster, I am able to get to full throttle faster on exit and the net effect of this big head start is the final top end is about the same, (145 in the M3 and 141 in the Mustang). If I had one criticism it's the automatic transmission. The lag on upshift or downshift is at least one second sometimes even a little longer. Not like DCT at all. Hit rev limiter twice because you pull the paddle at 5,000 to 5,500 rpm and it's gaining speed so fast it hits the limiter before the transmission shifts, so you really have to plan way ahead for the shifts. So that was really the only negative. The suspension, stock is pretty nice, it's just dances up the upper esses, is reasonably well planted but not really firm like most of our track oriented cars. The motor sounds like a big-block with a really deep rumble that's not too loud or obnoxious. Anyway, it was huge fun and really made my weekend. Attached Images
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03-20-2016, 02:59 PM	#2
vsix Lieutenant Colonel 602 Rep 1,611 Posts Drives: M3 E92 sold, M4 F82 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: ATL iTrader: (0)	I will always have nothing but respect & l.o.v.e. to the Ford crowd. Owned a couple of stangs and slowly made my way up As for these new 2015's: They are a great mod-platform, with saying that: Dont expect the car to fly to the moon in stock form. You must understand that any stang needs its tuning, or call it better aftermarket refining. No comparison to the ///M league, though. None the less, Ford know its game and defintely came a long way! R-E-S-P-E-C-T!
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03-22-2016, 01:29 PM	#4
Billj747 Captain 162 Rep 658 Posts Drives: Everything Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: SoFlo iTrader: (0)	KW V3s transform the handling of the car and amanual would likely be much faster on track. They are quite capable cars with an awesome motor. The Roush supercharger is also a great piece.
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03-24-2016, 07:21 AM	#5
VictorH Major 433 Rep 1,286 Posts Drives: '09 M3 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: SC iTrader: (4)	If it were my car I would add -1.5 degrees of negative camber up front and otherwise leave it alone for a while. There's much less tire deflection on the Mustang compared to the M3, and his car has no strut tower brace (doesn't fit with the supercharger).
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