Borla ATAK Axle-Back Exhaust with Polished Tips (11-14 Mustang V6)

Video Review & Installation

Borla's ATAK we're working with today is going to be a great option for the '11 through '14 3.7L Mustang owner that's after arguably one of the best and aggressive-sounding axle-back systems on the market today. Now, the ATAK requires no cutting, and for that it's an easy one out of three wrenches on our difficulty meter here, about an hour's worth of labor, and I will go over this a little bit more with you later. Now, what you just heard, guys, is easy going to warrant a four out of five on the loud or the Wake the Dead or Neighbors scale here, and it's really easy to understand why. The ATAK changes out your heavy factory cans for a pair that's going to make that much more noise. But more importantly though, the overall volume and tone won't be distorted or raspy, like some of the cheaper systems out there. Now, this is going to be due to the use of Borla's ATAK muffler design, and that means Acoustically-Tuned Applied Kinetics, which essentially means that when the volume goes up, it's going to be crisp and clean. But for comparison's sake, this will be a touch louder, higher, and clearer in tone than their S-Type system. This system is pretty damn loud, but it won't be the loudest system out there since it's still a four out of five. If you're looking to wake the dead, you can do so with an off-road X-pipe. The benefit here versus just picking up a five out of five system is that you're going to be getting the maximum amount of volume, while still enjoying a relatively tuned sound that's not going to sound sloppy or drone at all. On top of getting one of the best muffler designs available, you're going to be getting some of the best steel. That's 304 stainless, to be exact. That's going to be throughout the entire system, and it will have great welds. Now, this system will hold up the best in winter, at the beach, or rain. So it's going to be great for a daily driver. Now, this features two and a quarter-inch ultra-smooth, mandrel-bent piping that's going to bolt right up to your factory piping. All the hangers are tacked on and ready to go, and the mufflers end in some great-looking four and a half-inch, polished, slash-cut tips, which gives a pretty nice balance of classic meets modern. Last, but not least here, they will have Borla's logos embossed on each tip, so everyone around you is going to know where that sound is coming from. Put simply, guys, the ATAK is one of the best systems around, and because of that it comes with a higher price tag. With that in mind, all the 304 stainless, and that Borla name, expect to be spending around $800. While I know it sounds a little bit on the steep side, there's a couple other options from Corsa that will net you that same type of build quality. But from personal experience, it's just not going to have the overall sound and presence that the ATAK produces. Installation-wise, axle-backs go on with little to no effort, which makes them a great contender in my opinion. You should expect a straightforward hour's worth of labor, which will warrant an easy one out of three wrenches on my difficulty meter here. So once your rear end is off the ground or on stands, it's merely going to be unclamping and unbolting your factory axle-back piping, pulling the system out from the over-axle pipes, and then pull everything from your hangers. You'll then replace your factory system with your new system, retaining your factory hangers and hardware. Again, a very easy one out of three wrenches on our difficulty scale here, and an hour's worth of labor. So that's going to wrap up my detailed review of Borla's ATAK axle-back, fitting the '11 through '14 V6, that can be found right here at americanmuscle.com.