Ford Mustang (2005 and Newer)

05mustang

there's not a lot of feed back on the new 05 ford mustang. not the 2005 ford GT

tomcat630

Man, people act as if all the 60's Mustangs had 300-400 HP V8's. And what's all the hand wringinig about the 3.8? It's being dropped for 2005 Stangs.

There always was and always should be a base level Mustang with an adequate engine for average buyers.

revdrluv

I thought Ford said that the Mustang would be the only RWD car under 20k, meaning the V6 version. I never heard them say that it would be the only RWD car with a V8 costing under 20k.

babicka

Here they are front and back!
http://www.fallscitymustangclub.com/images/othercars/05%206.jpg
http://www.fallscitymustangclub.com/images/othercars/05%201.jpg

3point1v6

looks cool...i wonder if that really is the car though...also im not so sure about the round headlights on the inside..i know its a throwback to the old 69 mach 1 but still...this model would look best w/o them.

john_324

I think it's pretty plausible that these are the real deal. Esp. the back...it's new, but not radically different from the current model. Which seems to me to make it more likely this is the more-or-less ready for production model.

But I agree with 3.1 on the inner headlights. In fact, I think back in the late 1960s, Ford had to stop doing that because of DOT restrictions on headlight placement. Resident history experts?

tbcreative

Couldn't this version with the grille lights be an optional package?

This is the production Mustang.

3point1v6

thats what i was thinking...just have the rounded headlights as some sort of premium package...i think it would be best if they just made them available at dealerships for a little extra money...then if you dont want them you dont have to worry about taking them off.

tbcreative

I was comparing these latest spy shots to the Mustang concept, and it kind of looks like Ford has dropped the ball. The really cool lines and shapes that hearken back to the late '60s 'Stang in the concept, have been smoothed and modified a bit to look more like a blend of the concept and the current model in the production version.

I don't know why Ford couldn't produce a Mustang that looks ALMOST EXACTLY like the concept. I understand needing to change a few minor things, like not having the exhaust pipes integrated into the middle of the rear bumper, but come on! The 2 concepts had me excited about the Mustang for the first time in years! The prototypes in the spy pics are a bit less inspiring.

Oh well, all we can do is wait to see what it actually looks like...

fdthird

john_324,

What you are thinking about is the Shelby that started the year with the grill headlights side by side dead center but had to move the lights to the ends of the grill after producing only a few because of (I believe) several states' motor vehicle regulations.

blindsight

so cool

john_324

fdthird, you the man! Good call...I knew it was something Mustang, just couldn't quite recall. Wasn't there also an issue with the Shelbys regarding turn signals or some kind of light on the c-pillars at some point?

Re the concept-to-reality problem, yeah, I totally understand. I go to auto shows and think "I would so drive that". But I guess most people actually wouldn't...so things get toned down. I guess most of the market is pretty conservative in its tastes. Too bad.

Though I think the Viper actually went from concept to reality relatively unchanged though...

NSORIC

http://www.stangbangers.com/Wallpaper.htm

riceman3

Driving in Dearborn on Southfield FWY, saw a proto convertible with the dots all over it. The spy picture looks pretty accurate as to the front, the back had a tarp on it so couldn't get a great look. Interior looked like it had silver gauges w/ leather. Overall impression was pretty good, but not as agressive as the concept car. I'll be curious to see what the final version will look like. This was the GT or Cobra version as it had the twin pipes.

3point1v6

did the front have the rounded headlights along with the regular ones?

please say no...

crystal3rose

Has anybody heard any talk about the price range of the 2005? Do you think it's going to be around the same as the other mustangs or more expensive?

snakerbill

Does anyone know if the DOHC engine will be available in the GT? Will this car have IRS? Will it have unequal length A arms for the front suspension? I hope so. We have waited too long to get just a re-do of the 25 year old platform. If Ford does not do this right I predict the GTO will kill the Stang. Too sad to imagine.

