The Best Mustang Weekend Racers

Last Updated: January 31, 2022

steeda hpde 2018 mustang gt

The Mustang: an American icon known internationally in cinema, racing fame, pop culture, and media. What began its life as a nice-looking coupe that performed well has become an eye-watering performance vehicle that around the world demands respect wherever it goes. As these cars move throughout the world, especially now with the S550 generation offered internationally for the first time, the Mustang is more available to enthusiasts than ever. As the Mustang name continues to evolve, it will be able to move into the world even more effectively and allow people to experience the experience that is the Mustang from behind the wheel with its snarling V8 and loud exhaust.

The Mustang is a great car, but which one is the best for using as a dedicated racer? While many Mustangs are true performers on the track and the road, many of them might not be as good a weekend racer as you may expect. While one car may be perfect for one type of racing, the next generation or even trim level may perform completely differently. Different specializations in chassis and upgrades can completely change a car, and the resulting outcome can change how well these cars drive as well as how easy they are to control.

New Edge Cobra SVO Terminator Boss 302 EcoBoost HPP S550 Mach 1 GT350 Drivability

1999 mustang cobra

New Edge Cobra (1999-2002)

While it might sound odd to include a Cobra on a list of the best Mustangs for weekend racer use, it actually makes a lot of sense. The relatively low power in the early New Edge Cobras were a perfect pairing with the early independent rear suspension is a great platform to use as a weekend racer. These cars are both incredibly easy to control and fun to drive with their screaming DOHC 4.6 liter V8 and smooth Tremec T45 gearbox. This combination, plus the relatively low cost of these cars today set them up to be phenomenal weekend racers for anyone from the novice driver to the most experienced behind the wheel.

mustang svo fox body

SVO

The SVO is a great platform to use as a weekend racer if you can find one in good condition. With a combination of low weight at just over 3,000lbs and a torquey turbocharged motor, the SVO was genuinely quick when it debuted. The SVO was light, nimble at a length of 180 inches (nearly 9 inches shorter than the S197), and provided massive road feel and communication through the steering wheel. As a result, these cars are easy to steer, easy to throw, and easy to drive. They may not be the fastest vehicles on the road today, but a properly-sorted SVO will definitely hold its own on an autocross track if the suspension has been upgraded properly.

04 mustang cobra

Terminator Cobra (2003-2004)

The Terminator Cobra is hard to find for lower prices because they are genuinely impressive cars that are already touching collector status. The supercharged Terminator Cobra came with an independent rear suspension, improved T45 gearbox, and a whopping 390 horsepower that roasted the tires easily. The independent suspension makes this an awesome track car and the supercharged V8 means you will be able to keep pace against newer and more powerful cars on straightaways. Additionally, the Cobra takes to modification and upgrades very well if a driver wants to move it up classes for racing.

boss 302 mustang

Boss 302

In the same vein as the Terminator, the 2012-2013 Mustang Boss 302 was designed to outperform the competition in as many ways as possible. It received a more powerful version of the Coyote motor so it could outrun cars in the straights, but also received fully reworked suspension and modified transmission to handle road racing. The Boss 302 was essentially a road-going road race car. This car is nearly perfectly set up for most racers to enjoy fresh out of the box but can always use the work of each owner to set it up perfectly for their use. The Boss 302 is responsive, simple to use, and designed specifically for weekend racing use when given the chance.

classic boss 302 mustang

While the 2013 Boss 302 was controllable and easy to drive hard, the car's predecessor was not as easy. The 1969 Boss 302 is one of the few cars on this list that would possibly snap back and bite if driven by someone who is not skilled with their car and controlling it. The classic Boss 302 was developed as a high-performance car just under the massively powerful Boss 429 and was set up for high-performance driving. This car was truly bred directly from racing, as was its brother. While the Boss 429 was bred to compete in NASCAR, the Boss 302 was developed for Trans-Am racing and not only came with the impressive Boss 302 motor but a slew of handling and braking components as well. The end result - an absolute beast of a car around the racetrack. If you want to not only go racing on the weekend but also make a statement, there is no better option than showing up in an old-school Boss 302.

