Top 10 Mustang S550 Mods & Upgrades

The S550 Mustang Chassis has been in production from 2015-present. Starting back in 2015 up until the end of 2017, there were three platforms to choose from. The available engines were the 3.7L V6, 2.3L Ecoboost I4, and the 5.0L Coyote GT.

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In 2018, the S550 was given a slight face-lift, which altered the Headlights, Front Bumper, Taillights, Rear Bumper, Interior, and most importantly, more power. In addition to the face-lift, the S550 platform was cut down to only two trims, the 2.3L Ecoboost I4 and the 5.0L Coyote GT meaning the discontinuation of the 3.7L V6.

Buyers tend to modify these vehicles with performance parts and cosmetic enhancements, which will be discussed below.

1. Cat-Back/Axle-Back Exhaust

Exhaust systems at the end of the day, for owners, are a personal preference. An owner may want a mild tone that will not wake the neighbors / not make a ton of noise, or maybe the owner wants a loud neighbor-waking exhaust to spice up their Mustang.

Another factor that owners will need to decide is whether they want a full cat-back system (Replaces Mufflers and Resonator) or an axle-back system (Replaces only Mufflers).

• 2015+ Mustang Axle-Back Exhaust
• 2015+ Mustang Cat-Back Exhaust

The photograph above is of a Cat-Back exhaust enabling owners to increase horsepower, torque, and sound and create a more free-flowing passage for exhaust pressure and gasses.

2. Cold-Air Intake

Owners of 2015+ Mustangs may already know that the stock (OEM) Air-Box is extremely restrictive regarding how much air is let in and out of the intake manifold to provide for the vehicle engine. By replacing the stock intake with an aftermarket intake, owners will discover several significant benefits for their Mustang.

By installing an aftermarket Cold-Air Intake on a 2015+ Mustang, whether an Ecoboost, a V6, or a GT, owners will notice a significant increase in throttle response, lower Intake Air Temperatures (IAT), increased horsepower, increased torque, and the sound all enthusiasts love… The infamous ‘Whoosh’!

• 2015+ Mustang Cold Air Intake

The photograph above shows an example of a High-Performance Cold-Air Intake.

3. ECU Tune

Owners of 2015+ Mustangs may have the urge for increased horsepower, increased torque, increased throttle response, and improved fuel economy. An ECU tune/tuner is the easiest way to gain the most noticeable benefits to your mustang by altering the timing, altering the Air-Fuel-Mixture (AFR), adding boost (Turbo Pressure), increasing the rev-limiter, and many other essential factors with the help of ‘flashing’ the ECU.

When purchasing a tuner, buyers need to do the necessary research to discover whether the tuner comes with OTS (off-the-shelf) tunes or if the user needs to get a Custom tune from a specialized performance shop.

Most, if not all, reputable tuners also come with the capability of not only reprogramming the ECU but also displaying gauges such as your Boost, AFR, etc. Additionally, owners can use these tools to view and/or clear DTC(s) (Check Engine Codes), view vehicle parameters, etc.

• 2015+ Mustang Flash Tuner

4. Headers (V6 & GT only) / Down-Pipe (Ecoboost only) 

Owners of 2015+ Mustangs may urge increased horsepower, increased torque, and an increased exhaust note to truly wake up their vehicle(s).

For V6 and GT owners, Exhaust Headers are the connection between the exhaust manifolds and the exhaust itself. The Catalytic Converters are either replaced or removed with headers depending on whether they are Off-Road Headers (Track Use Only) or On-Road Headers (Can Be Used Anywhere).

For Ecoboost owners, the term ‘Down-Pipe’ is used due to the engine being a Turbo Inline-4. The Catalytic Converter is either replaced or removed with the Down-Pipe depending on whether it is an Off-Road Down-Pipe (Track Use Only) or an On-Road Down-Pipe (Can Be Used Anywhere).

• 2015+ Mustang V6 Exhaust Headers
• 2015+ Mustang Ecoboost Exhaust Down-Pipe
• 2015+ Mustang GT Exhaust Headers

5. Wheels

Owners of 2015+ Mustangs may feel the urge to enhance their vehicles cosmetically. One of the most dominant ways is to upgrade the wheels of their mustang with Aftermarket wheels with a larger diameter and wider wheel specs to allow larger tires for more traction, stability, and a wider stance. At the end of the day, wheels are an entirely personal preference for owners for the brand, style, color, width, diameter, offset, etc.

