2020 Ford Mustang R-Spec review: New hot pony car has supercar rivalling power
The Ford Mustang is the best selling sports car in the country and the newest version brings immense power and performance.
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Only Ford knows exactly how much power the new Mustang GT R-Spec makes. But it won’t tell us.
Packing a 5.0-litre V8 boosted by a high-performance supercharger, the new R-Spec produces grunt to rival Europe’s finest supercars.
The underground nature of Ford’s fastest car means Ford can’t say exactly how much wallop it offers.
The R-Spec has manufacturer blessing, a five-year warranty and affordable servicing at Blue Oval dealerships but it is officially the product of aftermarket specialists Herrod Performance and so doesn’t have an official power figure rubber-stamped by Ford.
Tuning guru Rob Herrod says the Mustang has power to rival a Lamborghini Aventador or McLaren 720S, which with more than 500kW are among the fastest cars on sale
Ford, Herrod says, “is not hiding anything. Everything was done properly on this car.”
On his dynamometer, the R-Spec makes “between 440kW and 460kW at the hubs”.
On that device, a regular V8 Mustang makes about 280kW, suggesting the R-Spec has about 530kW — or more than 700 old-fashioned horsepower.
That thrust is a match for Ferrari’s latest F8 Tributo. For a fifth of its price.
The $99,980 plus on-roads ask for Ford’s new hero makes it about $36,000 dearer than a regular Mustang. That may be expensive for a Ford but the R-Spec is easily the cheapest ticket to the 500kW club.
There’s more to it than the mighty motor. Fatter Ford Performance rims are shod with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber, essentially the best all-round performance tyres on sale, and the list of upgrades includes beefed-up stabiliser bars, lower and firmer springs and retuned shock absorbers.
Ford’s slick 10-speed auto, standard fitment on regular Mustangs, isn’t built to handle the R-Spec’s outputs so power goes to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual.
The R-Spec gets a bigger rear spoiler and larger front air intake, black mirror caps, black wheels and racing stripes.
Customers who want to take their cars to the track can request circuit-ready tyres, rear roll cage, high-performance oil coolers and other gear to hunt Porsches.
The package proved irresistible for Ford dealers who quickly claimed all 500 examples set to be built. Some await buyers.
The Mustang has been a hit in Australia, becoming the best-selling sports car and the most popular passenger model in Ford showrooms.
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Given Australia’s appetite for high-performance machines, the likes of an R-Spec seemed inevitable, yet the most powerful model in Ford’s local history only came about because customers wouldn’t take no for an answer.
America’s high-performance Shelby GT300 and GT500 were deemed off-limits to Australia and Ford HQ was unwilling to fund re-engineering for right-hand drive. Local muscle car fans demanded more grunt — enter Herrod Performance.
How does it drive?
Our test drive of the Mustang R-Spec takes place at The Bend circuit in South Australia. Its Supercars layout features 18 corners but for our purposes it might just as well be called The Straight — because that is where the Mustang R-Spec shines.
Hauling past the pits at well in excess of 200km/h, the big coupe feels mighty as you work the heavy-duty manual transmission through the gears.
A throaty roar fills its compact cabin, and there is a surprising lack of whine from its supercharger as we race toward the first corner.
There’s no doubt this is a fast car yet it doesn’t feel as quick as other 500kW-plus machines.
Part of that is because it’s much heavier than a McLaren or Ferrari but also because the engine outputs are limited in the first three gears.
Owners need to take their car to the redline in fourth gear to experience the grunt they’ve paid for. And that involves doubling the highway speed limit.
Even with carefully managed outputs, the rear Michelins struggle to contain the thrust.
You pitch the car in on impressive Brembo brakes, then attack corners with more pace than the regular Mustang thanks to lower, stiffer suspension with reworked shocks and adjustable anti-roll bars. Then wait patiently to deploy awesome power.
This Mustang is something of a skunkworks project, a passion project by a small group of engineers rather than a mega-dollar effort by one of the world’s largest car makers.
So you can forgive a slightly tricky gearshift and grabby traction control that hasn’t been recalibrated to match its power. Taming the Mustang is part of its appeal.
Ford Mustang GT R-Spec vitals
Price: About $115,000 drive-away
Warranty/servicing: 5 years/unlimited km, $897 for 3 years
Safety: 3 stars, 6 airbags, AEB, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist
Engine: 5.0-litre V8 supercharged, 500kW+/800Nm+
Thirst: N/A
Boot: 408L
Stable of riches
Want a fast Ford? There are plenty of options. Tickford’s upgrades include an Allan Moffat-inspired Trans-Am tribute treatment that boosts the V8 Mustang’s power from 339kW to 400kW. It adds performance springs and dampers, additional body bracing, retro-styled 20-inch wheels, a comprehensive cabin upgrade and more for $32,995 — on top of the cost of a standard car.
Mustang enthusiasts in the US can get hold of Ford’s own Shelby GT500 (pictured). Stuffed with race-bred gear such as a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, advanced 5.2-litre V8 and ultralight carbon-fibre wheels, the GT500 is a 567kW salute to supercharged all-American speed.
Ford Australia won’t sell you one but specialist outfits such as Mustang Motorsport can import an example and convert it to right-hand drive for about $250,000.
The ultimate Mustang, short of Scott McLaughlin’s Bathurst-winning V8 Supercar, might be the Dick Johnson Limited Edition by Herrod Performance.
Fettled by some of the folks responsible for the R-Spec, the sold-out Dick Johnson special produces an astonishing 635kW of supercharged grunt and has motorsport-inspired touches such as carbon-fibre panels and an optional roll cage.
One of the 30 examples built is listed online for $299,000 and another will go to auction via Grays Online on February 26.
Originally published as 2020 Ford Mustang R-Spec review: New hot pony car has supercar rivalling power