2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302: First Test
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 มี.ค. 2011
- There is only one Mustang that Ford had yet to recreate-the baddest of all, the Boss. That is, until now. Meet the 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302, the best, most well-rounded Mustang ever. We take it to the track to see how it performs.
READ THE STORY HERE:
www.motortrend.com/roadtests/c...
Also find Motor Trend on:
/ motor_trend
/ motortrendmag
Shot by: Duane Sempson
Edited by: Duane Sempson - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
After 5 years owning my Boss 302 I have no desire to trade her in or sell! This car has far exceeded my expectations! Love it!!!
Benjammin1829 I know the feeling. I've got SN 1939 in competition orange. It's just a super fun car to drive. She's not a daily driver by any means, most of her miles are made on the track. I've got a few bolt on mods, cobra jet intake, boss 302R cams, wide oval twin 65mm TB, full kooks exhaust which dumps out of magnaflow competition exhaust and Lund tune. I swapped out the factory 2 piece drive shaft for a ford racing one piece and added the 302R suspension upgrade. She laid out an impressive 508 rwhp and 478 lbft torque at 8500 rpms and was still pulling hard to 9000. We decided to set the limiter at 8500 due to the factory rods were close to their limit. Best mustang ever.
Expensive Mods though :)
eric hemard wow your mods are awesome! I am a weekend “warrior” racing imaginary folks on the backroads lol.
I'm considering stepping "down" from my 2015 GT into a Boss. I like the more muscle car look of those and they seem more raw. I'll give Ford credit. 2015 interior is soooooo much better than the older Mustangs but exterior and just overall characteristics of this Boss is very tempting for me to switch things up.
Is it your daily driver? If not,why not?
I own this Boss. I have owned it for 9 years now. Someone told me it was the Motor Trend test. I checked Motor Trend magazine archives and found the the number on the intake.
I JUST BOUGHT A 2012 BOSS AND LOVE IT !!
You still got it 😂
Just ordered one! This will be the longest 6-8 weeks in my life!
WOW THIS THING IS AMAZING! The Shelby GT500 has been tested by MotorTrend, and they got 12.4 1/4 mile, while they got 12.3 1/4 mile. Not just that, this is highly underpowered compared to the GT500, plus this is bloody $10k less than the GT500 amazing! Let us wish that the Camaro ZL1 brings a nice competition!
I have 2 of these. (the hotwheels edition)
Isandring I think he was joking
the boss is truly back! better then ever! I saw this color at the dealer it is more gold in person, super nice!
@DCsniper207 i will admit, an IRS is far superior to a live axle on the road course, yet Ford is still able to keep up with the IRS cars and still have the live axle. I'm not a fan of drag racing, but for the driver who buys this car, they get the road gripping potential of an IRS and the ability to drag race with the live axle.
1.2013-2014 GT500
2.2012-2013 Boss302
3.2003-2004 SVT/2011-2012 gt500
2014 gt350 is #2 Terminator Svt is #4 now
I am not sure what I am going to do but I am getting a school bus yellow boss 302. Dream car I don't need any other car at all
+SpyderRios Have you gotten it yet?
have you
SpyderRios I finally got mine. Red and white. #2913 on my intake.
@acs4llc I understand your rationale and mostly agree. The chatter does seem to have subsided a good bit. There are people still working out exising issues, but come to think of it, I haven't heard of many new cases popping up. Its great that Ford quickly fixed the issue of the Clutch pedal sticking on the floor due to weak pedal springs. Also, there was that bulletin describing tough shifting due to pressure plate bolts loosening that was also addressed promptly.
I would like to pick up a mid
i'm a camaro fan but this car is kick ass. Ford engineering did an awesome job with this car and this has got to be the best bang 4 the buck on the market today. i hope Chevrolet will come out with a z28 to compete with this!
12.3@115.8mph?? Thats right on par with the ZL1. That little 302 is one horse to be reckoned with.
Also, the s/c 5.4 4V's higher center of gravity had much less impact on the Ford GT which had a much lower engine placement than the GT500. Another advantage of building a purpose built car that doesn't have to contend with compromises forced by less expensive versions of the same car, like the Corvette has to contend with. The Ford GT's biggest handling draw-back in stock trim was the tires. They came with pizza cutter 235s up front and smaller than ZR1 315 rears, an issue easily corrected.
