Price as tested $37k - for a freakin' 4-cyl Fusion? Ford is clearly insane.

Exactly! With X-Plan and rebates, I paid just under $40k for my factory-ordered GT- and I checked every option except the rear parking sensors and Recaros (wanted red seats and glass roof, and I have the back-up camera, so if I hit something I can see in the monitor I deserve to have a ding on the rear bumper to highlight my stupidity ).

Since then, I've added the Boss 302 quad exhaust, GT500 ABs with FR Procal tune, the Ford Racing short throw shifter, LCAs and lowering springs to fix the axle hop and stance, stripes, and- this weekend- the Leguna Seca gauge pod)... and I'll STILL be under the price of a 2015 GT.

I've seen the 2015 in person several times now (in Charlotte), and have sat in one. The interior is really nice on the '15, the rear end is amazing, but someone (actually several someones, probably) should be fired for the Fusion front end- which is just plain ugly. The '14 just looks better, and- with the price difference- you can make it a MUCH better car when you spend equal money between the two.

 

I'm glad I got my DIB '14 GT TP last November. The renderings at the time were pretty close to how the 15 turned out, and I really do love the 14 styling in the front better than the 15. The IRS on the 15 might make the suspension/handling a lot better than a base 14 GT - when test driving it felt really squishy and 'off', but the TP fixed that imo. The numbers from the '15 performance vs. '14 TP don't impress really, too much weight added to the car. It looks like only a true professional track driver would be able to notice or take advantage - and in the straight line the '14 TP so far has a slight edge.

Granted I haven't sat in a '15 yet to compare the interiors, and the '15 has features that I wish mine had (programmable seat position is one I believe it should have), but that's fine. I saw in Santa Monica last Thursday three of the test '15s go by near PCH, they looked cool but too 'tame' than my '14. The front shaping of the headlights do make the '15 seem half asleep.

I suspect, however, that with a couple years to fine tune any issues that they find and also improve things that the '16 - '18 years might start showing real performance gains. That may indeed be their plan at Ford - get the buyers now that want the new luxury items and new look, then a few years down the line entice those of us with '10-'14s (as they get paid off, older, etc.) with improved performance. The '15 can hold its own with what we have as is, and if they designed things right will be a platform for even better specs in the future.

The cost of the EcoBoost 4cyl does seem a bit nuts and high, though.

 

I will tell you. The More that come out about the new FUSTANG the better I feel about my 2014 GT. I love it.

 

Why are you comparing MSRP to what you paid after rebates and incentives? Of course there's going to be a huge difference.....

 

Well, to answer the original question --I've got 8 1/2 years of blood, sweat, and tears invested in my '06. It's going to take a lot more than some favorable magazine articiles to make me doubt it. Besides I got over my 4.6's obsolescence a while ago anyway

 

Exactly, there's plenty of differences to talk about but not price. Price is almost dead even to a 2013 or 14.

 

I brought up price because we are talking about how '14 owners feel right now (or at least my assumption is not how I will feel at some arbitrary point in the future). Right now the '14 is a better car for the money people are paying for the '15.

Let's say price wasn't a part of the picture though (wouldn't that be nice)...

In that case, I'd still say I'm happy with my '14. Performance wise, the '15 is either even or has an edge so miniscule I'll never drive it to the point of noticing the difference. So, it comes down to styling. As I mentioned, I find the rear end of the '15 to be gorgeous, the interior to be an improvement, and even the profile of the car is a bit better. HOWEVER, to me the front end is such an eyesore I would cringe every time I saw it. Ergo, I'm a happy camper with my '14 (and yes, at least for the next year I can add all kinds of goodies to it and have a much nicer car for the money).

Did I mention the front end is atrocious? Unforgivable...

 

 

I agree with your statements here and decided on the 14 as well especially with the discounts that Ford is offering. I can always see how things progress with the new model. I'm very happy with my purchase and it's one of the best mustangs I've every owned.

 

It's one of the best mustangs I've every owned.

I agree 110% with this ^^^ I've owned at least one of every generation, and my '14 GT is hands down the best Mustang I've ever owned or driven. Ford has squeezed an amazing amount of power out of the Coyote (420+hp out of a non-boosted 302ci seems pretty impressive). As many professional drivers have commented, Ford has managed to make that solid rear axle handle as well as possible, and- even though one would never confuse a Mustang interior for a Mercedes Benz interior- it is quite nice for a muscle car!

