With just bolt-on, street-friendly...
With just bolt-on, street-friendly suspension parts, race wheels, and DOT tires, the Evolution '11 GT has put down 1.59 short times and started yanking both front wheels.
Combined with some new adjustable Ford Racing Performance Parts shocks and struts, the Evolution '11 GT rolled in the NMRA event in Atco New Jersey to participate in the Super 'Stang Class. In the third round, Nelson improved on the GT's 11-second status thanks to an 11.65 at 119 mph. The higher mph indicated the freer-flowing induction was helping a bit on the top-end.
Though Evolution hadn't given up on the progression of naturally aspirated modifications, Fred knew the 10s were calling. The world wanted a 10-second '11 Mustang. It was time for nitrous, just like in the early days of the push-rod 5.0. On went the kit with the 100hp pills installed, and the Evolution '11 GT rocked the rollers on the Mustang dyno to the tune of 469 hp and 513 lb-ft of torque. With the car tuned up for this duty by Jon Lund, it was back to Atco Raceway on May 20 to shoot for the 10s. It wasn't the first car to do it, but the Evolution car laid down a string of 10.90 passes, and a best pass of 10.88 at 126.66 mph with a 1.59-second 60-foot.
Parts development has been...
Parts development has been a crucial part of this project, and Evolution dropped 20 pounds of rotating mass with this 4-inch aluminum driveshaft in lieu of the stock two-piece, which they say is a bit lighter than the '10 two-piece driveshaft. The company will have lighter 3.5-inch shafts available by the time you read this, and it reports every iteration (V-8, V-6, stick, and auto) all require a unique driveshaft. Likewise the '11 exhaust is unique as well. After the cats, it shrinks down from 2.75 inches to 2.25 inches into the new resonators, and reverts to 2.75 inches back to the large stock mufflers. Headers and exhaust should be available now, too.
When you step back and consider that the Evo team achieved this feat with a full interior on drag radials, it's simply astounding. This is a new Mustang with bolt-on parts. Sure it has a good list of bolt-ons, but it has no internal engine mods and is running the 3.73 gears that came from the factory. "It feels really odd (to) run an 11 and get excited," Fred shared. "Then we ran a 10 and got more excited, when we are used to 8- and 9-second passes."
It's truly like starting over again. We are a spoiled, jaded a lot too, but just a few years ago, such an achievement would have seemed fictional. Not anymore. The 5.0 is back and rewriting the record books within weeks of its release. Imagine how good it can get from here.
On the Dyno
So the Ford engineers left the aftermarket a little room to improve the performance of the latest 5.0 engines after all. We were pretty concerned that the engine was so optimized from the factory that the gains would be difficult to achieve. Apparently that's just not the case. With some carefully chosen bolt-on upgrades and the tuning of Jon Lund, the Evolution '11 GT picked up 45 hp and 32.52 lb-ft of torque at the feet. Seasoning those bolt-ons with a whiff of nitrous tacked on another 55 hp and a whopping 128 lb-ft. This is just the beginning. Engine modifications and more unnatural aspiration are on the way. Stay tuned to these pages for more details on this and other 5.0 project vehicles as the development of this instant legend continues.
It doesn't look like a 10-second...
It doesn't look like a 10-second powerplant under the hood, but with the help of some bolt-ons and nitrous, it is. The prototype Steeda cold-air intake works with the factory ram air and Sound Induction tube, and gives the Coyote both a visual and auditory howl that it lacks with the stock induction.
Block Aluminum
Displacement 302 ci
Crankshaft Forged steel, fully counter-weighted, induction-hardened
Rods Forged steel
Pistons Cast aluminum
Camshafts
- Duration: 260 degrees intake, 263 degrees exhaust
- Lift: 12mm (0.472-in) intake, 11mm (0.432-in) exhaust
- TiVCT Range: 50 degrees for both intake and exhaust
Power Adder Zex nitrous oxide
Cylinder Heads Four-Valve aluminum
Intake Manifold Composite shell-welded with runner pack w/Steeda cold-air intake
Throttle Body Stock 80mm
Fuel System Sequential mechanical returnless with 32.8-lb/hr injectors
Exhaust Stock short-tube S44100 stainless steel Tri-Y tubular headers w/Evolution Performance Custom 3-inch off-road X-pipe, Evolution Performance custom after-cat exhaust system
Transmission MT82 six-speed manual w/Evolution Performance 4-inch aluminum driveshaft
Rearend 8.8 w/Eaton True-Trac differential and 3.73 gears
Electronics
Engine Management Copperhead w/Jon Lund custom tune
Gauges Stock
Chassis and Suspension
Front Suspension
K-member Stock
Control Arms Stock
Springs Stock
Struts Ford Racing Performance Parts adjustable
Caster/Camber Stock
Swaybar Removed
Brakes 336(13.2-in)x36mm vented discs; twin-piston, 43mm floating aluminum calipers
Wheels 15-inch Bogart Racing wheels
Tires M&H 26x4.50x15-in DOT Front Runners
Rear Suspension
Springs Stock
Shocks Ford Racing Performance Parts adjustable
Control Arms Evolution adjustable upper control arm and mount, Steeda billet lower control arms
Brakes Stock
Wheels 15-inch Bogart Racing wheels
Tires M/T 28x12.50x15-in DOT ET Street Tires
Chassis Stiffening Evolution Panhard bar brace, Evolution Panhard three-point torque box braces