davinci4

I agree with the previous comments as to how close Ford will follow the concept idea with the production version. It seems that the Mustang has gone from its original sporting concept into something that would be a family car in Europe. I also agree that if Ford departs from a new sporting concept that has been promoted - its existence will follow the Camaro. Ford missed the ball with the 35th anniversary. The design was something a non-automotive designer would have come up with. They should have taken the '65-66 GT and "morphed" it into a performance vehicle for 2000. That's past history. If they do this one right, with a decent selection of engines, transmissions (including a 6- speed) and by keeping the price within the reach of common folks- they will have winner.

snakerbill

Does anyone out there know when this car will be for sale? I have heard so many different dates that it might be two years away. The most recent date of sale is April of 04 according to a Ford dealer. What have you heard? Also, what will be the lowest and highest prices? (MSRP)Are there any specs available to the public? Any other info would be appreciated.

ambull

I heard this from a Ford exec on SpeedTV this morning.

carjim

The rear deck of the side view has me concerned a little. It appears as if the rear end swoops upward from the back window. That would be weird. Or, am I looking at a spoiler that makes it look taller on the tail? Can anyone tell?

tdubz

the 05 mustang gt will not have irs.it will supposably go on sell in sept/oct 2004. expect the price to stay the same or rise only slightly. remember the mustangs market is an affordable sports car, raising the price would alienate the target audience. i would expect price increases about the same as the f150. from what i have heard the gt will get a 4.6 3v v8, with horsepower in the range of 300-320. i believe ford vp steve lyons said to expect the 05 stang to perform better than the last f-bodies.

snakerbill

If no irs, do you know what the front suspension will be? Is the V8 you mentioned the sohc or the dohc? Does this car still have six gauges? Anyone know? With a solid axle it seems that we are still dealing with the old Fox platform. Ugg

tdubz

dont know the answers to your questions but i will try to find them out. as for the irs, it will be on the cobra and maybe some special editions from what ive heard. theres a really good forum for mustangs. the isnt working right now for some reason so i cant copy and paste the link for you, but if you do a search for "brads mustang" on yahoo, it will come up as brads mustang site. just click on that, then go to the forums and you will have lots of info. theres even some really good CAD's of the 05 mustang that was done from the spy pics and an old ford cad that was leaked out about a yr ago. anyways check it out. when the site is working, i will post the link

snakerbill

Many thanks, and I will try that site. Any other info is appreciated.

john_324

My thoughts: front suspension will be MacPherson struts in the interest of keeping the price tag low, GT engine will most likely be the SOHC, and I hope the 6 guages remain (there's something so musclecar about lots of guages).

The platform itself is a shortened and cheapened (read: steel instead of aluminum) verison of one Ford uses now for Jaguars and Lincolns (LS I think??), so pretty state of the art (but I love that my 2002 rides on a 1978 platform nonetheless).

John

tdubz

there are photos of the new 05 mustangs gauges n the ford website. whats interesting is that the gauges color can be changed, with up to 125 color options. pretty cool

stang2000

Hi Everyone,
Maybe too soon to know or not but does anyone know if the ragtop will be coming out at the same time as the other Mustangs? Thanks

treehumpindog

I love this car! Please, Ford, don't skimp on the car interior. Good quality leather, good quality fabrics, good quality plastics, good quality metal and chrome bits and trim. Good quality. Make us enjoy sitting in this car. Make us proud to own a Mustang by making it reliable and affordable and stylish and well finished. Oh, and please offer it in some crazy candy colours like orange, green, purple, turquoise, and gold.

snakerbill

How does one change the color of these gauges? Can that be done by the owner or is it a one choice deal??

3point1v6

from what i have read on various websites it is something that can be continually changed...like there will be a dial that you will turn that will gradually change the color.

shelby_kid

The mustang is scheduled to go on sale in the summer of 04....the price range will be about the same or justa little higher then any other new release for a mustang(i.e. a new 04 coupe was about $18k+ in 2003)..the price will range from $18k+ to $39k+ (MSRP)...The regular coupe however is not the one i am looking forward to. I cant wait for the Shelby and SVT editions. Those are what have me looking forward to the 04 release. If you are wondering if my information is accurate, It is....i have been reasearching this car for months now.My love of the 67 shelby mustang(Eleanor) is what lead me to do all this research. Since i wont be able to maintain one ever if i could afford to buy it i had to find an alternative...and this 05 mustang will do just that for me. If there are anymore question feel free to ask if i dont know off hand i'll get the info for you.

tomcat630

The 05 is on "DEW-Lite", a less expensive version of the DEW98 used for the Lincoln LS/Jag S.

