The BOSS is Back!

[Boyd]

The Ford Mustang BOSS 302!

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/13/ford-mustang-boss-302-is-back-for-2012/


From AutoBlog:

The car that Mustang (http://www.autoblog.com/model/mustang) fans have been hoping Ford (http://www.autoblog.com/make/ford/) would build for a very, very long time is finally here: the 2012 Boss 302. Dave Pericak, the Mustang chief engineer says it all.

"Boss is a hallowed word around here, and we couldn't put that name on a new Mustang until we were sure everything was in place to make this car a worthy successor. We were either going to do it right or not do it at all - no one on the team was going to let Boss become a sticker and wheel package."

Amen, Dave. A true Boss 302 is raw, hardcore and race-inspired, and Ford delivered the goods. The latest special edition Mustang comes with plenty of items that will excite road racing fans - an upgraded clutch, short-throw shifter, adjustable suspension, improved brakes and a more potent version of the 5.0-liter V8 that produces 440 horsepower and 380 lb-ft torque thanks to a new intake and more aggressive camshafts. Ford claims the Boss 302 will be able to break 1.0g and lap a typical road course two seconds faster than the standard Mustang GT (http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/29/2011-ford-mustang-gt-first-drive/). Ford engineers even reportedly benchmarked the BMW M3 when developing the Boss 302, aiming to beat the famous Bavarian coupe around Laguna Seca, which they claim to have achieved.

The exterior is inspired by the original 1969 model with either a black or white roof panel, C-stripe, closed fog lamp openings and a more aggressive front splitter and rear spoiler. Available colors are more eye-catching than the standard choices and include Competition Orange, Performance White, Kona Blue Metallic, Yellow Blaze Tri-Coat Metallic and Race Red.

2010 Boss 302 owners will enjoy a more aural experience from the cockpit thanks to eleven pounds of sound-deadening material removed from the car. The interior also gets a dark metallic finish for the instrument panel, gauge cluster and door panel trim, Alcantara-covered steering wheel and an optional package with Recaro high performance seats.

Finally, Ford is also planning to release a limited number of Boss 302 Laguna Seca models that offer more body stiffness, a stronger chassis and an aero package lifted straight from the Ford Racing Boss 302R.


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[sik68]

Awesome!

Now I troll over at camaro5.com to see what ensues...

[Chevrolaine]

Damn, They just keep doing things right. :smoke:

[novaderrik]

GM needs to do stuff like this to the Camaro- Ford removed sound deadening material and didn't add a bunch of heavy and unnecessary crap to the car as a part of the package.
and i highly doubt if Ford is putting unnecessarily heavy 20" wheels on the Boss Mustang..

if Chevy was to build a similar edition of the Camaro, they'd be bragging up the specially embroidered head rests and special edition engine cover..

[Josh69]

Wow, a factory built PT car. Temptation has a name...it's name is BOSS.

[moreHP]

Good for them. The modern musclecar game just keeps getting more interesting.

[Bryce]

that is awesome!

[srh3trinity]

It also said capable of 1.0g. Not too shabby right off the showroom floor. I agree, Ford has dialed it in. Their truck line looks great, the Coyote 5.0 seems to be the real deal and the current Mustang looks great.

[JEFFTATE]

That is a great car !
Chevy should do a Camaro like that .

Hail Ford !!

[joemac]

It's kind of like an anti-cobra. Cobra's were the luxury model with all the options, leather and the like. It's like they took the cobra and removed weight and added real speed parts. I say looks good.

[cees67]

cant wait for this!!!

[Boyd]

I'm curious to know what the pricing will be. I'm guessing somewhere between $42-48k.

[Matt@BOS]

So much awesome crammed into one car. It has factory ready open exhaust and can rev to 7,500 rpm, not to mention that it has less sound deadening. I've been looking to ditch my '06 Mustang for something that is all around better, but haven't been able to convince myself to get a Corvette or fork over enough cash for a German machine. The Boss may be the answer. Now I just have to wait a couple years.

Matt

[72ratnova]

me like the orange :worship::worship:

[ArtosDracon]

I like the sound of the Laguna Seca model, just not the looks, way too much red.

[DCx]

that exhaust is bad ass!

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/08/12mustangboss30279-1.jpg

[novaderrik]

that exhaust is bad ass!

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/08/12mustangboss30279-1.jpg

yes- if by "badass" you mean "way more complicated than it needs to be, with questionable performance benefits".
then yes, it is "badass".

[Boyd]

yes- if by "badass" you mean "way more complicated than it needs to be, with questionable performance benefits".
then yes, it is "badass".

Of course it's "way more complicated" , it's a factory engineered piece...they have to meet certain durability and NVH specs. I like it.

[Boyd]

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

[novaderrik]

Of course it's "way more complicated" , it's a factory engineered piece...they have to meet certain durability and NVH specs. I like it.

the side pipes serve no real function- they come out of the stock exhaust at a right angle, the pipes are small in diameter, and the pipes are flattened where they go around the gas tank.
they are just there to look cool.
get rid of them, and you probably save 20 pounds (which offsets any performance gains that the pipes might have added) and $500 off the cost of the car.

