2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302

Ford Mustang fans are well aware of the Mustang BOSS 302 and what it accomplished when it first thundered on the scene back in 1969. With the help of former GM designer Larry Shinoda, The BOSS 302 was conceived for one purpose: to beat the Chevrolet Camaro in the SCCA’s Trans-Am series. The BOSS 302 name actually came from the engine, a special High Output version of the then, still new 5.0-liter V8. Well, now that the 5-POINT-0 is back in the Mustang lineup, it seems only fitting that a BOSS 302 make a roaring return as well.

And roar it does! Well, we’re not sure a horse can actually roar, but neighing just sounds lame, and the 2012 Ford Mustang BOSS 302 does not sound lame! Letting 444 horses run wild on a drag strip results in a thunderous roar that we won’t soon forget. Needless to say, we loved every foot of asphalt we conquered in this very special Mustang.

So, what makes the new BOSS 302, a boss? Well obviously, it starts under the hood with the Mustang GT’s familiar 5.0-liter or 302 cubic inch V8. Now add new heads and intake manifold feeding larger valves, more aggressive camshafts, combined with Ford’s Twin independent Variable Camshaft Timing, and you get a bump of 32 horsepower to the magic 444. But there is a small penalty as torque falls by 10 to 380 lb-ft. The clutch also gets beefed up, to more surely send power to the limited-slip 3.73 rear through a six speed transmission with one of the best shifters we’ve ever put our hands on. Everything about the BOSS works together just right; the way it responds, the stance, even the sound is loud when you want it to be and quiet when you don’t, thanks to a new quad exhaust system with both rear and side outlets. And it looks cool, too. 

From its old school side stripes, to the black, power bulge hood, the look is total nostalgia. Our cars blacked out roof panel and Competition Orange paint job only added to the BOSS 302 heritage inspired look. From dead on, the look is more modern, but also very mean, with a large blacked-out grill, with blocked off fog lights and a lower apron with attached splitter. Out back there’s a rear spoiler and black tail panel between the vertical tail lights with sequential turn signals. The BOSS rides on black 19-inch wheels wearing 255/40 Pirelli PZero’s up front, and 285/35’s in the rear. 

In the driver’s seat, you certainly feel like the boss, as tooling around town you’d think you were driving a Ferrari by all of the looks and thumbs up that you get. And while cool, nostalgic muscle-car styling is all well-and-good, eventually you have to back that up, and to see what the BOSS is really capable of.

At our 75-80 home track, the BOSS quickly went to work with a 4.4-second trip to 60. That’s 3-tenths faster than the last Mustang GT we tested. It was all business as usual down the quarter mile, as well, tripping the clock at 12.4-seconds at 114 miles-per-hour. As much as we love 60’s muscle cars, this new BOSS kicks the old BOSS’ tail. It’s not hard to imagine that the new BOSS would also be a much better handler, and indeed it shot through our slalom course like a downhill skier on a gold-medal run. The GT’s suspension has been totally reworked with adjustable shocks and struts. Standard, too, is electronically adjustable steering, with settings for Comfort, Standard, and Sport. Braking tasks are handled by oversized ABS equipped discs at all four wheels and brought the BOSS to a halt in just 111 feet. So, it’s short work!

Inside, the BOSS is a definite promotion over the Mustang GT’s generally well thought out interior. An Alcantara steering wheel is standard while SVT-design Recaro seats are an awesome upgrade that we recommend. They let you feel fastened to the car while being surprisingly comfortable. Rear seating is still pony car tight however, but the seat back does fold to increase the 13.4 cubic-feet of cargo space. 

Government Fuel Economy Ratings for the Ford Mustang BOSS 302 are 17-City and 26-Highway. After driving it like it was meant to be driven, we averaged 19 miles-per-gallon of regular. The Energy Impact Score is a fairly reasonable 17.1 barrels of oil consumed per year with a Carbon Footprint of 9.3 annual tons of CO2 emitted. And fortunately, you don’t have to be a big boss to afford the BOSS, as it comes in at $40,995. While that’s not cheap, you get a lot of car for the money, and a real performance bargain.

But even more than the performance, that money buys a look that screams nostalgia, but with a contemporary edge and an interior filled with modern conveniences. So, as much as we’d love to take a ride in a ’69 BOSS 302, we’re pretty happy with the 2012 BOSS, and think anybody looking to work with some serious muscle will be, too.