Srtike Force Figure Eight Testing & Review

Test Four: Figure Eight cont...
Ford engineers spent countless hours track-tuning the GT, and it showed in our testing. With its bone-stock suspension package, the Accufab GT was the easiest tuner to pilot around the figure eight. With great transition characteristics going into the corners, the GT is predictable and fun just so long as you aren't too greedy with the throttle. The Accufab GT delivered repeatable 24.1-second F8 times (the quickest of the tuners) with an average of 0.85 g.

Despite having a Bilstein coil-over suspension, custom end links, and wide PS2 tires, the LPE C6 was explosive (even with the boost dialed back), fishtailing in the straights with clouds of tire smoke filling the air. Add slightly too much throttle in the corners, and you'll spin faster than a chemistry class centrifuge. Fun? Absolutely. But the best lap delivered a time of 25.2 seconds with a 0.79g average, thus putting it toward the back of the pack.

In spite of the valve-cover gasket oiling issue, the MTI crew rallied to ready the GTO for the figure eight. MTI's custom suspension setup (shocks, springs, bushings, etc.) delivered pleasing road manners, but the fact is the GTO was the heaviest vehicle riding on the narrowest tires. The STS rear-mounted turbo delivers mild turbo lag (less than you'd think) that allowed the car to cleanly exit the corner before big boost hit. However, the factory designed IRS is prone to pronounced off-throttle oversteer, as we found when the GTO went spinning like a dreidel. Consequently, the MTI GTO turned in a 26.3-second time with an average g-force of 0.72.

Valve cover parts aren't easy to come by in rural California, but the Livernois crew worked all night to repair the cam sensor and cap damaged during straight-line testing--but spark timing was still amiss. With the most aftermarket suspension of the group, the Mustang handled well in the corners, but was down on power in the straights. Regardless, the tight suspension turned in a fourth-place time of 25.6 seconds at an average g-force of 0.72.