IL Track Tested: 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca

did you use the trackey?

"How is the 0-75 faster than the 0-60 time???"

Traveled back in time?

Discount 'Vette.

One, please.

"How is the 0-75 faster than the 0-60 time???"

Because they had to brake from 0-75 when they were testing 0-60.

LOL almost 50Gs for a mustang thats not a GT500? Idk about that. NO THANKS.

Yeah but 50 grand? Why wouldn't you just get the GT500 and live happily ever after.

"Its side pipes aren’t just some gimmick to let the marketing guys talk about more exhaust tips. They are real and they complete the experience without being too loud for street use."

_________________________

Any exhaust can sound great when its a figment of your imagination.

Now go back and actually drive/look at the car, then write your article.

My mistake. O-75 time fixed.

Tests performed with TracKey, but output is the same. Sound (at idle) and throttle response change.

Josh

djokster: that would be the 0-60 time with rollout

Just in case you didn't know:
"More important, it's called ZERO to 60 mph, not 3 or 4 mph to 60 mph, which is what you get when you apply rollout."

That's quoting our article regarding how we test: http://www.insideline.com/features/how-we-test-cars-and-trucks.html

Insideline hasn't posted my previous comment, but I stand corrected. It does have side pipes on bypass - Apologies Josh.

Now, I will go back and learn more about the car - then post idiotic comments.

BTW, "comments" section was well written.

Oh geeze, R-compound tires? Well that's unfair--

Wait a minute...

Um, anyways, going to do a full review of how it drives?

sorry about my comment djokster, we stated that "w/rollout" deal in the blog. my fault.

Mmmm....who ever wrote "Ford's M3-Killing Pony car" is a total dumbass, want to se why? Lets look at the facts.
First of all, normal M3 E92 (Coupe, just as the Mustang) against normal Mustang GT 5.0

FORD MUSTANG GT 5.0 BMW M3 E92
Power: 406hp & 390 lb-ft Power: 414hp & 296 lb-ft
Weight: 1648 kg (3626 lbs) Weight: 1619 kg (3562 lbs)
Weight to power ratio: 4.05 kg/hp Weight to power ratio: 3.91 kg/hp
0 - 100 kph (62mph) : 4.7 s 0 - 100 kph (62mph) : 4.3 s
1/4 mile: 12.7 s @ 111 mph 1/4 mile: 12.4 s @ 114 mph

M3 Clearly is better in classic "american muscle" straight line, and its obviously better at laptimes.
--> SO HERE'S THE DEAL, if you guys at inside line want to say something, go real. This is a modified Mustang, so why not to compare it with a modified M3? What about an M3 GTS(with out the interior weight reduction)? they got the same hp. So lets see...

FORD MUSTANG BOSS 302 LAGUNA SECA BMW M3 GTS
Power: 444hp & 380 lb-ft Power: 444hp & 326 lb-ft
Weight: 1650 kg (3637 lbs) Weight: 1621 kg (3563 lbs)
Weight to power ratio: 3.71 kg/hp Weight to power ratio: 3.65 kg/hp
0 - 100 kph (62mph) : 4.6 s 0 - 100 kph (62mph) : 4.1 s
1/4 mile: 12.7 @ 112.9 1/4 mile: 12.3 s @ 119 mph

M3 GTS again clearly wins, and lets not talk about lap times... Even tho the normal M3 stats are actually faster than the Boss ones, the 0-62 and the 1/4 mile, I bet it also gets better lap times, handling, etc.

Theres people out here that love cars, and are really informed about whats happening in this automotive world, so please InsideLine managers, I really love this website, but I think you need to have your writters with their feet on the earth before writing bullshit.

PD: Im not saying this pony its a crap, I know its a fun to drive car and a very fast one, but an M3-Killer?
XXXXXX XXXXX!

Carlos R. M3 Owner.

Carlos, since you're an M3 owner you'll always be butt hurt when a cheaper car does the same. I love me a 4DR M3, but several places have tested the M3/Mustang GT and found it really close. I believe MT tested it and the Mustang won everything (testing with numbers you read online is just as dumb as crying about people using flashy tag lines) except the track test...where it lost by a tenth of a second...and it's $20k cheaper.

So while you love your M3, don't hate cars that are well worth the money. Obviously you can get a GT with the track pack and save tons of money and still get that same performance.

Cars are expensive these days...anybody buy one lately, lol.

i don't necessarily like Mustang owners all that much, but man, Carlos, thank you for reminding me how much i loathe M3 owners.

