The reality is that we don't know. Odds are good that the GT500 the Z/28 will end up facing off against won't be the same as the 2011 model, and we don't know what they are going to change relative to that 2011 model.

 

Any idea when 2012 GT500 info will be released? They already listed Boss 302 specs, prices so I hope GT500 news comes sooner than leter

 

Put simply, I dunno.

 

We already have everything on the 2012 GT500. Same car with added option of leather Recaro seats.

 

Yeah, I saw that and then realized that the info you mentioned is a month old now...guess I was way out of the loop on this one. I'm surprised the GT500 didn't change more than this not so much because of the Z/28, but rather because of the Boss 302. I really don't think the GT500 stands much of a chance against the cheaper Boss on a road course.

For the life of me I still do not understand why the GT500 hasn't sprouted a TVS yet. Their pricing has to be virtually the same as the older design and every parameter, including durability and reliability, should get better with the TVS.

 

TVS?

 

The Twin Vortices Series take on the Eaton supercharger. They tweaked the design of the rotors for more efficiency, etc, etc. Ford offers the TVS as an aftermarket part for the GT500 and ZR1 comes with the TVS as standard equipment.

 

I'm with ya now. Now that you bring it up I've read about this before, just never thought about it I guess.

 

There's been some quiet speculation that Ford's moving off "GT500" and back to "Cobra" for 2013 or 14 and thus the 2012 was only given a mild update. Personally, I think that's people who blame the Shelby name for all the car's ills and look back at the Terminator with rose-colored glasses but stranger things have happened. More likely in my opinion is that they've simply come to the end of the development they want to do with the 5.4. Even Oz has moved away from the 5.4, and I'd expect the Expedition/Navigator to loose it when updated, so after the Aluminum block there won't be any big future 5.4 updates.

With the totally new Mustang looming, I wonder if Ford will try to stretch the current GT500 until the new vehicle hits or if they will take the time/money to Boost a 5.0 on the current car for a 1-2 year run.

 

Perhaps with all the efforts expended on the current S197 platform in 2010 and 2011, the next year or two may be fairly quiescent for substantive Mustang upgrades as engineering and development resources are shunted to the Nextstang due out in 2014-2015. Sure, you'll get some tweaks and De rigueur color and trim changes, but nothing very substantial.

I would also guess the GT500's SC 5.4's days are also numbered, likely replaced by a TT5.0 of similar or better power but a lot more efficient. Supposedly the current engine bay doesn't quite have the room for a TT and all its plumbing, but a next gen Stang, even if derived in some part from the current platform, would offer the opportunity to open things up a bit.

Of course, another option would be SC 5.0 which presumably would be able to fit into even the current cars engine bay. If that were the case, then perhaps a pre-Nextstang introduction of that motor might be possible as an S-197 swan song as necessitated by tightening emission/CAFE standards.

 

I just hope that we continue to have an SVT Mustang in production at all times. For a while we had a couple breaks in production like 2000, 2005-06 I just hope that the next version Mustang has a Cobra/GT500 available at launch that is kinda what kept me from buying a GT500. I "settled" for an 03 Cobra when I knew that the GT500 would not be available in 2005.

 

While the 5.4's days are most certainly numbered, I doubt we'll see a twin-turbocharged 5.0L engine any time soon. If anything, Ford will bring the Miami over to our shores (supercharged 5.0L currently offered only in Australia). Or, who knows, Ford may be working on an all-new engine that no one's talked about, yet...?

 

I saw that as well, and like you I doubt that this is the case but you truly never know.

And again I suspect the same thing that you do here, I was simply hoping that the TVS might slide by since it would represent a relatively easy upgrade.

I've been wondering that myself. Ford seems to prefer not to introduce a new vehicle and new motor at the same time. Typically the new car seems to come first, and then a year or so later the new motor makes it's appearance in that car. Of course they could work that same strategy in reverse and introduce a new motor for 2013 and then a new car.

If I'm not mistaken Rhumb I think the consensus is that Ford has either recanted with regard to this statement or was pulling our leg all along. I've heard several folks insist that a turbocharged 5.0L will indeed fit.

 

Well, seeing what they've been able to stick the TT3.5 in already, I wouldn't be surprised that if Ford really, really tried, they could fit a TT5.0 into the Stang's engine room.

Or just stick the SC5.0 Miami motor in there and call it a day.

 

I would be interested in seeing what the Miami's "real" rating is, and how it would do without having compromises to suit Euro emissions. But what I'd really like to see is for Ford to take the 5.0 to Roush-Yates Engines and say "do your thing." That would be a sexy engine when they're done.

 

Yeah I'll believe that when they bring the 5L back..
Oh..

Wait...

 

 

Tru'dat but I'ma gonna go ahead a place my bet at 4100 pounds for the upcoming Z/28. The regular car is right at 3900 lbs in SS trim.

GM cannot make the engine any lighter, the brakes might be suffcient with just a pad change (worked for previous GT's) or possiblely larger binders are needed? And then there are the requiste support systems for a 550+ supercharged engine ( revised and added heat exchangers). GM may have already engineered in a proper engine cooling system, but they still have to add one for the supercharger.


Although GM possibly has some weight saving tricks up thier sleeves and could possibly introduce them along with the Z/28 for a mass-neutral car - I highly doubt it though.

 

I may be wrong on this one but I heard that the Z28 is basically going to be the current CTS-V coupe with different sheet metal. I'm not sure the weight of the Caddy but I saw it compared to an 11 GT500 SVTPP and it slipped it by the smallest of margins in a drag race... (half a car or maybe less) I'm not sure about braking or handling stats but that should pretty much be the Z28.

 

There has been more info leaked in the past week about the Z/28, including that they'll start building it in Jan 2012. Seems like quite a long time since they first started working on it, even after the bankruptcy.

I'm honestly not that worried about the Z28. I really think they did the name some injustice by going with the LSA powerplant. When they finally started the 5th gen Camaro, I thought they'd set things straight and go back to the "old school" nomenclature, and they did for the most part. A modern Z28 would be a great competitor for the Boss, not for the GT500. The LS7, adjustable suspension (not magnetic ride), and aggressive gear would have been a better choice to honor the name. Seems like they took the easy way out, used some off the shelf parts, stuck on some leftovers from the Transformers movies, and bam!, there's your Z28!

From what I've seen/heard/read, 2013 MY Mustangs are going to be pretty interesting. I can't wait to see what's in store.