When the 2010 track pack was released it wasn't available til late summer 09. Since the new V6 is getting a performance pack that is not available until the summer do you all think that the 5.0 GTs track pack will have a late availability as well?

I hope not bc I don't want to wait another 6 more months to order mt new stang.

 

Yeah I think that this pattern will continue. I think that the reason they do this (staggering out new options) is to keep interest in the vehicle throughout the year. I think the pattern goes like this:

1. Rumors fly around about the vehicle (speculation and excitement creates)
2. Info gets leaked causing more buzz (possibly free publicity by Ford, more excitement builds)
3. Vehicle gets show at the auto shows (LA, Detroit, NY...)
4. Vehicle gets released. (lots of reviews and bench racing)
5. Once the "new" vehicles buzz starts to die they introduce new features (track pack and others...)
6. Rumors start about next years model.

It's a great strategy to keep excitement consistent throughout the year. If they do everything at once they could have a huge surge in sales and then a big drop for the rest of the year.

 

Good call Mitchell.

 

Might the '10 Track Pack delay been from tooling up manufacturing or finalizing testing/warranty issues since it was a brand new car? Not to mention all the other work they were doing on the Fiesta and Taurus.

Since the parts should be readily available now, I am not so sure Ford would hold back a Track Pack simply for marketing purposes. It is never a good idea to postpone sales -- why not get all the sales you could as quickly as you could? It builds momentum instead of forcing everyone to wait for what they know is coming, and it puts money in the bank. SE's have typically been Ford's method of "new buzz," and I don't expect that to change.

Besides, I seriously doubt the general buying public had any idea about the Track Pack before it was released and even fewer decided to wait to buy a car until it was released. Us forum junkies, sure, but we are a very minor portion of the buying public.

 

I agree with your line of thinking. Sell what you can while you can makes a ton of sense. However, Ford said in a press release that the 2011 V6 Track Pack would not be available until late summer. My guess is that the delay is because custom parts are being produced due to weight differences. If that is the case, then we should expect a delay for the GT as well, right?

 

Thanks everybody I just can't wait. If it is not released then I might just order a 5.0 and go with the aftermarket but the tires and rims alone are just so much more pricey.

Does anyone think the track pack could be installed after I buy the car?

 

Here I am being a stickler, but I should point out that there will not be a Track Pack for the V6. It's going to be called Performance Package. Track Pack is GT only. I feel like a crotchety old school teacher for saying this but I think there will be fewer misunderstanding if we call these options by their proper (Ford-given) names. For instance, on the GT I can find nowhere that Ford refers to Track Pack 1 and Track Pack 2, but I see it mentioned frequently on forums. And what the heck is a Mustang Deluxe?

 

A rose by any other name...

Whatever they call it for the V6, just glad they're actually giving the V6 some real performance bits, both in the engine bay and chassis. I suspect the "secretary's special" derision the current V6 has to endure, and not without some cause, will quickly be drowned out by a screaming motor and screeching tires.

Side note, got my R&T mag where they had a comparison test on drifting cars that included a Track Pack Stang. While it did pretty well, objectively (however little drifting has to do with objective performance in the first place), the drifter/driver did say it was the softest, slowest to react suspension of the test and that the lively axle didn't give much feedback. Thus, the Stang finished about mid pack, ahead of a Genesis 3.8 but behind a 370Z, Grand Sport Vette and the winning M3. Test did not include a Camaro or Challenger, which are more direct competitors, but I think R&T, with this slightly tongue-in-cheek test, wanted to sample a range of cars to see how they slid about.

Perhaps an even tighter Track Pack Level 2 would be a good idea for real hardcore driving and, well, drifting.

 

Right, and I'm sure the engineers from Ford were'nt too concerned with drifting when they designed the setup for this car

 

I was looking for info on the GTs Track Pack not the V6 Performance Pack. I know that there is a difference and am sorry if I confused some people. Track Pack 1 is just the 3.73 gears and Track Pack 2 is all the GT500 suspension parts.

A Mustang Deluxe is what the base mustang was called before they changed the name to just Mustang and Mustang Premium.

I am happy to but why is it not going to be available until the summer. If it won't be ready til then then why did Ford make the announcement? They should have held off and let the new motor work its magic then come July/August let the Performance Pack out of the bag.

I heard that they were developing a new track pack that made the mustang run even with a new M3. It had the same tires as a Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 and other supercars.