The new S650 Ford Mustang is bound to be just as popular as its predecessors despite the market’s inevitable shift towards electrified and battery-electric vehicles. But does it have enough power to keep enthusiasts happy?
Ford says that a 2024 Mustang GT equipped with a 5.0-liter naturally-aspirated Coyote V8 is good for 486 hp and 418 lb-ft (567 Nm) of torque. Although the Coyote V8 isn’t new, it has been updated with forged connecting rods, dual injection, new dual throttle bodies, and revised exhaust headers. Eager to see if these figures are realistic, Middleton Motorsports strapped a 2024 GT Convertible onto their dyno.
Testing the Mustang with the available 10-speed automatic isn’t ideal for determining just how much power it has. The best gear to test it in would be seventh as it has a 1:1 ratio but it’s impossible to hit the redline in seventh without slamming into the electronic speed limiter. This forced the shop to test the pony car in fifth gear with its 1.520:1 ratio, impacting the horsepower and torque figures.
Read: The 2024 Ford Mustang Is Shipping To Dealers And $10k Markups Are Already Here
The first of the three runs performed saw the car produce 397 hp and 352 lb-ft (477 Nm) of torque at the wheels. The engine proved to be slightly stronger in the second run as it topped out at 408 hp while torque remained fairly consistent at 351 lb-ft (476 Nm). In the third and final run, it produced 405 hp and 347 lb-ft (470 Nm) of torque.
Middleton Motorsport notes that the car reached peak power at 7,200 rpm and that like older Coyote engines, produces a very smooth and consistent powerband. It also notes that the car had less than 1,000 miles under its belt and that once it hits that mark, it should deliver a touch more grunt. The shop also estimates that had it been able to perform a full run in seventh gear, the Mustang likely would have produced nearer to 420 hp at the wheels.