2015 Ford Mustang invades SEMA, led by King Cobra

Ford showcased more than a dozen customized 2015 Mustangs at its sprawling 20,000-square foot display this week at the Las Vegas Convention Center as the iconic pony car's 50th anniversary celebration continued at the SEMA Show.

While Mustangs are always a hot commodity at SEMA, the new generation brought increased attention from the aftermarket, as builders like Galpin Auto Sports, Richard Petty's Garage and Vaughn Gittin Jr. offered their takes on the new 'Stang.

The extensive display included a range of Mustangs from mild to wild, with everything from a 600-plus horsepower King Cobra pictured at the top, to paint-and-wheel packages. The new regal Cobra, which we spied early in our SEMA adventure this year, may not be the replacement for the Cobra Jet as we speculated, but it does seem to point the way forward for the next iteration of a supreme Ford dragster. Fat drag slicks out back make it's reason for being abundantly clear, and for tells us that modded car is good for a 10.97-second quarter-mile run.

The Mustang's 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine was also of particular interest this year. One tuner, called Full-Race Motorsports, amped the power from the engine's stock 310-hp rating to more than 500 hp in a kit dubbed the "FreakoBoost."

Stampede of Customized 2015 Ford Mustangs to Debut at 2014 SEMA Show in Las Vegas

– Uniquely modified 2015 Mustangs will be on display in the expansive Ford booth at the 2014 SEMA show, which takes place at Las Vegas Convention Center, Nov. 4-7

– Aftermarket tuners are getting a chance to coax even more power from the all-new 2.3-liter EcoBoost® four-cylinder engine

– Performance specialists will demonstrate newly developed aftermarket parts to enhance the track handling of the 2015 Ford Mustang

DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 21, 2014 – Ford Motor Company is bringing performance to the halls of the 2014 Specialty Equipment Market Association show, performance that can be summed up in one name – Mustang.

Working with top builders including Galpin Auto Sports, Petty's Garage, MRT and many others, Ford will showcase over a dozen custom Mustangs in its 20,000-square-foot booth at Las Vegas Convention Center, Nov. 4-7, with even more new pony cars on display around the show floor.

The 2015 Ford Mustang marks a dramatic change in mechanical components for aftermarket companies to work with. The next-generation Mustang includes an all-new independent rear suspension and new multilink front suspension that is being tweaked by Roush, Steeda and others. Expect to see plenty of 5.0-liter V8s roaring around SEMA, but the spotlight will be on the all-new 2.3-liter EcoBoost® four-cylinder engine, which provides a whole new platform for experienced turbocharging specialists. With 310 horsepower and 320 lb.-ft. of torque, the 2.3- liter EcoBoost makes plenty of power from the factory, but there's much more potential for performance. Several tuners will be on hand with high-powered versions of the new turbo four- cylinder from Ford.

Petty's Garage will be bringing a Mustang with a purpose – a Roush supercharged V8 model wearing Richard Petty's famous blue paint and a discrete No. 43, Petty's car number in his NASCAR days. The car will be auctioned by Barrett-Jackson with proceeds benefiting Victory Junction, which is dedicated to helping chronically ill children attend summer camp.

Galpin Auto Sports is celebrating 50 years of Mustang with a golden anniversary car. This 2015 Mustang features restyled front and rear fascia with a gold motif. The car wears metallic gold- flecked black paint and gold badges, and features interior trim work and special wheel calipers. To top it all off, a gold powder-coated Whipple supercharger helps the 5.0-liter V8 develop 725 horsepower.

For fans of Formula DRIFT, Vaughn Gittin Jr. will put on a show with his heavily modified 2014 Ford Mustang RTR at the three-acre Ford Out Front motorsports and display venue.


Galpin Auto Sports Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Ford Mustang at 2014 SEMA Show

• Galpin Auto Sports celebrates golden anniversary of Ford Mustang production with modified all-new pony car featuring gold theme

• Gold powder-coated Whipple supercharger enhances output of 5.0-liter V8 engine to 725 horsepower

• Custom LED headlights give the face of Mustang a whole new look

DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 21, 2014 – The tuning arm of the largest Ford dealer in the United States, Galpin Auto Sports, also known as GAS, is paying tribute to the long history of Ford Mustang with a customized car debuting at the 2014 Specialty Equipment Market Association show. The 2015 GAS Mustang carries a golden anniversary concept to celebrate the car's 50 years of continuous production.

GAS began by giving the all-new Mustang a facelift, borrowing styling elements found elsewhere in the car. The front fascia is restyled to match the three strakes found in the factory headlights. New headlights have been created that integrate LED turn signals and turn on in sequence – just like the rear turn signals. A carbon fiber front splitter and rocker panels have been installed, as well as a more aggressive rear diffuser.