Does anyone in here see something rather disturbing, the track #'s on this thing are extremely close to motor trend's track #'s of a stock mustang, 4.3 sec to 60, 12.7 in the quarter, why spend the extra money? To be the only guy on the block w/ a boss, please. That's pretty weak. And not to mention you are stepping into GT500 territory is another cause for concern. I want to see real difference, on paper and seat of pants, if I'm gonna drop another say 11k on a mustang. Also sorry M3 guy, but you are comparing apples to oranges going for the GTS, it's two steps from being a full on race car, the Boss isn't. The GTS is also over twice the price of the Boss, close to three times the price.....sounds to me like someone is a little disappointed in their 60k car. I can say that also being the owner of a venerable M3. To each his own though. For the money, you can't beat the performance from the GT mustang.

@carlos2174

next time you go for a track day and a boss destroys you, please go tell him that if you had a gts you would win. I'm sure that will make you feel better.

Way too much explaining in the handling portion of the article for me to accept that it felt worthy of more than $35 grand, if that.

The "launch mode" sounds like a joke.

And the last picture of the braking results looks as though the car is about to separate from its rear suspension.

carlos:

1. I see you didn't mention price. Wonder why?
2. You need to watch your mouth. I guess you really can say anything you want on this site.
3. Your post reinforces the notion that BMW owners are arrogant and insecure.
4. When a car performs like an M3 and can beat an M3 on a track while costing about $10k less than a base M3 it is indeed an "M3 killer". Not exactly rocket science.

I looked on Ford's website, and it looks like this black and red is the only color combination available in the Laguna Seca package. Is this correct? I would feel like a tool driving around in this color combo all the time.

@dmpete:

I'm sure you'd notice the difference between a regular GT and a Boss 302 on the track, instead of the drag strip. The GT500 is quicker, but the Boss 302 has more grip. I guess it's a pick your poison thing because I believe they posted pretty similar times around Laguna Seca.

Is this Mr. T's Boss 302? It sure looks like it just rolled off the A-team set.

"I pity the fool who drives somethin' this ugly!"

OK, so we have ad-hominem attacks against Carlos, but what about his facts? Is the Boss 302 faster than the M3 or isn't it?

ahh This would be wonderful to have. Too bad a car seat really doesn't fit back there LOL. Will have to stick with the "Safe" and roomier STi till Logan grows up a bit :)

i think the boss 302 can compete and perhaps surpass the M3 on a a track but in the real world with midcorner bumps you'll fly off the road (live rear axle, etc) in a boss 302 trying to catch upto a M3. still, this is acceptable IMO considering the discount in price

This car seems to have a higher learning curve to reach it's limits; the "average" driver might not ever duplicate these times (but then again would an "average" driver pay for this car?).

I'll pass on the Boss for the GT500

+1 1487

zeniff says:

Is this Mr. T's Boss 302? It sure looks like it just rolled off the A-team set.

"I pity the fool who drives somethin' this ugly!"

That was toooo funny!

I think a would still buy a GT and just add a factory SVT super charger or something in the future. And this is actually what I plan to do!!!

@cynic783:

Whether it's true or not, I'm not sure, but Ford says that the standard Boss 302 is 1 second faster around Laguna Seca than an M3 coupe. The Boss 302 Laguna Seca is supposedly a second quicker than that. Ford provided an M3 coupe at the official track day, but it broke down prior to some being able to drive it. Whether it's faster or not, the standard Boss 302 is still over $17,000 cheaper than an M3. It's hard to ignore that kind of value.

carlos, your post actually made me laugh!
But in the end your comments are lacking. Like others have said price does matter.

Separately I kinda hope Ford offers upgrades for GT owners thru SVT.

Kosmo BMW M owner

How about an unbiased test against an M3 coupe, not saying it can't beat it but when I watched the show on Speed about this car it was like watching a Ford infomercial. Also it looks like Ronald Mcdonald would drive this with the ridiculous colors, if I were to get one I would want one solid color and not the Starsky and Hutch edition.

I'd much rather have the standard Boss. Pretty much same performance, and less money. And better looks.

As for it being an M3 killer, I wouldn't go that far. Cut-rate M3?? Sure. Not a killer, though. The Boss is seemingly a match for it on a roadcourse, and the M3 is seemingly a match for it in a straight line. And say what you will, but there is no question the M3 is the better built, nicer overall car.

Still, Ford did an amazing job w/ this car, and you can't take that away from them.

carlos: ever had water cooler talk? you know how people say, "it's the best thing EVER!" Is it really? Think of it that way- that's how I look at it. We ALL know the 'mighty' M3 has won a lot of accolades but don't get your feathers ruffled over a little water cooler comment.

frank908: if you think the launch mode is a joke, you should see how many steps it takes to get it to that point. :)

2002 Z06
Price 15000-20,000
Bald, hard factory tires
0-60 mph (sec.) 4.5
1/4-mile (sec. @ mph) 12.5 @ 116.1
60-0 mph (ft.) 120
Slalom, 6 x 100 ft. (mph) 68.8
Skid pad, 200-ft. diameter (lateral g) 0.91

http://www.insideline.com/chevrolet/corvette/2011/2002-chevrolet-corvette-z06-vs-2010-corvette-grand-sport-vs-2011-corvette-z06-carbon-comparison-test-and-video.html

Do they make one in a color scheme that someone with a college degree might purchase?