The most important part of upgrading wheels on an S550 Mustang is the bolt pattern, which is the same for all S550 Mustangs, being 5×114.3 mm.

• 2015+ Mustang 5×114.3 Wheels
• 2015+ Mustang Lug Nuts

6. Tires

Whether owners of 2015+ Mustang require replacement tires due to baldness (lack of tread left) or simply want to upgrade, there are several benefits, reasons, and types of tires in owners can consider. Buyers need to decide whether they are looking for All-Season, Winter, or Summer tires, which are alterations of tire compounds, tread patterns, tread depth, etc.

For RWD (rear-wheel-drive) vehicles like Mustangs with significant amounts of horsepower and torque, we recommend a stickier tire compound such as Summer tires or sometimes All-Season tires.

When owners are upgrading wheels, it is important to have the proper tire sizes by width, diameter, installation, etc., which experts can complete at Wheel and Tire Shops. TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) sensors are highly recommended tools that show drivers the current pressure of the tires in PSI.

• 2015+ Mustang Tires
• 2015+ Mustang TPMS Sensors

7. Window Tint

Owners of 2015+ Mustangs may want to increase the privacy of their vehicles, add a cosmetic difference, protect their interiors from harmful UV rays, keep their interiors cooler on hot sunny days, etc. Window Tint solves all of those issues by adding a simple film on the inner side of the windows.

Window tint comes in shades from around 5%-50%, depending on what the buyer is looking for.

For installation, buyers can have their windows tinted at a professional shop or complete a DIY using the materials below.

• Window Tint Film
• Window Tint Tools

8. Coilovers or Lowering Springs

Owners of 2015+ Mustangs may urge them to enhance their vehicles with an easy performance and cosmetic upgrade. By lowering the vehicle with Lowering Springs or Coilovers, the vehicle’s stance becomes more cosmetically appealing. Additionally, the center of gravity is lowered, making the vehicle handle corners significantly better, reducing body roll, etc.

Coilovers are a more expensive version of lowering springs containing additional features that arent included with just simple Lowering Springs. Coilovers allow owners to adjust ride height, spring rate, dampening, etc., whereas Lowering Springs remain at a specific set ride height and spring rate set by the manufacturer.

We highly recommend professional installation for Lowering Springs and Coilovers if you are not experienced.

• 2015+ Mustang Coilovers
• 2015+ Mustang Lowering Springs

9. Brake Rotors & Pads

Owners of 2015+ Mustangs may feel the need to replace and/or upgrade their Brake Rotors and Brake Pads for several reasons. Upgraded Brake Rotors, as shown below, are Drilled and Slotted, meaning they dissipate heat insanely fast and efficiently.

Drilled and Slotted Rotors paired with upgraded Brake Pads provide faster stopping times, brake responsiveness, brake grabbing point (also known as ‘bite’), and many other benefits that can be discovered online on our site.

• 2015+ Mustang Brake Rotors
• 2015+ Mustang Brake Pads
• 2015+ Mustang Brake Pads and Rotors

10. Front Grille & Trunk Trim Panel

Owners of 2015+ Mustangs may feel the urge to get rid of the ‘not so pretty’ OEM chrome pony emblems and badges in the Front Grille and on the Trunk Trim Panel. These issues can be fixed with simple solutions. Owners can replace the Trunk Trim Panel and the Front Grille with aftermarket products such as the links provided below.

Another popular way to ‘get rid of the OEM emblems and badges is to use Plasti Dip. A plastic Dip is a peelable rubberized paint that can be sprayed with an aerosol can or applied with a brush. This solution is cheaper but does not last forever and does not look as clean as actual part replacements.

• 2015+ Mustang Front Grille
• 2015+ Trunk Trim Panel
• Plastic Dip
• Aerosol Painting Tools

NOTE: Please check and follow up with your local laws to ensure all/any of these modifications are legal in your place of living.

We hope you find the Top 10 Mustang S550 Mods & Upgrades guide helpful. Check these troubleshooting and repair guides for more help on your Mustang.