The engineering expo here at VT is tomorrow and a lot of major companies, especially GM and Ford are going to be there. Today an engineer arrived driving a pre-production GT. Went over there and talked to him, he was really cool and answered a ton of questions about the GT, Cobra, and GR1, and I also managed to get in a few questions about the Mustang Cobra.

He confirmed that it will have a detuned 5.4 from the GT with 400-450hp
They are currently working on the IRS
The car will essentially be the same body with a ground effects package

Pretty much already known, just reassuring to hear it from a ford engineer working under John Coletti

 

Very cool.

 

That's some major de-tuning since the 4.6L, 390 HP, 03-04 Cobra engine really puts out over 400 HP bone stock. I would think a 5.4 S/C would make 450 HP without breaking a sweat.

 

Yeah, also considering that the GT puts out an underrated 550hp, I'd say even 450 is a pretty big detune.

 

The good news will be that the 5.4L will be very easy to modify to get crazy HP

 

they might do something like use the 3V heads and the S/C

 

Don't be surprised if the Cobra isn't a S/C 5.4L...

 

I wonder if they would use the 3V heads. Smaller, lighter and lower cost with only 5% less air flow. Plus I thought the new Lightning was supposed to have a 3V, 5.4L , S/C engine.

 

 

Cool shot.

Impressive lighting from the GT.

 

I don't want a Cobra, but tell that engineer to put IRS in the Mustang GT.

 

Fine, I'll take the cobra!

 

Factory rated 450 will be more than 450. This car will be awesome.

 

450 seems a little low when you consider the fact that the current cobras put out a good 425+ HP with a 4.6L and 8 psi of boost with a modified roots blower as opposed the the extra 49 cu. in. (5.4L) with 12 psi of boost from a more efficient lysholm roots blower for the GT and better flowing cylinder heads (correct me if I'm wrong on the heads). Add the fact that Ford had to come back and crank up the GT's power rating to 550 and it's still probably underrated. They would have to really detune that motor. Unless Ford will rate it at 450 and be full of it.

 

well, im guessing that it wont be supercharged and will be putting out 450 hp NA. this seems like the most feasible option for the detuning of the engine.

 

It's a shame that Ford feels like it has to cripple one of it's best designed engines ever just so that it could be in a Mustang Cobra. Oh well that will just mean that it will be ever more easier to get wads of extra hp out of the engine. Can you say possible Mustang Supercar. :drive: Something tells me that the new Cobra R's wont be crippled like the regular Cobra will be. After all everyone knows that we will see another very limited edition Cobra R on the new body and taking the engine straight from the GT and placing it in the engine bay of the Stang (without detuning it in any shape or form) would make the perfect Mustang Race Car.

 

The Ford rep at the Cleveland Auto Show said the Cobra would be between 400 - 450 hp. Since then, I have heard some very strong rumors coming out of friends at Ford that say its going to be 475 hp or higher.
A 450 hp 5.4 would be a dream for me, I can't believe some of you are complaining about 450 hp. Why don't you just drop $5000 in your 4.6 or 5.0 if you want to go faster??

 

I agree with John, why complain about 450hp. that is more than most of us will ever need. The '03/'04 Cobra is very fast. Slightly modified, they are scary fast. This next car is gonna be unreal.

 

The SVT team made it very clear with the Lightning that HP is not going to be the driving factor of their automobiles. Speed is about more than horespower. They are looking into building efficiency in by dropping weight and using better suspension components as well. At some point insurance companies are going to start looking with easily attainable 500HP cars straight from the factory.

 

I read that quote from Coletti. I'd love to see a light weight, near 500 hp Cobra. Carbon fiber, aluminum, high performance plastics. Makin' me drool.