Topnotch

Fun Thread to read...

"4 cylinder, 2.3 liter with eco boost, 310 HP,34 MPG.
V8 Mustang Eco boost listed on the V8 sheet"
"Yes, the rear quarter windows were one of the things they wanted rated. They merged with the front windows. The hood was exactly as on the green car's photo. Standard hood with two raised ridges running up on each side. The rear spoiler was very small and appeared to actually a molded part of the trunk. Not added after."




http://www.allfordmustangs.com/forum...ang-today.html

Twin Turbo

That's one lucky son of a .............


I received a telephone call about a month ago and was asked to be part of a market research study. The advised me it would take about 2 1/2 to 3 hours and I would be paid $200. I agreed and they sent me the paperwork and information.

I arrived today at 10 AM and the security promptly walked me through a metal detector. They took all cell phones and metal objects away and advised we would get them back when we were finished. (No Photos allowed).

They handed us hand held computers and we went into the first of six rooms that had four cars. A 2013 Dodge Charger, 2013 Camaro, 2014 Honda and a 2015 Mustang. The computers asked us questions and we had to give our opinions. At various points they provided us with statistical data on the vehicles. The Mustang was a 4 cylinder, 2.3 liter with eco boost, that made 310 HP and got 34 MPG. How cool is that for a 2.3 liter, 4 cylinder engine?

The 4th room had the V8 Mustang but they did not provide any statistical data. However, Eco boost was listed on the V8 sheet. Just guessing but I bet it should delver at least 500 HP and probably get close to 30 MPG.

We did not have to sign any confidentially waivers so I can tell you my impressions of the body. I think the front end is actually longer then the current body but I could be wrong. That was my impression. The body is very similar to the current body but the sides are formed/indented and the trunk length is smaller. The front was very very cool with a beehive grill. The Mustang logo was centered and about 3 inches from the grill and it had a chrome line/piece going from side to side on either side of the logo. He headlights sucked. They were little slants, not the traditional round Mustang lights or even close to the current HID style. Made the car look Chinese. LOL

The tail lights are the coolest. They are actually louvered and projecting out. Kinda like the quarter window louvers. They are solid red. The traditional third break light on the trunk lid was gone. The third break light is now actually quite large and under the license plate.

four-walling

A third brake light under the license plate?-that does not meet the "current" safety standard.

RandyW

Correct. Maybe it was a reflector strip he saw below the license plate. I also see that there are no rear head rests. Maybe they were folded down or maybe they just weren't installed in the prototype, but I'm pretty sure that the law now requires rear head rests in new cars.

red pony

An eco-boost V8?! The car is incredible with the naturally aspired 5.0 it has! The rest of the big 3 haven't got a prayer!

xlover

anyone posting over there? want to ask if they remembered how much wheel gap the car had? with IRS they should be able to engineer more of it out.

Turn3

The OP goes on to say "The green one is very very close to what they showed me. Except the fogs were the little round ones and the wheels were very similar to the 2012/13. The mirrors were shaped different but the side molding is spot on."

So Topnotch, have you made any tweeks to your tweeked photo?

Twin Turbo

Keep reading the thread..........its more likely a rear fog light, required over here


Oh, and this description

I can vouch for the OP -- I was there last Thursday for the same thing.

My experience was almost the same, but instead of a Honda in the first round, I looked at a Hyundai Genesis (along with the Challenger, a Camaro, and a "future Mustang," as they called it.)

I thought the front end looked pretty much like the '13, but I loved the rear. The tail lights are much more angled -- to me, the rear looks like an Iacocca Mustang combined with a '69 fastback. Loved it!!

Overboost

Not surprising they're looking for real world feedback on a design. If they don't release a production intent concept, then this is their best bet.

That said, don't expect a TT Coyote motor in the new car. Expect something better...

Boomer

INteresting info!

Keep in mind in a lot of these question periods a lot of the questions are 'what if' and not necessarily reflecting of the end product. We saw this with 2005/2010 where people went into a focus group and saw engine questions re: turbo 6s or something. People swore up and down that those cars would have that based on the questions.

