Ford Mustang Boss 302: As Fast as a 2022 Mustang GT?
The Ford Mustang has enjoyed a cacophony of special editions over the years, from the Shelby GT350 to the Mach 1 and Bullitt. However, modern Mustang fans might overlook a genuine benchmark in Ford Mustang performance: the Boss 302. The Ford Mustang Boss 302 was more than a pantomimic collection of stripes; it was a real blacktop-bashing muscle car as fast as a 2022 Mustang GT.
What is the Boss 302 package?
The Boss 302 is a special edition Ford Mustang built on the fifth-generation S197 car. First, Ford took one of their beloved 5.0L V8 engines and massaged it with different cylinder heads, a new intake manifold, and higher-lift cams to produce 444 horsepower and 380 lb-ft of torque. Pair that with the stiffer springs and thicker stabilizer bar, and Car and Driver says it will smash a sprint to 60 mph in just 4.3 seconds. “It should be a car that winds up on YouTube doing something illegal,” Ford’s now-CEO Jim Farley said about the 2012 model year.
That would seem enough to sell the beasts, but Ford didn’t stop there. Instead, the automaker endowed the cars with bright colors and contrasting graphics packages. Further, Ford’s later model year Laguna Seca model shaved off another 0.1 seconds to 60 mph, making it as fast as a newer 2022 Mustang GT.
How much does a Mustang Boss 302 cost?
The Ford Mustang Boss 302 started at $42,990 when Ford first sold it. However, Kelley Blue Book (KBB) says savvy shoppers can find a bright and bombastic 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 with 50,000 miles for around $31,705. That’s a coupe with well over 400 horsepower and track credentials for about what you’d spend on a newer EcoBoost. A price like that makes the Boss 302 a performance bargain worthy of your consideration.
Were there Boss Mustangs in the past?
The newer Boss 302s draw inspiration from the Boss Mustangs of the 1960s. Ford built brightly colored Boss Mustangs in the pony car’s first generation from 1967 to 1970. It’s easy to see where the newer Ford Mustangs derived their inspiration. Yellow and red Boss 302s packed engines of the same displacement, namely 302 cubic inches. It’s only fitting that Jim Farley and company would resurrect the classic nameplate.
Of course, the first cars didn’t produce anywhere near the same amount of power as the newer generation of Boss Mustangs. For instance, the 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302 produced just 290 horsepower and 290 lb-ft of torque.
Will there be another Ford Mustang Boss 302?
Ford just revealed the 2024 Ford Mustang S650 generation car in Detroit, leaving a lot of room for special editions. Of course, the marque started off with a bang; the Dark Horse is an all-new model with track day pedigree. However, the coming model years leave many possibilities for a Boss 302 reboot. Considering the new V8-powered cars have the right displacement engines for the name, it’s a solid prospect.
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