[suprajay79]

Today @ 1330.

5.4 liter is an all-aluminum block based off the GT, losing over 100 pounds off the nose.

Gets a 10-horsepower gain of 550, and the newer engine is engineered for higher rpm.

New Goodyear tires

19-inch wheels up front, 20 out back.

Convertible is 30% stiffer- execs say it feels like a 2010 GT500 coupe.

More info: 2011 Ford Shelby GT500 will be faster and lighter, execs say | detnews.com | The Detroit News

[suprajay79]

Even more info: 2011 Ford Shelby GT500 finally gets aluminum engine, loses 120 pounds — Autoblog

[1rnkpny]

What the heck are they doing with the stripes? EEEEEWWWWWWWW!!!!!!

[acidtonic]

I watched the live Ford webcast today at work (I work for ford in dearborn) and I have to say it's going in the right direction.

I dont care about more chassis crap that's why it's so heavy. They keep getting stiffer and stiffer and the mustang went from 3300lbs with an iron v8 to 3600lbs after an aluminum v8 that's almost 100lbs lighter?

All that work and personally I'd rather have the 3300lb car with 20lbs of subframe connectors which many say is all you'll need stiffness wise.....

It makes sense for the vert.... but now the coupe is simply penalised for the weight. They keep saying it's 100lbs lighter but is the curb weight truly 100lbs lighter or did they still add shit and hide the weight?

I cant find the curb weight anywhere.

Also they dodged the question on the webcast about people modding the aluminum block. His answer about modding was that the block passed the same in house tests that the iron block did such as overrev low oil etc. Now to me that answer means nothing if it cracks in half over 700 horse..... I think we wanted some proof that was possible.

[2010_LS1H8R]

man i need to finish my degree and get one!!

[tbi0904]

Originally Posted by acidtonic I watched the live Ford webcast today at work (I work for ford in dearborn) and I have to say it's going in the right direction. I dont care about more chassis crap that's why it's so heavy. They keep getting stiffer and stiffer and the mustang went from 3300lbs with an iron v8 to 3600lbs after an aluminum v8 that's almost 100lbs lighter? All that work and personally I'd rather have the 3300lb car with 20lbs of subframe connectors which many say is all you'll need stiffness wise..... It makes sense for the vert.... but now the coupe is simply penalised for the weight. They keep saying it's 100lbs lighter but is the curb weight truly 100lbs lighter or did they still add shit and hide the weight? I cant find the curb weight anywhere. Also they dodged the question on the webcast about people modding the aluminum block. His answer about modding was that the block passed the same in house tests that the iron block did such as overrev low oil etc. Now to me that answer means nothing if it cracks in half over 700 horse..... I think we wanted some proof that was possible.

3820lbs for the coupe, per Ford tech sheet, down from 3900lbs+. So yes, it is lighter. BTW, it's 40lbs lighter than a SS...made me chuckle a little.

In the autoblog article they quote an engineer (Jamal Hameedi) as saying the block should hold up to mods as well as the iron block. It's not 100% proof but until the modding begins on one we'll have to take their word for it.

I think it's pretty obvious that this car is meant to be more than a quarter mile warrior. All that chassis "crap" is for an all around performer. If it really picked up around 3 seconds over the 2010 that will put it real close to M3 territory. I think that's pretty cool.

Cars are getting heavier nowadays anyway, with all the new saftey regs and creature comforts that people demand. That's not exclusive to the Mustang. Hell a GT-R weighs 3800lbs and it's one of the best sports cars on the planet. My '89 LX barely cracked 3000lbs but compared to a 2010 GT in terms of refinement, build quality and reliability it was a pile of crap. That's just a fact.

