mach1fever

no, but they would do a twin turbo v-6

Knight

I would beg to differ, i do not think ford would make a GT model and not put a V8 as the standard engine.

Boomer

Sounds like GM will have 2 V6 options.
A base and a 300hp V6

Wonder if the 3.5Tforce is going to be its direct competition
or a SE package.

mach1fever

You would think the same thing about the f150 but thats whats going in the new reskin. Better fuel economy.

jsaylor

There is a time when I would have said the same thing, but now I'm not so certain given the role low pressure turbo systems are beginning to play in the auto market. A 5.0L TT V8 running relatively low pressure is a very plausible alternative to larger, naturally aspirated V8's like a 6.2L or even a 5.8L for example. Improved emissions and mileage when your foot isn't in it, and fantastic performance when it is makes for a mighty tempting trade.

And by this point even the argument that a turbo options adds cost doesn't hold as much water, at least no when the same is employed in high voume applications, since mainstream turbo options allow Ford to offer several different V8 engines with vastly different peak power output and torque curves without the need to offer several different engine displacements which limits flexibility and increasing the need for rigid production plans, etc.....which increases costs. Covering more bases with the same basic block and heads means fewer part numbers in the factories, a far more flexible manufacturing system, and lower costs on the books, even after taking the cost of the turbo systems themselves into consideration.

Knight

The only reason i say that it will not be TT in GT form is that a 5.0 even with super low boost will be putting out 450hp minimum. There is no way a 2010 mustang GT that can be had for just over 25k will have that kind of hp.

mach1fever

I agree which is why I think it may be with direct injection. But ford is supposed to be swinging back toward pushrod and larger displacement. I do know that twin force is slated for the new f150.

jsaylor

I'm not sure of that either. While I doubt it will debut this way I'd venture a guess that the next Z28 will end up with something very similar to the C6.5's 430hp LS3 within a couple years of thge cars debut....primarily because Chevy hasn't shown a great deal of apprehension about shoving as much hp as cost allows under the hood of a performance car of late.

If Chevy does have something like this planned which seems extremely likely, and Ford knows it which is also very likely, then a 425-450hp Mustang GT for 2010-2011 isn't that much of a stretch. Since a low pressure, turbo 5.0L V8 could easily fall within that range of power this isn't a huge stretch. Further, if Ford doesm have plans to slot a naturally aspirated 'budget V8' offering in under the new GT, a move which is entirely believable given the push for resonably priced alternatives to the GT, the GT coupe might grow into a 28-30k plus car which makes the above even more believable.

Virtually all of the above is mere speculation, but it fits into a scenario which leaves room for a realistic, low dollar, twin turbo V8 Mustang GT wether the engine is standard or optional.

hi5.0

as good as all that sounds, one can only hope, wait, and see if Ford sees things the same way.

jsaylor

There is no indication of a pushrod engine design in Ford's future.

hi5.0

There is that experimental engine running around in the yellow Roush drag car - rumored to be a big-inch pushrod engine.

V10

Since the 3.5TF is capable of >400HP, I doubt that it would be positioned against GMs 305 HP DI V6.

On thing that Ford hasn't said much of anything about is DI on NA engines. One would have to think that if Ford management has any brains we'll see DI brought to all Ford engines, NA and PI.

V10

The rumors I've seen say it's a SOHC, 2V engine not pushrod.

V10

A TF 5.0 V8 should be easily capable of >500 HP and 600 HP with any sort of modest boost. I agree that it would be extremely unlikely that we'd see that sort of HP in a mainstream GT model.

jsaylor

I'm not sure what you are trying to get at in terms of capability here. What it can do and what Ford wants, needs, or theoretically intends for it to do are entirely seperate issues. Several small turbo engines still don't make 100hp per liter, and even BMW's 3.0L turbo inline 6 with direct injection is a straight-up 100hp per liter machine. Since efficiency, in terms of hp per liter, virtually always suffers as displacement rises assuming Ford simply followed the same kind of approach that BMW does with similar effect we have a sub 500hp 5.0L V8.

There is absolutely no reason why Ford couldn't produce a 5.0L TT V8 designed primarily for driveability, an accessable power range (great low end and mid range torque), and above average mileage that makes a bit less than 450hp. In fact, there are several factors which make the same a great idea and virtually nothing to detract from the positives. Potentially cost, mileage, emissions, driveability, and tunability all stand to gain from the use of a low pressure 5.0L TT V8 in lieu of a larger displacement V8.

Wether Ford will build something like this is another question entirely. But coupled with a truly budget minded n/a V8 sister 'LX' style car the same would represent the kind of innovation which could once again cast the Mustang as the undisputed leader in budget minded performance that works in the real worold.

bob

Nope, that is Don Knowles car and it is most definetly an OHC engine. By the looks of it I'd say it was a 2v Mod motor - Don Knowles is attatched to Roush and Roush has mentioned working on big inch mod motors in the neighborhood of 6 liters.

Moosetang

I'm morally opposed to the LX tag as it brings to mind big family sedans with faux wood panels. If there's going to be a model between the base and GT, they/we need to think up a more interesting name.

hi5.0

Oh well, just repeating what the mag said, although I also have heard the rumors about that engine being a OHC design. Guess I was being hopeful in addition to being wrong. So the "Hurricane/Boss" or whatever that engine development program is called wasn't destined to be a new family of pushrod engines for truck and eventually car applications?

Moosetang

No, BOSS is supposedly a new OHC architecture which will replace the Mod Motors. We'll see SOHC versions first, DOHC down the road, Direct injection, variable displacement, forced induction, etc etc.

Boomer

....and TwinForce