Hi all,

More useless questions to fill up the board...and satisfy my quest for mustang info. I heard or read somewhere that the new mustang chasis (05-06) is based on a design from jaguar. I recall something about the chasis being developed for jaguar (owned by ford) and then modified by ford to fit the design of the new mustang. Story sounds logical (ford owns jag, mustang chasis is a new design, modular car design cost savings, etc.)...but I don't know if it true or not. If it is true, why no IRS? Does jag even make a live axel car? Was this (no IRS) one of the mods to the jag chasis? Anyone know the details of this story? I like the live axel in my muscle car...so I'm not complaining, just trying to find out some info.

Tilt

 

No idea on your question, but I'm also glad it doesn't have IRS.

 

The S197 ('05,'06 Mustang) chassis is a modified version of the DEW98 chassis that is in the Lincoln LS, Ford Thunderbird and Jaguar S-type. Some of the modifications were that it was shortened and made to fit the larger engine (the DEW98 was made to fit the 3.9 V8). It was also made to have an IRS in it, but because of cost cutting they ended up putting a SRA in it. Others can probably explain further in more detail.

BTW, I can't wait for an IRS in these cars. The roads around here are only getting worse.

 

The orginal plan seems to have been a lightly modified DEW98 chassis, aka, DEW Lite. But for various reasons (prolonged development schedule and costs, resultant penny-pinching, designing to a low price point, etc.), it pretty much ended up its own platform in the end with perhaps a few shared stampings and whatnot..

In the end, you still got a very stiff, if not especially light, platform with, instead of the Jag/Lincoln LS's sophisticated suspension, a rather simple MacPherson strut front and borderline crude live axle rear suspensions. All seems to work well enough certainly, even if it won't win any design and engineering elegance awards.

Jag hasn't seen fit to use a live axle for nearly a half century. Ford doesn't seem to check their calendar much. As for whether Ford's use of one is good or bad depends pretty much on your point of view: drag racers and penny pinchers - good thing; road racers and corner carvers - bad thing; secretary's and preeners - who knows or cares!

 

Actually one of the reasons they didn't go that way (Lincoln platform) was the plant where they were going to make the Stangs - they needed the engine to load from BELOW which you can't do on that Lincoln platform.........

 

Hahahah... that about sums it up perfectly!

 

Not true, the engines in the Lincoln LS are installed from below.
Been inside Wixom and watched Lincolnn LSs beeing assembled.
The driveline & suspension is assembled on a jig which is raised up to the unibody which is traveling down the line overhead. So the body goes together on one one, the driveline on another and the lines merge where the driveline is installed.

The reason why the Mustang has its own platform is 80% due to manufacturing cost.