PP Question

[shubox56]

Guys, I'm shopping for deals as 2025 comes to an end. That said, I've seen several GT Premium's under $44,000 with the 401A package, B&O, Active Exhaust, and maybe a little more. At that price, a substantial haircut to MSRP, they do not include the PP. Being a straight line kinda guy driving on terrible Chicago area roads, do I really need PP?

I don't mind the idea of securing a good deal and upgrading as needed, and IF needed (new wheels, Bilstein adjustable cilovers, things like that). If however, I'm making a serious mistake, I'll listen to the true "Mustang Guys" who knows the ropes.

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[Kaptain75329]

This is a good question - and one that comes up for a fair number of potential Mustang buyers. As it happens, the GT Performance Pack came up as a point for discussion with another member here just the other week: he had some of the same thoughts you expressed about whether the PP option would be a proper fit for his ideal Mustang. There are a range of opinions on this point - I would say the best way to know for sure would be for you to test drive the cars with and without the Performance Pack back to back if at all possible in your area.

Though for many people, that is not an option, and so I'll copy my previous explanation for your review here - hopefully it will at least give you an idea and help to answer your question.

For reference, the below was copied from the following thread:
https://www.mustang7g.com/forums/threads/few-more-questions-for-2026-gt-order.172573

Without further ado, here is the advice I offered on the other thread (edited to highlight relevance to your question here):

Budget has to be a very real consideration with these cars. Moreover, it may be even more important to remember that neither GT vs GT w/PP+MR is "better" - rather they each target different buyers with differing personal preferences. This is the real reason you might want to consider taking a test drive on a GT without the Performance Pack... The GT is a fantastic car it's own right and does not need the Performance Pack to be awesome: it is accomplished as a highly capable road cruiser, while also being more focused on being a livable daily driver with lower insurance and maintenance costs - likewise, also equipping parts that help to reduce Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH in industry parlance). The GT handily earns it's Grand Touring credentials with power and poise, while the Performance Pack upgrade looks to elevate the Mustang into a sports car for the track.

If you are still weighing your choices, you may want to consider dropping the Performance Pack and MagneRide, at least until you've had a chance to do a couple of test drives before you order. Consider:

• Whether you're going to be pushing the car hard in the corners.
• Holding the gas pedal at Wide Open Throttle (routinely and frequently) for maximum acceleration/hard launches.
• Need the Oil Cooler for track days, or just like to drive spiritedly on hot days.
• Need brakes that withstand harder, shorter stops at higher temperatures and are prepared to budget for more expensive pads and rotors to get that performance.
• Harsher overall ride in every mode but Normal due to chassis reinforcement (K-Brace + Strut Tower Brace in front, and larger stabilizer bar in the rear).
• Comfortable with the trade-off of a staggered wheel setup with wider tires in rear: you'll get extra grip and more stable hard launches that get you up to speed fast, but pay for it with a bit more road noise and again, somewhat more frequent tire replacements since tire rotation is not a good idea in this setup.
• A mechanical rear differential that replaces the electronic clutch rear differential that comes standard on non-PP cars. The trade off here is you will feel shifts from the transmission more often since the Torsen Rear Differential has no variance to work with at any time. The Torsen Differential provides notably more aggressive driving characteristics (which appeals to someone like me easily) but comes at the cost of sacrificing comfort when pushing the car to perform.
• Loss of the Active Shutter in the Front Grill: PP cars drop this feature to get better cooling, but that comes at the cost of a couple of MPG at highway speeds. Where you might get 26 MPG at 70 MPH, the number falls to 24 at the same speed without the Grill Shutter to improve aerodynamics.

If the changes that come with the Performance Pack compromise how you like to drive without giving you something you want/need in return, then the Performance Pack may actually give you a Mustang you deem too aggressive and thus overkill - and likewise pointless explicitly because you won't feel any of the benefits. It would be like making a point at a fine dining restaurant to order the steak filet, roast chicken, and the poached lobster for dinner, but then only enjoying one and leaving the rest on the table. That's not a "better" meal just because it offers more; I would say it's a waste of money and resources that can be better spent elsewhere.

On the other hand, if you are looking for a bonafide sports car over a fast cruiser, the Performance Pack + MagneRide is built for exactly that purpose.

Again, neither is "better" - it's really more about grabbing the right tool for the right job.

 

[shubox56]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing. Happy Thanksgiving!

 

[LouG]

I'd go PP just for the Brembos, I love powerful brakes.

 

[86pagt]

If your not totally into a PP at least get Gt prem with the Brembo option…

 

[shubox56]

If your not totally into a PP at least get Gt prem with the Brembo option…

That's a must have for me.

 

[MidwayJ]

I don't mind the idea of securing a good deal and upgrading as needed, and IF needed (new wheels, Bilstein adjustable coilovers, things like that).

That's what I did with my S550. Springs, dampers, wheels, tires, Brembo brakes, sway bars, PP front control arms, strut tower braces, cross member brace. Also did the BMR cradle lockout kit. Track use wasn't my goal (I've done one track day in 5 years) but I wanted it to handle better in twisty back roads. My base brakes overheated at tail of the dragon.