I'm so in love with this boss
This Boss 302 is a very impressive car!
Still the best looking/ performing mustang till this day
@Spentbrass - I've lusted over Vettes and Vipers, but I totally agree on the rest of this.
lots of gvreat memories made with this car in NFS Most Wanted 2012, NFS the Run, and CSR Racing
@MrDead67 The 428 was just an engine option not a spacific type of mustang. But the mustang that they are still missing is the Boss 429.
Love the whole n/a racing seat feel to the car. A boss would fit me better than a GT500 honestly. if 444 isn't enough for you just tune it and maybe squeeze out another 50 or 60. Or different gearing.
@MrDead67 Yes the 428 was standard on the gt500kr but it was also an engine option that was available for other gt mustangs as well as many other ford models like the torino. There are a few california and high country special mustangs with the CJ that are worth alot of money. You gould even get one in a mercury cougar with the eliminator package. I believe that in 1970 you could order a falcon with a 428 or even the 429 k-block which was the nascar motor.
Even though the new Shelby GT500 will be pretty stout with the new 5.8, I'd still go with the Boss 302. What would be awesome is if they came out with a modern version of the Boss 429.
@DocWolph Regarding GT500 and 5.0 curb weight differences other than the engine, you can also add heat exchanger, intercooler fluid and intercooler plumbing to the GT500's weight, weight which doesn't come from the engine itself. Even the iron block s/c 5.4 4V came in at under 700s.
Have you seen Ford Racing engine crates? Big wood monstrosities that include 2x4s and 1/2" to 3/4" plywood. The GT500 engine is also taller and wider, necessitating a larger/heavier crate than the 5.0 Coyote.
The 60's classics are still here today, and now we leave behind this, I thought we were never going to leave a classic like the 60's did, but we did it, we fucking did it!
Never been a Ford guy but damn I want a Boss 302. Good job Ford!!!
i believe that dreams come true and this car is my freaking dream
Another note is regarding the 5.4's impact on the GT500's handling: it isn't the weight of the the engine itself that hurts it versus the 5.0, it's that the supercharger, aluminum lower intake/intercooler manifiold (which is ~100 lbs of the engine weight difference) shifts most of that weight upwards, giving the supercharged 5.4 a much higher center of gravity versus the composite intake manifold n/a 5.0. THIS is why the 5.4 hurts handling, an issue the ZR1 and ZL1 ALSO have to deal with.
Just got a 2012 V6 3days ago,I love it :D
i love how with traction controll it chirps in bothe first and second and third! :)
@MCVPharmacyStudent don't know but its nice to know that i am not the only one who didn't agree with the headlight deletes. I think they sould have used the v6 grill
This and the GT500s and Super Snakes will be huge collectors 20+ years from now
As a camaro SS owner, I have to say great job ford! I love the new muscle car wars.
@DocWolph The 2011 GT500 weighs 3820 lbs & the 2011 GT 5.0 weighs 3602 lbs with base rims, base brakes, etc. Get a Track Pack and that goes up by over 30 lbs thanks to larger rims/tires, roll bars, and brakes.
Beyond the engine, the GT500 has a heavier trans (TR-6060 vs MT-82), heavier brakes, heavier rim/tire combo, etc. There's a rough 200 lb difference and a solid 70 of that can be attributed to components other than the engine itself. The 5.0 weighs 430 lbs, the math is fairly simple.
@Hellz420 the BOSS 302 is only the beginning new variants of the camaro are being released as well. the ZL1 is first but id be shocked if you didnt see a Z28 in the future as well
@DocWolph Actually, properly sized turbos especially when paired with VGT, direct injection (higher compression), and Ti-VCT (or any VVT system that allows for alteration of LSA) can provide for instantaneous boost response. Superchargers can never match the efficiency of turbos while turbos CAN match the responsiveness of the roots and twin screw superchargers.
@Janusha Yeah, you're right (about the last sentence), the reason most people go for the standard V6 is because americans love the mustang, but can't afford the one step higher GT. The V6 is still powerful (305hp), has a very good price ($22,000), and is still a legend. You can say that the Mustang is the greatest bargain on the road.
