5.0 is Confirmed

[AMCRambler]

The Mustang's weight distribution is 53.9/46.1, a little front-heavy, but not in any way ridiculous. Given that weight transfers rearward under acceleration this becomes even less of an issue. There is absolutely no way that a 3,500 pound car is too light to get good traction, not even with the Mustang's weight distribution and street tires.

ZV

If we're talking the Camaro up against the Mustang, I dunno. I think it would be a damn close race. The Mustang just edges out the Camaro in power to weight ratio. However the Camaro's got more weight over the wheels with a weight dist. of 52/48. I think my money would be on the Camaro. I think it would hook up better and get the jump. I hope Car and Driver or Motor Trend does a comparison article on them. It'd be an interesting read.

 

[Demo24]

This is the first Mustang in quite awhile that has actually excited me. If I had a decent paying job I'd probably seriously consider getting one. But for now I guess I'll just watch them go by

 

[theeedude]

Now just add an IRS, and I will seriously consider it. No way I am buying a car with a pickup truck suspension.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Rollin' in my 5.0
With my rag-top down so my hair can blow
The girlies on standby waving just to say hi
Did you stop no I just drove by

I hope they reasonbly increase the price over the current models. Knowing how many million Mustangs I see a day. I would feel quite uneasy having that many people on the road with that kind of HP who have no idea how to handle it.

The V6 Mustangs traditionally outsell the V8 versions by a large margin. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Zargon]

Now just add an IRS, and I will seriously consider it. No way I am buying a car with a pickup truck suspension.

yeah shitty suspension from 1950 FTL.

ford would, i am sure, if they could make one that wouldnt break to pieces.

 

[LTC8K6]

As we've previously heard, rumor has it that the '11 Stang with the new Coyote V8 and Track Pack with Pirelli P Zero Corsa R tires was able to lap GingerMan Raceway in South Haven, Michigan at the same rate as a current BMW M3 – fine company indeed.

Doesn't seem to need an IRS...

 

[ayabe]

Doesn't seem to need an IRS...

It's about ride quality for me.

 

[spikespiegal]

The V6 Mustangs traditionally outsell the V8 versions by a large margin. I wouldn't worry about it.

Because .....Mustangs seem to be primarily sold to fat women in their late 30's starting their first divorce . At least that's the case around here.

Lemme guess...the new 'Five-Oh' goes really fast in straight line, depreciates like shot duck when driven off the lot, and is the envy of every small town sheriff deputy because moron kids borrow them from their parents and get tickets up the wazoo.

More reason for me to buy oil futures given it's pretty obvious where Ford is spending R&D rather than where they should be.

At least it doesn't look like an Escort on steroids like the 80's 'Five-Oh' does. Also looks totally 'limp-dicked' compared to a Classic 'SS'.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Because .....Mustangs seem to be primarily sold to fat women in their late 30's starting their first divorce . At least that's the case around here.

Lemme guess...the new 'Five-Oh' goes really fast in straight line, depreciates like shot duck when driven off the lot, and is the envy of every small town sheriff deputy because moron kids borrow them from their parents and get tickets up the wazoo.

More reason for me to buy oil futures given it's pretty obvious where Ford is spending R&D rather than where they should be.

At least it doesn't look like an Escort on steroids like the 80's 'Five-Oh' does. Also looks totally 'limp-dicked' compared to a Classic 'SS'.

Meh, you are entitled to your opinion...but I like the new Mustang GT. They've improved the interior enough that I would consider buying one and every aspect of its performance is on par with even the most sporty sedans from Germany.

 

[LTC8K6]

It's about ride quality for me.

We don't know the ride quality of the 2011 Mustang.

We have some idea of the ride quality of the 2010 Mustang from reviews. It's apparently very good.

Body control with the Track pack is astounding. It doesn’t pogo, doesn’t shimmy, doesn’t slump to the outside and clop its way through a corner. The ride may be firm, but nothing throws it off the slot-like path you cut through turns. And somehow that live axle deals with pitching and pocked pavement with much of the sure-footed poise of an independent setup. A Track-pack Mustang used only at the drag strip is a Mustang wasted.

Astounding...

The track pack will also be available on the V6 for 2011, iirc.

 

[ElFenix]

Light is good, to a point. It will improve handling and cornering, but if there's no weight over the wheels the car won't get enough traction to use that horsepower. It's a balance, that's for sure.

the old GT was already faster than the charger/challenger r/t and probably even at worst with the SRT-8 versions. i wouldn't be shocked if the new V6 beats the r/t versions of those.

