Being a Good Neighbour with the 2018 Ford Mustang GT
If you’re the proud owner of a sports car equipped with a V8 engine, you probably love its rich and deep sound. However, your neighbours might not like it as much as you do, especially if you usually leave the house early in the morning.
As a matter of fact, according to a recent poll published on Ranker.com, a loud engine ranks amongst the most aggravating noises neighbours make, up there with lawn mowers, power tools, barking dogs and rock band practice.
- Also: Ford says Mustang is world's best-selling sports coupe
- Also: 2017 Shelby GT350 Mustang features standard Track Package
With the new 2018 Ford Mustang GT which, by the way, receives styling updates and a number of changes and improvements, you’ll no longer be the most despised neighbour on your street. The GT’s new and optional active exhaust system will include a Quiet mode.
Thanks to the action of integrated exhaust valves, the system will offer Normal, Sport and Track modes, each with its distinctive sound level. However, according to Ford exhaust development engineer Matt Flis, people start to get irritated by noises that approach 80 decibels. The Quiet mode lowers the 5.0-litre V8’s roar to 72 decibels, a drop of about 10 dB compared to Normal mode.
In addition, Ford innovates with a new functionality called Quiet Start. Through the trip computer’s menu, the owner can program a schedule for engine starts in Quiet mode. In other words, between 6 and 9 am, or from 9 pm onwards, for example, the Mustang GT will always start in its quietest mode. Ford is fittingly nicknaming this function Good Neighbour Mode.
The idea of a Quiet mode and the Quiet Start feature was imagined by Steve von Foerster, former head of vehicle engineering for Ford Motor Company, who now leads Ford’s user experience team in product development. One sunny morning, after leaving the house at the wheel of a Shelby Mustang GT350, the loud growl of its V8 engine exasperated a neighbour who called 911 to complain about the noise.
The price of the active exhaust system will be revealed later, probably at the same time when the MSRP of the 2018 Ford Mustang GT will be announced. We’re expecting this system to eventually find its way in the Shelby GT350 as well.