@DocWolph The N/A 5.4 engine is irrelevant, but YOU brought it up.
Of course the the 3820 lb curb weight of the 2010 GT500 is in doubt, BECAUSE THE 2010 GT500 STILL USED THE IRON BLOCK. The 2011 aluminum block GT500 weighs 3820 lbs per Ford.
@BL80488 im a ford fan but dont count out the zl1. It hit some siick time in that german track recently.... I for one welcome the comp. Love these times
@Lynxtpm Both. The LS version is up near Porsche and corvette
@rizegraymon1 it has forged internals, better seats & steering wheel, and better electronics as well. Don't let the 20 hp higher rating fool you. The BOSS consistently traps 2-3 mph faster than a GT in the 1/4-mile, which indicates a 20-30 RWHP difference. The BOSS cylinder heads & cams also react much better to modifications & boost.
inside line just posted a ZL1 convertible full test yesterday, this boss beats most of its numbers, however the ZL1's extra weight might be why, lets hope for a hard top ZL1 test here soon.
@Brianiare The Boss 302 is on sale now
@AdverbAdjective the N635S 5.8 “Hans Nowack Edition”, 718 hp, but yeah i never realized how many cars were supercharged.
Think I'll keep this for the summer and my STI for some winter fun. My 01' GT will stay in the garage though, she needs some work.
Sold mine to buy a shelby. Regretted it since day 3. It took 4 years but I got my competition orange boss back. Unless you're buying exclusively a track car, the Boss is the greatest overall Mustang muscle car. New ones are neat but are very sports car like. Simply not as rough and fun to drive.
It looks the business and runs the numbers! 12.3 at 116 bone stock, NA is a hard charger.
Only thing I would change is the factory ride height...stock height sits like a crossover SUV...
@Spentbrass I totally agree... 444hp from a NATURALLY ASPIRATED, 5.0L... incredible!! And the car looks pretty sweet too!
No. The 2013 GT500 is packing 662 hp in the form of a 5.8L OHC supercharged v8.
The Boss 302 is all motor 5.0L....but it's lighter and can handle plenty of boost. The Crank/rods/pistons are all forged, amongst other things.
@acs4llc (continued...) I would like to pick up a mid-late year 2012 model. Seems like all the bugs will be worked out by then, if they are not all good already! Amazing car the base GT is, and the BOSS has got to be beyond words!
@powerbolt09 I love the 08/09? Mustang GT/CS Coupe in blue, and the 08? Bullitt. Gorgeous! My dad is thinking about leasing a 2011 Corvette. They are fast, but it doesnt feel like they have much originality
@norrisnail0808 the top speed with the economy key is governor limited at 155 but with the track key its what ever it can go, the speedometer goes to 180 so most likely sonewhere around there..
great numbers!
I can't wait to get my Mustang :D
I agree, they need to bring back is the boss 351 and the boss 429 options. The boss 351 is technically the same platform as the 302 but it would add another good option for this car. Just rethink the wheel combination.
@DocWolph I said nothing about a different tune. From the factory, bone stock, a PD blower will require more transient fueling and less timing because the PD blower dump max boost into the engine at the stab of the throttle. The nature of the PD blower also requires lower compression rations. Result? Less hit than one would expect. Turbos when paired with VGT impeller, GDI/higher compression, and twin ind. VCT/VVT, can get away with less trans. fueling, more timing creating equal...
@Greendude33 I think its a bit more than decent, i for one congratulate ford for doing a very good job with this car
Wow... What a Great muscle car. Keep up the good work Ford.
When I bought my F150 in sept I saw the boss in the showroom. I was SO tempted to buy that instead. But a mustang isn't exactly great at hauling construction materials and supplies. Maybe one day I can find one used and a little more affordable but I have a feeling this car will hold it's value for a very long time.
This car is the definition of muscle car.
@Corveette im a big camaro fan but i like the boss 302
@Greendude33 Pulled up the dash cam video "Laguna Seca GT3 1:38.6" and ran it simultaneously with "M3 Killer! Boss 302 Laps...". The faster GT3 pulls away from the Boss everywhere EXCEPT thru the Cork Screw. If you get them to pass under the Mother's bridge at the same moment, they exit the Cork Screw & cross the next bridge exactly in step.
