02-17-2015, 09:00 AM | #1 |
Cone Killer
Drives: 2012 SS Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: St. Albans, West Virginia
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'15 5.0 Track Pack Tires
I know it's been a big topic of discussion on here, but Ford has been billing the new 5.0 with the Track Pack as an equivalent to the 1LE package Camaros. My friend is car shopping, and anytime we're at a Ford dealer, all I hear is that the new Mustang "destroys" the Camaro, and all that kind of nonsense, so the other night when we were out (there's a BMW/Ford/Lincoln/Fiat/Alfa dealership in town) I wandered off to go see what all the hype was about. While I was kicking tires, I notices a top dog 5.0 Track Pack car with the Recaros, and I noticed a couple of things, including the tires.
The tires on their "performance model" are 255 front, 275 rear Pirelli P-Zeros. Basically, they're using the standard SS tires, but with an extra 10mm of width up front. Everyone on here knows they're not great tires, especially for the price, and that if you're remotely serious about cornering, you want a square setup. I'm curious as to why Ford didn't do this, especially since many reviews I've seen agree that it's a pusher, so they had to know it going in. They also mention how other things have been improved, like the larger rear sway bar, but it's impossible to find any actual on how much they changed things. I'm curious to see if Ford makes any changes to the Track pack in the next year or two, or if they leave it like it is and have the GT350 for the corner-carvers. That's what they did with the '14 and earlier Track Pack, and it left a lot to be desired as well.
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2012 Camaro SS - Sold
Selling off my remaining wheels, tires, 27mm front sway bar, and MGW shift knob. Get them out of my house before my wife puts me out! |
02-17-2015, 09:25 AM | #2 |
Drives: Fastest 2010 Camaro V6 Join Date: Apr 2010
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If they go off the Track package on the S197 it will be a square setup. Remember, a Performance package and track package were on the S197, the V6 getting the performance package that does the same as the S550 performance package while the Track package took stuff from the Boss 302. Ford may do the same but with parts from the GT350.
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02-17-2015, 11:06 AM | #3 |
Drives: 2012 Ford Focus Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Texas
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As of right now Ford doesnt offer a "track pack", but a performance package. It isn't geared exactly towards track performance, but more towards general overall performance. You get wider rear tires, beefier rear sway bar, bigger breaks, some bracing up front, and driving modes. This is off the top of my head but i think thats about the gist of it. Yes the tires are not all that great as well.
I do think they'll offer a track pack once the GT350 is released that will have some trickle down parts. |
02-17-2015, 12:24 PM | #4 | |
Cone Killer
Drives: 2012 SS Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: St. Albans, West Virginia
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Quote:
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2012 Camaro SS - Sold
Selling off my remaining wheels, tires, 27mm front sway bar, and MGW shift knob. Get them out of my house before my wife puts me out! |
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02-17-2015, 01:18 PM | #5 |
Drives: 16 Camaro SS, 15 Colorado Join Date: May 2009
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I don't believe Ford is touting the 5.0 with Perf Pack as a direct competitor to the 1LE. If they are, they had better stop, as several magazine competitors have already said the 1LE is the better track car. As for all around performance and comfort, the Mustang likely takes the cake on that one.
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02-17-2015, 08:01 PM | #6 |
Drives: 2010 SS, 2000 Pontiac Formula Join Date: Mar 2013
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Ford track pack or performance pack on the GTs is a joke. It was a joke for the S197 and is a joke on the S550. Better off saving the $2500 for better after market parts.
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02-17-2015, 08:56 PM | #7 | |
Iron fist, lead foot
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Quote:
This is where S197 failed. The "track pack" offered the same suspension as what was on the Brembo Brake package upgrade. It included stiffer springs, and different valved GT shocks/struts, the Boss302's torsen diff, oil cooler, and trans cooler. The entire pack should have been Boss sourced, not just a few bits. S550 can hopefully learn from this. Offering the "performance pack" as limited as it seems is a good start, and a necessary one at that. But they should take all the upgrade parts directly from GT350. This would be more than possible seeing as even if you took the entire suspension from GT350, which they won't, and put it under a GT it still wouldn't come near the GT350's performance seeing as Coyote simply can not match Voodoo. But maybe I'm over thinking this whole thing.
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02-17-2015, 09:04 PM | #8 |
Cone Killer
Drives: 2012 SS Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: St. Albans, West Virginia
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No, I think you're on the right track. I know the general consensus is that the Performance Pack is for a more mainstream buyer, but I don't see why that isn't the purpose of the regular GT, with the Performance Pack for those who want legitimate cornering ability on a budget. Maybe, like the 1LE, once there is a higher performance car in production to source from, they can pull parts from it.
I think that while it's definitely an improvement, it's kind of stuck in an odd place. For most people, the regular 5.0 has more than enough cornering capability, but for those who are willing to pay for a performance pack, it doesn't really go far enough.
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2012 Camaro SS - Sold
Selling off my remaining wheels, tires, 27mm front sway bar, and MGW shift knob. Get them out of my house before my wife puts me out! |
02-18-2015, 01:24 PM | #9 |
Track > 1/4 Mile
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Probably. Similar to how the 1LE came about, taking parts from the ZL1. I won't be surprised if we see some GT350 stuff trickle down to the GT.
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02-18-2015, 11:45 PM | #10 | |
Drives: One of the baddest handling Gen 5s Join Date: Feb 2011
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02-23-2015, 09:25 AM | #11 | |
corner barstool sitter
Drives: 08 Mustang GT, 19 WRX Join Date: Jul 2012
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At any rate, it puts up a better fight against the 1LE than the discontinued Boss did, and there's no good reason for Ford to be claiming it's [only] better than a plain 1SS/2SS. Norm |
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