As part of te you ger generation im looking forward to see how new tech will improve the mustang. The IRS will help on less than ideal roads and increase the Dd ability and appeal. The DI... Well not to beat a dead horse will improve overall efficiency (with its own drawbacks of course)
And new design will effect aero which will effect overall efficiency.
Yes all this will raise the base price for each model but as ling as its accessible to the blue collar worker then im fine with shellin out a couple grand extra. Just as long as i dont have to keep tossin out money to keep the car running happy

While the test shots are nice i wanna see a test mule!! And more interior shots!

 

One great system/sub-system makes not necessarily a great car much as a great guitarist doesn't necessarily make for a great band. However, great systems or great guitarists sure do contribute to making overall greatness.


I would agree in some part that the level of complexity -- ensuing costs, reliability and repair issues, not to mention longevity and long-term ownership issues -- do need to be balanced against overall benefits. Too many manufacturers, especially the Germans, have gotten a bit too gadget happy of late while letting the underlying base engineering and quality of their cars slide a bit.


And fuel injection requires fuel pressure over, what, 50-100 psi (guestimate as well) as well as a system supply pump and injector supply pump. However, the few more mpg's and hps, and torques, and less stank, more than justifies their universal adoption today. Similarly, I see a similar and equally valid adoption of DI for the same reasons. I would say that more power and less thirst and stank go far beyond just adopting technology for technologies sake as you seem to be implying -- there's genuine and substantive real world benefits to be reaped.


I would say, adopt IRS and try to let ze Germans, and everybody else, try to keep up with us Americans.


If I was interested in a cutting edge economy car, then perhaps. However, I am more interested in a cutting edge, world class performance coupe and for the Mustang to be that in 2015 and beyond, they need to step up to the plate technology and engineering wise or risk becoming a rolling museum/nostalgia piece with little appeal beyond some aging baby-boomers reminiscing and trying to relive some imagined golden years of yore.

Rather than living off of yesterday’s triumphs and legends, let Ford and the Mustang create tomorrow's legends today.

Yes, today’s Mustang is an incredible car, today, but what’s needed is to keep it an incredible car for tomorrow -- and the day after that

 

The Mustang is closer to being a world class performance coupe than it ever was--and for that very reason it is closer to extinction than it has been since the Probe.

Being a world class performance car requires a world class price tag--that was not the original Mustang concept. The 2013 Mustang is an impressive effort despite the SRA. Review after review concurs that the latest crop of Mustangs is the best that Ford has produced. The consensus is that the Boss 302 is the best Mustang ever. How's that working sales-wise?

A product (no matter how good) that doesn't sell is doomed to extinction. The legend of the Mustang was style, reasonable performance, and affordability--if you wanted one you could buy one and with the help of aftermarket parts, customize it to make it uniquely yours (and run like the proverbially avian mammal from the nether regions).

The current Mustang scores brilliantly on performance, but fails miserably on affordability. I have seen a V6 convertible with a sticker at $37K--which it stretching the budget for most secretaries I know. Looking at my 06 GT, the price tag now looks like a serious bargain compared to the Gotta Have Green GT I just looked at.

Maybe Ford will grant your wish and the next gen will be the 'world class' performance coupe. Maybe Ford will move the Mustang into the Corvette sphere. (Take a look at the demographics of Corvette owners.) The Mustang could truly be legendary--a legend of the past.

 

When you factor in inflation believe it or not the new Mustang whether in V6 or V8 form is right in line with price of Mustang from the past. When you factor in the amount of performance along with safety and other electronic doodads that can be had now the Mustang is still a hell of a bang of a buck.

When the 2015 Mustang debuts it will finally be a world class car with a proper suspension and the refinement that maybe not all of us are looking for, but will definitely broaden the audience that will entertain the idea of buying a Mustang.
Dave

 

http://jalopnik.com/5953080/how-infl...cars/gallery/1

Jalopnik I know, but food for thought. It appears according to their analysis that Mustang out paced inflation by a few thousand at the time although they considered it a bargain still.

 

The Mustang currently outsells the Challenger and runs neck and neck with the Camaro... it's a tough time to be in the performance car market so sales are depressed in general.

The argument that just because it's possible to tick every option and hit $37k on a Convertible is a straw man... they are called options for a reason. A base convertible under $30k is one of the cheapest convertibles on the market. The $30k GT is the cheapest 400hp car on the market, and the $23k V6 is considered one of the performance bargains of our time.

You also forget the requirements of CAFE and Federal safety regulations (Traction control, stability control, airbags, etc), which add weight, complexity, technology and eventually price to cars.

No but surely you're right, the Mustang should be the same price as the Focus lol.

 

Perhaps better to say, best-in-class-in-the-world, with the class being generally an affordable (<$35K for a reasonably fitted out model, i.e., GT with a few options) RWD 2+2 sport coupe. Ford is certainly welcome and encouraged to aim higher with ability and capability, if they retain the affordability level. If they can create a veritable performance equal to a $70K M3 for just $35K, then brilliant, I see that as a reason to celebrate. Do bear in mind that none of the stuff/specs we're talking about is anywhere near cutting edge or exotic hypertech these days, be it DI, IRS or anything else. Rather, this level of tech is becoming rather run of the mill, even in family cars these days.

I think Ford does need a bit more of a halo car, ala the Vette, to slot in above the Stang. I think it creates a bit too much tension to try to stretch the Mustang to fill that slot as they try to do with the GT500 where you end up compromising either the halo cars overall qualities with, say, what is basically a $20k car's interior tarted up a bit, or impinging upon the base Stang's affordability to allow it to be a credible halo car at the top. My preference, something along the lines of a neo-Pantera, but that's just me.