ecoboost high performance pack driving

EcoBoost HPP

Another car that may surprise you on the list is the EcoBoost High-Performance package which does everything in its power to punch well above its weight class when it comes to performance. The High-Performance package adds in the engine setup from the Ford Focus RS which provides more power through heavier boost and gives the car 330 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. When in the turbo’s powerband, these cars can keep up with some major performance cars. Sitting at almost 200lbs lighter than the GT, the EcoBoost HPP is a serious alternative for the handling enthusiast when buying an S550 Mustang.

orange mustang mach 1 driving

S550 Mach 1

If you want a powerful V8, the S550’s body lines, and ultimate handling without compromise, the Mustang Mach 1 is your car. Designed to replace the GT350 and the Performance Pack 2, the Mach 1 draws the best handling and cooling features from both as well as some parts from the highest level GT500. With the Tremec from the GT350, the wide rear tires, and aerodynamics from the GT500, independent rear suspension, and the Coyote V8, the Mach 1 is designed to be the best-performing Mustang and on the track has proved that it is the right combination of parts to make the Mustang a proper track and road car.

lead foot gray shelby gt350

GT350

The GT350 was a move in a different direction for the Mustang that had never been done before. For the first time, the Mustang was fitted with a flat-plane crank motor, making it fire more evenly and sounding unlike any V8 Mustang before. Pair that with an ultra-responsive Tremec TR-3160 and you get one of the most track-focused American cars ever. The GT350 is a near-perfect weekend racer, canyon carver, or track weapon with only the GT350R being better than it at these tasks. These cars, similar to the Cobra line in the early 2000s, are more capable than most cars they would compete with.

mustang mach 1 on track

Drivability

For many drivers, some of these cars might be outside the realm of current drivability while others might be exactly what someone can drive. With the differing performance capabilities of these cars, drivers get to experience these cars differently from each other vehicle. For drivers at any level, the Mustang is a great option for a weekend toy whether they are a beginner behind the wheel or they are an expert on the track. Since the Mustang line covers so many bases throughout its history, there is a car for any level of driving enthusiasts, whether on the track at all or simply cruising backroads and around town.

For many people who are new to racing or enthusiast driving, the best option for the beginning Mustang weekend racer being the ‘99 Cobra or the SVO, the driver gets to experience everything the chassis has to offer with the lower horsepower figures than the others in this list. While these two semi-uncommon vehicles might not be everyone’s first thought, both are lower-powered than the others, both meet the idea perfectly. Lower power, compliant gearboxes and chassis, and easy to control body feel are all factors in making these great cars to learn on. While the SVO is lower on power and has the solid rear axle suspension, the lightweight and rev-happy engine is a great teacher for car control, and in the Cobra the independent suspension and Tremec transmission are great tools for learning to control throttle input and proper on-track shifting.

gt350 on track

For the more experienced, the 2013 Boss 302, EcoBoost HPP, Mustang GT PP1, and Mach 1 are good options to take down the track or winding back roads. These cars are built to perform on the track and are simple to maintain, handle well, and have incredibly communicative chassis with compliant rides. The HPP, PP1, and Mach 1 obviously have different driving dynamics than the Boss 302 because of the different suspension, but these cars handle on par with each other nonetheless. These cars are also reaching for a pricier market than the prior ones listed, moving them more towards the more experienced driver.

For the truly experienced driver behind the wheel, there are some options that will be the most rewarding. These are more powerful or harder to control than the others on this list. The Terminator Cobra with its supercharged engine and independent suspension makes it a surprise for those not expecting the performance. The GT350 drives completely differently than any Mustang before it, so someone jumping to this should expect it to perform more on par with European sports cars than an American muscle car. For the classic 1969 Boss 302, the driving experience is turned up to 11 with no driving assists meaning that you have to be in full control at all times.