Part of the quality associated with the M3 is that it (generally) looks like a regular BMW to the average person. Again, to the average person. Obviously, anyone who reads these threads and makes comments is already excluded from such a category.

I love what Ford is doing with the new Mustang...just not with this particular livery.

"You need to watch your mouth. I guess you really can say anything you want on this site. "

No, you cant....the worst comment has already been removed.....he has a very foul and racist mouth.

To simply call this car an "M3 Killer" is to do it an injustice. It's a turnkey track car that you can buy for the price of a nice SUV. Oh, and some of you defend brands like I'd defend my kids. It's silly.

Some of you don't seem to realize that we live in a world of hype and headlines so don't get your panties in a bunch when journalists employ a bit of hyperbole to get clicks.

@kosmo69, they already do except its through FRPP (ford racing performance parts)

well said Orbit09

I suggest you drive both the M3 and the Boss. Very different cars. In the right hands the Mustang will meet or beat the BMW. But spend some time in both and you begin to realize why there is a price difference. These cars compete in different markets. I don't think a M3 buyer cross shops the Mustang. With that said I do believe the Mustang is a great car. The only problen I have with the Boss is the over the edge graphics (With no strip delete option) and the lack of Fords excellent Sync option.

I suggest you drive both the M3 and the Boss. Very different cars. In the right hands the Mustang will meet or beat the BMW. But spend some time in both and you begin to realize why there is a price difference. These cars compete in different markets. I don't think a M3 buyer cross shops the Mustang. With that said I do believe the Mustang is a great car. The only problen I have with the Boss is the over the edge graphics (With no strip delete option) and the lack of Fords excellent Sync option.

Nice numbers, but have to keep in mind the R-compound tires the Laguna Seca model gets that aren't part of the standard Boss 302 package. Those will definitely have a positive impact on slalom, skidpad and braking providing an 'on paper' advantage over cars like the M3 which are equipped with normal hi-po tires with treadwears ~200 and original tread depths ~9mm (vs 60 treadwear and 6.5mm tread depth of the Pirelli P-Zero Corsa on the Boss 302 LS)

Carlos R, E92 M3 trapping 119 mph bone stock? ROFLCOPTER, please put down the peace pipe NOW!

M/T tested the '11 M3 coupe against the '11 GT, and the M3 lost (marginally) in every single straight line performance measure.

M3 Cpe - 5.0 GT
0-30 1.7 - 1.7
0-40 2.4 - 2.6
0-50 3.4 - 3.3
0-60 4.4 - 4.4
0-70 5.6 - 5.5
0-80 7.1 - 6.8
0-90 8.7 - 8.4
0-100 10.3 - 10.1
PASSING, 45-65 MPH 1.9 - 2.1
QUARTER MILE 12.8 sec @ 110.9 mph - 12.7 sec @ 111.6 mph
BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 110 ft - 108 ft
LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.95 g (avg) - 0.96 g (avg)
MT FIGURE EIGHT 25.1 sec @ 0.74 g (avg) - 24.9 sec @ 0.76 g (avg)

Edmunds rans 13.0 @ 110.6 btw with their '11 GT and real world owners have gone as quick as 12.3 @ 115 moh with bone stock '11 GTs.

The Boss is going to annihilate your M3 in every way, FYI.

@typer_801:

Those tires on give the Boss 302 Laguna Seca a one second advantage at he Laguna Seca track over the standard Boss 302 model. This is according to Ford so YMMV.

HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHA you guys just made my day.

1st: I really dont care if its cheaper etc... I can afford an M3 thats its a pure brand quality german sports car. Not a cheap american big engined Mustang, I do like it, but ill never buy it.
2nd: The vast mayority of the Mustang fanboys offended, please read my entire post before talinkg shit, to the others.. I really dont care what you guys think, its still my money and my cars and my choice in about my experience, ive driven a lot of cars throught my life and the M3 is clearly one of the best I have ever driven.
3rd: The comment was meant to InsideLine people, not XredactedX fanboys. I really hate when i get the feel that insideline sometimes test cars and exaggerate just to sponsor the cars or the brand, bit yeah... Were on america. Of course everyone with out a brain or a little of car experience (not just reading) will defend their muscles cars.

