In 1964, Ford unleashed to the world what would become one of the most iconic automobiles of all time. It was the first of its kind, a front runner in the world of pony cars and muscle cars, and undoubtedly a pivotal car in the industry. The car in question was, of course, the original 1964 Mustang. As well as pretty much coining the term "cheap speed," it was one of the first cars to offer buyers an endless amount of customization and personalization.
The Mustang soldiered on for the latter half of the 20th century, spawning five different generations. Some were better than others, but most of them stuck to the familiar muscle car formula, sprinkling it with retro styling in 2005. However, it would take until 2015, and the sixth generation S550 Mustang for the iconic pony car to go through some truly major changes.
2015-2023 Ford Mustang
8.70 / 10
Key Features
- Up to 470 hp
- Iconic name
- Manual transmission
Specifications
- Model: Mustang
- Starting Price (MSRP): $24,425 (base when new)
- Engine/Motor: 2.3-liter turbo four-cylinder / 3.7-liter V6 / 5.0-liter V8
- Horsepower: 300-480 hp
- Torque: 280-420 lb/ft
- Drivetrain: Longitudinal front-engine, RWD
- Transmission: 6-speed manual / 6-speed automatic / 10-speed automatic
Pros
- One of the best names in the automotive world
- Amazing looks
- Bargain prices
Cons
- Interior quality isn't the best
- Not very practical
- Terrible gas mileage
The Reinvigorated Sixth Generation Mustang
Ford first showed the S550 Ford Mustang to the world back in 2014, and the car went on sale later in the year for the 2015 model year. The previous generation Mustang lasted almost a decade, from 2005 to 2014, and it used the same platform throughout those years. However, the S550 Mustang switched to a brand-new platform, which also meant new styling, new features, and a bunch of meaningful changes under the skin. One of the most notable changes on the S550 Mustang was the exterior styling, which was definitely a departure from the cars that came before.
The previous generation car relied pretty heavily on retro styling, but the S550 Mustang was thoroughly modern in comparison. Make no mistake, there are a few minor retro cues here and there, but the sixth gen 'Stang is definitely a more modern take on the classic galloping horse.
The overall look of the car is much more aggressive, with sharper lines, and a sportier stance that made the car appear less bulky. Some characteristic Mustang traits, like the rear "gas cap" disappeared (the export models still had it), while some other traits, like the three-slat taillights stayed on this generation as well.
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The changes on the exterior made it very clear that the Mustang was a completely different car underneath. Nowhere was this more apparent than in the drivetrain. Every previous Mustang used a live axle setup on the rear, which by the 2010s, most people considered to be pretty outdated, and it didn't do the handling that many favors. The S550 finally replaced the live axle with fully independent rear suspension.
We don't know what took Ford so long, since the original Focus in 1998 also offered IRS, but the IRS setup in the Mustang aimed to transform the car's handling. Ford released a handful of track-oriented derivatives for this generation of Mustang, proving that straight line performance wasn't the only priority anymore. Also, the S550 Mustang was the first ever Mustang that Ford officially offered in global markets, including a RHD version for the UK and Australia. The S550 Mustang began its run in 2015, and 2023 will be the last model year before the S650 joins Ford's lineup for MY2024.
A facelifted S550 came along for MY2018, and throughout the entire run, Ford offered it as either a Fastback or a Convertible, with several trim levels to boot. The Mustang's main competitors were the retiring Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger, which is also waving goodbye with the insane Demon 170, along with other RWD performance cars including the Nissan 370Z, the BMW M4, some versions of the Mercedes-AMG C-Class, the Toyota Supra, some verisons of the Porsche 911, and a few others.
Four-Cylinder Power Returned For The Mustang S550
As far as the powertrain lineup on the S550 Mustang, it was the topic for a lot of controversy when it came out. For the first time since the Fox Body of the 80s and early 90s, Ford introduced a four-cylinder engine as part of the S550 Mustang's powertrain offer. Despite the potential instinct to believe that it was the base powertrain, it actually wasn't. That honor went to the V6, until Ford pulled the plug on the V6 in 2017.
The S550 Mustang re-used the same V6 as the S197-II that came before. A 3.7-liter naturally-aspirated V6 from the Duratec family, developing 300 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. While this V6 is better than a lot of people give it credit for, and certainly better than the accursed 4.0-liter that preceded it, the V6 quickly became a footnote. Ford killed it off in only the S550's third year on the market, leaving just the EcoBoost and the V8.
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The EcoBoost displaces 2.3-liters, and it has a lot in common with the powertrain that the Mk3 Focus RS used. In the Mustang, it develops 310 hp, while torque was 320 lb-ft on the pre-facelift model, and 350 lb-ft on the facelift Mustang. This gave it a pretty impressive 0-60 time of just 5.1 seconds.
Obviously, the most desirable (and sensical, depending on who you ask) powertrain you could get on the S550 Mustang is the familiar 5.0-liter Coyote V8. Most of this generation 'Stang's derivatives used some form of the Coyote. In its basic form, the 5.0 developed 435 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque before the facelift, jumping to 460 hp and 420 lb-ft for the facelift, but then down to 450 hp and 410 lb-ft towards the end of the run, due to new emissions regulations.
The limited-production Bullitt increased power to 480 hp and 420 lb-ft, and the Mach 1 produced the same numbers before the new regulations, after which it went down to 470 hp and 410 lb-ft. Every S550 Mustang is RWD, and power went to the wheels through either a six-speed manual transmission, or a six-speed automatic on the pre-facelift cars. The facelift S550 replaced the six-speed auto with a 10-speed auto.
The S550 Mustang Had A Much Better Interior Than Its Predecessors
One of the biggest complaints people had about the S197 and S197-II Mustang is that the interior was pretty drab. Hard plastics, and not much attention to detail, with only a few bits of retro styling to compensate. The S550 Mustang changed all of that for the better, and made major strides (pun intended) to improve interior quality and design. It still wasn't the greatest, but compared to the previous generations, it was worlds ahead.
The retro gauge cluster unfortunately disappeared, but the gauges were still inside two individual pods, as befits a Mustang. You could also finally equip a decent infotainment system, which later added Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The symmetrical dashboard, the toggle switches at the bottom of the center control stack, and the stubby manual shifter are definitely the standout details.
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Optional equipment included heated and ventilated seats, or Recaro sports seats (which didn't have those comfort functions), adaptive cruise control (even on the manual cars), a heated steering wheel, an upgraded Shaker sound system and a lot more. The S550 Mustang also has a built-in Line Lock feature, which held the front brakes for you so you could easily do a burnout. Post-facelift cars also came standard with a configurable digital gauge cluster, a first for a Mustang.
In terms of reliability, Mustangs are everywhere, and parts are pretty easy to find and inexpensive, so you should be good to go. The S550 Mustang seats four people, although the rear seats are a bit of a squeeze. The trunk offers up 13.5 cubic feet of space on the Fastback models, and 11.4 cubic feet of space on the Convertible, both decent figures.
The Sixth Gen Mustang Is A Bargain Muscle Car
Even though it's a fantastic performance cars, and those types of vehicles are often victims of value increase, regular S550 Mustangs are still relatively affordable. Even though Classic.com estimates the average value to be around $45,000, you can pick up a common Mustang GT for around $30,000. An EcoBoost, meanwhile, will set you back as little as $20,000. For one of the best iterations of the iconic pony car, that's a great deal.