The '14 rendition of the S197 platform is just splendid. I'm certain the S550 platform is technically superior in some ways (but it doesn't seem like Ford has really squeezed much more from it yet). Back when they launched the new styling in '05, I eagerly signed up for a test drive and was left with a so-so feel. The first time I drove a '14 GT, I knew this was the car for me. Other than the awful performance of the manual shifter (I don't think its the MT-82 transmission as much as the fact that the shifter isn't directly mounted to the transmission- which Blowfish has now remedied).

What makes the '15 so appalling to me is the fact that Ford spent 2 years telling us how "revolutionary" the styling would be... only to give us a "new" Mustang that looks pretty much like the S197- just with a corporate Ford front end that makes it look like every other Ford on the lot.

 

2015 front end looks goofy. The 2014 is just about perfect. Only change I would ever make to mine is the BOSS 302 grille insert and the GT500 rear valence and tips.

 

"Performance wise, the '15 is either even or has an edge so miniscule I'll never drive it to the point of noticing the difference. So, it comes down to styling."

Pete hit the nail on the head. Most of us don't track our Mustangs and will probably never realize it's full potential. But just knowing that it's capable of performing well beyond my abilities and driving skills while wrapped in a styling design that I prefer validates my decision to own a 2014.

Some of those who do compete regularly may feel that styling is secondary if better performance gives them an edge at the track, no matter how slight. But the vast majority of those that choose the S550 will so so because they really like the car over the S197. Period.

I recently had a discussion with the owner of a 2010 Challanger SRT8. She asked what my speedometer went to and I told her 160. She proudly said hers went to 180. I laughed and asked her when will either of us ever see those speeds in our cars. I asked her if her speedometer is what convinced her to buy the car and her answer was no, that she just really likes the body style of the Dodge over the Mustang and Camaro.

And preference is pretty much what it boils down to when discussing the S197 vs the S550.

It's all good.

 

I'm one of the people who actually do track their cars a few days per year. Performance is a huge deal to me. But the other 99% of the time when I'm not tearing up a road course, I want my ride to look good too.

And so I do appreciate the IRS of the 2015, as well as the new interior... but the sacrifice in the looks department does not make up for negligible performance gain. At least that's my take on it right now.

I do push my car to (nearly) it's full potential. I could probably shave a second (1% difference based on reviews) off some of my lap times in a 2015, but I don't think it's worth driving a car that can be confused for a Fusion.

 

A fully loaded car on a brand new chassis with what is considered a premium engine offering, 37k shouldn't be surprising.


Depressing maybe but not surprising.


I think the best part is how people perceive value. I bet the EB4 is probably a bit cheaper or a bit more expensive to produce compared to the 5.0 but a V8 car if everything else equipment wise is the same usually commands much more money.

 

If Ford and Pericak is to be believed the PP GT is 1.5 seconds faster around Grattan compared to the Boss Mustang.


Rhumb posted a review ( http://www.autonet.ca/en/2014/09/21/...ord-mustang-gt ) where the writer quoted the difference here.

 

I guess that the point I was making in my usual, long-winded way, is that people have different reasons for making certain choices. Those that might be on the fence about both generations sometimes need just the slightest rationalization for going in a particular direction. For those who regularly compete with their cars, that justification just might be a tenth of a second.

 

Hmm, interesting. Thanks for sharing.
I hope to start seeing the 2015s at Grattan next year. I was 0.6s behind a Boss 302 at that same track this year. So a 2.1s improvement around Grattan would be actually impressive.

 

I sought out my '14 GT BECAUSE I knew the '15 was coming and I was hoping to get a deal. I think the '15 looks great. The interior is beautiful. But I'm happy knowing for the driving I do most, the '15 doesn't really do anything the '14 doesn't. Maybe when/if a GT500 version comes out, I'll be willing to trade up.

 

I wouldn't mind the 2015 interior but i'm happy with my 2014 and the live rear doesn't bother me at all. I have a F150 Eco boost with a live rear axle and it handles just fine so I don't know what the big deal is about other than the press likes to bring it up all the time. I already have about $4K of extras one mine and don't plan on giving that away just to have the newest car on the block. I'm actually surprised that no one has come up with replacement door skins and console - that's all you would need to perk up the interior and get rid of the plastic feel.

Scott

 

Still happier with my S197, and reading the reviews just makes me feel even better about buying my 2014.