HAHAHAHAHA

From my local Ford GM I do business with:
Boss 302- $44K + $10K premium= $54K
Shelby GT500- $50K loaded + TTT

No contest

@carlos2174

Wow take it easy dude, you sound kind of angry. BTW M3 is just a modified 3 series right, kind of like the BOSS is just a modified Mustang....

I'm not in agreement with the way carlos comes across, BUT, bear in mind that r compound tires are insane and can do crazy things.

No one is arguing price, at least I'm not. But even the gts m3 looks a bazillion times better than this thing.

And the m3 equivalent is the gts, so its not entirely an apples to apples comparo. Value? Sure. But I don't know many people who get beaten at the track and then say 'well, I saved x amount of dollars!'

carlos does a great job of proving his detractor's point

and for the record:

The Boss beats the M3 on track in pure performance as well as feel (if you are to believe the 50 on track reviews out there). Alot of M3 owners are ex mustang owners (both are daily driver capable 4 seat performance cars) which I imaging is why Ford is putting out a limited edition mustang that will appeal to the performance junky M3 owner.

The M3 will have a little nicer interior and more branch cache. The Boss will have the more performance and reliability while costing 50% less.

The Laguna Seca model referenced in this article is another step above the Boss in performance and is targeted at the hardcore mustang fan or collecter with only 750 planned for 2012.

Those interested in the boss should visit the bossmustangsonline.com forum for alot more info.

I have no axe to grind here (as I drive a fairly cheap econobox), but I'm completely UNIMPRESSED by the Boss 302. It's too expensive for what you get and it's numbers are only microscopically better than the stock GT. I think, this Boss is more "all hat and no cattle", somewhat of a marketing or publicity stunt by Ford. I also laugh at Ford (and the reviewers) desire to compare to the M3 -- I cannot imagine any potential M3 owners cross-shopping a Boss or Shelby GT500.

Don`t worry Carlos, I`ve already reported your insulting insecure rant.

Back on topic:

Nice numbers for the Boss with the Laguna Seca Package

I do wonder thou, how much better are the numbers for the 2011 GT500?

@carlos2174, congrats on the m3, why the hate?

@bwoodahl, too expensive? The base gt offers the most bang for your buck of any performance car. So it is hard to offer more bang for the same amount of buck. Even at $40k there isn't anything near that price that can best this beast around a track. Of course its a marketing tool, thats the purpose of any high performance low volume car. I don't think the point of comparing to an m3 is to say you would get one or the other. Based simply on performance the m3 was the DD that you can track. This is in that category, a car you can live with every day and tear up the track on the weekends. Can we not compare performance because one has more luxury (that for some reason doubles the cost).

We don't drive performance specs from articles we drive the actual car. While you may look at a few ticks better in the quarter and see a small difference the experience from behind the wheel is miles apart from the GT...read what the reviews indicate from people that have driven both. The car is also built with track durability in mind which costs money...if that doesn't matter to you then the car is obviously not your cup of tea.

bbc9935

the 119mph trap speed was referring to the M3 GTS.

And yes, the M3 is $10-$15k more than the Mustang. Drive both and you'll know why.

I do like the GT and Boss 302 alot. But I love the M3.

The gas-guzzler M3 is a lovely car for sure!

First you can't touch a boss for under 50k every single ford dealer is marking these up 10k at least. Base price of a m3 is 56k only 2k more than a marked up Boss lc. I am sure the Bmw dealership would be more willing to work with you on price as well. So all the Ford guys talking about 2x the price is just plain wrong.Don't get me wrong I like this car( Hate the looks) but lets be real here the BMW is going on 4 years on the market down on tq and h.p and still can hang with this in a straight line or on the track. I like what Ford is doing but you would have to be a hardcore Mustang fan to buy this over a M3 for around the same price.

How did the testers only manage a 12.7 quarter mile when the stock Mustang GT runs the same time. Remember when they pit it against the M-3? During that comparison they ran a 12.7 with the GT and it edged out the M-3 by a tenth to the quarter mile. During their dyno comparison the Boss made plenty more power than the standard GT, but they can't run low 12s? Also, how does a 355 horsepower Porsche Carerra put better numbers than this thing?

Raven...it's called pdk and power to weight ratio

Carlos says " ive driven a lot of cars throught my life and the M3 is clearly one of the best I have ever driven."

wow I feel sorry for you.

BTW perhaps you should have used some of the money for English lessons.

BMW M Driver

09Cobalt:

Comparing a car with a theoretical markup to a base M3 that you are unlikely to even find anywhere on a dealer lot is BS. The Boss starts at $41k, not $44k and a loaded BOSS isn't equivalent to a base M3. No matter how you slice it the Ford is considerably cheaper and will likely cost less to maintain in the long run.

sherief:

You have already driven the BOSS? That seems crazy since the auto mags JUST drove the car and it's not on dealer lots. You seem to be speaking with authority on the inferiority of the Mustang.

carlos: m3 is better, and I agree; not sure why you want to bring sexual orientation into this though, that's kind of weird, not to mention insulting and lame

Ford threw down the gauntlet when they called the Ford an "m3 killer". So, they are inviting some scrutiny here.

