The 2018 Mustang GT will add a stealth mode to muffle its exhaust so owners won't disturb the neighbors with the engine's rumble at night.
The idea was born after a testy neighbor called the cops on former Ford vehicle engineering chief Steve von Foerster when his Shelby GT350 Mustang's engine roar broke the quiet of his suburban Detroit neighborhood one morning.
As a former teen who pushed cars down the street to avoid waking my parents when we sneaked out to _ well, the reason doesn't matter anymore, does it? _ I can imagine other times the feature will come in handy, but Ford is sticking to its story, calling the feature Good Neighbor Mode. It consists of settings for quiet starts and exhaust.
Quiet start lets the driver program times of day when the Mustang GT's V8 engine will roar to life, and select other times for a meeker engine note upon starting. The quiet exhaust mode joins normal, sport and track modes, giving the Mustang GT four selectable exhaust notes. Ford said quiet start reduces the engine note on ignition to 72 decibels, about the same as a household dishwasher.
Both features are part of the $895 active valve performance exhaust option package on 2018 Mustang GTs.
Ford says loud cars are one of the top noise complaints in neighborhoods, ranking behind only early morning lawn mowing.
The 2018 Mustang goes on sale this fall.
