The news that the sixth-generation Mustang no longer features a live rear axle came like a blow to the head for most drag-racing enthusiasts. That’s not to say we won’t be seeing the 2015 Mustang perform at the drag strip, but it’s now up to racing specialists and the drivers themselves to equip their muscle cars with a proper rear axle.
As the redesigned Mustang is getting closer to its on sale date, Ford has embarked on a mission to prove that the pony can still perform on the quarter-mile, even though it uses an independent rear suspension. To do that, the Blue Oval commissioned its Racing division to come up with a few benchmarks for the 2015 ’Stang on the drag strip.
Specifically, Ford Racing set out to build the first 2.3-liter EcoBoost model to do the quarter-mile in less than 13 seconds, the first naturally aspirated GT to run in the 11s, and the first supercharged GT to complete the same distance in the 10-second range. To do that, Ford Racing meddled with the internals of each car and added a few of its own performance parts, including a rear subframe kit, a prototype exhaust and a new engine calibration.
Additionally, the three ’Stangs received racing AlumaStar drag rear wheels wrapped in Hoosier tires and a Recaro race seat. One of the two GTs also gained a Roush supercharger kit.
Although Ford Racing didn’t release the new output figures, it did post a video showing all three Mustangs trying to achieve their goals. Needless to say, all attempts were successful in reaching their target. The 2.3-liter EcoBoost posted a 12.56-second run at 109 mph, while the GT stopped the clock at 11.77 seconds at 116 mph. Lastly, the first ever 2015 Mustang GT to carry a supercharger needed only 10.97 seconds to run the 1320 with a trap speed of 128 mph. The latter was a close one, which says a lot about the boldness of Ford Racing’s benchmark for a Mustang, be it a supercharged one.
That being said, hit the play button above for some action-packed Mustang footage and proof that an independent rear suspension isn’t necessarily a drawback on the drag strip.
Video: 2015 Ford Mustang Runs the Quarter Mile in Under 11 Seconds originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 1 October 2014 06:00 EST.
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