@DocWolph Its actually the vid where they race the gt500 against the Z06 corvette and the New Nissan GT-R. Insidelinevideo has a actual review of the 2011 gt500. Sure of course the boss is faster around the track then the gt500. But if you put proper tires on the gt500 it will actually be a lot closer then you think, its easy an 11 sec car with some good shoes on.
@EyAz1717 No but there's a ZL1 and it is official and it should do under 4 seconds quite easily!
I drove one today, I do vallet but let me tell u guys the exhaust was just amazing on this car. Not a ford type of guy but I wouldnt mind a boss 302.
@RulerOfTheKings I like what theyve done with the BOSS, they dont need turbos to get 12,s like every EURO/JAP car on the market that has repectable numbers, slight mods and ur in the 10,s u dont need a 10 sec car from the factory, it leaves nothing to work on or enhance, and yes american has been building 12 sec cars since the 60's ( Z-06 does 10's with a good driver )
I saw a BOSS 302 on my way to Atlanta a few days ago.
@Spentbrass, well said sir :) It started with the terminator and its finally passing the torch to a worthy comrade :)
@Cash2112 There is a video of a Boss 302 with slicks only, no other mods 11.7 @ 117
2012 Boss 302 - First Boss in the 11's
@grenade350 There's much more that goes into deciding a car's MSRP than the expense of the parts that are used to build it.
@1through9athrewz this will thrash a ZL1 round the track and the 2013 SVT COBRA with a supercharged 5.8 making 620 hp and the boss suspensiom setup, will aswell.
@LieKiller Changes like that aren't seen as stock in my eyes. thats just how i view it. .... In any case.. i would hold off buying the Zl1 or Boss 302... starting 2012 we should start seeing how our industry will move. More importantly, we should start hearing more about mustang III set for release in 2014.. To meet MPG we are finally getting a well earned diet, but man..... Mustang III sends chills down my spine.
@331Grabber i absolutely agree with you on everything you said...and im a mopar guy...but theres one difference...not everyone buys a car to race....im not speaking for me...cause i love to race..but not everyone buys a car to race...
@ADD8oi thats true.a stock one will do 11.9@120
oh my god nice work FORD!!!!!!
Congrats Ford on the Boss 302R win in grand am racing, continental tires sports car challenge. FIRST PLACE BOSS 302R, second place bmw m3.
Muscle has evolved, cleaning up in road racing and proving that FORD made the solid rear axle work extremely well, now you can have both straight line solid axle advantages along with road racing superiority. WELL done with the BOSS 2012 Boss 302.
@DocWolph The problem with the Zr1 is that and this goes for every Corvette, the wheel spin. The Zr1 has sticky tires, but they aren't enough to keep back 638 beastly horses. I think they've got no problem with the handling but the only problem is that the wheel spin on the car is massive, well not as massive as a Mustang which at the launch will keep spinning and beg for grip. But there is enough to put it behind its rivals in a 1/4 mile.
@Greendude33 the ctsv beat the gt500 in the 1/4 because they used an auto, manual to manual its a drivers race, on willow springs the gt500 beat the ctsv coupe by .1 second, added they also tested it with the optional recaro seats and five point harness which lessened the lap time tremendously for such a small modification.
@SuperCameron73 Yeah, I know. It's a good looking car too.
Really want this car
@Janusha So what you're saying is that there ISN'T a single metric one can use to discern total handling capabilities of a given car. Well, I believe that's exactly what I was saying. There may be some truth to the idea that the tyres equipped on the car are going to have more say in the skidpad test than the car, but that's not necessarily an invalid test. They are testing FACTORY cars with FACTORY equipment (ie: tyres). Car mags aren't interested in testing cars with aftermarket equipment.
Well said. I hate how people keep saying that because the engine is 11:1 compression ratio, it's not a good F/I car. Balony. Get the tune done right and you can run 10 PSI all day. 9 PSI is considered SAFE with a stable and balanced tune. You can't tune this car like the old 4.6 Modular. It's a completely different animal. And that's why Mustang tuners early on kept detonating engines and the negative perception was born. They just didn't know what they were getting in to.
