The S650 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Isn’t the King of Four-Cylinder Mustangs
The latest Ford Mustang EcoBoost gets new styling inside and out. On top of the new looks, the EcoBoost gets a bump in power compared to the last model year. However, even with the extra muscle, the S650 Ford Mustang EcoBoost isn’t the last word in turbocharged four-pot Mustang.
The S650 Ford Mustang EcoBoost rolled out without a High Performance package like the previous model
The new seventh-generation (S650) Ford Mustang may have received mixed reviews regarding its styling. However, Mustang fans everywhere were ecstatic to see the iconic nameplate return. What’s more, the pony car defiantly shrugged off industry pushes for electrification or hybridization. Instead, the seventh-gen Mustang brought back the 5.0L Coyote V8 and turbocharged 2.3L four-cylinder EcoBoost mill.
Better yet, the S650 Ford Mustang EcoBoost gains five horsepower over the previous generation, for an output of 315 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. While that doesn’t sound like much of a gain, the new EcoBoost is quick. In Car and Driver’s testing, the latest EcoBoost managed to hit 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. Acceleration like that puts the S650 Mustang EcoBoost on par with the first V8-powered pre-facelift S550 Mustang GTs.
However, the latest four-cylinder pony car is a bit tame compared to one of the previous generation’s offerings. Enter the Ford Mustang EcoBoost High Performance package, a 330-horsepower crown on the heads of four-cylinder Mustangs.
The source of the High Performance package’s magic? The Blue Oval offered the package with a detuned version of the mill in the corner-clobbering, all-wheel drive (AWD) Focus RS hot hatchback. Of course, you won’t find AWD in the EcoBoost High Performance. Instead, you’ll find the most muscular four-pot Mustang in the nameplate’s history. However, even with the extra muscle, it’s unlikely that drivers will be able to recreate the S650 Mustang EcoBoost’s snappy 0 to 60 mph times.