First, the rear suspension. Solid rear axle of the Ford means a bump on one side can upset the other side. IRS on the BMW will separate. BTW Camaro and Challenger have IRS, why not Mustang?

Second, four doors. Where's the 4-door Mustang? M3 can be gotten with 4 doors. What if you have kids or want to take your office buddies to lunch?

Third, the polarizing paint job and styling of the Mustang.

Fourth, someone quoted M/T. The only numbers -I- trust are the ones that Edmunds does, where they have a real methodology to their testing. I'd like to see both the M3 vs Boss 302 numbers from Edmunds.

:)

@cynic783:

According to Edmunds (They didn't list other figures):

2010 BWM M3
0-60 4.6s
1/4 12.7

http://www.edmunds.com/bmw/m3/2010/

Comparing a car with a theoretical markup to a base M3 that you are unlikely to even find anywhere on a dealer lot is BS

1487 There is nothing "Theoretical" About it Call ANY Ford dealer with a Boss and see if you can find one without at least 10k markup than come and talk. I have a friend that works at a big Ford dealership and he said they are all asking 10k over sticker just the way it is with a low volume car period. I am all For american cars don't get me wrong I own one but you have to give credit to the M3 it's a great car and will prob get beat by the Boss LC on a track but the car is 4 years old and is down 30 h.p and almost 100tq. Weighs the same yet can match the Boss in a straight line because Ford still has not figured out how to put the power to the ground Cough IRS cough. The Tacky paint sceme is not helping Ford at all it screams Ricer and at that price point you can't come off that way.

"Fourth, someone quoted M/T. The only numbers -I- trust are the ones that Edmunds does, where they have a real methodology to their testing. I'd like to see both the M3 vs Boss 302 numbers from Edmunds."

every single auto mag has methodology to their testing. They all use the same types of equipment and same correction formulas. Just because IL made a big deal about publishing their procedures doesn't mean they invented the procedures.

I think its well established that the Mustang lacks an IRS, but the reviews say its hard to tell when you are driving the car. The fact that it can use that old tech and still match the M3 makes the car even more impressive. I think when Ford deemed this an M3 killer, they meant on the track. Considering the GT almost tied the M3 on a track per MT's results I'm pretty sure this car can top the M3. Check out MT's test if you stil have doubts. Ford's goal was to create a car that would most certainly beat the M3 on a demanding track- they have done so.

09Cobalt:

I wouldnt buy this car within the first month and pay that markup- niether will anyone else with some sense. You cannot act like 10k is automatically built into the price based on a few greedy dealers. The paint scheme isn't standard- why are so many wasting time complaining about it? You don't have to get this color scheme.

Well, at least one person cross-shopped the M3 and Mustang GT, me. I ended up buying a 2010 M3 and then unloading it a couple of months later. After years of driving 911's, the M3's excessive bulk, (relatively) lifeless steering, and (relatively) dull handling convinced me that it wasn't what I was looking for: a car that drives like a Porsche but comes with a real trunk and back seat (and isn't hideous (see Panamera)).

I actually preferred the driving experience in the Mustang. It just feels lighter, and the sub-optimal rear suspension livens up turns not dissimilarly to the suboptimal
engine placement in a Carrera. But the Mustang's (still) crappy interior and boy racer image convinced me to go with the BMW.

So, back to Porsche. And driving my away at college son's '97 Pathfinder on those all too frequent days when passengers or cargo mandate practicality.

I guess there really is no substitute.

I have an IS-F and was lined up with an E92 M3 on a two-into-one on-ramp onto the 405 freeway here in LA. This is basically the only place, to me, where it's OK to wood the throttle outside of a track. The M3 driver lost, quite handily, possibly due to his obese stature, but more likely due to his inability to drive the car properly. He rode my bumper for two miles and then decided to pass on the right shoulder where, as luck would have it, a CHP officer was merging into traffic.

It's times like those when you feel a little guilty for such a perfectly brilliant set-up. The cop appeared quite pissed. I hope he gave the M3 driver a stack of tickets. And an extra one for having black wheels on a white car. Gah.

dougnash2009 says: "Do they make one in a color scheme that someone with a college degree might purchase?"

Awesome. Complete agreement.

To be fair though, every GT3 RS I've seen has been similarly garish. I guess standards of taste change at the $150k mark.

@09cobaltsstc:

Even with the markup, the cost of the M3 is still higher, and the cost to own is much higher. They actual had an M3 available at the official even, but the journalists broke it before everyone got to drive it.

