At its fifth iteration, Ford has created a generation of cars that has captured many car enthusiasts’ hearts and minds. Enter the Ford Mustang S197, the fifth generation of Ford’s pony cars integrated with the old models’ reminiscent design and charged with more powerful engines.
What comes along the retro style of the Ford Mustang S197 is its availability for modification, as the Shelby GT500 inspired pony car owners to upgrade their cars to match Shelby’s power output somehow or even get close to it.
Some of the upgrades that are perfect for the fifth generation of Mustangs are cold-air intake kits. These devices can supply cold and oxygen-rich air into the engine, making fuel combustion more efficient.
Cold-air intake is a budget-friendly upgrade that can potentially increase your car’s horsepower and torque output, and it can even improve your fuel economy by a certain degree.
There are many variations of intake systems out there for you to choose from, and you can untap the hidden horsepower in your car by just installing one on your vehicle.
Are you looking for the best air intakes for your fifth-generation Ford Mustang? Look no further! We’ve made a list of the best Ford Mustang S197 intake systems, each of them offering an innovative feature to help you out in your car modification journey.
Most of these air intake systems feature advanced and state-of-the-art filters that can keep the incoming air crisp and clean; nothing like the stock air intake system could do. Check the list out!
#1 K&N Cold Air Intake Kit
- Manufacturer: K&N Engineering
- Features: Oversized air filter
- Power Gain: 15.31hp
- Compatibility: Ford Mustang GT (2004-2005)
K&N filters have been the talk in the car enthusiast scene for many years now. They’ve got the most reliable air filters you can find, and when these filters get partnered with the prowess of their intake systems, things will get nasty.
When you’ve got a K&N cold-air intake system installed on your Ford Mustang, expect an increase of up to 15hp. If it’s a reliable air filtration system and extra horsepower you want in an intake system, then you must try K&N’s air intake systems.
K&N Cold Air Intake Kit Features:
- Increase in horsepower (15.31hp)
- Reliable oversized oiled cotton air filter
- Easy to maintain air filters
- Provides higher airflow than the stock
- Replaces OEM filters and intake tube
#2 Spectre Performance Air Intake Kit
- Manufacturer: Spectre Performance
- Features: Spectre air filter
- Power Gain: N/A
- Compatibility: Ford Mustang V6 Deluxe (2005-2009)
Now, if you’re primarily looking for a cheap yet adequate performance air intake for your Ford Mustang, then you’ve got to check out Spectre Performance’s air intake system. It has all of the essential intake characteristics you need to make your Ford Mustang perform better.
Among the benefits you can enjoy with Spectre Performance’s air intake systems are heavy-duty aluminum low-restriction tubes and an improvement in your car’s throttle response.
The Spectre Performance air intake kit is a cheap alternative for beginner car enthusiasts who are just making their first step by getting a good quality air intake kit for their vehicle.
Spectre Performance Air Intake Kit Features:
- Increase in horsepower and torque output
- Improvement in throttle response
- Low-maintenance, low restriction air filter
- Anodized aluminum tubes
- Fast and easy installation
#3 Airaid MXP Cold Air Intake System
- Manufacturer: Airaid
- Features: High-Density Cross-Linked Polyethylene tubing
- Power Gain: N/A
- Compatibility: Ford Mustang (2010)
Aside from K&N Engineering, Airaid has led the intake system industry with their high-quality intake systems that car enthusiasts genuinely love. They’re one of the intake manufacturers that prioritizes higher airflow and performance output improvements.
Airraid also provides high-performance filters that can siphon all the air’s impurities, making the incoming oxygen-rich air crisp and clean. The Airaid MXP cold-air intake system is a unique intake system that has equally impressive air filters, an upgrade that is truly a bang for your buck.
Airaid MXP Cold Air Intake System Features:
- High-Density Cross-Linked Polyethylene tubing
- Washable and reusable air filters
- Increases horsepower and torque output of your car
- Two air filter options (dry and oiled)
- High-airflow air filter
#4 BBK Blackout Cold Air Intake System
- Manufacturer: BBK
- Features: Blue silicone couplers
- Power Gain: 10hp-15hp
- Compatibility: Ford Mustang V6 (2005-2010)
Have you heard of BBK? If not, you have to know that they’re one of the best air intake systems manufacturers focused on improving muscle cars and sports cars alike. For the Ford Mustang, BBK created the Blackout cold-air intake system.