The biased auto press will hate the live axle, but then what Asian car sold here has a V8 and RWD besides the luxo boats??

z9z9z9z9

Pretty much anyone (with the exception of drag racers) who understands suspension design will hate the live axle, especially in the northern parts of the US where roads are so bad.

Ford's explanation that IRS costs too much is really lame. Even KIA and Hyundai use IRS. To be fair, RWD IRS costs a bit more, but even stamped steel semi-trailing arms would be better than a live axle.

corsicachevy

The only good reasons I can see for keeping the live axle set up are for durability, reliability, simplicity, cost and weight concerns. Unfortunately, that is quite a list.

An independent rear suspension would be a welcome addition, but given the current bean counter mentality a live axle seems all to predictable.

john_324

True, but live axles make tail-out fun sooo easy! And what's more ponycar than that? : )

tomcat630

"Even Kia and Hyundai use"... a lame-axx IRS. No way would they hold up to V8 torque.

If you don't like live axle, get a Kia or Hyundai then and watch everyone ignore the car.

z9z9z9z9

weight concerns:
The real issue here is UNSPRUNG weight, which is one of the reasons a live axle handles so badly on broken pavement. Not only are the wheels moving, but the entire axle and differential is along for the ride too.

V8 torque:
The IRS on the Dodge Viper seems to be able to deal with 525 ft/lb torque, so I don't see reason why Ford can't deal with the 325 ft/lb or so that the V8 Mustang will produce.

Final thought: are there _any_ other vehicles currently being manufactured with a live rear axle other than taxi cabs and pickup trucks? Very few. If a live axle is inadequate for midsize family sedans, what business does it have on the back of a "performance" car?

corsicachevy

Regarding weight concerns - it appears that the new Mustang, even with a live axle is going to weigh around 3700 pounds. I fear that the Cobra version (with IRS and a supercharger) will start to brush up against the two ton figure.

I understand the importance of keeping unsprung weight down. However, some pony car fans may appreciate measures to keep overall weight under control. Keep in mind that I find an IRS superior to a live axle in most instances, including this one.

For those of you concerned about durability, it doesn't seem to be an issue for the current IRS equipped 390hp Cobra.

snakerbill

What is really annoying is that the Pontiac GTO will have IRS, and it has a lot more power than what Ford is planning for the GT. However that car weighs over 3800 pounds, and costs about 35000. Ford should never let GM get ahead of them again. (Like they did with the last F bodies)
Why in the world would Ford build the all new Mustang with a solid rear axle? Forget about all the excuses like weight, cost etc etc, and build the car in the modern idiom. Ford, Are you there? Are you listening?

john_324

Ford didn't exactly "let GM get ahead of them" re the F-bodies. There's a reason why the F-bodies aren't made anymore, but the Mustang is still going strong.

Mustangs have rarely been the pinnacle of pony car performance...rather, they succeed by being good at a number of things, rather than great at just one.

I like my Mustang precisely because it is such a dinosaur...there are plenty of very good sport coupes out there, but there's only one choice if you want to experience the musclecar ethos of old.

Perhaps Ford does have the right idea after all: if total performance is your goal, pick up a Cobra and you've got it. But if you want performance combined with some nostalgia, get the GT. That's what I did...

tomcat630

"let the F bodies get ahead"

In the race that counts in the real world, the sales race, the F bodies were killed.

Armchair magazine racers scream alot, but don't put down $$$ to buy the machines they so ferociously defend.

Also, the GTO is meant to compete with the Cobra, which has IRS by the way. There is no "base V6 GTO" at all.

