Building on the 2011 Mustang GT and bringing back one of the most revered names in Mustang history, Ford has announced the limited-edition Boss 302 for the 2012 model year.
With the new 5.0-liter (302 cubic-inches) powerplant, the timing is perfect to celebrate the famous ’69-’70 Boss 302, which battles Camaro Z/28s on the street and won a Trans-Am championship in 1970 with Parnelli Jones at the wheel.
“The decision to build a modern Boss was not entered into lightly,” said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president of Ford’s Global Product Development. “The entire team felt the time was right and with the right ingredients, the world-class 2011 Mustang could support a successful, race-bred, worthy successor to the original Boss 302. For us that meant a production Mustang that could top one of the world’s best – the 2010 BMW M3 – in lap times at Laguna Seca. We met our expectations.”
The 2012 Boss 302 will be loaded with special equipment, starting with a 440-horsepower of the 5.0 that gets extra oats from a revised intake, CNC-machined heads, lightened valvetrain components, sodium-filled exhaust valves, and revised camshafts. Like the original Boss 302, the new engine features a strengthened reciprocating assembly for durability.
Power is delivered to a 3.73 ratio rear axle using carbon fiber plates in the limited-slip differential to improve torque handling and longevity. For those who want even more precise control over power delivery, a torque-sensing (Torsen) limited-slip differential is an available option coupled with Recaro front seats.
Every Boss will feature a unique quad exhaust system with two outlets in the rear similar to a standard Mustang GT. The other two outlets exit to either side of the exhaust crossover, sending exhaust through a set of metal discs that act as tuning elements before the pipes terminate just ahead of the rear wheel opening. Visually subtle, the side pipes flow very little exhaust but a lot of exhaust sound, providing a sonic experience unlike any other Mustang – and giving home tuners an additional avenue for modification.
In keeping with the mandate to provide the best-handling Mustang ever, the Mustang GT suspension system has been further refined for the Boss 302 with adjustable shocks and struts , higher-rate coil springs on all four corners, stiffer suspension bushings, and a larger-diameter rear stabilizer bar. Boss models are also lowered by 11 millimeters at the front and 1 millimeter at the rear compared to the Mustang GT.
Working in concert with the suspension upgrades, the 2012 Boss 302 receives unique, lightweight 19-inch black alloy racing wheels in staggered widths: 9 inches in front, 9.5 inches in the rear. Pirelli PZero summer tires are sized specifically for each end of the vehicle, with the front wheels receiving 255/40ZR-19s while the rear gets 285/35ZR-19 rubber.
The combined suspension and tire package allows Boss to achieve a top speed of 155 mph and become the first non-SVT Mustang ever to achieve more than 1.0 g of lateral acceleration.
Braking is also up to the challenge with Brembo four-piston front calipers acting on 14-inch vented rotors up front. In back, standard Mustang GT brakes are upgraded with a Boss-specific high-performance pad compound.
Changes to the Boss exterior are subtle but unmistakable. True to its race-bred heritage, every component that could potentially aid aerodynamics or engine/brake performance was examined to make the vehicle more competitive, while chief designer Darrell Behmer refined the styling to evoke the ’69 Boss in a contemporary way. “We approached this as curators of a legend,” explains Behmer. “We’ve taken design cues from the ’69 Boss street car and the Bud Moore/Parnelli Jones race cars and carefully updated them to give the 2012 the proper bad-boy attitude that is unmistakably a Boss Mustang.”
To set Boss apart, each car will have either a black or white roof panel, coordinated to the color of the side C-stripe. Available exterior colors are Competition Orange, Performance White, Kona Blue Metallic, Yellow Blaze Tri-Coat Metallic and Race Red.
Up front, a unique fascia and grille are highlighted by the blocked-off fog lamp openings and lower splitter, a version of the design proven on the Boss 302R race car. At the rear, the spoiler was chosen to complement the front aero treatment and minimize overall drag.
Inside, a unique Boss steering wheel covered in Alcantara suede complements the standard seats, which are trimmed in cloth with a suede-like center insert. Boss customers who want the ultimate can select a package that includes Recaro buckets. A dark metallic instrument panel finish, gauge cluster, and door panel trim differentiate Boss from the standard Mustang, along with a black pool-cue shifter ball and “Powered by Ford” door sill plates further remind customers they’re in a special car. Eleven pounds of sound-deadening material have been eliminated to let occupants enjoy the intake, engine, and exhaust note.
“Boss is a hallowed word around here, and we couldn’t put that name on a new Mustang until we were sure everything was in place to make this car a worthy successor,” explains Pericak. “We were either going to do it right or not do it at all – no one on the team was going to let Boss become a sticker and wheel package.”