[HBK_2007]

if the gt500 is only 550 hp, then the hp/$ of the new gt350 seems redundant

[acidtonic]

Originally Posted by tbi0904 3820lbs for the coupe, per Ford tech sheet, down from 3900lbs+. So yes, it is lighter. BTW, it's 40lbs lighter than a SS...made me chuckle a little. In the autoblog article they quote an engineer (Jamal Hameedi) as saying the block should hold up to mods as well as the iron block. It's not 100% proof but until the modding begins on one we'll have to take their word for it. I think it's pretty obvious that this car is meant to be more than a quarter mile warrior. All that chassis "crap" is for an all around performer. If it really picked up around 3 seconds over the 2010 that will put it real close to M3 territory. I think that's pretty cool. Cars are getting heavier nowadays anyway, with all the new saftey regs and creature comforts that people demand. That's not exclusive to the Mustang. Hell a GT-R weighs 3800lbs and it's one of the best sports cars on the planet. My '89 LX barely cracked 3000lbs but compared to a 2010 GT in terms of refinement, build quality and reliability it was a pile of crap. That's just a fact.

I dont disagree at all for what you're saying. What I'm going to say will surely ruffle some feathers but i'm going to say it anyway.

I'm still in the "rough unrefined lightweight thing with a V8" club. These new cars ARE nice it's just a different thing than it used to be. What the mustang is today in my opinion is really just a new vehicle that somehow stole the nameplate of the one I had. Now this new 5.0 might be closer to what I want in terms of finally matching my pretty much stock 12 yr old car in straight line performance. I still doubt it could hold a candle to how a lightweight car handles though.

Frankly it's the same feeling I have about the V6 "problem". The V6 mustang is simply not a "mustang". There was more to the car than the looks and chassis... It's about the character of the car and the attitude it has when roaring down the street. Some little putt putt V6 in the chassis does not make it a "mustang" in my eyes. Now with 300hp the new V6 might just change my mind, but nothing until that did because 225hp in mustang is a freaking joke. Even that 225hp is nothing compared to the 215hp in a fox 5.0. The Fox was 2700lbs stock with 300tq. The 225hp v6 has 600 more pounds with way less torque.

So sure we needed to sell them to make the GT possible, after all they sell well since there are a lot of people that think they are "Mustangs" and basically fund our GT/Cobra models since on their own they wouldn't sell since people are too poor and stupid.

But what I'm trying to say is somewhere between 2004 and now, the mustang lost it's character. The same way the V6 doesnt feel like a "Mustang" these new S197s were in the same boat. I drove one for quite awhile and it was fun and all, but it just wasn't a "Mustang". It wasn't raw, it wasn't loud, and that interior felt more like a fighter cockpit than a real car.

It is really a nice car too, but not what some of us crave in a sports car. It just needs a different name, some different looks, removal of the pony, and some marketing behind it.

The S197's felt more like what a Lincoln version of the mustang might be. This whole time I've been waiting for the dumbed down version with the Ford badge.... you know the one without fancy windows that roll up and down when you close the doors, the one without a big navigation screen, 1000 watt sound system, color changing interior lighting, all this plating crap on the dash, the myKey on the new ones, etc.

Where the hell did the mustang go? Really? Safety or not half that crap never should have been in the car. If you like Lincolns in your fuzzy warm existence then go get one, but I want the Ford model which just got killed for a luxury edition.

[tbi0904]

The problem is that the percentage of people that want a "rough unrefined lightweight thing with a V8" is miniscule. That may be what you like and that's perfectly fine but for most...forget it. Safety standards and emissions have changed a lot since 1979, so expecting any new Mustang to weigh under 3000lbs is just unrealistic. Don't forget, the Mustang was intended to be a sporty, fun car that appealed to young adults...a secretary's car. It wasn't supposed to be a muscle car, it went that way because the competition dictated that it had to. I agree that the V6 Mustangs have been pathetic (new one looks like it could be a lot of fun), but to say that they're not real Mustangs is incorrect. They have a lot more in common with 1964 than a Cobra or Shelby ever will. Lastly, just because S197's don't feel like a Fox doesn't mean they're Mustangs in name only. They just don't fit your view of what a Mustang should feel like. I've owned a Fox and it doesn't hold a candle to my '08 in hardly any way. The Mustang hasn't gone anywhere, it's just not a Fox anymore. That's not a bad thing.

