2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302

After the Mustang was born, 1967 rolled around and Chevrolet introduced their pony car, the Camaro. Case in point, the 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302.

The Boss 302 is a 2012 model year exclusive as the last time the words "Mustang", "Boss" and "302″ were brought together on a factory car was in the early 1970s. The blue oval has repeated history once again to make another, purpose-built racing hero.

Underneath our Race Red Boss test car, the 302 starts out as 2012 GT. Slightly absolved from the standard GT's 5.0, the Boss redlines higher (7,500 rpms compared to 7,000) and thus makes more power. Granted, $42,000 for a Mustang is quite a bit, but not to many vehicles can be raced this hard right off the showroom floor.

Ford engineers were given the go-ahead to throw caution to the wind and make the Boss as raw as possible. The Recaro supplied seats are fantastic; offering support and comfort. The alcantra covered steering wheel offers excellent grip and is placed just right for quick inputs.

The electric-assisted power steering isn't as strange as some from certain German vehicles and allows a driver to select from three different feedback settings. Always ready for a fast sweeper or a 90 degree corner sideways, the Boss 302 is the best handling Mustang we have ever sampled.

With 444 horsepower on tap, the 5.0 in the Boss is oddly "revvy". On race tracks, noise levels are not the biggest concern, and the Boss's follow that philosophy.

Dynamic wise, the Boss 302 is the best dancing Mustang of its generation but it isn't without its negatives.

The interior, albeit comfortable, is rather bare-bones compared to other Mustangs. The 2012 Mustang Boss 302 is, without a doubt, rolling history.


The Boss 302 Mustang is a high performance variant of the Ford Mustang originally produced in 1969 and 1970, but revived in the 2012 model year. It was produced for the Trans Am racing series, while the Mustang Boss 429 which was produced the same years was built around a larger engine.

The Camaro was the largest threat to the lead Ford had in the pony car field, a niche of car manufacturing largely created by Ford with the introduction of the Mustang in mid year 1964. The design was a composite engine using the tunnel port Windsor block and large Cleveland heads.

The Boss 302 Mustang was designed by Larry Shinoda, a former GM employee. He placed the unique reflective c-stripe strips on the car, and eliminated the fake rear fender scoops found on the 1969 Mustang model. In 2007, a pair of restored 1969 Boss Mustangs sold for $530,000.