Yahoo Autos 2018 Ford Mustang GT Performance Package Level 2 Inherits GT350 Driving Magic
Considering the species was nearly extinct just a decade ago, it's remarkable how vital and diverse the current pony-car segment is. As evidence, consider the 2018 Ford Mustang GT Performance Pack Level 2. Positioned above the Mustang GT with the standard Performance Package but below the Shelby GT350, it fills a slot in the lineup that we hadn't detected but are wholeheartedly embracing.
Performance Package Primer
As a refresher, the Level 2 takes the Mustang GT with the Performance Package Level 1 (specific suspension, steering, and ABS tuning; new 19-inch wheels; upgraded brakes with 15.0-inch front rotors and six-piston Brembo calipers; a 3.73:1 Torsen limited-slip differential and an underbody K-brace, strut-tower brace, and front-subframe brace) and adds magnetorheological dampers along with stiffer springs. The anti-roll bars are also more robust, coming in 12 percent stiffer in front and 67 percent stiffer in the rear. Beefy 305/30R-19 Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires stand in for the GT Performance Pack's 275/40R-19 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber. A larger front splitter and a modified rear spoiler are fitted to bend air to their will in the name of increased downforce.
A sturdy car in every respect, the Mustang GT PPL2, as we'll refer to it from here on, responds well to deliberate inputs. Shift action is hefty-it'll never be confused for a Honda shifter-but the robust mechanical feel of the six-speed gearbox seems fitting for the 460 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque produced by the naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V-8 that carries over unchanged from the GT. Despite its brawn, it's easy to make subtle throttle adjustments once you get above 2000 rpm. Running to the 7500-rpm redline is a joy, the 5.0's exhaust belting out that familiar, unmistakably American tribute to internal combustion. (Drivers who favor easy listening can soften the soundtrack via the multimode exhaust system, which offers Quiet, Normal, Sport, and Track modes. We measured 73 decibels at 70 mph in Normal mode.)
Performance by the Numbers
We had some brief seat time in a Mustang GT PPL2 earlier this year, so we already knew it was capable of spleen-distorting levels of grip. Our test gear confirmed these impressions, with the Level 2 hanging on for 1.06 g of stick on our skidpad with minimal understeer. Just a few hundredths shy of the 1.10 g posted by the Shelby GT350R, it tops the 1.02 g of grip earned by our long-term Mustang Shelby GT350. As you might expect, it's also right in league with the Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE, which managed 1.05 g, and the Camaro ZL1 1LE, which hung on to the tune of 1.04 g. Long, high-speed sweepers are a delight, the magnetorheological dampers working in unison with the stiff chassis and sticky rubber to provide a secure and stable platform. Equally as admirable, the Level 2's weighty steering is quick and direct without being too flinty, at least as long as the pavement retains a modicum of civility. The price for all that dynamic harmony is a slightly vague on-center feel, aggressive tramlining, and an occasionally harsh ride exhibited when navigating the very uncivil roads around our Ann Arbor office. If frequent track days are not in your future, you might be better served by a less aggressive Mustang GT.
After toying with a few different approaches, we achieved our best acceleration times by launching at 4000 rpm: zero to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds and a 12.7-second quarter-mile with a trap speed of 114 mph. While the car was adept in both measures, we did notice that the transmission, or rather the gears in it, would occasionally clash when shifted from second to third with gusto. Looking again to its arch-nemesis, the Chevrolet Camaro, we see that the SS 1LE hit 60 mph in 4.0 seconds while completing the quarter-mile in 12.4 seconds at 118 mph. Of course, the Camaro benefits from Chevy's no-lift-shift feature and a shifter with slightly shorter throws-combined they could be worth a tenth or three.
The Mustang's braking performance is impressive. We loved the firm, easy-to-modulate pedal and fade-free stopping action, the PPL2 weathering repeated stops without complaint or fatigue and turning in an excellent 146-foot stop from 70 mph. The Camaro SS 1LE, though, did even better, requiring only 141 feet, but those numbers are close enough that numerous factors, including the well-worn tires on our Ford test car, could easily have affected the outcome.
All of these close performance comparisons between Mustang and Camaro were settled-temporarily, at least-at this year's Lightning Lap test, where the Mustang PPL2 lapped Virginia International Raceway a full second quicker than the Camaro SS 1LE.
Our test car was delightfully light on options. The Mustang GT starts at $35,995; the Performance Package Level 2 is a steal at $6500, as is the active exhaust for $895. Equipment Group 301A (required with the PPL2 bundle) brought dual-zone automatic climate control and satellite radio with Sync 3 for $2000, bringing our as-tested price to $46,075. That's a hell of a performance bargain that places the Mustang within a grand of a similarly equipped Camaro SS 1LE-surely not by accident.
Wherever your allegiance lies in the decades-old Camaro versus Mustang debate, it's clear that the Performance Pack Level 2 is Ford's way of making sure the Camaro 1LE doesn't run off with the roses while the Mustang is still kicking up dirt on the track. To that end, it succeeds and frankly, in terms of track prowess, is far more accomplished than we could have imagined. Still, it trails the Camaro SS 1LE in terms of almost-supernatural reserves of dynamic capability. Then again, the Mustang's greenhouse permits you to see through to the next corner without suffering a self-inflicted neck injury. That alone is worth a few tenths, don't you think?
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