Dark Horse Mustang vs. C8 vs. M2 (Savage Geese Comparison Review)

[ChitownStang]

Easy philosophy.

You know that your car is making that number AT LEAST. That makes the real car enthousiast wonder how much it REALLY makes. So people go on dyno's to check what surprise they will get.

Unlike American cars claiming to have 486 horsepower for the GT and it will do 400hp on the dyno.

Good ole American marketing deception! Lol

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[Junkyard Dog]

Based off the video they mentioned how they believe the M2 has better cooling and that the Dark Horse was starting to pull timing. I remember CarAndDriver reporting high transmission fluid temps in the Automatic during their Lighting Lap. How’s your experience been with the cooling during track?

I may not be the right person to ask. I have had no cooling issues, but others posting with more experience say that cooling issues typically arise as they gain a lot of experience (because they are pushing the cars harder) <--- That is not about the Dark Horse, but just a statement in general.

 

[Junkyard Dog]

Unlike American cars claiming to have 486 horsepower for the GT and it will do 400hp on the dyno.

See post # 6 and/or watch the video.

This is backwards from the entire reason anybody is discussing horsepower in this thread.

 

[S550VIN54]

They are rated different. My C8 is the cheapest car I own to insure.

Yes, I was shocked to see the increase. When I traded my c7 GS for the Mach 1 I saw a decrease but figured it was due to safety features. So this was a surprise!

Our State trooper are now driving mustangs so I guess I will be paying more taxes for that increase too.

 

[AZ_Ryan]

Well blame ford for putting a basic handling package on a mustang and giving it an exclusive name and pricing it the same as the base corvette. The Dark Horse is a silly trim level imho.. it's not a different car than the GT. It should have had the bigger engine from the GT350 at the least to differentiate it. The C8 and Z06 is a good example of how you do a higher trim level.

Yes and no. While I agree there isn't enough separation between the GT PP and DH to justify the price tag, saying it's a "basic handling package" is quite silly. Not to mention the extra cooling bits make it a true track car out of the box. And don't forget the Tremec.

 

[jml]

I think the comment of having a 10 year old M car is spot on. If one wants to keep the car (my case) the Mustang is a clear choice. Have a (new) GT and an (old) BMW in my garage. Between parts not being available, plastic breaking all the time and general problems happening regularly… I love my Mustang more and more. Sure the BMW handles great from stock and the Mustang needs some upgrades. But overall I prefer a (less powerful) but easier and more fun car.

 

[GrabThatBlue]

See post # 6 and/or watch the video.

This is backwards from the entire reason anybody is discussing horsepower in this thread.

I don't believe the 470 stock.
There are way too many Dark Horses dynoed on social media to believe just one video like this.

 

[Baldilocks]

The B58 and S58 engines in the M240i and M2 are pretty bullet proof and very reliable. They aren't like older BMWs.

 

[Junkyard Dog]

I don't believe the 470 stock.
There are way too many Dark Horses dynoed on social media to believe just one video like this.

I don't think any of us do, but at least now you are in the same discussion as the rest of us.

 

[LouG]

It seems that many people don’t know that the goal of Chevrolet, starting all the way back in 1953, was to compete with the European sports car market, not any make / models in the American market. Like you, I own a C8 Z51 and a GT and I don’t get the comparison game that goes on between the two. They are both excellent vehicles and do a awesome job for what they’re designed to do. If the brass and bean counters at Chevy hadn’t chopped blocked engineer Zora Duntov, the Corvette would have went mid-engined in the 1960’s. If you’re a true “car guy” you’ll enjoy doing some research on Zora Duntov. Not only was he an automotive engineer, he raced cars here and in Europe, taking what he learned on the road circuit tracks to the drawing board.

I well remember reading about him. Another automotive icon, as is the Corvette.
But, the Corvette struggled to compete worldwide with Euro exotica. Probably because it wasn't exotic enough, snobbishness, and not made in Europe syndrome.
I think that still applies to a degree. But doesn't seem to trouble Mustang sales too much.

 

[LouG]

Its wild to see how underrated BMW's are. Pretty much every M lately has been making 15% more power than suggested

One explaination I heard is that BMW guarantee their power claims anywhere/anyhow ( within reason). So they tend to exceed those claims in favourable conditions.

 

[LouG]

Its not even that they underrate, but the curve is also so beefy. Theres torque throughout the entire range, so it also *feels* fast as fuck

That's good turbo design. My VAG 2L E888 engine made 400nm from 1800 to 5000rpm.
As flat as my ex-wife.

 

[LouG]

Easy philosophy.

You know that your car is making that number AT LEAST. That makes the real car enthousiast wonder how much it REALLY makes. So people go on dyno's to check what surprise they will get.

Unlike American cars claiming to have 486 horsepower for the GT and it will do 400hp on the dyno.

It's not necessarily a con. Manufacturers use engine dynos and very strict testing protocols.
Wheel dynos are as variable as noses. Even different tyres can vary the whp on a dyno. And tuners fiddling settings are not unknown.
I worked for a Triumph dealer who was famous for the huge power gains they claimed for the Triumph twin exhausts they manufactured.
When I started there I saw their dyno. It was a home made POS that probably read 20hp high.
Truth in advertising

 

[Kevi]

One explaination I heard is that BMW guarantee their power claims anywhere/anyhow ( within reason). So they tend to exceed those claims in favourable conditions.

Do the other cars have those ridiculous carbon traps that the mustang has? I've watched a couple dyno results where just pulling out the carbon traps and using aftermarket air filters can free up 30 horsepower. That would put the coyote on par with the M2 number wise. Not bad for a cost free modification. 5-6% power gain.

 

[AZ_Ryan]

Do the other cars have those ridiculous carbon traps that the mustang has? I've watched a couple dyno results where just pulling out the carbon traps and using aftermarket air filters can free up 30 horsepower. That would put the coyote on par with the M2 number wise.

30 HP from carbon traps?!

Not on an S650. The dynos show its maybe a couple HP at best. The twin throttle bodies flow much better than the S550. But even on a S550 that's ridiculous.

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