The M3 is geared more agressively and the final drive is also higher. That's how the M3 equals the Boss 302 in a straight line. Regular Mustang GT's with 4.10 gears alone can run in the low 12s. BMW isn't worried about green washing their performance cars like Ford so why not go all out. I don't think IRS will help get the power down in a straight line, but it would go a long way in putting power down in the corners. If a Boss 302 without IRS lapped Laguna Seca in about the same time or better as an M3, imagine what a Boss 302 with IRS could do.

First, about the paint scheme. It was designed for the track. Yeah, I agree it is garish. But it is VISIBLE! lol The Gold/Yellow with black looks the best IMHO.

Second, when a BMW owner has to defend his M......well, Ford you did your job! Congrats LOL.

Third, the live axle thing. It's all about marketing at this point. Ford has made the best live axle EVER. I've been listening to this crap since 2005 (I had an 05 Mustang GT), every year, ad nauseum. But people still gripe. It's perception, not reality. FORD, PUT IN IRS ALREADY!

Fourth, someone mentioned a 4 door Mustang (a horrible idea!)....but don't be surprised if they make a World Falcon soon ;-)

I'd like to see a more real world comparo of a 1 series BMW (128) and a V6 Mustang. Ya know, cars that people can actually AFFORD!

"dougnash2009 says: "Do they make one in a color scheme that someone with a college degree might purchase?"

Awesome. Complete agreement."

LOL only someone with a college degree would think that having one has anything to do with what kind of car they buy. What an ignorant statement.

Ok, its time for a reality check. With a production run of close to 5,000 units if you can wait a bit, you will find them under MRSP very soon.

its pretty easy to find a boss without a markup...well it was. Most of, if not all of them have been spoken for already.

carmageddon

The E9X M3 is more of a GT car rather than a true sports car. I spent significant seat time in an E93 M3 and more than anything else it reminded me of my 1988 M6, only with @90 more bhp. I'm thinking Cayman S at this point; nothing else really interests me other than the 1 Series M Coupe.

lol, I never said I've driven a Boss. GT yes, Boss no.

As a track day weapon I would take a Boss over an M3 any day. Absolutely, if anything because the M3's smallish brakes with single piston sliding calipers are inadequate for track duty. I also think the Boss upgrades make it a better value over a GT 5.0 equipped with all the performance options. But as a daily driver, is the Boss really worth the premium over a GT w/Brembos? I don't think so. And if I can afford to spend $40k+ on a track weapon, why spend it on a Mustang, of all things? (not that these will ever be available for sticker).

As a BMW owner I am darn near desperate to be able to buy an American car that will whip up on all of the assorted and expensive German Street Machinery. And while I am full of praise for Ford, and acknowledge all that Ford has achieved with the Boss 302 Laguna Seca, the thing still is not ready for prime time – and it in no way is an M-3 beater. Not until Ford goes back to sweat out all of the details.

Axle Hop - Who says axle hop on acceleration, or when powering out of a low speed switchback, is an endearing trait in a high-performance car of any kind? Frankly, if NASCAR is finally converting to fuel injection in a year isn’t this now a great time for Ford to lose the live rear axle?

Prediction? - More troubling to me in the above Edmunds test drive were notes on how the car behaved in the slalom. Specifically noted was that the car was an". . . exercise in rhythm and prediction rather than one of "feeling" your way through the cones". Does this mean that the Boss may swap ends without warning if I go 9/10ths through a high speed sweeper?

Value - As much as I like the new Boss, the whole discussion of “value” is nonsense. Ford dealers who will let go of a Laguna Seca at or near M.S.R.P. are as common as Dodo Birds. (O.K., to be fair, BMW Dealers may go for your wallet and your first born male child if you attempt to order on a 1 Series M Coupe.)

BMW Dealers - But BMW dealers are usually pretty nice places to visit and they do service and repair cars under warranty for free. I completely cooked my brakes racing flat out in the desert, brought the car in, received a major service and brake repaid at 100% no cost. The good coffee, snacks, plasma TV and wireless internet service are nice bonus to boot!

Monkey Butt Aflame Fast Butt- Oh yeah the new Boss 302 Laguna Seca is as fast as a monkey running with it’s rear end on fire. And yea the Boss can indeed go around a corner and stop like you dropped a 2,000 pound anchor out of the trunk. But until Ford commits itself to making the very best Mustang, Boss or otherwise, drops the live rear axle, etc, continue to make my mine a BWW please.

Cool car.

I like that it's track-ready car right off the lot... Versus having to change brakes, brake fluid, tires, etc.

I'll take the Z28 thank you very much. Hurry up with it GM.