It’s a reasonably affordable intake system suited for vehicles like the Ford Mustang with a lot of untapped potential horsepower inside. With the Blackout air intake system, you’ll have a CARB certified corrosion-resistant horsepower supplement mounted with high-flow reusable air filters.
BBK Blackout Cold Air Intake System Features:
- Increases horsepower by up to +10hp
- No tune-up required upon installation
- Reusable high-flow cotton air filters
- Black wrinkle coating finish
- Easy installation
#5 Roush Performance Cold-Air Intake kit
- Manufacturer: Roush Performance
- Features: Clean air tube and air box assembly
- Power Gain: N/A
- Compatibility: Ford Mustang GT (2005-2009)
The Roush Performance cold-air intake kit is arguably among the best intakes for the Mustang GT. Do you want to know why? It’s because Ford vehicle specialists created this cold-air intake system.
Roush Performance has been closely working with Ford owners, making performance vehicles like the Mustang perform even harder. Their cold-air intake kit utilizes the OEM intake system’s CAD data to make sure that their product fits perfectly well in a Ford Mustang.
What’s more, the Roush Performance cold-air intake kit makes the Ford Mustang even more aesthetically pleasing even under the hood. Just check out the Roush logo on the intake tubing!
Roush Performance Cold-Air Intake Kit Features:
- Improvement in airflow and throttle response
- Provide a more aggressive sound and appearance compared to OEM
- Synthetic washable and reusable oiled air filter
- Includes an airbox assembly together with a clean air tube with the ROUSH logo
- Easy installation and does not require a tune-up
#6 JLT Performance Series 3 Cold Air Intake Kit
- Manufacturer: JLT Performance
- Features: S&B powerstack air filter
- Power Gain: 25hp-30hp
- Compatibility: Ford Mustang GT (2005-2009)
Manufacturers created their respective performance cold-air intake to make cars slightly more powerful, providing a meager 10hp to 15hp increase. But what if you want more horsepower just by installing an intake system on your Mustang?
Enter the Series 3 cold-air intake kit, an intake system capable of providing up to 25 to 30 horsepower and 21lb-ft of torque. For an intake system, that increase in performance output is pretty impressive!
The Series 3 cold-air intake kit also utilizes a 4.5″ x9″ reusable S&B powerstack air filter, so you won’t have to purchase a new filter every few thousand miles.
JLT Performance Series 3 Cold Air Intake Kit Features:
- Impressive increase in horsepower and torque output
- Largest available MAF housing in the market (110mm)
- Made for Mustangs that go over 350 RWHP
- 4.5″ x9″ reusable S&B powerstack air filter
- Requires Mustang handheld tuner before installation
#7 HPS Performance Short ram Air Intake
- Manufacturer: HPS Performance
- Features: HPS Performance air filter
- Power Gain: +14hp
- Compatibility: Ford Mustang 3.7L Duratec (2011-2014)
We get it. You’re inclined to think that Mustangs, in some way, are horsepower freaks (hey, you’ve got a Mustang!) That’s why to supply you with even more horsepower, we’re introducing you to the HPS Short ram Air Intake.
This short ram intake can produce an extra +14hp and +12lb-ft of torque, allowing you to have a better performing car at such an affordable price.
This short ram air intake utilizes a washable and reusable HPS Performance air filter to ensure that the incoming air is crisp and clean, ready to aid the Duratec engine in its job of efficient fuel combustion.
The HPS Performance Short ram air intake is perhaps one of the best air intakes for Ford Mustangs with Duratec engines.
HPS Performance Short ram Air Intake Features:
- Dyno-proven performance gains (+14hp and +12lb-ft)
- Powder-coated steel heat shields
- All-New HPS Performance Air Filter
- 3.5″ mandrel-bent aluminum tubes
- Race-proven reinforced silicone hoses
The Ford Mustang S197 has many trims that can make use of what intake systems have to offer. By supplying enough cold-air into the engine, the right performance cold-air intake system can bring out the best out of your car.
With an aftermarket intake system installed in your trusty Mustang, you can enjoy a more powerful pony car that sounds awesome even under the hood. Aside from that, you can save up more money eliminating the need for frequent air filter maintenance.
By investing on a high-quality performance air intake system, you can have a more enjoyable riding experience with your trusty Ford Mustang.