2013 GT500 here in Germany
9/23/11, 03:54 PM
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2013 GT500 here in Germany
Hello Mustang Source members and Moderators, loooong time reader and fan of the site and finally decided to join instead of read. Some of you may already know me and some may have assumptions as to who I really am. I can honestly tell you that I am absolutely, 100% a Mustang fan and have been for a very long time....
The reason I am starting this thread is because I am in a unique position to hopefully bring you news, pictures or video of the up coming 2013 GT500. During the last 6 months, myself and some other rabid enthusiast have sought out SVT and the new GT500 just north of our location at the legendary Nurburgring track. As the release of the new GT500 draws closer, it will likely (hopefully) be easier to catch said automobile in motion however, there is no guarantee. If we do capture the car during testing we will try to do a simultaneous release on most major Mustang sites if time permits.
We try to follow the 2013 GT500 as best as we can but sometimes, real life gets in the way. Most of you have heard from some of the local club members that the new GT500 was very fast. The last time they tested in June during an industry pool booking and a tourist run, they produced some rumored (and one personally confirmed) fast lap times. There were rumors this weekend that both the GT500s and ZL1s were running last week/weekend and it has been confirmed that the ZL1s were definitely there.
The VLN is running tomorrow from noon to 4pm but there are people attending for the evening tourist runs at 530pm-730pm. I will keep in touch if we see anything, any info we hear is just rumors and I will tell you if we were actually there or not... For those of you in the local area, it was said that SVT is staying at the Tiergarten hotel.. the cars could be there...
The reason I am starting this thread is because I am in a unique position to hopefully bring you news, pictures or video of the up coming 2013 GT500. During the last 6 months, myself and some other rabid enthusiast have sought out SVT and the new GT500 just north of our location at the legendary Nurburgring track. As the release of the new GT500 draws closer, it will likely (hopefully) be easier to catch said automobile in motion however, there is no guarantee. If we do capture the car during testing we will try to do a simultaneous release on most major Mustang sites if time permits.
We try to follow the 2013 GT500 as best as we can but sometimes, real life gets in the way. Most of you have heard from some of the local club members that the new GT500 was very fast. The last time they tested in June during an industry pool booking and a tourist run, they produced some rumored (and one personally confirmed) fast lap times. There were rumors this weekend that both the GT500s and ZL1s were running last week/weekend and it has been confirmed that the ZL1s were definitely there.
The VLN is running tomorrow from noon to 4pm but there are people attending for the evening tourist runs at 530pm-730pm. I will keep in touch if we see anything, any info we hear is just rumors and I will tell you if we were actually there or not... For those of you in the local area, it was said that SVT is staying at the Tiergarten hotel.. the cars could be there...
Last edited by thePill; 9/23/11 at 03:56 PM.
9/25/11, 03:38 AM
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He is an update, member 11GT posted a photo of black and blue in Michigan. I hope Red is still over here but seeing as the racing season is closing, both cars probably have been shipped back home. If anyone lives in the local area, please keep your iPhones handy, please snap photos of any GT500s you see (especially Red) and post them up if you notice anything strange about them (Pirelli equipped, large rear disc, new fascia/rear, Nurburgring decals or roll cage/recaro sseats). It will be a big help if we know for sure that the cars have shipped... Here is the link to 11GTs handywork, right place at the right time.
https://themustangsource.com/f726/20...dition-500321/
Edit: I expect VIR, Willow and Laguna to be the primary focus for two reasons, 1st... This is where the magazines will play out the heavyweight fight between the GT500 and ZL1 and 2nd... There are already well known, published times for previous GT500s at those locations and it will be a great benchmark. The only bad thing about testing at Nurburgring is you only have data from one track. The CTS-V did very well at the Ring however, once the car is taken to some of the US tracks, performance wasn't as dominate... fast.. but not overwhelming...
I will be following the next Mustang, the 50th Anniversary car is being designed and built in Cologne. Same thing applies to the Mustang III... I am anxious to see if Burningman and TN's designs will influence the next Mustang... Ford has seen pretty much everything they have done (among some others).
Last edited by thePill; 9/25/11 at 04:01 AM.