Carlos is obviously trying to make BMW drivers look bad. I doubt he owns an M3.

I asked a couple of girls if they would date a guy driving that Mustang, they said they would never even get in that car, let alone date the guy driving it. Politeness stops me from saying what they actually said.

So have your fun, boys, but the girls will date the guy in the M3.

My $0.02

Buy a "regular" GT. Then spend $2K on a FRPP plug-in ECU upgrade (keeps warranty intact and releases the 5.0's true low-end potential), K&N filter, and a 3" exhaust system (Ford bottlenecks it at 2.25" for who knows why).

Then go hunting M3's...

@loopy3:

Did you conduct your survey at DeltaDeltaDelta house? Cuz they don't wanna date you either.

arumage,

Same day, same track, same conditions the M3 was edged out by the regular 380 rwhp GT.
Despite taller gearing, the 416 rwhp Boss 302 is going to put lengths on the E92 M3 same day, same track, I'll put money on it.

Forget to take your dilantin zr1man?

"You need to watch your mouth. I guess you really can say anything you want on this site. "

Take your own advice jackass

On another note. Ford has done a great job with the new mustang, but this edition with the strange color scheme and the ugly wheels makes me remember why people pay more for cars like the M3!!

or you can buy a evo like inside line's:
With this stage of tune, Project Evo put up these numbers at our usual test track:

• Braking from 60 mph: 111 feet
• Skid pad: 0.99g
• Slalom: 71.3 mph
• 0-60 mph: 4.4 seconds (4.0 seconds with 1 foot of rollout)
• Quarter-mile: 12.4 seconds at 113.4 mph

and smoke M3's and mustangs

lulz

How does a 600 lb heavier Challenger SRT8 with narrower (255 mm vs 285 mm) less sticky tires tie this Mustang to 60 (4.6), beat it to 75 (6.2 vs 6.4) and the quarter mile (12.6 @ 112.1, 12.7 @ 112.9). Otherwise its performance is quite impressive but shouldn't it be faster? Give the the Challenger R compound PZero Corsa's and the handling numbers would even be closer although I am sure the much lighter Mustang would still hold the edge. Makes me wonder what the Challenger would be capable of if it weighed under two tons. Nice car anyways and I can;t wait to see the Z28 and hopefully a new T/A Challenger someday........

Oops. Challenger did 4.5 to 60 so it beat the Boss there too.

ferrari4me:

Get a CTS-V coupe- costs less than a comparably equipped M3- its American and it will beat the M3 (manual or DCT) on a track per the results of C&D's lightning lap. You say you want to find an American car worthy of the M3 and determine one isnt available because you deemed a Mustang that costs $10k less is inferior due to lack of IRS. The V coupe has an IRS and a much nicer interior- problem solved.

So many people missing the point. This car doesn't compete with the M3, GT500 or even the Vette.

I can only guess all you people that don't "get it" have never done an HPDE in your lives. This car is perfect for someone who loves to road race and wants to drive to and from the track. You can drive this thing HARD strait from the factory, no need for new pads, rotors fluids and suspension. It's all there with a warranty to boot. Hell several reviewers are saying this would even be a decent daily driver!

The M3 is a high performance luxo coupe thats performance has been the benchmark for the class for 3 years. The BOSS simply seeks to compete with it's performance, not the look, quality of leather or douche-factor. No doubt an M3 is better to live with, is more refined and has brand cache but that's not the point of the BOSS.

zr1flunky
They timed the Mustang in the Winter time, when the whether warms up look for faster times.
If MT gets 4.3s to 60 and 12.7s in the 1/4 for a 2011 GT Mustang, then you can look for a 4.1-4.2s to 60 time and a 12.5-12.6s 1/4 for the Normally Aspirated 5.0L BOSS Mustang, that has better cornering capabilities than the GT.
Who cares about your 3300# 2 seat sports car for queers, the Mustang is in a different class. My ego doesn't bruise easily, a Corvette GS, the most popular vette model, does 60 in 4.4s, and costs quite a bit more than a BOSS Mustang, not to mention the Mustang carries the wife and kids.

@orbit09

"The M3 is a high performance luxo coupe thats performance has been the benchmark for the class for 3 years. The BOSS simply seeks to compete with it's performance, not the look, quality of leather or douche-factor."

So are you saying that making a car painted black but with red lipstick, red mirrors, a red rear spoiler, red wheels, red roof, with giant red decals all over it that basically screams HEY LOOK AT ME - isn't high in the douche-factor rating?

@orbit, I liked what you were saying until the douche-factor. I guess you don't know any m3 owners personally. But lt1boy is right, the black/red scheme screams whisky tango tacky.

I consider this the best Mustang ever made, although I still wouldn't buy one!

