We’ll come clean: some of us here have a thing about 5.0-liter V-8 Mustangs. No, they’re not as sophisticated as the latest Bavarian bratwurst rocket, but neither are they as expensive to buy and maintain. Sure, even the track-ready Boss 302 is saddled with a live rear axle, but (trust on on this) that’s only an issue when pushing the car hard at the roughest of racetracks. Yes, it weighs over 3,600 pounds, but it’s still lighter than the Camaro (and sounds better, at least to our ears).
Throw a few options on a Boss 302 Laguna Seca, and you’re over the $50,000 price point, which narrows the field of potential buyers. On the other hand, a base Mustang GT with the cloth Recaro seats and the Track Package (including Brembo brakes, custom stability control tuning, 19-inch wheels, Torsen limited-slip differential with 3.73 axle ratio, high-capacity radiator and engine oil cooler) can be had for around $15,000 less.
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Motor Trend asks, “Is the Mustang GT an affordable Mustang Boss 302?” The answer, sadly, is “not really.” While the GT with the Track Package is still a very entertaining track day car, it doesn’t have anywhere near the Boss 302’s limits. On the other hand, the GT gives you a blank slate to build from as your budget allows: upgrade the suspension, add a short shift kit and throw on some stickier rubber than the stock Pirelli P Zero Neros, and you may well have a car that’s almost as entertaining as a Boss 302 Laguna Seca for a lot less money.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