Open the hood to find a Whipple supercharger sitting atop the 5.0-liter Coyote V8. This is no off- the-shelf unit though; it's been custom powder-coated to appear gold. A glass window integrated into the hood is designed to show off the engine, but the GAS Mustang is not just about looks. The car produces an astounding 725 horsepower. Suspension components from Steeda and an all-new exhaust from Magnaflow round out the mechanical enhancements.

"We like the black and gold idea, and really wanted to get the color as close to 24-carat gold as possible," said Brandon Boeckmann, GAS operations manager. The 20-inch wheels, side sills, brake calipers and badging are all finished in gold. Inside, everything that is normally chrome or metallic has either been blacked-out or given the Midas touch. The Recaro seats are covered with a fabric finished in black and gold, and the headliner is black microsuede. The exterior is finished in paint that may appear black, but on further inspection is filled with gold metallic flecks.

The 2015 GAS Ford Mustang will be on display in the expansive 20,000-square-foot Ford booth at the 2014 SEMA show taking place at Las Vegas Convention Center, Nov. 4-7.


MRT TKO Mustang

MRT-Direct, a Plymouth Michigan Based Company will produce a street legal track day road racing car that has all the goods. The MRT TKO (Technical Knock Out) is a 2.3L Ecoboost Mustang with road racing technology applied through out. The 2.3L Ecoboost is the power plant that the technical performance drivers have been waiting for. MRT has been the leader in integrating the OE design with Aftermarket Performance through our Systems engineering approach to vehicle integration. Our full service facility allows us to develop, fabricate and produce any product needed to make a world class car. The new chassis and powertrain of the 2015 Mustang will be the perfect platform to produce a quick nimble street performer with the occasional track day being ultimate venue for exploiting its capabilities. We will remove un-needed weight from the car, increase the power output of the Turbo charged power plant, lower the center of gravity for confidante road control, improved handling and braking for the occasional performance exploits. Styling will be clean, classy with subtle performance queues that celebrate the rich Mustang History. The paint and execution will be get your attention, the performance and overall presence of the car will get respect from the car enthusiast crowd.

Chassis and Powertrain:
Air Lift performance suspension with MRT tuned chassis
Vortech Air to Air Inter Cooler
New MRT Stainless Steel Exhaust, true to the MRT brand - a high performance stainless steel down pipe and complete 3 inch stainless exhaust
MRT Modified Performance Pac 4 piston, 14 inch rotor upgrade
New MRT Brake ducts
20 X 9.5 inch front and 20 X 10 inch rear Forgiato Need for Speed Wheels
BFG Rival tires (265/35/20 front 285/35/20 rear)
JMS Boost Max boost controller
JMS Pedal Max accelerator pedal map devise
SCT Custom Tune

Exterior:
MRT Custom hood with heat extractors
MRT custom paint effects
Shadow tinted glass
Hitechfx Carbon Fiber Affects
3D Carbon rear spoiler
New MRT Front upper and lower grill
New MRT splitter

Interior:
Racetech seats (driver and passenger side)
Racetech Race harnesses (driver and passenger side)
Kicker Audio system

Who is MRT?

MRT is a local company located in Plymouth MI. It was established in 2002 and is the recipient of 6 Ford SEMA Outstanding Design Achievement and Product Excellence awards. Prior MRT SEMA vehicles and specialty vehicle publications include Car & Driver (Sept 2005), Muscle Mustang and Fast Fords (Feb 2005 and Feb 2008), Modified Mustang (Apr 2004, May 2005, Jan 2007 and Feb 2008), Mustang Times (March 2006) and Mustang Monthly (Feb 2007); plus several website/forum discussions. MRT Markets and campaigns our feature vehicles and products through out the country in our proven grass roots marketing program.

Source: autoblog.com

INTRODUCE – 2015 FORD MUSTANG GT

Overview: The iconic Mustang—with its classic pony-car looks and hunkered-down stance—preserves a legacy that defines American motoring. A 300-hp 3.7-liter V-6, a 310-hp 2.3-liter turbo four-cylinder, and a 435-hp 5.0-liter V-8 are all offered with a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic. A new, independent rear suspension improves body control and provides better cornering poise. In either coupe or convertible form, the Mustang appeals to a wide audience without compromising its heritage.