@cuts2thebone Right! :) The best car for some one is the car they want the most. If you leave the dealer happy with what you bought than you are not an idiot. The Challenger isn't bad in any way. I think the BOSS 302 is at least paint wise way too loud for my taste. I wish they had a delete option that just leaves the side stripes. I do think the Mustang is about even with the Challenger looks wise if you just count the body without stripes or other "look at me" things.
@Janusha It's not the end all telling of handling capability, no. But it does give a very basic measure of how well the car will adhere to an apex on a hard turn. It's just another system of basic measure......like 0-60 and slalom times. The only true measure of handling is in lap times, which only mean anything if compared to all other cars running on the exact same track under the exact same conditions, which is harder to achieve for most car mags.
I grew up around fords my whole life ( dad collected and built mustangs all NA) and I am into honda's. I have to say, this is actually very cool. Props to ford for not d**king around and making an awesome engine out the box.
@DocWolph The original Thunderbird was essentially a luxo-Vette, similar in principle with a bit less emphasis on sport and a bit more on style. The original T-Bird was a good response to Vette, but it in no way is a successor to the FGT or fitting for halo car duty. More than likely Thunderbird and the GT-successor are different projects.
@TheGaucho2 On formula 1 and rally. ANd people of professinals drivers said u dont brake more with abs or stop faster the distance is same only abs helps u to not spin out as on manual brake. SO manual brake break faster if u know how to brake. Take mustang with no abs and try it after take with abs and u will see the distance brake.
@joeympower Yea, Ford really does need to come back into the sportscar market. Maybe once they're solidly back in the black again we'll see them throw some money at developing a GT successor. It's nice to see them pulling out all the stops to make the Mustang competitive, but I'd love to see them produce another true 2 seater sportscar.
@STANGFAN81 That's nuts. I've been around Mustangs my whole life because of my dad but god damn...
@Pharmd718 I have heard a lot of bad things about the durability of the Getrag MT82 transmission that is in the standard GT and the BOSS. I have held off getting my 5-0 until they have eliminated the issue.
@MrLambolover123 It's called 302 for the cubic inches of the engine.
@starksy17 I does make me feel a little uneasy but I have high hopes for the camaro.
@Twiztid5one3 Be happy. It's true. Look up the 6.2 liter truck engine. It is currently SOHC and has canted valves like a 351 Cleveland. It's only offered in the 2011 and up F series trucks. It has all the provisions for the Ti-VCT DOHC set up that the current Coyote engine has. You might remember a few years ago Ford called it the Hurricane V8. They changed the name to BOSS. So a 4 valve version will be along at some point if there is a demand. Type in "Ford Boss engine" on Wikipedia.
A Legend.
@iliveforlife1 ur right. 5.0 isnt exactly 5 liters, they round up
@Greendude33 Notice I said all supercars still have to negotiate Europe's bad road? Most the cars you've mentioned aren't supercars in the 1st place. LRA cars are engineered around the axle housing. It's not an 'either or' proposition & would take a huge commitment from the start.
Most supercar buyers are mature & rarely see a track much less race on it. We're taking about street cars that see limited track use only. No dedicated racers.
@Greendude33 I'm taking about today. That C&D test was 5 years ago and the GT500 has gotten lighter with more HP plus suspension upgrades. I agree the Corvette GS is faster on paper but that doesn't always translate to the track. In this case it doesn't.
You can call the Corvette's drivers idiots for losing to a Mustang but we have to assume all drivers are on an even playing field. Unless you have specific info on a particularly inept Corvette driver, you're wrong..
Still have my 96 Cobra...recall how exotic that was the year it dropped? 32V all aluminum V8, 5spd, big brakes, radio, A/C...what else do you really need? Ok, yeah, I put a Kenne Bell supercharger on it...opa
They've said that if anything THIS is the time of muscle cars but I'm not convinced but the Mustang Boss 302 sure comes close and is a helluva car i wouldn't mind having
@Hellz420 the numbers dont lie. this one even out turned the STI. you sir have no leg to stand on.