- FordMuscle - https://www.fordmuscle.com -

Five Essential Bolt-On Mods To Enhance Your 2018+ Mustang GT Manual

The 2018 Mustang GT is a major leap forward, but we know all too well that there is always room for improvement. With only a couple of bolt-on modifications, adding that extra level of performance is well within reach. However, picking the right combo is creates a lot of questions.

Fortunately, Stephanie Wood from AmericanMuscle walks us through her top five must-have modifications for your 2018 Mustang GT. These performance focused mods will not only make your 2018 Mustang GT faster, but bulking up its muscular personality as well.

I picked out five modifications in total that all benefit the 2018 Mustang GT in some way, shape, or form. — Stephanie Wood, AmericanMuscle

“We are going to look at some of the first modifications to your 2018 Mustang GT,” she said. “I picked out five modifications in total that all benefit the 2018 Mustang GT in some way, shape, or form.”

While AmericanMuscle previously suggested upgrades to vehicles equipped with the 10R80 transmission, Stephanie decided to give the six-speed manual fans some love in this video. This particular Orange Fury 2018 Mustang GT is equipped with the 6R80 transmission, MagneRide suspension, and the popular Active Valve Performance Exhaust option.

The available MagneRide damping system for the 2018 Mustang is something that until this year was only available for the GT350 and GT350R model year Mustangs. The active damping system uses sensors positioned around the vehicle to adjust the suspension based on various inputs, including speed, steering angle, brake pressure, lateral and longitudinal acceleration, engine torque, drive mode selection, and even outside air temperature.

Five 2018 Mustang GT Mods

[group_caption type="4" images="https://www.speednik.com/files/2018/08/five-essential-bolt-on-mods-to-enhance-your-2018-mustang-gt-manual-2018-08-21_16-47-23_078491.jpg, https://www.speednik.com/files/2018/08/five-essential-bolt-on-mods-to-enhance-your-2018-mustang-gt-manual-2018-08-21_16-48-20_805445.jpg, https://www.speednik.com/files/2018/08/five-essential-bolt-on-mods-to-enhance-your-2018-mustang-gt-manual-2018-08-21_16-46-58_707884.jpg, https://www.speednik.com/files/2018/08/five-essential-bolt-on-mods-to-enhance-your-2018-mustang-gt-manual-2018-08-21_16-46-33_937087.jpg" /]

• Barton Hybrid 3 short-throw shifter w/ brushed pull-up collar (PN 394272; $475)

• C&L Racer cold air intake (PN 402185; $299)

• Corsa Xtreme cat-back exhaust w/ black tips (PN 404905; $2,199)

• Ford Performance MagneRide lowering springs (PN 399319; $276)

• VMP Performance Rev-X Tuner by SCT w/ one custom tune (PN 404825; $599)

While adding MagneRide to your new Mustang is in our opinion a smart choice, it is important to note that if you do choose this upgrade and are interested in lowering the vehicles ride height, you need to pick up a spring that is compatible with the MagneRide dampening system.

The Ford Performance lowering springs that Stephanie selected will lower your vehicle 20mm on all four corners and provides owners a subtle but aggressive ride height.

She then walked us through just how easy it is to install the Corsa Performance exhaust on the 2018 Mustang GT. The full Extreme cat-back system from Corsa is an ideal choice for owners looking to add a deep aggressive tone to the latest S550, while also keeping the active functionality in place. If you take a listen to the video above after the install, it’s easy to hear the difference in sound.

“You are really getting a wide range of exhaust notes and range with the Corsa Active Cat-Back Exhaust, and is definitely one of the top of the line exhaust choices when it comes to active exhausts for the 2018 Mustang GT,” Stephanie said.

Last month, AmericanMuscle showed us just how easy it was to add power to your stock Coyote engine with nothing more than a cold air intake and custom tune. So it came as no surprise that Stephanie added that same upgrade to her top-five list of modifications.

The SCT Performance programmer and VMP Performance custom tune  combo is an easy and affordable way to pick up horsepower and torque on a lightly modified vehicle, and AmericanMuscle picked up peak gains of 22 horsepower and 8 lb-ft of torque over a stock 2018 Mustang GT.

The final upgrade on AmericanMuscle’s list was addressing an area that has been a topic of discussion since the S550 debuted back in 2015, the MT-82 manual transmission. The 2018 Mustang GT’s manual transmission has been completely redesigned to include a twin-disc clutch and dual-mass flywheel to increase torque capability and deliver more efficient clutch modulation.

But if you are adamant about shifting your own gears on your new pony, then chances are you going to want to invest in a quality short-throw shifter to get the most out of this redesigned transmission.

Stephanie recommends the Barton Hybrid 3 Short-Throw Shifter because it is an entire shifter replacement. The shifter can be mounted to the transmission or the body of the car and when paired with the new Mustang and provides immediate feedback both on and off the track.

Naturally, all five of these upgrades are available for purchase from AmericanMuscle. For more information on the entire lineup of aftermarket parts for your 2018 Mustang GT, you can click on the company’s official website here.

Photo gallery

VIEW FULL GALLERY >