Here is a proposal: Ford make a Mustang GT Lite. It would start with a Mustang GT base (non-Premium) and rather than adding features, it would delete them. For example, a Mustang GT Lite would delete:

* Air conditioning
* Power windows
* Power mirrors
* Power locks
* Keyless entry
* Cruise control
* Sound system
* Antennae
* Sound deadening
* Floor mats
* Rear seat
* Spare tire & jack
* Engine cover
* Trunk carpet
* Rear spoiler
* Plastic molding around base of body
* Fog lights

This vehicle also would replace standard wheels with lightweight BBS-type wheels and replace hood, roof, trunk-lid & door panels with lightweight aluminum panels. The 3.31 gears would be replaced with 3.73 gears. No options would be available with this vehicle except color choices.

Ford removing many features would offset the price of lightweight wheels & body panels so a Mustang GT Lite could cost about the same price as a Mustang GT base: $30k.

The payoff is a reduction of 300 to 400 pounds of weight. If a 2011 Mustang GT base weighs 3600 pounds, then a 2011 Mustang GT Lite might weigh 3200 pounds.

Imagine the dynamic performance improvements in acceleration, braking, steering and handling that would result from a power-to-weight ratio of a Mustang with 412 horsepower, 390 ft-lbs torque in a 3200 pound car. A Mustang GT Lite would have a power-to-weight ratio of a Corvette or 911...at half or a third of the price.

Ford could call this package "Drag Pack" or just "Lite".

Thoughts or suggestions on this proposal?

 

Not a chance.

Buy a GT and make the changes yourself.

Ford already has a drag car, it's called the CobraJet.

 

The comment "removing features would offset the price of _____" isn't necessarily true. Any changes to the assembly lines would cause costs to increase -- not only from a change to the assembly line, but they would also have to crash-test, and do the EPA test and everything else (as far as I know).

Also, how many people would buy that, and not a body in white? Chances are not very many -- I can't image it would be enough to warrant the cost/changes for Ford.

I also don't know if that would actually cause a 300-400 pound weight reduction. It might, but what if it is only a 150# weight difference? Would it be worth it then?

If that is what you want, why not just buy the base model and start pulling things out? It is already around $30k base, so there isn't any difference in price.

 

I'll take the creature comforts.

 

Ford would still offer the Mustang GT base and GT Premium.

 

I'd buy it as long as it kept the AC/Heater, and radio. And has a 6-8, or even 10 gauge panel, for everything I need to know. Engine temp, RPM, MPH, Oil pressure, gas, battery gauge, and then whatever else might be important, like brake fluid temperature, and a cool one would be the intake air temp.

 

As far as I know, the CobraJet is not street legal and costs almost $100k. A Mustang Lite would be street legal and cost less than half the price of the CobraJet.

 

It's an interesting idea. But it would be such a low-volume specialty model that I'm sure they would have to charge more for it. I think Porsche used to do this (maybe they still do?) with a Club Sport model of the 911. It was more expensive than the regular model.

 

You just described a BOSS302R
Only problem is that your dream car starts at $80K

 

 

How about eliminating NHTSA and the EPA?

The body in white is not street legal as far as I know. The Mustang Lite is.

Ford engineers would have to use a mule GT to figure out the best way to shave 400 lb while still keeping the car street legal. If the most they could shave is 100 or so pounds, the proposal should be dropped.

Other manufacturers do this successfully, so why not Ford? Porsche does this with the 911 & 911 RS3. BMW does this with the M3 & M3 GTS. Mitsubishi did this with the Evo IX & Evo IX RS. If a manufacturer does this, the warranty would remain intact (as would resale value).

 

You're not the first one to think of this bud. And Ford actually did do this back in the day, with the most recent being the GTS and Cobra R models. Unfortunately, like every other manufacturer that does this, they charge you more for less...

 

So basically... you want the drive train out of a 2011 put into a metal body... Why not only buy the complete drive train and put it into a striped down Fox body... That will be lighter than 3200 lbs for sure and fly down the road with the new engine/tranny setup. Better yet, use the GT500 drive train... oh wait... that's been done... Either way, I think the new 5.0 drive train in a old Fox body would be pretty sweet... You would be replacing an old 5.0 with it younger, more spirited, brother. Nice!

 

I'll pass.

 

Wouldn't work for many of the reasons people here have already said. Some of the weight adding items could easily be left off on the assembly line without much, if any extra hassle, like the stereo, rear seat, sound deadening, trunk carpet, etc. Other stuff like power windows and AC wouldn't be so easy, because all Mustangs on the line come equipped with those features.

Your best option would be to roll your own. Buy a base model Mustang GT with Brembo brakes and spoiler delete. Should be around $30k on X-plan, then remove and sell all the seats, stereo, and other parts you don't want, and use that money to pay for new race seats, lighter wheels, etc.

 

Ford did this back in 1995 with the GTS and it really didn't sell that well. People say they want a stripper Mustang but in reality that market is pretty small.

 

For the 5 people who want a stripper model, it's not worth it.
Plus, Ford would have to manufacture different interior/exterior pieces, actually driving up cost on the rest of the configurations.

The trend is getting AWAY from offereing many different configurations for that reason alone.

If you want a gutted car, you'll have to gut it yourself.

 

Just what do you mean by "others do this successfully"?
The Evo IX RS was so popular, they canceled it in 2008. It also weighed more than the Evo IX (though only like 60# IIRC).
I am not sure the M3 GTS was, or ever will be ever sold in the states -- because of the $100,00+ price tag.
The 911 RS3 is $55k more than the base 911 and comes in over $132k?

Is this really what you are saying should be the benchmarks for Ford?

 

A GT lite sounds cool, but it'll never happened.

 

Part of owning a fun car is personalizing it! If Ford did it for you,you're gonna pay for it! And what if Ford took out too much? Now we're getting into splitting existing packages up to make everyone "happy" when in reality, Ford now has an inventory of parts they paid someone for, and now, because a very few race-happy folks wanna "special strip-down model" like back in the '60's, Ford is stuck with more paperwork,and cars that down the road are just beaten like red-headed step children! You see a "62 - '64 Galaxy light-weight go across the Barret-Jackson auction block, it doesn't pull the big money like a Shelby does!Or even a Galaxy that is optioned out will pull as good or even better money! The only reason the Light-weights pull any money at all is that they are rare -- and the reason they are rare is nobody really wanted them for anything other than to race!