More reason for me to buy oil futures given it's pretty obvious where Ford is spending R&D rather than where they should be.

yeah, if only ford spent money engineering the most fuel efficient midsize sedan and the most anticipated subcompact car ever. if only ford were named the most improved automaker by the EPA by a 2:1 margin over its nearest competitor. if only.

 

[CurseTheSky]

more leaks courtesy of autoblog:

"autoweek has decided to let the cat get just a little bit further out of the bag this morning following last night's first bit of embargo breakage regarding the 2011 ford mustang gt and its 5.0-liter v8 engine. So, by now you've heard that the new powerplant puts out 412 ponies, or 83 horsepower-per-liter. Now, aw wants you to know it also offers up 390 pound-feet of torque and that peak power comes at a screaming 6,500 rpm.

The new powertrain combination will also return 25 miles per gallon, says aw. How does it manage this feat? With an aluminum engine block with cast cylinder sleeves and brand-new heads with four valves per cylinder, vertical intake ports and twin independent variable valve timing. Don't forget the tuned exhaust headers, a forged steel crankshaft with four-bolt main bearings plus new pistons and connecting rods.

And what about the transmission? Your choice of either the 6r80 automatic transmission or the mt82 six-speed manual. We now return you to your regularly-scheduled programming... Until the next bit of embargo breakage, of course."

Do want.

 

[AMCRambler]

Seriously though, they had a friggin' IRS in the Thunderbirds back in the 90's. How friggin' much could it cost to throw a couple of cv joints and wishbones in the back of a Mustang? Its the only thing the car is missing. Everyone sais "Oh it doesn't need it" blah blah blah. It would improve the handling, why wouldn't you want it?

For everyone who sais it doesn't need it, if IRS was an option for 600 bucks, would you buy it? Or you would buy the GT with a solid axle back there?

 

[LTC8K6]

How would an IRS improve the current Mustang GT's world class ride?

 

[Arkaign]

Seriously though, they had a friggin' IRS in the Thunderbirds back in the 90's. How friggin' much could it cost to throw a couple of cv joints and wishbones in the back of a Mustang? Its the only thing the car is missing. Everyone sais "Oh it doesn't need it" blah blah blah. It would improve the handling, why wouldn't you want it?

For everyone who sais it doesn't need it, if IRS was an option for 600 bucks, would you buy it? Or you would buy the GT with a solid axle back there?

It might not improve the handling. The current Mustang GT already handles as good or better than competitors with IRS. If the comment earlier is true (that the new one puts down lap times equal to the current 414hp M3), then the new one is better than ever.

Personally, if both were equal, I'd probably skip the IRS if I were wanting to deliver serious power to the ground after mods (SC probably).

 

[AMCRambler]

It might not improve the handling. The current Mustang GT already handles as good or better than competitors with IRS. If the comment earlier is true (that the new one puts down lap times equal to the current 414hp M3), then the new one is better than ever.

Personally, if both were equal, I'd probably skip the IRS if I were wanting to deliver serious power to the ground after mods (SC probably).

I guess I just don't see how IRS could make handling worse. It could only improve traction in corners over a solid rear axle. If it didn't, it would have been scrapped a long time ago. Solid axle is a cheaper option with less moving parts.

 

[yh125d]

I guess I just don't see how IRS could make handling worse. It could only improve traction in corners over a solid rear axle. If it didn't, it would have been scrapped a long time ago. Solid axle is a cheaper option with less moving parts.

And this is why Ford has stuck with it so far


They have made it give good enough handling for them, why add IRS just to up the price?

 

[ElFenix]

there should be 1 continuous thread where people go to argue about the mustang's lack of IRS and leave all the other mustang threads alone.

 

[LTC8K6]

For everyone who sais it doesn't need it, if IRS was an option for 600 bucks, would you buy it?

Given the reviews of the current Mustang's handling and ride, almost certainly not. Pending a test drive, of course.

 

[theeedude]

Doesn't seem to need an IRS...

On that track. Every day driving with unpredictable pavement is a whole other story. I simply would not be comfortable tossing a car into corners on twisty mountain roads unless all wheels are independently planted. Ford is letting Mustang, their highest profile iconic car persist as a symbol of their backwardness.

 

[Pariah]

The V6 Mustangs traditionally outsell the V8 versions by a large margin. I wouldn't worry about it.