[twosaturns]

the side pipes serve no real function- they come out of the stock exhaust at a right angle, the pipes are small in diameter, and the pipes are flattened where they go around the gas tank.
they are just there to look cool.
get rid of them, and you probably save 20 pounds (which offsets any performance gains that the pipes might have added) and $500 off the cost of the car.
it's there for the street racers to have an excuse; "I would of beat him, but I left my wrench at home and couldn't switch to the cutouts! If I did, I'd have 100 more horsepower!"
I think it's an ok idea, agreed it's way too cumbersome looking. why didn't they just take them right off the collectors like any hotrodder would of done? why re-engineer something that's already been on the market for decades?

[fordsbyjay]

I went to a car show at Robinson Brothers in Baton Rouge today and they have a fellow from Dearborn there giving out awards and he mentioned the new Boss coming out and how excited they were at Ford. He also mentioned the 50th anniversary edition (2014??) and said that your chevy friends will be very afraid.

[DarkBuddha]

You know, back when they first released images of the FR500 soon-to-be Mustang (probably mid-2003), I came across a rendering of a "new" Boss version ('70 style quarters, beaked hood with shaker scoop, rear wing, chin spoiler, rear window slats, Boss stripes), which I then photochopped a bit:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif


Then a couple years after the new body style debuted in '05, Roush put this out (which I think looks awesome):

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif


All this time, I've hoped Ford would do something similar for one of their "limited edition" models... seems the reintroduction of the Boss would be the premier opportunity to do a bit of retro bodywork in addition to the retro graphics. Don't get me wrong, the orange one looks pretty good, and the factory mods seem promising, but boy, the gawdawful black/red Leguna Seca graphics and overwrought bodywork are a bit over the top.

In any case, just seeing this kind of stuff coming from Ford is pretty darn cool. I just hope that they don't all end up as show pieces and garage toys.

[David Pozzi]

There is also a Laguna Seca special edition of the Boss coming out, just announced at Laguna Seca yesterday, Aug 13th. 440hp at 7500rpm's. Adjustable shocks, Pirelli PZero tires, brembo 14".

The Laguna Seca Boss302 package adds:
Red Tubular X brace where the back seat was, no back seat.
9x19 front rim, 10x19 rear, 255 front, 285 rear tires. R compound
1.03 laterak G
Rather gaudy looking red accents on black or white cars, black accents on red cars.
Front NASCAR type splitter with adjustable rods.
Front brake cooling ducts

Here's a photo of it:
http://www.netcarshow.com/ford/2012-mustang_boss_302_laguna_seca/800x600/wallpaper_04.htm

[Bryce]

that roush looks sweet. I love the back window and roof line!

[sik68]

I sat in the new black/red Boss on Saturday at Laguna Seca. This was my first time in a 2011 Mustang, and I can say that Ford has improved the Mustang by leaps and bounds, even over the 2009 models. The livery is definitely over the top, but in person it is not as gaudy as it comes across in photos. It is a bit more tasteful in person. The front splitter on the Laguna Seca package is humongous! The rear seat delete with the x member is a very cool touch.

The seats are very supportive for street seats, with bolstering in all the right places per typical Recaro. The shifter throws are pleasantly short (yeah I went through the gears a few times :) in my head). Driver ergonomics are very good: visibility, steering wheel-to-seat-to pedal relationships are all great for feeling connected to the car.

I also convinced a Ford Rep who was positioning the car to rev it...he happily obliged. Idle is whisper quiet, but just off idle it starts to cackle. It's not a deep pitch (what can you expect from 5.0L) but it sounds urgent when it revs. If for nothing else, I think the side pipes really help project the noise in all directions. Definitely louder than a new Camaro but overall still quiet. Almost any aftermarket exhaust you hear on the street is louder. Upon delivery, I would immediately remove the librarian in the sidepipe.

Very cool car; the Boss projects the "form following function" mantra, while I'd argue that the new Camaro is, sadly, the opposite. For the sake of the rivalry, Chevy needs a sharper model that will directly compete with the Boss; and it shouldn't be supercharged.

[buickfunnycar.com]

There is also a Laguna Seca special edition of the Boss coming out, just announced at Laguna Seca yesterday, Aug 13th. 440hp at 7500rpm's. Adjustable shocks, Pirelli PZero tires, brembo 14".

The Laguna Seca Boss302 package adds:
Red Tubular X brace where the back seat was, no back seat.
9x19 front rim, 10x19 rear, 255 front, 285 rear tires. R compound
1.03 laterak G
Rather gaudy looking red accents on black or white cars, black accents on red cars.
Front NASCAR type splitter with adjustable rods.
Front brake cooling ducts

Here's a photo of it:
http://www.netcarshow.com/ford/2012-mustang_boss_302_laguna_seca/800x600/wallpaper_04.htm

Here you go Dave...took lots of Lola pics too,I'll email those to you.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

[Josh69]

it's there for the street racers to have an excuse; "I would of beat him, but I left my wrench at home and couldn't switch to the cutouts! If I did, I'd have 100 more horsepower!"
I think it's an ok idea, agreed it's way too cumbersome looking. why didn't they just take them right off the collectors like any hotrodder would of done? why re-engineer something that's already been on the market for decades?

