The 6-cyl Mustang is a dog

ford is not smart enough to compete with the asian market

i like it

h u r c a s t

For a recent vintage Mustang, Vortech makes a supercharger kit that adds about 80-90HP and about 60 ft/lbs of torque. So that's a bit more power than the stock 260hp 4.6L V8 (until they upped the V8 to 300hp recently). If you're stuck with a V6, that might be an alternative for you.

My advice, if you're into making a fast car, is to start out with the

4.6 (or the 5.0 if you're into fox body Mustangs). It's a lot cheaper/easier to make those engines perform than it is to squeeze extra ponies out of the 3.8.

Cheers,

RichA wrote in news:ek1kc1thit2am826j6mdm4572uk9fj5opt@

4ax.com:

So tell us which Japanese coupe sells for $18,000.00 and has more horsepower/torque.

Rich,

The 6 delivers performance comparable to early the 5-ohs cars of 20 years ago, and the early 4.6 cars. Low 90 mph trap speeds for a base model that retail for under $20Gs is pretty damn good.

If you're not satisfied with that answer, then realize the sales of all those less horsepowered, lower cost, 6-cylinders are helping finance the V8s we all want to own.

Patrick '93 Cobra '03 Focus ZX3

Sure about that? Might want to double check the latest JD Power survey.

And you like servicing men too, so pardon us if we don't listen to you.

Patrick '93 Cobra '03 Focus ZX3

The V6 in Canada is $23k The V8 in Canada is $36k.

It's not subsidizing anything. Lets be realistic here; The Ford Mustang uses old, long paid-for technology. It's practically the only car you can "update" from time to time with minimal cost, especially the engines. Cubic inches and not technology drives it's power, so the idea that there is some cost involved such as would be the cost to develop a 3L Acura V6 putting out 270hp is a bit silly.

-Rich

Will they really do low 90's in the quarter. That's probably better than my

5.0.

Gah? Do you mean the $42K Canadian Acura TL? Wow, a guy could do a lot to a

6 Mustang for an extra $20K. Let's be realistic here...

Brad

PS: Ask GM if the 6 subsidizes the 8.

A higher horsepower base model would likely cost additional dollars and lower fuel economy numbers -- two things that may cause some entry level buyers to look elsewhere. Fewer overall sales means, higher prices for the rest.

You mean the 4.6 that continues to get refined/improved? The one and only component I can think of is the solid axle.

How much horsepower do you feel the base model needs? It already has

210... so what, 260-280...? And then the GT will need... 325-350?

Patrick '93 Cobra '03 Focus ZX3

How come when the Mustang v8 sported about 210hp (1986?) it ran a second faster 0-60 than the "210" hp v6 does now? That 210 (I'd say) is highly optimistic. I should point out something anyway; I'm not advocating the v6 get more power, I only pointed out that it lacks power, nothing more. In fact, it's insurance cost is only 2/3 or less that of the GT thanks to it's price and lack of power so maybe the market sector serviced by it would be hurt if it sported more h.p?

-Rich

It is far from being old, long paid-for technology. This is not your dad's push-rod motor anymore.

Don Manning

I'm sure both cars make ~210 HP. The engines probably have comparable HP levels, but the thing is that the 6 banger is a torqueless wonder. It takes toqque to move cars. 6 bangers don't have the torque of a V8, which is why you will often see base model V6 cars have lower gearing than V8 cars, either in the rear or as a first gear ratio in the transmission. They need that additional torque multiplication to maintain reasonable performance. The V8 cars have more torque to begin with and can therefore do without the lower gear ratios. This is why many V6 and V8 models only have a couple MPG difference. In some cases you will find V6 cars get a more MPG in the city while V8 cars get a more MPG on the highway.

To get back to the particular topic at hand, fuel economy for the '05 Mustang between the V6 and V8 models with automatics transmissions is negligible, with what might amount to a noticeable difference between the manual transmission versions on the highway.

V6 auto: 19/25 V8 auto: 17/25 V6 manual: 19/28 V8 manual: 18/23

Which Japanese Manufacturer & Model has a higher rated (HP&TQ) then the base Mustang at the same price point?

I think you're missing the whole point of what the Mustang is supposed to be if you think it should be competing with a Japanese FWD car. As others have said, what other car offers as much hp and TORQUE in a RWD package at the Mustang's price.

There really isn't one with a base price anywhere close to the Mustang (just a tad over US$19k). If you want something with more torque and more power, it's not that big a deal (and still not that expensive when you compare it to any Japanese car with similar power/torque numbers) to slap a supercharger on the 3.8L. For $6-7k more than the Mustang you could get something like the base Subaru WRX and have 20hp more than the Mustang, but 20+ ft/lbs less torque. Supercharge the 3.8 and you're at

275hp and 285 ft/lbs and still a few grand cheaper than the Subaru.

For import sedan fun, I'm actually partial to the Audi 2.7L twin turbo. With a cheap chip upgrade, that's good for 320hp and 380 ft/lbs of torque. In my big heavy A6 w/6sp, I routinely smoke kids in Mustang GTs. All that torque + all wheel drive is a wonderful thing. Of course, that's a lot more expensive than a Mustang, but it just shows that forced induction + a V6 can be a real stump puller if set up properly.

Cheers,

The new Mustangs have a 4.0L SOHC V-6 that makes 210 hp and around 240 ft-lbs of torque. Install a blower and it will make 300+ rwhp and 350+ rwtq. Plus for $6k-$7k more you can get a Mutang GT with 300+ hp.

Nothing beats a factory engine built for forced induction to squeeze out cheap hp/tq.

Vortech claims 65hp gain and 44ft/lbs. And that's at the crank. I haven't been able to find any numbers that jibe with your numbers above. I doubt you could boost a stock engine that much without other (expensive) work to the internals and fuel system.

Nope. 8-)

Cheers,

Nice car! Even in the looks department I like it.

I'll happily line up against your modded A6 at the drag strip though =).. in a Mustang GT that looks like the rest you've "smoked". It's a

1998 Ford Mustang GT... one or two mods. FRPP 3.73 gears, Flowmaster exhaust running dumps, cold air intake (pfff...), subframe connectors, wider rear tires (255/60R-15)... and a Zex dry nitrous kit (75 shot). On a dyno it managed (bottle pressure 1200psi) 273rwhp and 370rwtq (which equates to roughly 314hp & 426 ft-lb torque at crank). I was happy with the results. Car weighs 3,250lbs factory... 3,470lbs roughly with me driving it. When just piddling around on the streets it's been more than enough to tear into a "factory" Camaro SS & way more than enough to tear into a stock or near-stock Camaro z28.

Ford did pretty good on these little 281's... 75 shot on the stock motor & no problems. There's an 03 SVT Cobra my buddy Tommy owns... he just recently put an NX wet kit on it (75 shot) after the pulley & chip upgrade.. cold air intake, etc.. putting out 545rwhp and 600rwtq... he runs low 11's all day long... but I'm pretty sure if he would learn how to launch he'd be in the 10's =). Obviously.. motors built from the factory for F/I devour all =).

-Mike

IMHO, it could do it. I've run 16 psi on a 150K stock short block 302. That 65 hp claim from Vortech is probably for 6 psi of boost. No self respecting blower fan runs less than 9 psi. ;)