Last thread was pretty successful so here we go again.

Remember to post a quick reason for your choice at least!

No, I'm not an '05 basher, I just like to go against the grain of the standard "OMG its awesome" or "OMG this sucks" threads.

 

Removed "Spoiler Delete" from the "Options" selection, because it is available.

I voted for suspension, for what looks to be more of the 4x4 ride height that we've all grown to hate, and for the truck-like sidewalls on the tires.

I also don't like the placement of the mufflers or the lack-luster wheel options.

 

i voted for weight. spoiler can be removed, wheels can be changed, i can buy custom leather to change the interior color. i just wish they could have gotten the weight down to like 3200 lbs. that or went with wnother 50 hp all around....250V6 and 350GT and went up from there

 

I went with suspension, as I'd prefer an IRS like many others. Along the same lines as Brad, I'm a bit dissapointed with the Explorer like tires on both the V6 and GT.

 

A combination of weight and suspension. I voted suspension however.

 

Suspension, specifically a lack of a modern IRS, is my primary whine. Any modern performance car deserves better than a last-century-tech oxcart axle propping up the hiney end. But better is promised…

Second might be the weight. While not exactly portly, less deadweight would help all aspects of performance, be it accelerating, turning or braking.

The lack of a simple spoiler delete would be an annoyance too.

In the same vein of minutiae, I think the interior mold/panel lines could have been better aligned to give a yet more integrated look. Looks like the design/engineering/manufacturing huddle got a little muddled here.

A 6-speed MTX might have been nice too, if somewhat superfluous for a big, torquey, broad band V8.

 

i voted for suspension/ride height. i think it can really make a difference to lower a car, even just a bit. and i would imagine that the taking the 05 down a bit can really help to improve its look.

does anyone know off hand how high it sits right now? (it may be available and i just missed it) and if anyone has thoughts on lowering it, how far to take it down?

 

I share Rhumb's concerns ... but I was paging through a Canadian magazine called World of Wheels which has an interview with the guy who tuned the suspension (sorry, can't remember his name).

Anyway, he had done a stint with Ford of Europe and mentioned that many B-class cars there (which I believe include cars like the the VW Polo and Ford Fiesta) still have live beam axles and handle quite well.

Defending the use of a live rear axle in the Mustang, he said that getting the basic geometry right and through careful attention of bushings, springs and such that he was able to get surprisingly good handling with the live rear. And, such basic work would ensure that the IRS variants were more than competitive.

Of course, it was a promo interview, so what was he going to say! But, many great handling FWD cars still sport beam axles, so I'm trying to keep an open mind.

I do wish the 'Stang had come in a bit closer to 3000 lbs - that would have paid a divident in every area of performance. This Mustang will get an IRS in some variants -- it is very unlikely to lose much weight!

 

tough poll on someone who is overly exited like me. I went with weight. Could be lighter, but what it weighs is nothing im too dissapointed with.

 

Just about any axle can handle well on a relatively smooth track when ride quality is of no concern -- to wit, I would point you to any number of go-carts that'll stick like gum to your shoe on a track.

Also, beam axle FWD cars, being FWD, don't have all the very heavy, heavy-duty axle components (drive shaft, axles, differential, u-joints, etc.) a high power RWD car would. Thus, they have relatively light unsprung weight, the main hobgoblin of a live axle RWD car.

That said, getting the basic geometries and whatnot right ARE very important in any suspension, and is/was, unforetunately, one of the big problems with the Fox chassis -- that it never really had these basics down very well to begin with. Ford then spent almost three decades more or less trying to ameliorate the chassis weaknesses rather than honing it to some ideal of handling and compliance.

The new chassis seems to have had great attention paid to getting the basics right and should be magnitutdes better, live axle or not.

 

Not enough options, but I'm sure that will be remedied in the next few years...

 

All of the above.

Interior and exterior styling a bit too retro for my taste.

Base 4.0L gas guzzling truck engine. :notnice:

Live axle should be offered only on a pickup truck.

And yes she is too heavy...

 

a couple of items, just to keep some perspective:

the original mustang was an absolute bargain...besides being a new type of car it was dirt cheap. THAT price advantage was a major part of it's success. that same thinking went into the 05 mustang. price was always the first consideration, imo.

to cover all the bases of what people want in regards to options and performance levels, by the time the svt version comes out, there will be three distinct models, at the very least with commensurate performance, depending on how deep your wallet is.

the base v6 is based on the original 2.8 or 2.6 cologne v6. it was designed and manufactured by ford of europe and came out in the 70's. it was a purpose built v6 with an ideal 60 degrees between the banks. the outgoing 3.8 is derived from the ford small block 350 and has a 90 degree bank due to the castings of the v8 that were used...not an ideal set-up to say the least. the cologne v6 was the performance engine offered in the mercury capri back in the 70's...a very quick car for it's time.

the 05 mustang is considerably larger in wheelbase over the 04...it is a complete departure from the fox platform...look at the distance from the front axle plane and the base of the windshield: most of the engine mass, especially the v6 will reside BEHIND the front axle. this is very good for balanced handling.

the weight of the 05 stang would be very difficult to reduce to any great extent since the car is so much bigger and the fact that any serious weight reduction (lots of aluminum in the suspension and body parts) is very expensive to manufacture...and there is the key...cost. that's why the 05 stang will be a runaway success, imo. it's affordable and in the day of 30k cars, that's refreshing to see. jack 90seville 94k

 

Actually, the original Mustang was not that cheap with a few necessary options, the price would easily excede that of a base Pontiac Catalina which could be had for $2,995.00!

 

I voted suspension...

I agree with brad, I would have prefererred a lower stance and shorter sidewalls, or at least the chance to get my hand on the 18" wheels

 

Have you seen it in person? Lowering a well engineered car does not exatly help. Half of the riced out modified hondas actually get outdone by nearly stock setups at the track a lot of the time. Untill it is thoroughly race-tested, there is no way to know the effects of what lowering does for the car.

 

As for dislikes, the same apply, no pull-**** on the headlight switch, and the parking brake handle.

As for IRS and what not, I have no problem paying 32k for a SE with IRS, brembo binders, suspension work, and 18" wheels. For $25K? you're asking WAY too much for too little. Step up to a Cobra.

 

I think the car is perfect... just pissed it's taking so long to get here, but I'm sure it'll be worth the wait.

 

:bang:
The pony drive ended before coming to Savannah. What was left was those who are returning home. Maybe next time.

 

Has anyone actually weighed a production car