The Next Generation of Grip for Ford Mustangs
A longtime staple in the Ford Mustang community, Nitto showed up strong with the next generation of ultra-high performance tire, the NT555 G2, at Fabulous Fords Forever meet. With Mustangs ranging from Fox Bodys to S550s, the G2 brings the latest in tire technology to improve upon an old classic for late model to modern Mustangs.
While the car has changed a lot over the Mustang’s impressive legacy, the reasons we love it remain the same. It’s a fun car to drive, offering the ability to enjoy on both the street and track. Modification lists can get long, but switching to an upgraded performance-oriented tire is often one of the first and most advantageous changes made.
Choosing a tire that has the correct characteristics to match a driver’s intentions is important, with much more than tread pattern and size availability to consider. Cars that will see more track than street time may want the capabilities of a competition tire like the NT01. But Nitto’s answer to the demands of drivers needing a hybrid of quietness, comfort and performance to span daily street and weekend track needs is the NT555 G2.
Owners of the different Mustangs around Nitto’s booth all had different goals for their cars, from daily driver to record-beating track monster, but all found that the street-to-track capabilities of the NT555 G2 checked all the boxes.
The G2 shares the namesake of its predecessor the NT555, but the technology has been updated to provide increased performance, grip and traction. The NT555 G2 also builds upon the size offerings of the 555, with an increased selection of widths 285 or higher.
1986 Fox Body “Top Notch”
“This was a rusted out bucket when I found it,” recounts Gary. Wanting to build an American car with American parts and a Japanese influence, Top Notch was born. With a body almost entirely made of carbon fiber and powered by a Coyote Aluminator engine, set back 8 inches for a 50/50 weight distribution — this is one bad Fox Body!
The goals in sight are breaking the Fox Body’s standing mile world record and Buttonwillow lap record — and Gary wants to do that on a streetable tire, ensuring it’s the car’s engineering which stands out. Choosing a streetable tire that can carry off record breaking feats, Top Notch is fitted with NT555 G2s, 315 in the front and 335 in the rear.
2001 True Blue Bullitt
Falling in love with the blue version of the famous Bullitt, owner Nasario frequently runs road courses and autocross with his Mustang.
“I used to run NT01s, but these 555 G2s have been really good," Nasario says. "They’re much more streetable, provide more control on the freeway with less noise and don’t need to be warmed up for traction.”
2003 SVT Cobra
Adrian never planned on getting a convertible until the Cobra’s supercharged whine won him over. He’s since upgraded to a 3.4 Whipple churning out 850 hp and says his favorite thing is the “power."
“It’s hard to find somebody who can beat me,” he laughs. Although he initially chose Nitto INVOs for their tread pattern, he was convinced to switch over to 555Rs in the rear and 555 G2s in the front. So far he has really been impressed with how well the tires hook up.
