{"id":24232,"date":"2019-09-26T17:11:30","date_gmt":"2019-09-26T21:11:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=24232"},"modified":"2019-09-26T17:11:30","modified_gmt":"2019-09-26T21:11:30","slug":"payne-mustang-ecoboost-high-performance-is-a-wild-but-affordable-stallion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2019\/09\/payne-mustang-ecoboost-high-performance-is-a-wild-but-affordable-stallion","title":{"rendered":"Payne: Mustang Ecoboost High Performance is a wild but affordable stallion"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/09\/24\/PDTN\/18d1a020-abda-4068-a4b3-ebc4d989c3b8-mustang_bridge-fr.JPG?width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The 2020 Ford Mustang HiPo upgrades the base pony car to a 330-horsepower turbo-4, adding a stiffer suspension and bigger brakes for wicked performance for under $40K.\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div><p>The 2020 Ford Mustang HiPo upgrades the base pony car to a 330-horsepower turbo-4, adding a stiffer suspension and bigger brakes for wicked performance for under $40K.\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: Henry Payne, The Detroit News)<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"speakable-p-1 p-text\">Ford Mustang and Focus RS had a baby. Hello,\u00a0<em>wunderkind<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"speakable-p-2 p-text\">Actually his name is Mustang Ecoboost High Performance Package, but let\u2019s just call it the HiPo. We all know great athletes by their nicknames anyway. MJ. Gronk. V-Mart.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The HiPo is a prodigy that bears the DNA of its parents \u2014 a\u00a0hot-hatch hellion crossed with an elegant\u00a0rear-wheel\u00a0drive pony car. Rotating the RS\u2019\u00a0eager turbo-four longitudinally and stuffing it into the Mustang&#8217;s forward bay, HiPo has a natural 50\/50 weight balance, throaty voice\u00a0and $35,000 price tag.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">That affordability is the car&#8217;s\u00a0secret sauce. It offers hours of fun for sports car owners who can only dream about owning its V8-powered, $60,000-plus big brothers GT350 and GT500.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Where the GT350 and GT500 really have to be taken to a race track to explore their limits, you can explore 80% of the HiPo\u2019s bandwidth through Hell, Michigan\u2019s twisties,\u00a0Harbor Springs&#8217;\u00a0Tunnel of Trees or a parking lot\u2019s autocross cones.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">I got my first dose on the spaghetti curves of California Route 1 north of San Francisco. I was an instant addict.<\/p>\n<p><em>BRAAAAAP!\u00a0<\/em>The bratty Mustang was off like a shot, its weighted steering rooted to the asphalt. Turn the wheel, and the nimble chassis followed like ink from a pen nib,\u00a0pulling over an impressive 1G of cornering loads. Readers of this column know I am a disciple of the sixth-gen Camaro, the best-handling pony car devised thanks to Chevy stealing its chassis from the Cadillac ATS, the best-handling compact luxury sedan devised.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Mate the Camaro\u2019s athletic bod\u00a0to the 335-horse V-6 1LE Track Package and the Chevy is more fun than a free weekend pass to Cedar Point. No Mustang or Challenger or Charger could touch it. Until now.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Somehow, the elves in Ford Performance\u2019s toy shop have conjured a Mustang to match the 1LE.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Credit chassis tricks like thicker sway bars, 10%-stiffer springs\u00a0and engine-bay cross-braces that strap the pony flat to the road. And there is the famous 2.3-liter, 330-horse turbo engine, rescued from the RS before the pocket rocket left our shores for good.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Motorheads everywhere shed a tear that day as the top-trim RS followed the Focus line back to Europe. But its heart beats on in the Mustang and its is a worthy competitor to Camaro\u2019s V-6 and sharp 6-speed manual box. More than worthy.<\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-SH-R-nrrdeA\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/09\/24\/PDTN\/fe713f96-bc9b-4b88-9a61-02c47bffa700-mustang_mpg.JPG?width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The standard display on the 2020 Ford Mustang HiPo. A digital display is also available.\" width=\"540\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/09\/24\/PDTN\/fe713f96-bc9b-4b88-9a61-02c47bffa700-mustang_mpg.JPG\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/09\/24\/PDTN\/fe713f96-bc9b-4b88-9a61-02c47bffa700-mustang_mpg.JPG?width=500&amp;height=281\" \/>The standard display on the 2020 Ford Mustang HiPo. A digital display is also available.\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: Henry Payne, The Detroit News)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/aside>\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">With optional 10-speed transmission, the HiPo will stomp a Camaro 1LE V-6 out of a stoplight by over half-a-second, 4.5 seconds to 5.1. I told you this kid was a prodigy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><em>WRAUUUGGH!\u00a0<\/em>I waved a big-boy Mustang GT350 by me on Route 1 and attached myself to his bumper like a sucker fish on an orca. We danced through the curves, the GT350 eventually leaving me behind with its prodigious\u00a0526-horse V-8 power. Nice to have four more cylinders. But drive a GT350 like that too long and it\u2019ll turn your hair white. Not to mention wake every cop within a 50-mile radius.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Without the heavy\u00a0V-8 up front, HiPo can be driven hard without scaring the lunch out of you. Or the dollars out of your wallet.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Yes, the 10-speed transmission is a treat.\u00a0But for $1,500 less, the six-speed manual box is plenty engaging. It actually ups the visceral thrills since the engine is tuned for a higher rev range than the RS, so you can really row the gearbox. That, and there\u2019s more SNAP CRACKLE POP when you lift off the throttle into a tight bend. Who says manual transmissions are dead?<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">HiPo also comes with a handling package that engineers refer to as the High Performance Hi \u2014 \u00bd-inch wider sticky tires, bigger sway bars, limited-slip differential, magneride shocks \u2014 which seems kinda redundant on a special-edition Mustang already outfitted with $4,995 in handling and engine upgrades. It is.<\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-SH-R-nrEKzA\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/09\/24\/PDTN\/eec1aa16-eb45-4bac-835b-aee928b8065b-mustang_engine.JPG?width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The heart of the beast. The 2020 Ford Mustang HiPo takes the 2.3-liter turbo-4 from the Focus RS and turns it longitudinally for RWD.