It's interesting hearing from the people that are in the industry (sales, design etc). Personally, I just drive the things, and it's really enlightening learning all the checks and balances, and pushes and pull that most people aren't aware happens in the designing and production of the cars we take so personally, and are so emotional about. It's also refreshing hearing from knowledgeable people that want to share rather than hold their knowledge over you like a gift from God.

Sometimes we forget that everything we know about a subject was learned through the process of someone else being willing to teach and share, and also that there is a difference between knowledge and opinion. I guess what I am trying to get at is good on the people who are willing to share with and educate others without trying to make them feel ignorant or like "noobs".

Keep the lessons comin!

 

WRT the camera....
Maybe it was just easier for packaging/installation sake to put it into the spoiler rather than fit it all in the badge/trunk area.

 

Could be cheaper for insurance purposes, too. If the car is rear ended, I guess there's a chance to spoiler (and camera) could survive. The camera probably gets a better view being higher up, too.

 

+1+1 Good points!

 

"Personally, I hope Mustangs never get ESC or whatever "electronic stability systems" may be known as! I never want to see nav systems standard, or anything that's voice-activated. I never pass up manual transmissions in any vehicles unless they just aren't offered in those vehicles (such as all or most minivans). Power brakes and power steering are OK, but only because manual disc brakes would be leg-breakers (or so we're told....) and manual steering might make trackworthy steering settings into arm-breakers (or so we're led to believe). ABS saved my nether parts (See Boomer. See Boomer frown.) from a nasty wreck once!"

If you ever owned a car with manual brakes and manual streering (and I'm not talking about a 1900# Miata either) you would recognize the drivability improvements found in current vehicles. I owned a 71 MEercury Montego GT, Manual brakes and all and stopping was always very exciting! My brother inlaw owns a 69 Torino Corbra (formal roof) that came with a 4speed, ram air air 428 SCJ, manual steering, manual brakes and painted wheels with dog dish hubcaps. Today it has a an Auto, Power Steering, Power Brakes and 2 4barrel Holleys. It's a much better driver than when he first bought it.

 

From my understanding, all Ford models will be equipped with Electronic Stability Control, by the end of 2009.

 

Not an injustice. Here is the bottom line IMHO, half will like the new one, half will not like the new one. There isn't a mustang I don't like, even the late 70's had some sweet looking rides, but there is a good to bad list I have. Some like new stangs, some like old. Some have 80's fox's and would never own a 94-09. Some will never leave the 60's and some will never leave the 21's century. I will never own a mustang to be a token car, locked up and driven 10 miles a year. Whats the point, the joy is getting in and driving it!! I hope that the 2010 model is a hit, that means the 2014 model will happen, and who knows, the best looking model may be yet to come. Stepping off my box now.

 

Wow. Well-stated, my friend.

Edit: BTW, I happen to think the 2010 Mustang looks bada**!

 

To add onto your point, the car's constant changes is what make them all unique. With the intro of the 10' model we will see less of the current 05-09 cars. I find this to be a good thing. I don't know about you guys but in my neighborhood my 97' stands out because there just are not many clean 94-98 Mustangs around anymore. I like that, back when I first bought it these cars where everywhere..... like the current generation. Think about how many clean fox body cars you see on the street these days!

I'm all for the new 10' Mustang in fact my only criticism at this point is that they didn't change the car enough. I'm hoping that the 14' will be a huge departure from the s197 so we have another totally different Mustang as long as it has RWD, V8 power and a chrome pony in the grill it's still gonna be a Mustang!

 

Depending on how inconspicuous it is, I guess I can live with the camera in the spoiler. If it stands out too much though, I'll be modifying the badge myself or buying the best aftermarket kit that does it.

 

All that doesn't matter if its an visual abomination...which it is and will look like one even when one imagines or sees it without cammo.

 

I agree.. I think this has alot to do with it. I installed a rear view camera in the badge, and it's great for seeing things lower than my rear window, like obstacles or kids. But it's worthless for judging distance. I always look back to judge distance. If it were placed higher and angled downward, it would be much more useful.

Also, my gut tells me it will probably be alot cheaper to put an "optional camera location" to either punch out or drill through in the thin plastic spoiler, rather than in the badge.

 

Juice: My daily driver is a 1966 Ford Bronco 289, with 3-speed manual, a 2-speed manual transfer case, front manually-locking hubs, manual steering, and manual four-wheel drum brakes. I like all this manual stuff! However, I don't measure my stopping distances in feet but in counties crossed before the Bronco comes to a full stop. 3-4 years ago I got into such a slide on a downhill section of interstate down in North Carolina that the Bronco lifted the right wheels off the pavement (because I was sliding sideways with the right side trailing) and slid on the lefts for many yards before I coaxed it to go vertical on the rubber again. Scraped a concrete barrier with the rear tube bumper for many yards, too, before it got up on the left two for many more yards. Power discs would have allowed scraping off speed with a lot more finesse, but lockin' up all four was the inevitable result of asking more from manual drums than they had to give. That slide along the concrete barrier may have been all that prevented capsizing or possibly full longitudinal-axis rolling--Rollin' On The Pavement, Sweatin' My *** Off (Boomer's not reading this, is he?)--ROTPSMAO)! Actual damage was limited to about an inch beveled off the left end of the rear tube bumper--I've become a solid fan of tube bumpers from that incident and from another pavement incident...

Someday, that Bronco will have power 4-wheel discs and probably power steering for the 18X10s sportin' 31s! Until then, even drivin' on pavement is still an adventure...

Greg "Ain't-nothin'-like-terror-to-keep-you-within-the-speed-limits" Ates