S550 Ford Mustang Remains a Top Performance Bargain Buy: Video

Given the cost and minor upgrades present in the S650, the S550 Ford Mustang still gives us the best bang for our pony car buck.

The debut of the all-new S650 generation Ford Mustang was one that was preceded by loads of anticipation, though ultimately, the newest pony car isn’t a whole heck of a lot different than its predecessor. Trouble is, the S650 is quite a bit more expensive than the S550 Ford Mustang was, as is the case with just about anything these days. Thus, the fact that we can go out and buy a used S550 Ford Mustang for a significant discount compared to a new S650, well, that makes it a pretty enticing option – and potentially part of the reason why new pony car sales are suffering.

In this new video from the YouTube channel Sara-n-Tuned, we get a welcome reminder of just how great of a performance bargain the S550 Ford Mustang really is, courtesy of a review of a 2019 GT with the Performance Pack. This one also has the six-speed manual gearbox rather than the 10-speed automatic, and it’s still a solid performer by anyone’s standards – especially in this price range. Our host is immediately impressed by not only its potency, but also, how well the chassis and brakes help manage all of that.

Our host also finds the S550 Ford Mustang to be quite comfortable, which is nice for those that drive their pony cars during normal conditions and not just on weekend curvy road excursions. There’s a decent amount of tech as well – perhaps a bit outdated compared to the S650 and its fancy screens, but modern enough that one won’t necessarily feel like they’re driving an old car by any means.

https://youtu.be/2x8UPtLqt40?si=elxLcOPCnMTOYG0G

Ultimately, even though it obviously isn’t the newest or shiniest, the S550 Ford Mustang is clearly the best V8-powered pony car to buy at the moment based on its superior balance of performance for the dollar. While the S650 does have more bells and whistles, when we consider the fact that you can go out and buy a nice, lower-mile, well-kept S550 for roughly half the price in some cases, well, that makes those extra frills and a few other minor upgrades a bit harder to justify.

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Brett Foote

Brett Foote has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is a longtime contributor to Internet Brands’ Auto Group sites, including Chevrolet Forum, Rennlist, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, among other popular sites.

He has been an automotive enthusiast since the day he came into this world and rode home from the hospital in a first-gen Mustang, and he's been wrenching on them nearly as long.

In addition to his expertise writing about cars, trucks, motorcycles, and every other type of automobile, Brett had spent several years running parts for local auto dealerships.

You can follow along with his builds and various automotive shenanigans on Instagram: @bfoote.