From what I've read, they built them to accept aftermarket electric cutouts. It's mostly for the aural effect, to feel and sound like you're in a true musclecar circa the 60's.

I think it's neat. A lot of what I enjoy about my old car is the sounds, the visceral attitude. Ford is trying hard to replicate that off the showroom floor. I have to give them credit for thinking outside the box. I think Ford understands that if you're racing it competitively, A) you'd probably buy a 302R anyway or B) you'd modify the exhaust.

For those unaware, Ford added a plastic tube that runs from the intake through the firewall, under the dash and back up to the engine on 2010 Mustangs. This was done solely for sound. Yeah, it's extra weight, probably pointless to some, but it is part of creating a driving experience that is missing from today's ultra quiet cars that remove the driver from the engine. They also updated that for the Boss to further increase the sound coming into the cabin. The side pipes are solely an extension of that idea.

Per Ford:

Up front, a Boss-specific intake system is tuned to feed the engine with minimum restrictions. A retuned induction sound tube provides concrete aural evidence of what’s occurring under the hood. And, in the Boss exhaust system engineers really had some fun.

“With an exhaust system, we have to consider three constraints: legal noise restrictions; backpressure, which can rob power; and ground clearance,” explains Shawn Carney, Mustang NVH engineer. “Since the 2011 Mustang GT exhaust is already so free-flowing – it came in way under our backpressure targets – we already had excellent performance; we were able to tune the exhaust system for a unique sound. Combined with the rush of the intake, the exhaust system really envelops the driver in V8 sound.”

Every Boss features a unique quad exhaust system: Two outlets exit in the rear similar to a standard Mustang GT. The other two outlets exit to either side of the exhaust crossover, sending exhaust through a set of metal discs that act as tuning elements before the pipes terminate just ahead of the rear wheel opening. Visually subtle, the side pipes flow very little exhaust but a lot of exhaust sound, providing a sonic experience unlike any other Mustang – and giving home tuners an additional avenue for modification.

“We added the attenuation discs to meet legal regulations, but we knew buyers might operate these cars in situations where noise regulations weren’t an issue,” Carney said. “The disc is removable and includes a spacer plate sized to match aftermarket exhaust dump valves. If an owner wants to add a set of electric valves, they just undo two bolts on either side; the disc and spacer slide out and the valve will slide right in. And the side pipes are tuned so that drivers can run wide-open and the sound levels are comfortable – very aggressive but livable for an all-day track outing.”

[trapin]

Why would they call it a Boss 302? Didn't 302 refer to cubic inches? What does the 302 stand for on the new car?

[Bryce]

Its a 5.0 liter updated mod motor. Which is equal to 302 cubic inches.

[novaderrik]

Why would they call it a Boss 302? Didn't 302 refer to cubic inches? What does the 302 stand for on the new car?

Fords big marketing plan for the '11 model year was the return of the 5 liter engine. so now the car they built to look like a late 60's Mustang gets fender badges that are a retro throwback to the 80's..

[DarkBuddha]

And as we all recall, technically, 302 cubic inches is actually 4.9(4) liters... but lets not let math get in the way of good nomenclature and marketing. :)

[406 Q-ship]

Ford is winning me more and more. I love this car for specs but the stripes are not so good......and what the he!! is with the roof painted to match the strips :barf:. Where did the painted roof idea come from.....neither the 69 or 70 Boss 302 had a painted roof like that BS.

Ford needs to offer the Boss 302 with a stripe delete option, or I would have to paint the roof to match the rest of the car. I think Kona Blue is nice. I think GM is dropping the ball with the Camaro that is at least 300 pounds too heavy, and the heavy blingy 20's. The supercharged Z28 is getting away from the original intent of the Z/28, GM needs to bench mark the Boss 302.

[novaderrik]

Chevy should build a 302" version of the LS3, drop about 500 pounds off the car, get rid of the heavy 20" wheels, and show Ford how it's done.

[ProjectSideOiler]

Typical ford marketing ploy. Get everyone pumped up, the dealers will gouge all customers then the price will drop like a Rock. They have been doing the same since 2006 saying very limited production then building tons of them. Same as the GT500KR-great cars but built too many and the prices plummeted.

Next year ford will have to come out with a new version to keep up interest. Not a bad thing but try to buy a new 2012 Boss 302 with a production amount of approx 4000 cars.

A Boss 429 is in the pipeline along with a 70 Boss 302 stripe version for 2013.

For 2010 Ford built a very limited number of Cobra Jet and Super Cobra Jet Mustangs. Few people have heard of them as were pretty much sold out before production started.