In any case, I do agree that Ford needs to be very cognizant of the affordability factor, something I don't think they've always done with the Stang in the past decade or so. Perhaps they felt they could get away with that being a monopoly of one pony car for a portion of that time. That, of course, is in no way true today.

However, properly executed, I do believe Ford can advance the Mustang, technologically and engineering-wise, yet still retain it's basic pricing level. Only 2015, or mid-late 2014 when it rolls out, will tell.

 

My whole point. Is any of it necessary? Does the mustang need IRS or DI? Topping out the line up with 650hp with normal injectors. SRA Boss ruling road courses. The mustang doesn't "NEED" IRS or DI. I do believe Ford needs a vette class car that's above the mustang. All new Ford GT or Pantera type would be fine if it was around base price of the base Vette. The Vette and Viper still leave Ford with a void.

 

Yes, yes it DOES need those things. And because you don't understand why, I am glad you aren't a high level exec at Ford. The Mustang should have had at least the IRS in 2005, and if not in 2005, it should have had it in 2010 once the Challenger and Camaro came out. Even IF the handling and ride are on par or better than the IRS setups in those cars, Ford should be pioneering the best IRS in the business and use that as a selling point. They've learned a lot from the 99-04 Cobras and their engineering on the SRA for 50 years - it is beyond the time to bring the Mustang into the 21st century.

If you want to keep old technology around, they should have updated the engines and transmissions in the Crown Vic and Ranger though.

 

I totally agree that the IRS should be there, but I'm still not sold on DI just yet. I think instead of trying to stay on the cutting edge of engine technology, continue to make incremental improvements on the current engine until which time more thorough testing of DI on a large motor has been done, or closely monitor the success of things like the new LT1 and the feasibility of implementing it on the current architecture (which IIRC, already has provisions for it at some point).

 

Yeah I can agree to that. I think the current Porsche engines were the biggest to utilize DI until the LT1 came along. The Corvette always had pretty good mileage though. I'd venture a guess that the car will debut with minor tweaks to the current engines (maybe adding the base 2.0T), the after the 2017 refresh, Ford will up the base model to 2.3T, and add DI to the V6 and GT. Sort of like the updates to the 2013 Genesis Coupe. At that time, I bet they'd assess whether or not keeping the V6 in the lineup is worth it.

 

What did they learn by the cobra? The SN197 body handled BETTER than the cobra. The cobra came with IRS because the SN95 body handled like crap. The 197 is great with SRA. I just don't see how everybody thinks the IRS will be better on that platform. Possibly needed in the Shelby but the Boss has proven the SRA still performs. And with a little tweaking, it works even better. You should be more pissed about those little 285 tires.

 

We'll never know how the S197 would've been with the IRS because back then Ford was too cheap to release it to the public. If they put as much time and resources into engineering that IRS as they did the SRA, the IRS would absolutely outperform the SRA, in all scenarios, not just on smooth tracks or roads. Take a look around - the Mustang is THE only car in the world still being produced with an SRA. It's done. And with the current spy shots, it's readily apparent that Ford is doing what they know they should've done a long time ago. Panhard bars and watts link additions are bandaids to make the SRA perform as well as a good engineered IRS.

And yes, I've driven stiffly sprung IRS cars that didn't ride any better than my Mustang in a straight line, but throw it into a curve and there's no comparison.

 

This.
The main reason for an IRS is smooth handling in the curves and bumpy roads. Increase in ride quality and everyday drivability. If everyone knows the current mustang handles great then imagine how much better it will be with an IRS. That m3 we beat around a track in a regular gt will be left in the dust

 

All I can say is prove it. This is not the first time an IRS set up was on a test mule. If it was better it would have shown up on the Boss. BTW, my car already has IRS.

 

I don't think it has a world class price tag.

I can go right now and with incentives buy a Mustang for just under $20k and have better performance and standard features than the GT Mustangs had a decade ago for the same price or more before inflation.

 

Has anybody spent time on forums for the late-model Camaro or Challenger? Are there a lot of complaints from owners saying they wish that their car still had an SRA? Are there an appreciable number of Corvette, 911, 370Z, or Viper owners complaining that they wish they had SRA?

 

Go to a Camaro or Challenger forum and tell them they need to go with dohc and fewer cubes or go to a vette forum and tell them to dump their leaf springs

 

No but they are cursing the Boss cause they got beat. (with a SRA).

Go with what's proven until you can justify changing it. Don't change it because "they" are using it. I swear you guys gotta quit watching Top Gear.

 

Not to mention adjustability. The ability to adjust things like toe and camber will also greatly aid the cornering ability of this car. This will allow further customization and tweaking that the enthusiast (or SVT) could do.

After driving multiple SRA and IRS equipped cars through the terribly paved areas I live in, I can safely say that most people will be very appreciative of the fact that when an IRS equipped car's right wheel dips into a pothole, the whole rear of the car isn't bucked around.

It doesn't even matter if you don't care about comfort, its about stability. When the whole car is bouncing around because the wheels cannot act independently of one another even things like driver input are altered. You can not give as precise of steering or throttle input when you are being tossed around inside the car. Combined with the various directions of force being applied on the car itself and the possibility of losing traction when the car is jarred so hard the wheel comes off the ground, the situation can escalate very quickly.