Ok, the new Lexus LS460 has a 380hp 4.6L V8 with 367 ft-lbs of torque. 0-60 in 5.4 seconds. 19 city - 27 highway.

While this car may not compete for the same market segment - perhaps Ford needs to pay attention. Japanese / foreign V8s are leaving a mark and putting down some impressive numbers.

For decades it used to be that if you wanted the sound and pull of a good V8, you drove an American car. Period.

If you wanted fuel economy and eventually quality, you drove a foreign car.

Can American V8s stay on top?

 

When this topic comes up, it makes me mad for the very reason you stated. Out of the big three, as far as horsepower goes, it would seem that Chrysler is the only one not afraid to put a 425 HP Hemi under the hood of most of their cars. Yes, it may be the upgraded SRT 8 package, but at least its there. Fords take: Oh we'll give them a 300 HP engine, everyone can afford, and we're selling enough of them, so we are happy. and we'll make a 500 hp car the average guy can't touch.

I mean Chrysler puts a Hemi in their lead brick Magnum station wagon!!! and they have a Jeep cherokee with a 420 HP Hemi in it, that would fry most stock stangs......listen I understand that some of these cars are more expensive than the stang, but when Nissan is making V6 Maximas with 255 HP and Titan Trucks with 317 HP and 358 TQ, all I 'm saying is at least give us the option.....

I'm telling you instead of spending $1300 dollars on a Shaker 1000, give me an HO engine option for $1500 - $2000 bucks that at least gives you a Terminator like forged bottom end, so you don't have to worry about grenading the bottom end with a supercharger upgrade. I mean it is a proven engine that is already in the Ford Catalog!!

Trust me I understand Emissions standards, and bean counters and all of that nonsense, but I just don't understand that while they have given us a good car, why didn't they at least give us an option for a better one. that doesn't have a ridiculous ADM!!!

I love my 07' GT/CS, but if I could have afforded it, and trust me I love mustangs and I have had 5 of them, I would have went after an SRT8 jeep, New BMW 08' M3, or even a new C6 Vette.

Sorry if this response got off topic a bit........ if you feel the need to hit me with the flame thrower, fire away!!!!

 

No, you are very much ON topic -

Here is another one to keep an eye on...

http://www.leftlanenews.com/spied-hy...-v8-coupe.html

 

That V8 has a higher comperession probably.

 

I’m sorry but this is just silly. The Lexus LS460 has a BASE MSRP of 61,000, that’s 2X the cost of a fully loaded GT. And have you looked at the engine bay of the Lexus LS460? 380 Horse power is all you are ever going to see, that engine is not exactly mod friendly. While I agree a high output option on our cars would be nice, it’s not like you’re stuck at 300HP for your 26K! How about you compare the Shelby GT500, that would be more of an apple to apple comparison (albeit these cars are in totally different classes altogether).

 

True - they are not the same cars. No argument.

My point is simply that the V8 was for a very long time an exclusively American thing. Foreign cars could keep up (with their small displacement engines) only with turbos or superchargers.

Now others are offering V8s and the output is anything but 'ricey'.

I heard a Toyota pickup with a V8 go by last week and I have to say it sounded good. Not the usual 4 or 6 cylinder sound I associate with foreign vehicles.

Ford needs to pay attention and stay on top - not play catch up...

 

You could also mention: Lexus ISF / Nissan GTR (Skyline)(I know the new GTR is a twin turbo six but same ideals we are discussing IMO)

 

Everyone here does make some valid points. Also keep in mind that our 4.6 3 v engines will make power and torque numbers similar to the Lexus engine mentioned and still be N/A (with the proper mods) but no car company is going to able to offer that kind of refinement and keep the cost in the same range as the Mustang.
With the S197 GT you ARE getting an engine that is capable of those numbers at least. Ford gives us a good platform at a very reasonable price and it's up to us to make the car what each of us wants.
I'd rather do it myself anyways.
I would however like to see Ford offer more choices. I am in complete agreement with the idea of offering an engine upgrade for about the same price as the Shaker 1000. I think that's a great idea.
WIth mass production bringing the costs down I'd bet that Ford could offer some significant power upgrades by allowing the customer to select an engine upgrade in the range of what the Shaker 1000 costs.
With competition becoming greater all the time I would hope Ford responds.

 

A lot of foreign V-6's even have more power thaan our v8's. New Infiniti g35s making 306 hp on a 3.5 liter v6. Better fuel economy also. I like my Mustang's v8, but just wish Ford could have done a little more with it. 350 horse, 350 torque why not? It's not like the Mustang is a cheap car anymore. Look how much money Ford is losing, and they finally have a winner with the new Mustangs. You could tell Ford didn't want consumer blown gts running with the shelby gt500's and the Ford gt. I read a tone of times about broken pistons with cheap internals that can't hold up to the boost. Throttle by wire is a piece also. I shouldn't have to buy a new car and expect to do a lot of tuning to make a Mustang run like a Mustang should.

 

This topic doesn't make sense. Why? Because as others have stated, you are comparing two cars where one car costs twice as much as the other and wondering why the rated horsepower is lower on car that is 50% cheaper. For twice as many dollars, I sure hope it would have more horsepower or something for the money....

The cars are two totally different types. The Lexus is a big 4 door luxury car with no intentions of being a performance/sporty car. You think that 380 hp makes the Lexus a performance car? Here's what they said at the The Truth About Cars, which is unusual, since they usually love Lexus cars over there:
The GT500 is closer in price to the LS 460 and it's rated at 500 hp...

 

Again - my point was not to compare the cars, or the cost - just that foreign V8's are becoming capable of some impressive output.

How long until there is an affordable, sporty, stylish foreign car with a powerful V8? I say we are not far off.

I hope American Muscle does not lose its egde...

 

Direct Injection
DOHC, 32valves
VVT-i

All things our Mustang don't have. I know we have VVT, but the Toyota system is far more sophisticated. When a car costs $60,000+, you can afford to dump more money into engine development.

 

I agree with red454.... I love the Mustang that is why I finally took the plunge and purchased one. But I can see what he is saying, since everyone is trying to compare apples to apples in price and model of car. The new 08' Nissan 350Z is a 3.5L V6 with 306hp, 268lb-ft and starting price $28,515...my Stang with all my discounts and incintives cost me 32K. I would like Ford to start to up thier V6's and V8's with more power and like stated before a reasonable Engine upgrade option.

 

does it really matter what the japanese are doing?

I want more POWER for less money, regardless!!!
who doesn't?

 

How much more power can be found in these foreign motors though?

 

I know it is not practical to offer today, but can you believe that there were 10 engines available in the 1969 Mustang?

200cid
250cid
302cid 2V
302cid Boss
351cid 2V
351cid 4V
390cid
428cid Q code
428cid R code
429cid Boss

 

I'm having a hard time thinking of a car that has more than 3 or 4 engine options.

 

Ummm, a Vette has more power for less money Most 460's are around 70k, I would be impressed if it had 600hp.

 

WoW the OP doesn't seem to want to take the arguements given...no personal shot here but if you have $60000 to put into a motor you can get that power....if you put $25000 into a motor you still can tune it and putting the $35000 into that motor will bring it to what then....
Can the American car companies keep thier edge GM 7.0 Ford 5.4 S/C at 500 HP for $54000 and CHRYSLER the Hemi for rought $46000 I say yes they have thier edge.
The V6 that makes 306 HP has how much TQ? So how tunable is that motor?

 

Ok, I was looking for an answer to the question "How come they are getting more power out of smaller engines?" and I think you answered it.

In the never ending domestic vs. import wars, the "we make more hp per liter" stab always stings...