No matter how much some scream, Mustang buyers are not looking for a Celica or Eclipse clone.

snakerbill

OK, why not make the IRS an option?? That way cheapskates can bounce around on the solid axle, and the rest of us can decide if IRS is worth its cost. Seems like that would satisfy everyone, and I can not understand why Ford would not do just that. Seems logical to me.

john_324

Yeah, I agree...esp. since it's not like Ford is going to have to fabricate one from scratch (since the Cobra will have one).

I think it unfortunately comes down to economics and manufacturing. Same reason you can't get a DOHC 4.6 as an option on your GT. : (

snakerbill

Now that you mention the DOHC 4.6 as an option on the GT. It is stupid that one cannot order such on the GT. I would think that Ford is in the business of making autos and why would they not make what the customer wants. If you go to a restaurant and want ice cream on your hamburger why not get it??? In my opinion there are too many not availables in the car business. If a customer is patient enough to order a car, why can he not have it the exact way he wants it. I would be willing to pay the price to get just what I want. What think??? Also do you think that Ford will ever make a Mustang without all those fake scoops and mandatory wings??? I want mine low key plain.

john_324

I know what you mean. I've looked at car option sheets from the 1960s, and back then you could get just about *everything* piecemeal. So you could say get the drag suspension without having to order the super cobra jet engine.

I suspect the we can't do that anymore due to production economics. Ford probably has to keep things as streamlined as possible in assembly, otherwise the costs get prohibitively expensive. So we have to get option "packages" not
picking and choosing what we want.

On the plus side, just as in the 1960s, you can get pretty much any Mustang feature over-the-counter from Ford to install yourself. Including the DOHC engine. Reading through the Ford Racing catalog is a hoot, just to see all the stuff available.

I agree with you re the scoops/wing, but we should consider that fake scoopage has been a part of Mustangs since the early days. The 1969 GT has a very prominent hood scoop that is, alas, fake. Nobody minded then...

Best you could do now would be to find a Bullitt edition: no wing, no side scoops, just the hood one. Plus Bullitts are the coolest-sounding Mustang of recent years (yes, that includes the Mach 1)...

3point1v6

i like all the scoops on the gt even if they arent functional. they help to differentiate(sp?) between the v6/gt/mach/cobra. they also make it look more sporty...in my opinion anyway

tomcat630

"I suspect the we can't do that (order peicemeal) anymore due to production economics"

Also to maintain quality. The Japanese learned that restricting options reduces complexity in production.

john_324

Yeah...though I complain about the options situation, I realize it's the best solution over the long run.

For most people, the packaged groupings are just fine, and as pointed out, I'd definitely hate to have Mustang quality drop *further*... ; )

And it seems to me that with the advent of leasing, and the general affulence of the avg. new car buyer, everybody simply gets the "loaded" package anyway. I think the avg. GT out there is a premium edition with leather, the Mach stereo, etc. I bought a "regular" GT because those things mean nothing to me...but I'm in the minority I know.

snakerbill

I agree with you. Every car that I have ordered has been the plain jane looking car with the best available performance options. My l989 LX 5.0 was a coupe with all of the performance options Ford made, and that car was a hoot to drive around as at that time the only way anyone could tell that it was really a GT was the very small 5.0 badge on the fenders. Surprised most everyone. Through the years I have had several such cars, and I have always enjoyed the sleeper versions. Forget wings and scoops and other cop baiting add ons. Why advertise that you might just break the speed limit??

john_324

'89 LX 5.0, eh? Cool! Those have to be up there in the all-time "bang for the buck" competition. I miss the LX V8 models, and wish Ford would bring them back. But unfortunately, that's unlikely I think.

Seems most people want all the luxury comforts in addition to performance these days. I see way more Infinity G35 Coupes than Nissan 350Z track models on the road, new Porsches have cupholders, and Jaguar hasn't built a sportscar since the early 1970s. It's enough to drive a semi-purist crazy (there was a great discussion here not too long ago about what constitutes a "sportscar" and therefore a "purist")