Twin-Turbo Mustang Thinks It’s a Match for Tuned 911 Turbo S, Gets Eviscerated

Here’s what we know about the two cars. According to the uploader, the owner of the Mustang told him that his 5.0-liter V8 engine, which would otherwise have 435 hp (441 PS) and 400 lb-ft (542 Nm) of torque (seeing as it’s a 2016 model year car), now puts down in excess of 700-wheel horsepower (around 830 hp at the crank, maybe more) courtesy of a twin-turbo setup.

Yes, generally speaking, twin-turbo Mustangs are legit quick, but there are other factors at play, and we’ll get into that in a second. As for the Porsche 911, it’s a 991.2 Turbo S model, modified to produce about 650-wheel horsepower, which is roughly 790 hp at the crank.

So then, how did the Porsche make that Mustang look like a Fiesta? If you read the video’s comments section, you’ll see that most people were shocked by the outcome, or at least by how easily the 911 won. Here’s why you shouldn’t be: that 991.2 Turbo S weighs less than a 2016 Mustang GT, and its gearbox is much better.

We’d actually like to focus on the gearbox, because as you can see, the difference in power output isn’t substantial, and since they raced from a roll, the Porsche’s all-wheel-drive system wasn’t as prominent of a factor either.

The 991.2 Turbo S utilizes a seven-speed dual-clutch PDK automatic, one of the fastest-shifting and most efficient transmissions ever installed on an automobile. However, the Mustang still likely has Ford’s old 6R80 six-speed automatic, which technically made its debut back in the mid 2000s. However much power that twin-turbo Mustang now has, it has to channel it to its rear wheels using what is essentially old tech, whereas the Porsche’s transmission was state of the art at the time.

So, if you’re looking for an explanation of how a tuned 991.2 Turbo S dismantles a more powerful twin-turbo Ford Mustang, the "gearbox hypothesis" makes the most sense.