Twin Turbo

I'm really, really hoping they run another market research event like this in the UK. I was very lucky to be invited to one a couple of years back now. It was held in a studio in London and there was a 2010 Kona Blue V6 (it was just as the first 11MYs were hitting the streets, but none were in the UK at that point) alongside a Nissan 370z and Audi A5.

Prior to the event, we had to produce a scrapbook based on what we like about Mustangs and what we like in current/future designs.

It was great to think our input may be used in the 2015

What I'd give to get a sneak peak of it though

rhumb

I seem to recall some years back market research event reports coming back regarding the upcoming 2005 Stang, and some leaked questionnaire also asking about various content desirability and pricing options. Not all configurations queried did make it to production though, so consider this one with that grain of salt too.

The 310hp Egoboost four banger, getting 34mpg (hwy?) sounds impressive as a lower/mid range motor. Hope they do retain a V6 though for its NVH and refinement superiority.

An Egoboost 5.0 also sounds enticing, though not at an $8k price premium, unless that price premium is the whole GT500 (or whatever the top Stang will be called) package. That would be more commensurate with what the price premium of the SN95 Cobra was over the GT back in the day, even with its unique IRS suspension. An Egoboost 5.0 alone I would price maybe $2-3K over an n.a. 5.0 GT, which I would price $2-3K over a mid-range V6 (egoboost?) which I would price $2-3K over the Egoboost four banger.

db2797

Very cool. Ford knows what they are doing. It sounds like the worries of it being too "cute" like European cars won't come to fruition. Especially with every modern sports car looking very similar in style, the Mustang can especially afford to keep its unique look of a long hood with sharper rear end. And judging by every person's face that I pass (all the way from 5 year old boys and girls all the way up to 70 year olds) looking at my car, they don't have to radically change the car. Just make it a bit smaller, and a bit less large in the rear end, smooth out a few edges, add some additional aggressive styling cues, and we're good to go!

Wolfsburg

Well it sounds like GT STYLE liked it and Amstung wasn't too impressed, aside from the rear.

GT STYLE says he remembers the sides being "indented" but Amstung remembers the sides having "various swoopy lines". GT STYLE says the car looks almost identical to Topnotch's green rendering while Amstung thought the front looked a lot like the '13s. A real pity that people who get a peek at the S550 have no artistic ability because there seems like there are some discrepancies (or "different interpretations") of what they saw. I'd love to see at least a decent illustration of what they saw.

I wonder what color the car was?

Does anyone have a good handle on what GT STYLE is referring to, in regards to the taillights? I can't visualize what he's talking about.

Personally, I'm disappointed to hear the car doesn't seem much, if any, smaller than the current one and that the headlights are basically horizontal slits. The Mustang needs a Eastwoodian glare, not a "Chinese" squint.

unnoticedtrails

four-walling

It is an old requirement and is a rear foglamp. They are often mounted to one side of the vehicle.

My daily driver has 2 of these lights integrated into the tailamp assembly. They are required in Europe, and where else, I don't know.

Twin Turbo

One of them mentioned all the cars were silver.

Must admit, his despription made my head hurt. However, someone on another forum said he thought they were describing the "slats" on the back of the old Fox (also similar to old Mercs and euro Mk3 Capri!!)

Evil_Capri

Don't think I have ever seen (of course I've never looked either) a RHD Fox! Very cool! (Sorry for Off-Topic.)

Twin Turbo

Pretty rare back then...............even rarer now (that's any UK Fox, nevermind a RHD one!).

Same driveway, different Mustang!




I'm now wondering if the description of the tail lights could mean they look a little like......

Automagically

I think what we learned was absolutely nothing. This must be what working for the CIA feels like. It's like they deliberately picked people who couldn't describe squat. Then made sure that others would describe things very differently. Not even a mention of design style or theory. Or hell, something's even similar to what it looked like. It's all good I figured this would be the case.