The S650 I have on order is a PP. I don't feel like making so many changes this time around. But if straight line is mainly your thing, passing on the PP might not be a bad idea. Changes are doable if you decide you want them later. I would definitely upgrade the wheels and tires, though. (I'll likely upgrade the PP wheels on the new one at some point.)

 

[jml]

As others say, it really depends on how you will use the car:
1) is it a fun car to mainly commute and do daily chores? Or you plan to drive it fast in long highway/canyon type of roads.
If the first, it’s mainly about looks. So get the base version and reserve some budget for wheels and tires and a bigger spoiler if that’s your thing.
If the 2nd, you are probably better off with the PP. Yes, you can always upgrade, but it’s a long list, you will end up spending more than you think, lots of hassle and at least partial loss of warranty.

 

[Interstellar]

I don’t have a novel to write but I’ll say I’m 26000 miles into my GT 401A and not once have I thought “I bet this would be nicer with a performance pack”.
You can outdo the performance pack suspension with about $2k in aftermarket parts.
that said I do have the upgraded Brembos and active exhaust. 2 things I think are non negotiable on a car like this.

 

[exm]

I was one of the members who questioned the need for a PP and was looking at a 2025 model. Do yourself a favor, make a 2026 build and ask Granger to give you a quote. To me a new model build exactly as I wanted isn’t that much more than a 2025.

 

[Zig]

Guys, I'm shopping for … driving on terrible … area roads…

Magneride + terrible roads = pothole mitigation (only ava with pp)

edit: corrected typo for magnetic ride

 

[MidwayJ]

You can outdo the performance pack suspension with about $2k in aftermarket parts.

That's what I did on my non PP S550. The fact that you can now get the Brembo brakes separately tempted me to order my S650 without the performance pack. In the end, though, I went with the PP on my S650 order because I want magneride and the oil cooler for possible occasional track days, and I pay a shop to do most of the upgrades. I'm looking forward to seeing what difference the Torsen differential makes, too.

 

[DeeDub SC]

Guys, I'm shopping for deals as 2025 comes to an end. That said, I've seen several GT Premium's under $44,000 with the 401A package, B&O, Active Exhaust, and maybe a little more. At that price, a substantial haircut to MSRP, they do not include the PP. Being a straight line kinda guy driving on terrible Chicago area roads, do I really need PP?

I don't mind the idea of securing a good deal and upgrading as needed, and IF needed (new wheels, Bilstein adjustable cilovers, things like that). If however, I'm making a serious mistake, I'll listen to the true "Mustang Guys" who knows the ropes.

I ordered 2024 GT Premium 401A with nothing more (like Brembo, mag-ride, active exhaust, etc) and have been completely happy with it. I just did Eibach lowering springs (totally great mod) plus X-pipe resonator delete (also great option) and have I believe an optimum nice daily driver. I have ordered cars in the past with the performance upgrades (like Vette Z51 mag-ride) and finally realized the extra costs weren't really worth it for normal driving. As others sagely observed, the best advice is to realize your own driving environment and buy what you like that fits that best. I have enjoyed adding personal touches, like new wheels, stripes, etc to personalize your ride at nominal cost. Just do what you like and don't over-think it! Can't go wrong with an S650 IMHO!

 

[shubox56]

I could live with this (no PP). See attached.

A wheel upgrade at some point will be a must, even if it were a DH. It would be nice to find this combo at a deep discount to MSRP.

Other upgrades down the road:

1. Adjustable Coil overs, but more than likely the Eibach lowering springs.
2. Upgraded exhaust depending upon how I like the stock Active Valve sound.
3. Shelby GT350 type striping (Possible, but I'm not sure what I think about cloning the 350 look.)
4. Added via edit: And tinted windows to the state of IL max (I think).

So basically, things associated with appearance. Still thinking through things. No canyon carving, so this setup should perform equally as well as the PP version.

 

[DeeDub SC]

I could live with this (no PP). See attached.

A wheel upgrade at some point will be a must, even if it were a DH. It would be nice to find this combo at a deep discount to MSRP.

Other upgrades down the road:

1. Adjustable Coil overs, but more than likely the Eibach lowering springs.
2. Upgraded exhaust depending upon how I like the stock Active Valve sound.
3. Shelby GT350 type striping (Possible, but I'm not sure what I think about cloning the 350 look.)
4. Added via edit: And tinted windows to the state of IL max (I think).

So basically, things associated with appearance. Still thinking through things. No canyon carving, so this setup should perform equally as well as the PP version.

Mine is same exterior color, but I added the black/red stripes and bronze appearance. Then, found some pretty cool side stripes with a little gap in the middle just right to add additional red stripes to match the top stripes! This shot shows that look, plus give a good idea how the lowering springs really helped the stance! I like the bronze wheels and little additions. Think the side stripes help break up the sort of slab side looks. But each to his own and that's one of the beauties of the Mustang!

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