Ford Decides to Make Burnouts Easier for Mustang EcoBoost Owners

Matt Posky
by Matt Posky

In a move that will make my next rental car choice slightly more difficult, Ford has decided to equip the entirety of its Mustang lineup with electronic line locks as a standard feature. While the technology has become almost ubiquitous among V8-powered American muscle cars, it’s a welcome addition to the smaller-displacement models.

Now, more hooligans can undertake longer, safer, more glorious burnouts without abusing their rear brake pads — be it while warming the tires at the drag strip or just showing off for dumb friends in a parking lot. Hopefully, the good people at Avis don’t mind losing a little tread on the rear tires.

Wanting to promote that its base model muscle cars have been idiot-proofed in preparation for laying a patch of molten rubber, Ford recruited Formula D champion Vaughn Gittin to go around Southern California and “randomly recruit” pedestrians to show off the new standard feature.

“Burnouts just never get old, no matter how old you are and how many times you’ve done them,” Gittin said statement. “Who would have thought that we would see an EcoBoost Mustang producing 15 seconds of fury like this? You’ve got to love these rad things Ford is doing.”

While Ford specified that the line lock should be especially useful for those interested in bracket racing, Gittin’s lunchtime abduction of random passers-by indicates the technology has plenty of unofficial applications. In fact, the promotional video for the technology opens with the text, “You could use a burnout in a 2018 EcoBoost Mustang,” and one of the hand-picked pedestrians calls the opportunity to do a burnout “a dream come true.”

“We introduced line-lock on EcoBoost Mustangs because we didn’t want those customers to miss out,” said Mark Schaller, Ford’s Mustang marketing manager. “The number of people choosing EcoBoost power continues to grow globally, and with the increased torque and new features coming on the new Mustang, customers will not be disappointed.”

It’s definitely gimmicky, but it’s also a perfect addition to American muscle cars.

Available on both the 10-speed automatic and 6-speed manual, the electronic line lock is a little more complicated to use than aftermarket units found in drag cars. Operators are required to pre-select the feature by going into a menu on the instrument cluster and scrolling through the track apps. Afterwards, it functions more or less as expected. However, the feature only holds onto the front brake calipers for 15 seconds, meaning you might have to re-engage system a few times or go old school and introduce a little brake pressure with the left foot if you are planning to completely destroy the rear tires.

That’s something I would only recommend in a rental, though.

Matt Posky
Matt Posky

A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.

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  • Otaku Otaku on Jul 02, 2017

    I heard that Ford is supposed to be updating the Coyote V8 to use both port and direct fuel injection. Does anyone know whether they plan to adopt the same thing for the 2.3 Turbo 4?

  • SnarkyRichard SnarkyRichard on Jul 02, 2017

    Are people old enough to afford this car turned on by doing burnouts ? My first car was a red 71 Chevelle SS 454 bought in 74 for $1600 with a weezy junkyard 350 since the original owner (a total idiot) blew up the stock 454 drag racing on the flats(a straight stretch of highway where people went to race at night). The first owner (I was the 3rd owner of a 3 year old car) a-hole wouldn't sell me the original engine to get rebuilt at a reasonable price - TOTAL DICK ! Anyhow I used to put in the clutch and coast backwards down back road hills to do candy cane burnouts at night . I was 17 - can 17 year old kids without rich parents to spoil them afford this car ?

  • TCowner We've had a 64.5 Mustang in the family for the past 40 years. It is all original, Rangoon Red coupe with 289 (one of the first instead of the 260), Rally Pac, 4-speed, factory air, every option. Always gets smiles and thumbs ups.
  • ToolGuy This might be a good option for my spouse when it becomes available -- thought about reserving one but the $500 deposit is a little too serious. Oh sorry, that was the Volvo EX30, not the Mustang. Is Volvo part of Ford? Is the Mustang an EV? I'm so confused.
  • Mikey My late wife loved Mustangs ..We alway rented one while travelling . GM blood vetoed me purchasing one . 3 years after retirement bought an 08 rag top, followed by a 15 EB Hard top, In 18 i bought a low low mileage 05 GT rag with a stick.. The car had not been properly stored. That led to rodent issues !! Electrical nightmare. Lots of bucks !! The stick wasn't kind to my aging knees.. The 05 went to a long term dedicated Mustang guy. He loves it .. Today my garage tenant is a sweet 19 Camaro RS rag 6yl Auto. I just might take it out of hibernation this weekend. The Mustang will always hold a place in my heart.. Kudos to Ford for keeping it alive . I refuse to refer to the fake one by that storied name .
  • Ajla On the Mach-E, I still don't like it but my understanding is that it helps allow Ford to continue offering a V8 in the Mustang and F-150. Considering Dodge and Ram jumped off a cliff into 6-cylinder land there's probably some credibility to that story.
  • Ajla If I was Ford I would just troll Stellantis at all times.
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