The S197 Mustang: Blending Nostalgia with Performance
Coming out of the 1979-2004 Fox chassis era, the 2005-2014 S197 Mustang redefined what a muscle car could be. With a stiffer S197 chassis built for performance and a retro-inspired design echoing the 1965-1970 Mustang fastback, Ford tapped into the early 2000s nostalgia trend. While the Mustang, Camaro, and Challenger were once pony cars, the S197 Mustang emerged as a modern muscle car icon, blending classic style with cutting-edge power like the legendary Coyote engine.
The S197 Mustangās initial exterior design was based on the 1965-1970 Mustang fastback, but during its 2005-2014 design run, the exterior received an update in 2010, along with a rear end refresh in 2013. Furthermore, the Mustang Shelby GT500 was reintroduced in 2007, bringing with it performance and panache reminiscent of the 2003-2004 Cobra, but more on that later.
A Stiffer Foundation: The S197 Chassis
As mentioned, the S197 chassis was significantly more rigid than the outgoing 1979-2004 Fox chassis. Even though the Fox chassis would receive updates throughout its lifespan to improve its rigidity, the S197 chassis was significantly stiffer out of the box. Featuring many reinforcement areas and an increased number of chassis-strengthening gussets, Ford wanted to improve the Mustangās handling performance, and that started with the chassis.
Handling Challenges of the Fox Chassis
The Fox chassis had a tendency to push in the corners (Understeer), but then with too much throttle the carās rear end would come around (oversteer). With too much weight over the front end, a limited amount of room for a proper tire up front and a basic four-link rear suspension, Ford found ways to improve these areas with the S197 chassis.
S197 Suspension Improvements
The S197 chassis offered better balance, the ability to run a larger tire up front, and a three-link rear suspension with a panhard bar to reduce oversteer and improve overall handling performance. Right out of the box, the S197 Mustang was a hit on the road race circuits, because of the chassis and suspension improvements.
New Powertrains for a New Era
When it comes to horsepower, the 2005 Mustangās new design is one of very few that arrived with a corresponding new powerplant, as well. The base carās V6 was a 4.0L engine, while the GTās V8 was still a 4.6L, but in the S197 chassis it was a Three-Valve arrangement instead of the single overhead or dual overhead cam arrangement found in the previous generation. The Three-Valve engine boasted two intake valves and one exhaust valve, but also a drive-by-wire throttle arrangement. The Three-Valve 4.6L was designed to be a cleaner running engine, and even though Mustang enthusiasts were initially confused by the engine, what we found was that it was just as responsive to modifications as previous engine designs.
Transmission and Rear End Details
Behind the V6 was a T5 transmission or a 5R55S five-speed automatic, while the GTās Three-Valve engine utilized a Tremec TR-3650 five-speed manual or the 5R55S five-speed automatic. Out back, the S197 utilized an 8.8 rear with a three-link suspension that featured a single upper control arm, dual lower control arms and a panhard bar to center the rear end, and also help plant the rear end during hard acceleration. Rear gear ratios ranged from a 3.31, 3.55 or 3.73 gears, depending on the year, model and trim level.
The Shelby GT500 Returns
With Shelby reintroducing the GT500 in 2007, it came with a 500 horsepower 5.4L engine under the hood featuring a factory Eaton supercharger, a Tremec TR-6060 six-speed manual transmission and the same basic rear end architecture as GT models. Throughout the S197 model run, the GT500ās powerplant changed a lot; from a cast-iron 5.4L with aluminum heads, to an aluminum 5.4L to an aluminum 5.8L engine for 2013 and 2014 featuring an Eaton TVS supercharger, resulting in 662 horsepower and 200 mph capability.
The Coyote Engine Revolution
The big news for the Mustang GT during the S197 model run was the introduction of the Coyote engine in the 2011 Mustang GT. The Coyote engineās introduction rivaled that of the 2003 Cobra, and it was even rated higher than the Terminatorās Eaton-blown Four-Valve engine. Rated at 412 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and combined with either the also-new Getrag MT-82 six-speed manual transmission or the 6R80 six-speed automatic, the Coyote engine hit legend status nearly right out of the gate. Even the then-new 3.7L V6 was rated at 305 horsepower. For Fox owners who thought 225 horsepower used to set the world on fire, the fact a V6 made over 300 horsepower was difficult to swallow, but it was great to be a Mustang enthusiast at that time.
Coyoteās Aftermarket Dominance
The Coyote engine was accepted with open arms by the aftermarket; much like the Fox Mustang was back in the day, and especially by us here at Steeda. The skies were the limit with the Coyote engine, and weāre still seeing it dominate racetracks almost 15 years later. The Coyote engine found in the 2011-2014 Mustang GT is known as a Gen 1 Coyote in performance circles these days, and even though horsepower numbers exponentially grew since its inception, the performance market was put on notice with the 2011 Mustang GT. On the road, or at the track, the Coyote engine in naturally aspirated form, and especially with boost or nitrous, is tough to beat.
Final S197 Updates
Exterior-wise, the only real changes to the Mustang GT was a rear fascia and taillight refresh in 2013 that remained into the 2014 model year. As a whole, Mustang enthusiasts seem to like the rear end refresh for the 2013 and 2014 model year since many seem to adapt that look to their own 2011 and 2012 Mustang GTs. When it comes to combining a 2011-2014 Mustang with Steeda, we loved the newfound power under the hood. Of course, we did our best to make the Mustang GT into a world beater, and our success on the track, and on the street, shows we did exactly that.
Check back soon to learn what to look out for when trying to buy your own 2005-2014 Mustang!