9/25/11, 04:20 AM
#9
I will be following the next Mustang, the 50th Anniversary car is being designed and built in Cologne. Same thing applies to the Mustang III... I am anxious to see if Burningman and TN's designs will influence the next Mustang... Ford has seen pretty much everything they have done (among some others).
9/25/11, 05:42 AM
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It was slipped in an article by Sam Haymart a few months ago. Since Martin Smith (Executive Design Director Ford Europe and Asia Pacific) and Morey Callum (Executive Design Director Ford North America) recently worked together on a global project at the same place.. they are both heading the project at Fords huge, recently expanded Ford Cologne Design Center. A majority of the work is being done in Cologne, but Dearborn and Dunton (UK) are also involved. Their last project was also built in Cologne...
The concept is being designed and built in Cologne, I have no idea where it will be produced... probably in Michigan.
The concept is being designed and built in Cologne, I have no idea where it will be produced... probably in Michigan.
As the next Mustang is being designed largely in Cologne, the design for it and other Ford products taking design cues from this concept will be truly global.
Last edited by thePill; 9/25/11 at 05:51 AM.
9/25/11, 06:07 AM
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Edit: People in the US are hearing one thing and people in Germany are hearing another, wouldn't be far fetched to think that Ford is in fact globally designing the next car in two, maybe three different locations. Morey will definitely have more pull on the design in my opinion, I hope to see some of brother Ian's influences...
Last edited by thePill; 9/25/11 at 06:31 AM.
9/25/11, 06:30 AM
#13
It is supposed to have been completely tight lipped but people still talk and word gets out. I would rather both design studios co-design the car that way test mules have maximum exposure to tracks around the world. It is expensive to test in Nurburg, it is even more expensive to freight, carrier and clear customs back and forth everytime they want to test over here.
9/25/11, 06:34 AM
#14
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As Flat Rock only produces the Mustang, now that the Mazda 6 is gone, lets hope the next-gen Mustang platform will also support something else (Lincoln coupe?) to fill the production line void.
Now, 'bout those '13 GT500s...........
Now, 'bout those '13 GT500s...........
9/25/11, 06:37 AM
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Makes sense to test them over there. With the rumors heating up of a global vehicle for the '15 MY, it would seem apparent to have design input from other houses in the company. I just read your comment as they were moving production of it over to Cologne after the S197 platform is done.
Regardless, I will be in place for a year or so and will be happy to get some pics when testing starts.
Edit: @Twin, I think the '13 GGT500s went back home
but maybe that is just what SVT wants us to think.
Last edited by thePill; 9/25/11 at 06:39 AM.
9/25/11, 06:53 AM
#16
The only way I could ever see production moved outside the US is to produce right hand drive Mustangs, I am almost positive that production will still be in the US. Now that Flat Rock has additional room after Mazda left, Ford has more than enough room to produce right and left hand drives at Flat Rock. They could even retool the Mazda side for the next Mustang while production continues on the S197.
Regardless, I will be in place for a year or so and will be happy to get some pics when testing starts.
Edit: @Twin, I think the '13 GGT500s went back home but maybe that is just what SVT wants us to think.
Regardless, I will be in place for a year or so and will be happy to get some pics when testing starts.
Edit: @Twin, I think the '13 GGT500s went back home
but maybe that is just what SVT wants us to think.As you mentioned, the plant is SEVERELY underutilized right now, running only one shift, and suffering from abysmal sales of the Mazda6 after the redesign in 2009. I could see a number of vehicles filling up the space nicely, including the Fusion, being built on the CD4 platform, but IIRC not dramatically different than the CD3 and CD3-2 that were used in the Mazda6. Granted, the CD3-2 was a bit longer to allow for more rear legroom and trunk space, but the basics are close enough that major retooling wouldn't be necessary. Another viable option is a Lincoln model based on the new Mustang platform. This could be a coupe or CLS/A7/Passat CC styled sedan with a RWD/AWD drivetrain. The S197 platform, with the live axle, would not go over well in the luxury market, so waiting until the '15 MY makes sense.
thePill, definitely looking forward to any shots you can snag of testing in the near future. I've been getting reports from friends in the Dearborn area of more and more covered '13 mules being spotted. Most of the time they're just out of camera range, but I'm sure we'll have more soon.
9/25/11, 07:11 AM
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9/25/11, 08:17 AM
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