What I find pretty amazing about the Boss is that it comes from such humble beginnings!
-The base 2011 Mustang V6 lists for $23k (my local paper has and ad for one at $19k!)
-This chassis debuted in MY2005 (it's old), and it is based on the Jaguar S-type which debuted in MY1998 (really old).

I look forward to the next gen Mustang, hopefully it will be slightly smaller/lighter, have IRS and some forced induction (turbo), which is something I would actually buy. I could really see that being a hit with the crowd that grew up when the only decently made cars/sports cars came from foreign lands.

Actual you can get a Boss for list. My dealer ordered me one at list. It’s a base Boss Red with black accents. It will be my daily driver also. Anyways Edmunds times are always the slowest because they cannot handle a car unless it drives itself down the 1/4. I have never missed a shift in a Mustang. Edmunds lacks the skill and it shows in the numbers that they put up on the GT500 alone. My 2011 GT500 in stock form down to the tires at Memphis international drag way did the 1/4 in 12.1 at 120. They miss too many shifts, read the article he states that his best in 1/4 was not to be because he missed the shift. Hey Edmund need a new tester for the 1/4 mile, call me I do not miss shifts especially in Mustangs. How these mag guys miss shifts when its there job is beyond me. I guess you got to quit depending on the PDK's and computers. Those BMW's will make you lazy.

I love my 2010 Speed3. hehe.

Let the M3 have those Pzero Corsa Pirellis's... because that ruber is hell sticky...
Nice car this mustang, but not an M3 killer for sure, only in the price

Having owned numerous Mustangs and a few BMW's, here's my comments:
I think the drivability of each car is up to the person. Many people think Mustang GT's ride rough. Some think that the BMW's steering takes too much input. Some think that the Mustang interior is "plastic" and no astecially pleasing. As stated before I've owned both and currently own a 335 Coupe. The biggest delta's I see for me are the ride, the interior fit, the interior noise level, gas milage, cost of repairs, warranty, styling to name a few. We can debate it all day, facts are facts, it seems the Mustang is cheaper, faster? Maybe, but in the hands of a race car driver, both perform the way they were desgined to. It's very hard to pit car against car and not have a different winner every time.

Those drag times are by far the worst Ive ever seen for the Boss 302 (even the standard one), except braking and skid-pad, which seem about right. The average values for 0-60 (no roll out) is about 4.1 (R&T did 4.1, C/D did 4.3, MT did <4), and quarter in about 12.3. Laguna Seca package seems to do very little overall, and the wing/splitter/wheel combo looks great if it weren't for the colours. Also, most tests note that the live axle is almost unnoticeable because on really bad roads, you put the shocks to 1-2 (soft), and it wont be so jumpy. On a nice racetrack, you can go fully stiff, with no worry of potholes/huge unexpected bumps. The best looking Boss is probably the Grabber blue LS auctioned off at the Barrett Johnson for $450,000. Black stripes, grey wheels, and grabber blue paint made it look positively stunning and not boy racer gaudy like red stripes/wheels. Too bad they only made one like that :(

Those drag times are by far the worst Ive ever seen for the Boss 302 (even the standard one), except braking and skid-pad, which seem about right. The average values for 0-60 (no roll out) is about 4.1 (R&T did 4.1, C/D did 4.3, MT did <4), and quarter in about 12.3. Laguna Seca package seems to do very little overall, and the wing/splitter/wheel combo looks great if it weren't for the colours. Also, most tests note that the live axle is almost unnoticeable because on really bad roads, you put the shocks to 1-2 (soft), and it wont be so jumpy. On a nice racetrack, you can go fully stiff, with no worry of potholes/huge unexpected bumps. The best looking Boss is probably the Grabber blue LS auctioned off at the Barrett Johnson for $450,000. Black stripes, grey wheels, and grabber blue paint made it look positively stunning and not boy racer gaudy like red stripes/wheels. Too bad they only made one like that :(

Poor Djokster. Probably got "needs improvement" on reading comprehension.

I saw a white one on the freeway and didn't really notice it until I saw the BOSS 302 stripe. The driver was a typical old bald headed white guy. This car looks way too much like the normal 5.0 with California package. It's too bad they couldn't make it look more like a cobra.

Amongst other things the circus clown stripes look ridiculous. I definitely would not try to impress an adult/female with this car. M3 slayer... no, maybe the other way around. You simply cannot disregard all but performance. I'll stick with the snake.

Why is everything compared to an M3, even when a comparison does not exist? The Boss 302 and Laguna Seca edition are high end performance cars with a reduced cost due to the lack of luxury features, while the M3 is a luxury car with performance features. The Boss 302 is the upgraded GT. The GT500 is the upgraded GT Premium. A better comparison would be between the GT500 with premium upgrades to the M3.