Although Ford seemingly tried as hard as it could over 25 years to tarnish the Mustang name between the seventies and the nineties, it did have the good sense to protect a few of its most iconic names. Nowhere better is that evidenced than with this car, a Mustang Boss 302, which resurrected in 2012 a name that hadn't been seen for more than four decades.
The Boss 302 of 1969-1970 was, as you'd hope for a car with such an imposing name, quite the prospect. The 'Hi-Po' small-block race 5.0-litre, not to be confused with regular Mustang V8s of the time, was dropped from an SCCA Trans Am car into a street vehicle. Along with chassis and aerodynamic upgrades aimed at track driving, alongside an infamous cosmetic makeover, the Boss 302 became a Mustang legend.
With the name untouched (and therefore unsullied) for so long, it was pleasing to see the 21st century Boss 302 follow a similar path to the original. While no longer required for homologation, it also received a raft of engine, body and chassis changes to equip it for circuit driving. So, the Coyote V8 was upgraded to such an extent that it became known as the 'Roadrunner' V8; it was treated to hot cams, an intake from the 302R racer and ported heads. The Boss 302 lost 10 lb ft over a standard Mustang 5.0, but gained 32hp thanks to those tweaks, for a nice, round 450hp. Even better, it was made at 7,400rpm, which is only 100rpm less than where the newest, flat-plane-cranked GT350R makes its peak.
With new anti-roll bars, lowered springs and adjustable dampers, as well as set of jazzy graphics, the Boss 302 was deemed a worthy remake of the original. PH in fact drove a Boss 302 over here early in the 2010s. praising its "fabulously impressive" handling, "lovely, incisive steering" and "beautiful" gearchange; so it was pretty good, and just for the sake of this feature we'll overlook the bump absorbing abilities of the live rear axle...
This car. however, is not a Boss 302 - it's something even more special. The Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca Edition further upped the track cred, ditching the rear seats, adding a strut brace, a Torsen limited-slip diff, lighter wheels, stickier tyres and even more aggressive aero - it even had a naff colour scheme, like all the best circuit specials. This video shows the Mustang lapping the circuit it was named after in 1:41, which is faster than an F-Type R, Aston V12 Vantage and Lexus RC F (with a manual, don't forget); another source as it down as 1:39.5, which would make it faster than a 997 GT3...
Whether that last point is true or not is by-the-by; the Boss 302 LSE is a quick car on a racetrack, by most measures. It's a rare one, too, with just 750 made by Ford across the 2012 and 2013 model years. To come across one in the UK, then, is quite the find, especially with just 1,500 miles.
Stored in a collection from new, Boss 302 #154 of 750 has nevertheless been cared for, with half a dozen main dealer services having occurred since its Ford PDI in April 2012. Obviously, the same issues apply here as they do for any of the US track day renegades - left-hand drive, the sheer size, grinding out spoilers on pebbles - but this Mustang does look an exceptional example of the breed.
Too good to discover what the fuss is about? Perhaps, even if the temptation would never truly ebb away given the spec. At £50k the Boss faces innumerable rivals, of course, for the daily driver that could also hunt apexes for hour after hour; it's hard to imagine any, however, with quite the presence, the history, or the soundtrack. See you in the paddock.
SPECIFICATION | FORD MUSTANG BOSS 302 LAGUNA SECA EDITION
Engine: 4,951cc, V8
Transmission: Six-speed manual, rear-wheel drive, limited-slip differential
Power (hp): 450@7,400rpm
Torque (lb ft): 380@4,500rpm
MPG: Ha
CO2: Ha ha
First registered: 2012
Recorded mileage: 1,500
Price then: c. £42,000 (importing a standard Boss 302 in 2011)
Price now: £49,995
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