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Ford Mustang S197: the rumble of the Coyote V8, the complete guide

11 min read

Ford Mustang S197: the rumble of the Coyote V8, the complete guide

With its unashamedly retro styling, the Mustang S197 has become a highly sought-after used car, and an affordable ticket into the world of the American V8. Its factory exhaust tells only part of the story: ours tells all of it. Here you will find everything that matters before configuring the exhaust for your Ford Mustang GT S197 V8: catalytic converter, material, valves, tips and the French MOT.

Written by ROG Motorsport · Updated

ROG valved exhaust system for Ford Mustang GT S197 V8

Your ROG exhaust for the Ford Mustang GT S197 V8

From €2,490 in stainless steel, €2,990 in titanium

Configure my exhaust
Vehicles
Ford Mustang GT S197 V8 5.0 (2011-2012)
Engine
418 hp · 529 Nm
Exhaust
Valved cat-back, built for your VIN
Material
304 stainless steel or titanium
Front section
Optional: catted manifolds with 200 or 100 cells, or decat
Valves
ROG remote, or factory control if your vehicle has it
Lead time
20 working days from order confirmation to delivery
Warranty
3 years, parts and workmanship

Closely related versions have their own guide: Ford Mustang EcoBoost S550 2.3, Ford Mustang GT S550 V8 5.0.

The Coyote V8: the American muscle car, haute couture edition

The 5.0 Coyote V8 in your Mustang S197 is one of the best modern naturally aspirated V8s: four camshafts, rare top-end reach for an American engine, and a rumble that defines the muscle car. The European versions, because of type approval, are far more filtered than their American cousins: the full sound potential lies dormant under the silencers.

The ROG exhaust wakes it up: the V8 growl in all its depth, sharp bangs on the overrun, and a presence that turns heads. And the valves give you back civility for discreet journeys.

How the exhaust on your Ford Mustang GT S197 V8 is put together

An exhaust system is best understood in two parts. Here is what each one does, and what ROG replaces.

How the exhaust system is laid out From left to right: the engine, the front section, then the ROG cat-back with its valved silencer and tips.Front sectionROG cat-back: the complete exhaustEngine
Valves closed: the silencer does its work and the sound stays discreet.Valves open: the direct path opens up and the engine finds its full voice.Schematic only; the actual routing depends on the vehicle.

The cat-back is the complete exhaust system

It is everything you can see under your Ford Mustang GT S197 V8, from the outlet of the front section to the tips: pipes, silencers, valves. This is the part where most of our research and development goes: it is what shapes the sound, and it is enough on its own to transform the car.

The front section, where the catalytic converter sits

On your Ford Mustang GT S197 V8, it is the manifolds, which collect the gases as they leave the cylinders. The factory catalytic converter is built into it: the second restriction in the exhaust, after the silencer. Replacing it is optional: it frees up the flow, and it is the ECU remap that turns that into horsepower.

The figures for your Ford Mustang GT S197 V8

An exhaust system is judged first by ear and on the scales. The extra horsepower comes from an ECU remap.

Power

Factory418 hp

Torque

Factory529 Nm

Published manufacturer and Stage 2 figures, converted from US units.

The ROG exhaust works with or without an ECU remap. To get the full potential out of your Ford Mustang GT S197 V8, we recommend taking it to an approved tuning centre afterwards.

Let's be honest: on a naturally aspirated V8, the exhaust brings a moderate gain and a total sound transformation. The Coyote then responds very well to an ECU remap at an approved tuning centre to fine-tune the engine management. What matters most is the experience, and it changes completely.

Configuring your exhaust, step by step

4 choices, in the same order as the product page configurator.

  1. Step 1 of 4: Material: stainless steel or titanium

    For your Ford Mustang GT S197 V8, the exhaust costs €2,490 in stainless steel and €2,990 in titanium.

    304 stainless steel

    2 490 €

    Weight
    Baseline
    Sound
    Full and rounded

    The safe bet: strong, corrosion-proof, with a full, rounded sound. The best value for money.

    Titanium

    2 990 €

    Weight
    Around 40% lighter
    Sound
    Metallic, crystal-clear

    It makes the exhaust around 40% lighter for the same design. Its note is more metallic and clearer higher up the rev range, and its finish ranges from brushed to blued.

    No worries on durability: 304 stainless steel shrugs off winter road salt and titanium does not rust. Stainless steel or titanium: what really changes.

  2. Step 2 of 4: Front section: manifolds and catalytic converter

    Optional: the manifolds on your Ford Mustang GT S197 V8, with their catalytic converter. Each option is placed on our sound scale of 0 to 10, valves open, with the factory exhaust at 3.

    Cat-back only

    Included

    7/10

    Factory emissions control

    The factory front section stays in place. It is already a complete transformation, and the choice of many of our customers.

    200-cell sports catalytic converter

    +680 €

    8/10

    Road use and French MOT

    More flow, emissions control retained: the right option for road use.

    100-cell sports catalytic converter

    +680 €

    9/10

    French MOT pass not guaranteed

    More open than the 200-cell: the sound hardens at high revs and emissions control is reduced.

    Decat

    +440 €

    10/10

    Track use only

    Flow with no filter at all: the rawest sound and the sharpest response.

    Sound intensity, on a scale of 0 to 10

    1. 10/10Decat manifolds + ROG cat-back
    2. 9/10100-cell sports catalytic converter + ROG cat-back
    3. 8/10200-cell sports catalytic converter + ROG cat-back
    4. 7/10ROG cat-back only, factory catalytic converter retained
    5. 3/10Factory exhaust, for comparison

    Valves open. With the valves closed, every configuration becomes discreet again.

