Mufflers vs. Straight-Pipe: Comparing Exhaust Systems

When you step on the gas does your Mustang seem sluggish, even with a turbo? Or are you just looking to get a little more out of your EcoBoost Mustang? If so, it may be time for high-performance downpipes that can reduce backpressure and improve your vehicle’s horsepower. These aren’t earth-shattering technology, but they’re important for how your car works. Learn about why performance downpipes are one of the best Mustang exhaust upgrades money can buy.

Understanding Your Mustang's Downpipe

We’re not going to overcomplicate this because a Mustang downpipe simply isn't that complicated. Essentially, it's a piece of exhaust piping that connects the exhaust portion of your turbocharger to your vehicle’s exhaust system. These pipes come stock on EcoBoost Mustangs, but if you’re installing a turbo on a V8 or V6 you'll need to install an aftermarket downpipe. Even if your Mustang came with one from the factory, that doesn't mean it's the best it can be, so opting for a racing downpipe or high-performance downpipe is almost always a good idea. The best Mustang downpipes tend to have high-flow cats, lighter materials, and bigger diameters to create superior airflow. Some aftermarket downpipes also have fewer bends in the piping to further maximize airflow in innovative ways. At the end of the day, an aftermarket downpipe is a relatively affordable way to improve your engine’s performance by smoothing out the exhaust flow if you have a turbo.

Types of Mustang Downpipes

Before you get into the benefits of an aftermarket downpipe, it's important to understand the types of muscle car downpipes available. The most common options are catless and catted downpipes.

Catted Downpipes

One of the best upgrades you can make on an EcoBoost Mustang or any Mustang with an aftermarket turbo is a high-flow catted downpipe. They help exhaust gases flow more freely, improve fuel efficiency, and don't make your car illegal to drive on the road. Plenty of options are available in different sizes to suit your performance goals.

Catless Downpipes

Catless downpipes will give you the most performance, hands-down, but this performance comes at a cost. While the exhaust gases don't have to flow through catalytic converters that slow things down and create backpressure, they're not street-legal in many states. Therefore, you'll want to save these downpipes for your track beasts.

How Performance Downpipes Improve Performance

A reduction in backpressure is by far the biggest benefit you'll get from switching to an aftermarket downpipe, especially if you're running a bone-stock EcoBoost Mustang. From the factory, Ford downpipes have restrictive catalytic converters that are designed to keep emissions low instead of maximizing performance. These catalytic converters create backpressure that restricts the flow of exhaust gases and slows everything down. Swapping to a high-performance Mustang downpipe will reduce this backpressure and allow exhaust gases to exist more efficiently.

Less Turbo Lag

Do you ever notice when you put the pedal to the floor it takes a second for your turbo to start spooling? Well, this is called turbo lag, and having an excessive amount of backpressure creates a lot of lag. With less backpressure from something like a Corsa 3-Inch downpipe, you can expect your turbo to spool faster. This helps you feel the power your muscle car has to offer much faster and helps you close the slight gap that some turbos have with superchargers.

Improved Horsepower and Torque

When your exhaust gases are flowing freely, your engine will make more power. When you have less backpressure, you'll find that your turbo will spool faster and exhaust gases will flow out faster so you’re maximizing the air flowing in and out of your engine. The result of this better airflow? An improvement in horsepower and torque. In fact, you may even notice an improvement in throttle response as a result, or your throttle will at least feel more responsive.

Better Fuel Efficiency

We know that you’re all about smiles per gallon as opposed to miles per gallon, you wouldn't be driving a Mustang if the opposite was true, but that doesn't mean you have to spend a fortune at the pump. By reducing backpressure and helping exhaust gases flow freely, aftermarket downpipes improve fuel efficiency because engines with proper ventilation burn fuel more efficiently than their counterparts.

Better Sound Quality

We know that power gains are important, but what about how your muscle car sounds? This is especially true if you have an EcoBoost Mustang from the factory because Ford didn't necessarily do you any favors with that exhaust note. Still, even on turbo V8s and V6s, the right downpipe can transform how your exhaust note sounds. For example, swapping out your factory downpipe in favor of a BBK Catted downpipe will give your EcoBoost Mustang a more aggressive exhaust note.

Get the Best Mustang Downpipes Today

Whether you need a replacement set of downpipes or you want to remove the cats and improve the diameter of your downpipe with an aftermarket set from brands like BBK, you're in the right place. Shop online or connect with our sales techs to find the right best Mustang downpipe for your build.