No road tests of 2005 GT yet?

Does this car's engine really exist yet? The one at the autoshow I went to had it's hood closed and was on a spinning platform so you couldn't examine it. I'm wondering if Ford is holding back until the fall to allow testing or if they are literally still working on the car?

-Rich

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Richard
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This power plant exists. There are many test mules operating at the moment (including a Cobra :)...with a 5.4 ;) ), and I've seen the power plant in person. It's a nice setup. However, the tuning community will hate it for a while. There are three synergistic computer systems on the car now: the PCM (not quite an EEC-V but nobody I've talked to knows what Ford will call it), the VVT controller, and another controller. They are currently so intertrwined that you can't tune one parameter on one controller without tuning something else on the others. Furthermore, currently, the PCM starts limping if it detects any significant changes in system input. Even a catback change will cause it to enter a "limp mode". Hopefully this isn't the final setup but my info comes from one of the powertrain control engineers and he thinks it's here to stay.

Also, I personally have a couple of friends who got to drive the mule I saw. According to them the new suspension feels pretty nice but the car had pretty crappy DOT tires on it and pushed horribly. So they couldn't really lean on it to compare it to what they drive now.

Dan

2003 Cobra convertible With some stuff and things
Reply to
Dan

Kind of makes you wonder about the supposed Ford rationale for keeping a solid rear axel. They say they kept it because users of the Mustangs want to go as fast in a straight line as possible. If that is the case, why the restrictive control systems that negate the ability to tune the car, if Ford is catering to the Mustang tuner community?? Most likely, they perceived no one would complain about the solid rear axel and it is cheaper for Ford to keep it than replace it with a Cobra-type suspension.

-Rich

Reply to
Richard

significant changes in system input. > Even a catback change will cause it to enter a "limp mode". Hopefully this isn't the final setup but my > info comes from one of the powertrain control engineers and he thinks it's here to stay.

I can HEAR the screams already!!!

-ERIC

89 5.0 LX Vert w/93 Cobra long block, GT-40 heads, Unknown Camshaft(??), HyperTech Chip, 73mm C&L MAF, BBK 2.5" O/R H-pipe, Flowmaster 40 Series Deltas, King Cobra Clutch Set, BBK Strut Tower Brace, Poly bushings.

Reply to
Katmandu
** Hopefully this isn't ** the final setup but my info comes from one of the powertrain control ** engineers and he thinks it's here to stay.

At 300 hp, I'm not sure I'd want to change a thing anyway. I'd love to be able to buy a Mustang GT that I didn't have to pour $3,000+ into, just to get it to handle and accelerate like a GT should. This *could be* the holy grail we've all been looking for after all.

Regards,

-JD

--------------------------------- JD's Locally-Famous Mustang Page: http:/207.13.104.8/users/jdadams---------------------------------

Reply to
JD Adams

Now, honestly, do you really think everyone is going to want to keep their cars stock? I don't. Sure, there will be a lot of people who see no need to upgrade, but for people like me, there will have to be an aftermarket for the car for me to even think about buying it. I don't care how fast it is or how good it handles, it can always get better. Erik D. '94 white lightning

Reply to
Erik D.

There's always the want/need for more power, more speed and bragging rights. The stock setup will be merely a foundation to be built upon.

Reply to
Ralph Snart

Well, it's not quite as bad as it may have sounded. On the up side it's a real VVT system that works. It will make the 4.6, especially in normally aspirated trim, a little stronger. The flow numbers on the heads are pretty nice. Yep, just like everyone had to learn something new when the cammer

4.6's appeared, everyone will have to learn something new with this motor.

However, every major tuner is getting lessons on the systems right now. SEMA is on our side and is pushing hard for the details on how the engine management may be tweaked by the aftermarket. This will cause a delay for the typical mild modder, but trust that the big tuners and, fairly soon afterwards, the grassroots tuners will catch up and figure it all out. At worst there will be a slew of standalone and replacement PCMs for the hardcore enthusiasts. More likely, given a couple of years, there will be chips and/or flash modules. Imho, there are just too many Mustang performance fanatics these days for this to cause a complete standstill :).

As for the solid axle, Ford chose to take the low cost alternative because, well, it's low cost and just about every single poll, online and off, indicated that the Mustang GT market just doesn't want the IRS. I've talked to a ton of folks myself, I've seen and participated in some of the polls. The Mustang GT owners consistently demand low purchase cost, low maintenance cost, and low replacement cost. Furthermore, they consistenly demand the highest straightline performance. Sorry, that's a solid axle right now.

The Cobra community has a slightly different slant so they will get the IRS back. But, given the high number of '99-'03 Cobra owners that have opted for the solid axle swap, don't be surprised when, once again, Mustang GT and Cobra owners trade rear ends :).

Dan

2003 Cobra convertible With some stuff and things
Reply to
Dan

You're a rare one :). But this won't be the holy grail as far as I'm concerned. They've taken all the aluminum out of a superior suspension. So, yeah, the geometry is fixed but we'll still be spending big bucks to get the weight down and get the better parts back. On the upside, the solid axle suspension is a three link and will be stout. Back to the downside, 300 hp is not enough. It's barely enough to keep up with the older LS1's, it's weight makes the car susceptible to losing to lightweight, boosted pocket rockets, and the new generation GM performance engines are going to, once again, kick it's ass out of the box.

But, I believe, it will (eventually, again) be relatively low cost with great performance potential. All a Mustang was ever meant to be :).

Dan

2003 Cobra convertible With some stuff and things
Reply to
Dan

One good thing about the ricers though, (In Toronto) the drivers generally crash before they ever get up to speed. Every weekend I see some news report with a Civic mangled to pulp.

-Rich

Reply to
Richard

Sounds like the same horror stories we heard a few years back about OBD-2.

But as they say, if someone programed it, someone else can reprogram it.

Patrick '93 Cobra '83 LTD

Reply to
Patrick

Amen. I'm not too worried. It's just an evolutionary step :). There will be those resistant to change and those who embrace it. Those who embrace it will make these cars go fast, fast ;)

Dan

2003 Cobra convertible With some stuff and things
Reply to
Dan

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