The Ford Mustang is easy to upgrade. Many performance parts are available that can wring even more power from the pony car’s V8 engine. A new drag race video demonstrates that even a few simple mods can make an old GT quicker than the new seventh-generation S650 model.
The 2016 GT — S550 for you Mustang know-it-alls — rolled off the assembly line with 435 hp and 400 lb-ft when it was new. The one you see here now features better mufflers, an X-pipe, an engine tune, and an upgraded clutch. These are not significant or expensive upgrades, but they help put the older model on par with the newer car. The modded Mustang supposedly now makes around 460 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. Compare that to the new 2024 model, rated at 486 horsepower and 416 pound-feet of torque.
The last-generation S550 didn’t perform its best in the first race, getting a slow start and losing to the new GT. But things went better for the older pony the second time around, with the older model winning the race. It crossed the quarter-mile finish line in 12.3 seconds, sprinting from zero to 60 in 4.2 seconds. The new 2024 GT returned a 12.5-second quarter-mile time while needing 4.3 seconds to hit 60.
The 2016 Mustang also won the first rolling race from 32 miles per hour. The second one, with the cars starting at 42 mph, was nearly a tie. The new GT crossed the finish line first by a bumper.
The Ford Mustang has been tiptoeing toward offering 500 horsepower since the 5.0-liter V8 returned over a decade ago. The current GT delivers up to 486 hp, with the Dark Horse variant hitting the magic number. However, the model remains one of the most easily modifiable cars on the market, and it’s a breeze to turn an older variant into a formidable competitor.