    What about the engine warning light? With a sports catalytic converter it can come on, because the rear oxygen sensor reads less cleaning. Nothing mechanical is wrong: an ECU remap or a session with a diagnostic tool sorts it out. Without a catalytic converter, you will need an ECU remap. If it happens to you, call us and we will point you in the right direction. Passing the French MOT with a sports exhaust.

  3. Step 3 of 4: Valves: ROG remote or factory control

    Two ways to control the valves on your Ford Mustang GT S197 V8.

    ROG remote

    ROG remote for opening and closing the valves

    A discreet control unit in the boot and a two-button remote: you open and close whenever you like, independently of the drive modes. For fitting, we support you by phone or by email.

    Factory control

    • Only for vehicles fitted with factory valves
    • Controlled by the drive modes

    For vehicles fitted with factory valves: the exhaust connects to their control and the drive modes stay in charge, with no extra control unit.

    At 130 km/h, many sports exhausts drone. Here, with the valves closed, the exhaust flows through the silencer and stays composed when cruising; open, it makes itself heard when you choose. More about exhaust drone.

  4. Step 4 of 4: Tips: the visual signature

    Match the tips to the style of your Ford Mustang GT S197 V8, understated or bold. A particular finish in mind? Send us a photo and we will look at it together.

    • Stainless steel
    • Black
    • Carbon
    • Blued titanium
    Exhaust tips for Ford Mustang GT S197 V8

The ROG sound signature on the Coyote

Our exhaust frees the American V8 growl in all its depth: a present rumble at idle, a thunderous charge, and sharp bangs on the overrun with the valves open. With the valves closed, your Mustang becomes socially acceptable again. The complete muscle car, at the touch of a remote.

Valves open and valves closed: the gas path through the ROG silencer
Valves open, valves closed: the path the gases take through the silencer.

From order to fitting

  1. Configuration

    You configure the exhaust and enter the VIN from box E of your registration certificate.

  2. Check

    Your VIN is checked before any manufacturing begins.

  3. Manufacturing

    The exhaust is produced to order, for your vehicle.

  4. Delivery

    Free in Europe, insured parcel, tracking number from dispatch.

  5. Fitting

    Around two hours in the workshop, with no welding or cutting.

20 working days from order confirmation to delivery

Warranty
3 years, parts and workmanship, from the date of delivery
Payment
In instalments with Klarna
Installation
At the garage of your choice

Is your Ford Mustang GT S197 V8 still under the manufacturer's warranty? In Europe, the manufacturer cannot refuse cover simply because a part from another brand has been fitted: it is up to the manufacturer to prove that the fault came from that part. Our article on the manufacturer's warranty.

Our recommendations for your Ford Mustang GT S197 V8

  • Daily driving

    2 490 €

    • Stainless
    • Cat-back only
    • ROG remote

    Your Ford Mustang GT S197 V8 stays easy to live with, the factory emissions control is retained, and you open the valves whenever you decide.

    View this configuration
  • Fast road

    3 670 €

    • Titanium
    • 200-cell manifolds
    • ECU remap

    The best of both worlds: character and breathing, with emissions control retained.

    View this configuration
  • Track

    3 430 €

    • Titanium
    • Decat manifolds
    • Stage 2

    The most extreme configuration, for track use only.

    View this configuration

Every Ford Mustang GT S197 V8 has its own story and its own use: if none of these profiles sounds like you, let's talk.

Ford Mustang GT S197 V8: your questions

How much power does an exhaust system add to the Ford Mustang GT S197 V8?

As standard, the Ford Mustang GT S197 V8 produces 418 hp and 529 Nm. The exhaust alone acts first on sound, breathing and weight; the extra horsepower comes from an ECU remap.

Stainless steel or titanium: which material for the Ford Mustang GT S197 V8?

For the Ford Mustang GT S197 V8, the ROG exhaust costs €2,490 in stainless steel and €2,990 in titanium. Stainless steel is the safe bet, with a full sound; titanium makes the exhaust around 40% lighter and gives a more metallic note higher up the rev range.

Do you need to replace the catalytic converter on the Ford Mustang GT S197 V8?

It is not compulsory. The cat-back alone is enough to change the character of the Ford Mustang GT S197 V8. Replacing the manifolds is how you go further, together with an ECU remap: 200 cells for the road, 100 cells or decat for more radical use.

Will the Ford Mustang GT S197 V8 pass the French MOT with a ROG exhaust?

The cat-back only and the 200-cell converter both retain emissions control: present the Ford Mustang GT S197 V8 with the valves closed. With the 100-cell converter, a pass is no longer guaranteed; the decat fails the emissions test.

How is the ROG exhaust fitted to the Ford Mustang GT S197 V8?

With clamps and gaskets, no welding or cutting: around two hours in the workshop for a well-equipped mechanic. The exhaust is built to the VIN of your Ford Mustang GT S197 V8.

What does a ROG exhaust cost for the Ford Mustang GT S197 V8, and how long does it take?

From €2,490 to €3,670 depending on the configuration. Allow 20 working days from order confirmation to delivery. Delivery is free and the exhaust comes with a 3-year warranty.

Unsure about your configuration? Give us a call.

Stainless steel or titanium, cat-back only or the complete system: the right choice depends on how you drive and on your Ford Mustang GT S197 V8. We take the time to talk it through before you order, with a reply within 24 hours. We are not here to sell to you over the phone: we help you choose, even if that means a cheaper option because it suits the way you drive.

ROG is a French brand, and the way we work comes down to one idea: an exhaust system should be sold with advice, not just a product page. More than 500 exhaust systems fitted and a rating of 4.9 out of 5.

Further reading