Mustang News:
A facelift is coming in 2009. More edgy and less retro -- J. Mays plan to propel the Mustang into a more futuristic approach to the classic American ponycar -- with flatter hood and a more aggressive shark nose.
Current V6 gets dumped for the new 3.5-liter Cyclone V6. Horsepower for the new V6 to be in the 260-280HP range. (NoOp Note: Yes, you read that right - 260-280 for the base V6.)
The 4.6-liter V8 grows in displacement with horsepower climbing to probably 350-400.
Tell them to get rid of the torque limiter, of some way to turn it off and keep it off, and then I might buy a mustang again.
Personally, I've never liked the coupes much. Owned three Fox hatchbacks (1980 2.3L turbo, 1982 Capri RS, current 1989 5.0L LX) and a '76 Cobra II (yeah, I know, but it was fun to drive). I'd be a lot more likely to buy another hatchback.
Arlie
Ive always liked the older hatchbacks and think a come back would be amazing. Im also excited to here about the new and improved HP numbers for both the sixer and the 4.6 v8
-Jake
(>snip
You know I'm sold on hatchbacks, Patrick. "The ultimate SUV." And I'm certain that the next design would address the inherent structural weakness, much the way that Ford has tightened up their convertibles.
I'd be interested in seeing their design ideas...
dwight
What about the bubbleback, like the Capri had?
NO!!! NOT THE BUBBLE!!!
Hell, why stop there? But a transparent dome on the car that folds back, a la the Jetsons.
dwight
Well Patrick, here are my thoughts.
lower, but without changing the overall look of the current design. I predict some will likely complain it's tired/boring-looking, long in the tooth after the new Camaro and Challenger debut.
I predict this powerplant is going to be a honey of a motor. Hopefully, Ford will be wise enough to use a high-performance version of this motor in the Mustang. How 'bout a Mustang Sprint V6 package with an extra 20-25 horsepower?
I don't understand this. Why not just use the current 5.4, or is that what they're talking about?
This is also a nice looking design -- chopped roof, snub-nosed, and very clean looking. Think next generation Camaro cleaned up a bit, with straighter lines and a Mustang face.
Cool! It'll be a return to the Fox days -- a sedan (then the LTD) and the Mustang using the same chassis.
"sedan similar to the 427"
Hmmm... I wonder if that upcoming new V8, previously known as the Hurricane, now named Boss, will be able to be poked & stroked to 427 cubes... hmmmmm...
And if they do this it'll really be a blast from the past. And I hope they do. As good/stiff as a solid coupe is, a hatchback, or at least a useable trunk, is such a nice feature to have. I don't know about anyone else, but the hatch feature was the thing that really sealed the deal on my first Mustang -- an '87 5-oh hatch. I was able to point at the Mustang with the open hatch and say to my wife, "see honey, it really hauls." And she thought I was only talking about the cargo area. :-)
Patrick
Me too... I'm sold on hatches and utility. That's why when we bought my wife's Accord back in '95 I wanted her to get a wagon version. (She didn't listen though.) And when we went looking this time, we bought the Element and seriously considered the Vibe/Matrix for thier utility. (Notice "we".) If it was just "I" it would have been a WRX. Oh well, it's her car... you know how it is... got to keep the wife happy...
If the Vette can pull it off...
Check out the current (November) issue of R&T... free [to read] at your local news stand now. Patrick
The vette, being fiberglass isn't using it's body for structure of the car to any great extent.
On Wed, 04 Oct 2006 21:12:41 -0500, snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com (Brent P) wrote something wonderfully witty:
Not to any extent at all really. It has a full hydra formed rail frame and roll cage points to which the body is attached. It really isn't much more then a covering. Look at an exploded/see-through picture of one.
This popped up in my Google News this morning:
Eeeewwwuu Yuck!
Can you say AMC PACER?
Good point, guys. So I'll revert to Dwight's comment -- "And I'm certain that the next design would address the inherent structural weakness, much the way that Ford has tightened up their convertibles." And add any modern chassis is going to be light years stiffer than the old Fox.
Patrick
See, to me this defeats the purpose of offering a V6, kind of like a Ranger V6 that only get 3 MPG better than a V8 F150.
Pfff... you just want a hatch incase you have to replace your clothes drier.
Hah! Ever buy an OAK DESK at a yard sale and just pop it into the car?
:()
Can't say I have. I guess they didn't have delivery?
A yard sale with delivery? Hell, I didn't need it anyway. Like I say, the hatchback will take just about anything, so long as the center of gravity is inside the car.
:()
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