There were 60,000 Mustang GT's sold in 2007 vs 87,000 V6's. If the new one is sold at the same price, that number will skyrocket.

Having followed the GTO community for the past few years, once the prices dropped in the used market to the point that younger drivers could afford them, they were getting wrapped around poles more often than a stripper. Almost every post was started off with, it was cold or it was raining and I just lost control of it. No, you didn't just lose control. You were an idiot. When it's 45 degrees outside, you're on summer tires and it's raining, and you put the pedal to floor, the car is not going to behave like your old Nissan Maxima or VW Jetta you thought was so fast, it's going to end up off the road, and hopefully not involve anyone else. There were 45000 GTO's sold over its 3 year run, so I can only imagine how often this scenario is going to play out with 75,000 GT's or more a year sold.

 

[ayabe]

IRS would be cheaper than the LA in this car, the difference is like $5/car.

It was on all the sites a few months ago.

Edit - found it, more than $5:

"Motor Trend’s Angus MacKenzie recently got some seat time in the new Shelby GT500, and calls it “a pretty impressive piece — fast, loud, and blessed with the best steering ever in an American Car.” “But,” writes MacKenzie, “the thing that annoys me most about the GT500 — about the whole 2010 Mustang range, for that matter — is the live rear axle. It’s the wrong technology, done for the wrong reasons; emblematic of the cynical ‘near enough is good enough’ attitude from Motown management that helped drive Detroit’s automakers into a ditch.” And thereby restarted a squabble that makes the global warming debate look like a lover’s spat.

MacKenzie claims that the Mustang was planned around the Autralian Ford Falcon’s independent rear suspension, but that “product development executive Phil Martens reportedly managed to convince Bill Ford Jr. he could save Ford $100 a car if the Mustang was switched to a live rear axle.” Plus, thanks to MacKenzie’s “well-placed sources” we learn “that once the noise, vibration and harshness, and driveline angle issues were solved, the S197’s live rear axle actually ended up costing Ford $98 per unit MORE than the low cost independent rear end originally developed for the car.” MacKenzie darns this boondoggle to heck, arguing that only “a tiny fraction” of Mustangs are drag raced regularly, thus justifying a solid rear axle. In the comments section, a horde of Mustang fanatics demurely dissent. And as embarassingly old-school as the live axle is, would the Falcon’s IRS really have improved the Mustang much?"

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/mt-fans-mustang-suspension-flames/

 

[JulesMaximus]

There were 60,000 Mustang GT's sold in 2007 vs 87,000 V6's. If the new one is sold at the same price, that number will skyrocket.

Having followed the GTO community for the past few years, once the prices dropped in the used market to the point that younger drivers could afford them, they were getting wrapped around poles more often than a stripper. Almost every post was started off with, it was cold or it was raining and I just lost control of it. No, you didn't just lose control. You were an idiot. When it's 45 degrees outside, you're on summer tires and it's raining, and you put the pedal to floor, the car is not going to behave like your old Nissan Maxima or VW Jetta you thought was so fast, it's going to end up off the road, and hopefully not involve anyone else. There were 45000 GTO's sold over its 3 year run, so I can only imagine how often this scenario is going to play out with 75,000 GT's or more a year sold.

I've owned two Mustang GTs daily drivers over the course of 10 years. Never wrecked either one (or any car for that matter). I thought with fleet vehicles the number would have been higher. Maybe I was thinking of how the Mustang outsold the Camaro and Firebird combined by a 3:1 margin.

I've driven plenty of powerful cars over the years including a few Vette's, a GTO, a few Porsches, an M3 and a number of other fast cars and motorcycles.

 

[zerocool84]

Ok you guys with your IRS have no idea what you're talking about and no idea what type of people this car is marketed towards. It's a relatively low price muscle car. Solid axle is cheaper to produce and much stronger in a straight line. People don't buy mustangs to carve the twisties or get a soft camry like ride. They buy them to go fast in a straight line and solid axle does that well and handles the power better. I'll never buy a mustang but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know the reasons why they keep solid axle on it.

 

[Pariah]

I've owned two Mustang GTs daily drivers over the course of 10 years. Never wrecked either one (or any car for that matter). I thought with fleet vehicles the number would have been higher. Maybe I was thinking of how the Mustang outsold the Camaro and Firebird combined by a 3:1 margin.

I've driven plenty of powerful cars over the years including a few Vette's, a GTO, a few Porsches, an M3 and a number of other fast cars and motorcycles.

Why are you telling me your driving history? It isn't relevant, and I don't care.