Photo: Ford
First things first, what sort of tires does the Shelby GT350 come as standard? Those would be Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires with specific compound, tread face, and sidewall construction. The GT350R is even more extreme in this department, packing barely street-legal Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber on all four corners. So, want to guess what sort of tires the Mustang GT with the Performance Pack Level 2 has to offer? Yup, that would be Pilot Sport Cup 2s.
By Performance Pack Level 2, the Ford Motor Company refers to as the best-handling Mustang GT money can buy. And although the package hasn’t been priced yet, the order books are open, and the first cars will reach U.S. dealers in the spring. A.k.a. when the weather gets warm enough for the Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires.
Including all the features of Performance Pack Level 1, Level 2 features 1.5 inches wider tires for superior grip, which “work with a retuned chassis to put the car more than a half-inch closer to the ground.” Also similar to the GT350R (and GT350 for that matter), the most fun-to-drive Mustang GT of them all is available exclusively with a six-speed manual. Yup, no 10R80 here!
The list of go-faster goodies doesn’t end here. The MagneRide dampers, for example, benefit from custom calibration. As does the steering system. What’s more, the byword for Performance Pack Level 2 is stiffness thanks to stiffened bits and bobs such as the front stabilizer bar (by 12 percent compared to Level 1), front springs (20 percent), and rear springs (13 percent). And then, there’s the way this thing looks, which is palpably different from just your regular GT.
Taking an aerodynamic trick from the Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca, the front splitter creates 24 pounds of downforce at 80 miles per hour. And at speed, you bet you want a little downforce over the front axle to help the tires grip, making the vehicle corner better. Aero improvements also include a black rear spoiler that stretches across the decklid, which FoMoCo dares to describe as “subtle.”
The finishing touches that help make the Performance Pack Level 2 visually unique come in the form of black detailing, tire spat on the back edge of the rear wheel wells, 10-spoke Dark Tarnish wheels, and that’s about it. Customers are also offered the choice between leather and cloth upholstery for the Recaro seats, which are designed to keep your bum firmly planted to the seat bottom during hard cornering.
Including all the features of Performance Pack Level 1, Level 2 features 1.5 inches wider tires for superior grip, which “work with a retuned chassis to put the car more than a half-inch closer to the ground.” Also similar to the GT350R (and GT350 for that matter), the most fun-to-drive Mustang GT of them all is available exclusively with a six-speed manual. Yup, no 10R80 here!
The list of go-faster goodies doesn’t end here. The MagneRide dampers, for example, benefit from custom calibration. As does the steering system. What’s more, the byword for Performance Pack Level 2 is stiffness thanks to stiffened bits and bobs such as the front stabilizer bar (by 12 percent compared to Level 1), front springs (20 percent), and rear springs (13 percent). And then, there’s the way this thing looks, which is palpably different from just your regular GT.
Taking an aerodynamic trick from the Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca, the front splitter creates 24 pounds of downforce at 80 miles per hour. And at speed, you bet you want a little downforce over the front axle to help the tires grip, making the vehicle corner better. Aero improvements also include a black rear spoiler that stretches across the decklid, which FoMoCo dares to describe as “subtle.”
The finishing touches that help make the Performance Pack Level 2 visually unique come in the form of black detailing, tire spat on the back edge of the rear wheel wells, 10-spoke Dark Tarnish wheels, and that’s about it. Customers are also offered the choice between leather and cloth upholstery for the Recaro seats, which are designed to keep your bum firmly planted to the seat bottom during hard cornering.
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