INSTRUMENTED TEST – 2015 FORD MUSTANG GT MANUAL

With the new Ford Mustang finally sitting before us, a walkaround is the first order of business. Circling the newest pony, there’s no mistaking it for anything but a Mustang. The all-new 2015 model retains the right proportions, with a long hood, a compact and low greenhouse, and an extremely fast, well, fastback roofline. Strong cheekbones and taut sheetmetal enhance its beauty, while jawlines on top of jawlines will convey an appropriate sense of terror to anyone who encounters one in their rearview mirror.

Sliding behind the wheel, we begin to experience some nervousness—on behalf of the car. You see, this isn’t the four-cylinder turbocharged EcoBoost model, or even the rental-counter base V-6. No, what we have here is what some might refer to as the real Mustang: the V-8 GT. More than any other 2015 Mustang, it carries the weight of expectations. Heavy expectations. Yes, the direct-injected EcoBoost is a technologically advanced engine and its turbocharger forces enough air through it to embarrass many eight-cylinders from a decade ago, but it still isn’t a proper V-8, no matter how much power it makes or how efficient it is.

READ MORE: 2015 Ford Mustang Engines: What You Need to Know

As for the V-8, it’s a worked over version of the outgoing Mustang’s Coyote powerplant, more specifically a version that saw the stonking Boss 302 serve as its drivability and output bogey. Certified on 93-octane unleaded, horsepower now stands at 435 (up from 420) and torque comes in at a nice, even 400 lb-ft. According to the EPA, fuel will be burned at a rate of 15 mpg in the city and 25 on the highway with the six-speed manual; the six-speed automatic does one better in the city. We saw 17 mpg from this stick-shift car. If you fill up using 87 octane, you’ll be down on horsepower—by about one percent according to Ford. So it’shighly unlikely you’ll notice.

With a six-speed manual sprouting up between the seats, the V-8 makes very short work of the first three gears. The accelerative rush is such that the somewhat cheesy “Ground Speed” label on the speedometer makes some sense, and the needle swings into triple digits very quickly. Zero to 60 mph is accomplished in 4.5 seconds and the quarter-mile lights tripped in 13 flat; our Mustang also hit 150 mph in well under 30 seconds. Also, there’s no Muzak version of the Daytona 500 played through the speakers in the Mustang: The GT’s V-8 soundtrack, although more subdued than we expected, is generated solely by combustion eventsand not electrons. We came away from this hushed GT thinking about refinement, not tinnitus.

The refinement extends to the ride and handling. Even with the 19-inch wheels and Pirelli P Zeros that come with the GT Performance package—which also brings a bunch of bracing, uprated brakes, and much more;full details here—the ride feels like a slightly more supple Boss 302. Some credit must go to the new integral-link independent rear suspension; dropping the solid rear axle is the Mustang’s big leap out of its 1960s roots. Ford had managed over the years to massage the stick axle to acceptability—and near-transcendence in the case of the Boss—but untying the Mustang’s rear wheels from each other pays massive dividends in terms of impact mitigation and keeps the front and rear ends working more closely together. Setting the Mustang into a corner no longer puts you into the awkward situation of serving as a couples’ counselor to the fore and aft axles. Turn-in felt natural in the outgoing Mustang, but the rear end seemed slightly disconnected, as if it wasn’t sure it wanted to follow the front. Cornering is now secure and flat, and we measured 0.95 g of lateral grip with those sticky P Zeros. The new Mustang’s chassis is in total harmony.

READ MORE: How We’d Spec It: The Perfect 2015 Ford Mustang

It’s not just the chassis that feels right. The precise steering is electrically assisted, but the sensations are richly analog and not digital. (This is true in any of its three adjustable modes, which largely alter weight.) The Getrag-sourced six-speed manual shifts easily and slots into gear quickly, and it feels more polished than before. It’s no trouble to find a good seating position, the forward view is quite good, and the optional $1595 Recaro seats seem tailor-made just for you. The interior design gets a little inspiration from the previous generation, but the materials are vastly improved and the switchgear wears aluminum-look brightwork. The back seats remain strictly for kids, which is a bit disappointing given the Mustang’s 188.3-inch total length—within an inch of a Toyota Camry.

Unlike the Camry, though, the new Mustang GT is a whole mess of fun. Large doses of maturity and refinement have entered the equation, sure, but they make for an improved and more well-rounded whole. The 2015 Mustang handles better, it’s easier to live with, and it acts like a more expensive car. At its $45,885 as-tested price, the GT should behave like it knows its way around a monocle and top hat, and it does. The V-8 version does start at $32,925, but options drive it past $35,000 with ease. Enthusiasts who crave a louder and prouder Mustang can look to the forthcoming GT350, which likely will pack a high-revving V-8 and even more horsepower. For those who want to drive their Mustang every day for the next five years, however, the new GT delivers performance without brutality.

Source: caranddriver.com/