flash_xx

That's just depressing, with decent shocks the Mustang would have beat the Camaro.

Genxer

I don't think it's anything to get depressed about. If I were to buy one of these cars to track it, I would be rolling it in the garage for more suspension upgrades and tires/wheels anyway. To me it's just bragging rights. I think one or the other could win depending on the driver. The 1LE upgrade is more expensive.

jz78817

you realize that practically nobody who buys a Mustang or Camaro is going to do this with them, right?

JIM5.0

It's Ford's philosophy: comfort and NVH is the priority and handling is second to that.
Proof is in the S197: even with live axle, S197s have their suspensions upgraded for around $3000 or maybe even less and they handle better than Camaros with the 1LE package. Check out the S197 handling sub-forum for guys who race their cars on courses. Some of them even post better course times than Corvettes.

This same philosophy went into the S197 Boss. That car could have handled so much better but Ford hobbled it from its handling potential with a flimsy suspension meant for NVH everyday street driving.

It's no surprise that the S550, even the S550 Track Pack, is likewise hobbled with soft everyday street suspension components just for the sake of too high of NVH goals. (Well, too high in my opinion.)

JIM5.0

I agree: I don't think it's anything to get depressed about either.

But Chevy has a step up with a factory stock track ready option in their 1LE package.
This is where I'm a bit disappointed. The S550 GT with Track Package is not too far off from the cost of a Camaro with the 1LE package.

If I were to buy a S550 for road course purposes, my initial thoughts is that I would not even bother with the Track Package and buy the suspension upgrades since the Track Package shocks, springs, anti-roll bars, and possibly also the suspension bushings all are sub-par.
However, the Track Package might be a good base to begin because of the Torsen diff and the Brembo brake set. (I don't know how much a Torsen diff or a decent brake set costs.)

akiba17

Uhhh, I drive my car like that.

kzonts

Why pay more for the so-called track package if it doesn't do the job? I would expect more for the money they are asking for these.

moosestang

I'm more concerned with straight line performance, all the roads are straight here. I don't really like the new look of the mustang, but it still looks 100x better than the camaro.

eolson

I don't understand why Ford can still not clarify the packages they sell to compete to the highest possible degree with GM products.

They had a chance to rectify all of the negatives with the old platform with the re-design, and we are still hearing the same thing, un-settling movement over uneven pavement, not able to go into and out of corners as fast or with the same confidence as the other car, front heavy design, with the back end breaking loose too easily.

Where are the wider properly off set wheels and sticky tires they could have demanded be made for the car for the"highest performance package????? 305 sticky in rear, 285 in front. Hung out to dry having to go to the after market, and all of it's bull%$#@, because they couldn't redesign a closer to 50%/50% weight ratio, and still not fitting out the performance version of the car to compete with the other guy IMO. Erik

JFitz

Cough*keeping the S197 and getting an S550*cough

I think The S197 is the best looking Mustang since 1970.

But S550 is damn nice too.