[acidtonic]

Originally Posted by tbi0904 The Mustang hasn't gone anywhere, it's just not a Fox anymore. That's not a bad thing.

They ride nice and everything, I'm not trying to say the fox was better or worse, just that it had a different character and feel. The entire 2011 lineup is looking to be impressive and for once it seems everything sold on this chassis is indeed a mustang.

I'm glad that its going in this direction for Ford's sake and they said in 2014 they want to get lighter and smaller. So if they swing back in that direction now that the world is finally seeing the problem with heavy vehicles, although their problem is fuel economy and I'm worried about corners, I'll be pleased.

Back out to shovel the 8 inches of snow outside. Can't wait to pull the Cobra back out of the garage again

[tbi0904]

Originally Posted by acidtonic They ride nice and everything, I'm not trying to say the fox was better or worse, just that it had a different character and feel. The entire 2011 lineup is looking to be impressive and for once it seems everything sold on this chassis is indeed a mustang. I'm glad that its going in this direction for Ford's sake and they said in 2014 they want to get lighter and smaller. So if they swing back in that direction now that the world is finally seeing the problem with heavy vehicles, although their problem is fuel economy and I'm worried about corners, I'll be pleased. Back out to shovel the 8 inches of snow outside. Can't wait to pull the Cobra back out of the garage again

I just got done digging out from 2 feet of snow...and now we have another blizzard. Awesome.

[zigbigadoru]

my question is, why didnt they use the 5.0? i mean sure the 5.4 is nice and the designs are there for it alrdy but why make this brand spanking new engine and not really do anything with it?

[acidtonic]

Originally Posted by zigbigadoru my question is, why didnt they use the 5.0? i mean sure the 5.4 is nice and the designs are there for it alrdy but why make this brand spanking new engine and not really do anything with it?

They said there was not enough room in the engine bay for turbos or a blower.

Also why take two risks on a motor you just built? Test it out on the GT and if it proves strong enough then eventually move the GT500 to it. For all we know this thing could fall flat on its face being a major failure with recalls.... at least then it's only one product line and not 2.

Not only that but the GT500's block is way better on paper. Ford GT blocks have been known to be like the Teksid of the 5.4s. Holding crazy power and being very well built, now they recast it with more reinforcing and it's a 6 bolt main still like my Teksid. The new 5.0 block is a 4 bolt main and I'm curious to see how it holds up. The shitty WAPS were 6 bolt mains and failed over 600rwhp, so I'm slightly worried about this decision to use a weaker design on motors known to be making more power.

[TheUNZippee!]

I can't wait until Ford builds me a 3000 lb car with a 5 star safety rating with 794 horsepower that gets 39 mpg and runs 8's in the quarter and sells it to me for 22,569 dollars.

[MustangMyles8996]

^ haha keep dreamin bud.

[tbi0904]

Originally Posted by TheUNZippee! I can't wait until Ford builds me a 3000 lb car with a 5 star safety rating with 794 horsepower that gets 39 mpg and runs 8's in the quarter and sells it to me for 22,569 dollars.

That still won't be enough for some people.

[suprajay79]

Originally Posted by TheUNZippee! I can't wait until Ford builds me a 3000 lb car with a 5 star safety rating with 794 horsepower that gets 39 mpg and runs 8's in the quarter and sells it to me for 22,569 dollars.

I'd still put a smaller pulley on it...

[acidtonic]

Originally Posted by suprajay79 I'd still put a smaller pulley on it...

No, it would come with a bunch of pulleys and the changing tools in a nice trunk mounted tool kit

[suprajay79]

Originally Posted by acidtonic No, it would come with a bunch of pulleys and the changing tools in a nice trunk mounted tool kit

Now that truly is the car that makes for wet dreams...and if it tuned itself for the pullies automatically...?

*runs to bathroom*