Hey, guys. Justin with AmericanMuscle.com here with my detailed review of the RTR Tactical
Performance Competition Spec Axle-Back Exhaust, available for your 2015 and up Mustang GT,
with your choice or either a black or polished tip.
So, when talking directly with Vaughn about his exhaust and what his goals were with the
RTR systems, he told me specifically he wanted to eliminate the robotic tones of the Coyote
motor and the Coyote exhaust notes. So basically, RTR, Vaughn, and Magnaflow, who these mufflers
are made by, all put their heads together and came up with a couple of systems; the
street spec, which is available here on AM, and the competition spec, which I have with
me here in this video.
Now the street spec, as you might expect, a little bit more mild. Competition spec is
going to be a little bit more aggressive. And as you guys heard at the top of this video,
this thing definitely delivers some solid, low-end tone, a strong three out of five on
my one to five, or "one to wake the neighbors" scale. It's not the loudest or most raspy
kit, like the Corsa Extreme or the Borla Tac, for instance. Instead, it's going to deliver
that low, thumping tone with the factory resonator still in place. Of course, remove that resonator
and insert your favorite X or H-pipe, and of course that number and sound goes up dramatically.
All right guys, with the sound out of the way, let's talk about some of the finer details
and some of the guts here with the RTR Competition Spec. And let's start out with probably the
most unique portion of this entire axle-back, this dual-inlet design. One portion is going
to go through more of a straight through section of the muffler, whereas the other portion
here is going to get directed through more of a chambered or tuned section of the muffler.
And again, that's going to deliver that deeper tone while eliminating any rasp or any interior
drone. And as someone who's driven this system here around town, I can tell you, this thing
certainly delivers. Sounds great inside the cabin.
Now this is a full stainless steel build here guys, so again gonna help the durability.
Better quality, better materials overall. And it's finished off in a black ceramic coating.
This is not paint. So basically this is not going to chip, it's not going to fade like
a painted surface might. And that's going to increase the overall durability.
What little piping there is on this system is all mandrel-bent. And it's all going to
finish off with your choice again of either a black tip here, again a little bit more
of a sleeker look. Or, for a few bucks more, you can opt for a polished tip. It's gonna
give you more of a traditional look. No matter what tip option you go with, both will be
emblazoned with that RTR logo.
On the topic of price, the RTR cans are going to set you back roughly $600 to $700, depending
on your tip choice. Which, I know might sound a little pricey. But when you weigh your options
here at AmericanMuscle.com, I think you're going to find that to be the average price
point for most of the premium aftermarket axle-back exhaust systems. Including, of course,
Magnaflow, Borla, Kooks, Ford Racing, things like that. You can spend a little less and
go with a pipe system. And of course, you can spend a little bit more and go with a
Corsa system. But overall, you're going to find a lot in that $600 to $700 price range,
and the RTR definitely fits in there nicely.
As for the install here, guys, well again, by now you should be aware that you do have
to cut with any aftermarket axle-back for your S550 GT. So just make sure you have your
favorite cutting device on hand before getting started. It's really not all that hard. But
because you do have to cut, we'll call it two out of three wrenches on my difficulty
meter. About an hour or two before you're making noise in the garage or driveway. So
just to recap again, favorite cutting device. I prefer a Sawzall. A fresh metal blade will
definitely be your friend here. Grab your eye protection, measure twice, cut once, and
you should be good to go.
So to wrap things up, in my opinion, the RTR Competition Spec Axle-Back really does deliver
a pretty unique sound unlike really anything I've heard for the S550 GT. So, RTR, Magnaflow,
mission accomplished. Guys, don't take my word for it. Feel free to read up on some
customer reviews here on the site, just to help you make your own decision before buying.
Thanks for watching, I'm Justin. And for all things Mustang, keep it right here at AmericanMuscle.com.