2020 EcoBoost Mustang is a High-Performance Potent Four Banger
More power and keener dynamics for the 2.3 liter variant.
Four exhaust ends - to match the cylinder count
The Mustang has been America’s favorite pony car for decades. It has built a credible reputation for offering great performance at an affordable price for decades. The formula is delightfully simple: a rear-wheel-drive platform architecture and a V8 engine up at the front. But what if you have to consider having the cylinder count cut? Is there a misunderstood value in the presence of a four-cylinder Mustang? Ford would like you to consider that question a bit more earnestly, with a new High-Performance Package version.
Making the most of the four-cylinder
The Ford Mustang EcoBoost HPP is a special four-cylinder version of the iconic pony car. That might sound strange, but it is. It makes more power than normal and has a much-improved handling package. This ensures that it can also make a more credible claim to be both a true driver’s car and an authentic Mustang. Using the 2.3-liter four-cylinder turbocharged Ford engine as a base, engineers have managed to liberate a bit more power. The current-gen Mustang’s factory four-cylinder engine option is good for 310hp. However, the HPP version is more powerful.
An iconic location for any Mustang fan
The Mustang legend is intrinsically linked to San Francisco all thanks to the movie Bullitt. But is there really a case for a four-cylinder Mustang? One of the benefits of a four-cylinder Mustang is that it has less mass above the front wheels and that means potentially better lateral agility. It is entirely logical that a smaller and lighter engine, will have less of an inertia influence on the front of the car’s balance, and as a result, it's steering.
Braced for action
With some dedicated work by Ford’s engineers, the 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine boasts 332hp of performance. That makes the Mustang HPP a touch more powerful than Ford’s standard four-cylinder Mustang. This engine’s throttle response is not limited to the character of its output numbers. What Ford has done, to make it even more rewarding to drive, is the fact that new engine control mapping has broadened the Mustang HPP’s power band by 40%.
Boost gauge also makes the notes
For many Mustang fans, it might still be strange to see a boost gauge in a non-Shelby car, but the boost is what defines the performance offering on this four-cylinder car. The turbine also creates a unique acoustic note in the exhaust output. With an active exhaust valving system, the Mustang 2.3 HPP sounds very much unlike what you would expect a four-cylinder engine should. It has a true high-performance car sound, at full throttle, which is exactly what Mustang owners would desire.
Exclusive too
It might be unusual to encounter proud 2.3l badging inside a Mustang, but Ford has reason to be proud of its HPP. Here is a car that shows that Ford can produce a vehicle true to its Pony car heritage, which is lighter on fuel and produces low-emissions. Ford is only planning for a total production run of 9999 Mustang 2.3 HPP cars, and each one will carry its unique number code, proudly on displace, atop the cabin’s center stack.
It is a superior handler too
If you are seeking a Mustang that is lighter and truly rewards the aware driver, the 2.3 HPP just might be your ticket. Option the handling package and you gain Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires, mounted on wider rims. Further enhancing the car’s handling prowess are better stabilizer bars and MangeRide adaptive dampers at all four-wheel corners. Boosting traction through tight corners is the presence of a Torsen limited-slip rear differential.
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