\" width=\"540\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/09\/24\/PDTN\/eec1aa16-eb45-4bac-835b-aee928b8065b-mustang_engine.JPG\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/09\/24\/PDTN\/eec1aa16-eb45-4bac-835b-aee928b8065b-mustang_engine.JPG?width=500&amp;height=281\" \/>The heart of the beast. The 2020 Ford Mustang HiPo takes the 2.3-liter turbo-4 from the Focus RS and turns it longitudinally for RWD.\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: Henry Payne, The Detroit News)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/aside>\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Unless you\u2019re a track-day regular, the standard HiPo is plenty of car. There, just saved you another $1,995.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Ford also offers a convertible version of the HiPo for an extra $5,500 so you can hear the RS engine topless, but chopping the top reduces chassis stiffness by 25%. So stick with the coupe, it\u2019s gorgeous anyway in Grabber Green or Twister Orange (which won\u2019t cost you a thing, either).<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">All you\u2019ll need to add is leather seats.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><em>GROAAAAAN!<\/em>\u00a0That\u2019s the sound you\u2019ll make after emerging from the standard\u00a0cloth Mustang HiPo seats after a couple of hours of destroying country roads. I\u2019ve found Mustang cloth to be hard on the back, so do yourself a favor and get the leather package \u2014 because once behind the wheel you won\u2019t want to get out.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Bottom line, after adding the HiPo package to the base $27,765 Mustang, you have one of the best sports car bargains on the planet for $34,960:\u00a0\u00a0Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard. Nice touchscreen. Digital instrument display. Good visibility and actual rear seat legroom (though giraffe necks like your 6-foot-5 reviewer will struggle under the fastback roof).<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The rear seat may deter Focus RS buyers who have followed their favorite engine to the HiPo. Squared-off hot hatches, after all, offer unique utility with their excellent rear cargo and head room.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">But they will find a bargain in the HiPo, which is a cool $7,000\u00a0cheaper than the dearly departed\u00a0$42,000\u00a0Focus RS and its manual-only gearbox. Focus fans will like the HiPo\u2019s abundance of Skittle flavors, too \u2014 like the aforementioned green and orange, or Race Red, Kona Blue or\u00a0Orange Fury.<\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-SH-R-nq9g5I\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/09\/24\/PDTN\/c56ccb1d-d19d-403b-944b-0d075400ea91-mustang_cockpit.JPG?width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The interior of the 2020 Ford Mustang HiPo is nicely appointed with digital display, buttons, and toggle switches for controls. The aviator vents are signature 'Stang.\" width=\"540\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/09\/24\/PDTN\/c56ccb1d-d19d-403b-944b-0d075400ea91-mustang_cockpit.JPG\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/09\/24\/PDTN\/c56ccb1d-d19d-403b-944b-0d075400ea91-mustang_cockpit.JPG?width=500&amp;height=281\" \/>The interior of the 2020 Ford Mustang HiPo is nicely appointed with digital display, buttons, and toggle switches for controls. The aviator vents are signature &#8216;Stang.\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: Henry Payne, The Detroit News)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/aside>\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">This being one of nine Mustang trims, HiPo can be easily distinguished by its mesh grille, multi-colored rear pony badge\u00a0and black hood stripes (which I would call whiskers, but this is a pony).<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">I\u2019ve balked at the government emissions-forced trend toward\u00a0turbo-4-powered performance cars, including the wispy\u00a0standard four-banger in the $26,000\u00a0Mustang. The RS engine is not that four. Heck, this RS-derived engine has more output than the Mustang GT just a decade ago, and a personality to match. Bury the throttle through a tunnel \u2014 say, under Cobo after a long day at work \u2014 and hear the active exhaust erupt, gurgle and bang through the big quad exhaust pipes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Papa Mustang and Mama RS would be proud of their little hellion. Just call him HiPo.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"presto-h3\"><strong>2020 Ford Mustang Ecoboost High Performance Package<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Vehicle type: Front-engine, rear-wheel drive, four-passenger\u00a0coupe and convertible<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Price: Base price $32,760, including $1,095\u00a0destination charge ($41,570 Coupe Premium\u00a0as tested)<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Powerplant: 2.3-liter turbo 4-cylinder<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Power: 330 horsepower, 350 pound-feet of torque<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Transmission: 6-speed manual; 10-speed automatic<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Performance: 0-60 mph, 4.5\u00a0sec. (mftr.); top speed, 155\u00a0mph<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Weight: 3,632 pounds, HiPo manual; 3,797 convertible automatic<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Fuel economy: EPA: 20 city\/27 highway\/23 combined (coupe manual, convertible automatic)<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Report card<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Highs: Athletic handling, performance at an affordable price<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Lows: Cloth seats stiff for long hauls, convertible not as athletic<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Overall: 4\u00a0stars<\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-SH-R-nqHYnU\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The 2020 Ford Mustang HiPo upgrades the base pony car to a 330-horsepower turbo-4, adding a stiffer suspension and bigger brakes for wicked performance for under $40K.\u00a0(Photo: Henry Payne, The Detroit News) Ford Mustang and Focus RS had a baby. Hello,\u00a0wunderkind. Actually his name is Mustang Ecoboost High Performance Package, but let\u2019s just call it [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,87],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24232"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24232"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24232\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24232"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24232"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24232"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}