don't give them ideas, lol.

 

I'm with you on that thought.

 

Changing the rear floorpan could indicate a new suspension design... maybe an IRS?

 

I thought the car was "Bolt-on" IRS capable as-is?

 

Gt 5oo Spoiler Now comes with Instructions and Drilling Template. Instructions clearly State for 2005-2008 Mustang!

 

sweet so that means Ford is still on track for next gen mustang for 2009 !

 

Good riddance as the current cheesy spoiler looks like it was ripped off any of a legion of Toyotas, Hondas, Nissans, Chevys, Dodges, VWs,...in other words, it was anything but unique, cool, badazz or distinguishing. Sounds like the '09 design might be a bit more compelling in its own right and need not resort to such cheap styling bandaids. Perhaps a well integrated "in the metal" spoiler or "ducktail," ala '69-'70, is in order, which would be as cool as the current tack-on is not.

Various rumors seem to indicate that the '09, while still very much a Mustang with clear heritage references, will be a more modern interpretation that is more aggressive yet more sophisticated. In other words, it won't rely on such highschool studyhall performance cliches like gawky, and functionless, hood scoops, Dumbo-ear side scoops, tacky spoilers and the like. Rather, the basic lines and contours will be more aggessive and athletic. Think M3 rather than 1976 Super Cobra.

Also rumors that the Mustang will become fully up-to-date with a version of Aussie Ford's excellent Control Blade IRS. Don't confuse the CB's qualities with the cobbled-together '09-'04 Cobra IRS, which many Stangers seem incapable of doing. The CB is stout, light, compact, affordable and very effective and will make even the SRA lively axle seem like the anachronism it is.

Apparantly Dana Corp., which subcontracts them for Ford, is already gearing up for much greater production capacity. Perhaps the Stang won't be caught wearing work boots to the dance when the Camaro and Challenger show up afterall.

 

uhhh...you just described what the 2005 mustang was.

 

To a degree, yes, but slide the needle a bit further from the retro end to a yet more modern interpretation.

As for the various tack-ons on the '05, I suspect this has more to do with the marketing department than the designers themselves, who did come up with a very clean and honest basic design.

 

lf find myself kinda surprised by those who seem... well....kinda surprised that the next Mustang will be a more modern take on the original than is this one. Frankly, that would seem like the next logical progression after starting the originals design eveolution all over again. I fail to see how this means Ford is changing their collective opinion on the path future Mustangs will take.

Rhumb didn't say this and I don't want anyone on the forum to get the wrong idea, but many on this forum have espoused the belief that this means Ford is backing away from their philosophy toward the Mustang somehow as I indicate above. Frankly, I think what is occuring is exactly what logic dictated would happen and have no idea exactly what these folks were thinking Ford was going to do to the Mustang in the future.

As has been pointed out on here before Ford seems to have taken a "911 approach" to the Mustang deciding that continual evolution of the original styling should have been the target all along. Since that didn't happen Ford took the Mustang back to what it might have been at this point had that indeed occured. From this point on I would expect that shape to evolve, but never be reinvented.

Will this model be more refined and more modern than the current car? it seems that way and I certainly hope so. And I would expect that the next generation will be updated in much the same fashion, continually refining the original concept. In fact, major changes being centered around the rear floorpan and hips even sounds like a typical 911 update.

 

 

Topnotch, is that a picture (post#32) of a CB IRS? Can't quite make out exactly what's shown, just wondering if that piece in the foreground with the cable going through it is a trailing arm...

 

The web address of that image is http://www.trueblueford.com/images/BA_IRSblade_l50.jpg

Based on the description I'd definitely say what was shown was an IRS...

 

Oops, nevermind! Saw the article/tech write-up posted on another thread dealing with a possible 2009 Mustang. That photo is indeed "the IRS" produced by Ford Australia. See the Dana stickers(?) on the posted photo as well - Duh! I like it and hope it makes its way onto the next revision along with an integrated ducktail spoiler for the rear decklid since I don't care for the current one on the GT/V6.

 

Here's CAD/CAM of the control blade:
http://www.themustangnews.com/photos...ov-07_irs1.jpg

It's from a good tech article on Mustang News. Basically what the other photo shows is the trailing arm, big stout piece that it is. There are two lateral links and a small toe-control link tool.

 

Control blade IRS is what's used on the Falcon

 

I would like to see a Really high rear decklid alla Fusion, Milan, MKZ.

 

I don't think we WANT Mustang to take a lot of the Camaro's steam away. Competition in this marketplace forces all manufacturers to strive for a better product, and so it will be with Mustang/Camaro/Challenger. And now that gas prices are starting to fall back to "reasonable" levels, this muscle car battle redux will give the Big 2.5 a much needed shot in the arm, PR-wise.

 

It appears to be an excellent system, too, in use in both Auz and Europe.

Ironic, isn't it, that an American company born in the United States has fallen technologically behind its European and Australian divisions...?