After reading the Bloomberg article about the Explorer redesign and how the company is thinking going forward, a new platform with a 150-200 lb. weight reduction isn't unreasonable.

 

i dont think we are likely to see the ecoboost 4 cyl as a base engine with the 3.7 available as some have suggested. In the other vehicles it is available in it is marketed as the premium engine vs the v6, edge, explorer. odds are they would just bounce the 3.7 if they were gonna offer the ecboost 4. It likely costs more to produce than the 3.7.

 

Actually there's nothing wrong with having an ecoboost 4 serving the entry level. Think about it,the upgraded v6 will be doing around 330hp(my guess) and to have something smaller with better FE and with decent pep will serve those customers well. This will only help expand the mustang customer base and increase the pesky little CAFE ratings for Ford....knock two birds with one stone

 

If it were the base engine, the 6 wouldn't be needed.
Especially if there is a weight reduction.

 

"If it were the base engine, the 6 wouldn't be needed.
Especially if there is a weight reduction."

Your right but imo if Ford were to do that it would leave too much of a gap between ecoboost 4 and the v8. Ford has invested much into the 3.7 and makes plenty power while still being inexpensive to manufacture to get rid of it. Also the mustang is viewed as Ford's halo sports car and for some enthusiasts/consumers the idea of a 4 cylinder(turbo or not) being the mass market engine would not sit too well with them.

Again I believe the eco-4 will be there for consumers who want a mustang but without the high price tag of its higher trim lines, but also one that gets decent performance and good FE---FE being the main focus for them.

 

There's already a gap now that has started to grow larger and larger (and will probably continue to as well)
Long gone are the days of a 60hp gap between the V6/GT/Cobra

Keep in mind, if a Turbo 4 is equal to or faster than the V6..its a no brainer. (given fuel economy ..in the base model where it counts)

 

What fuel economy? Seen the numbers for the Evo and WRX lately? Pathetic. The V6 rates the same as my 4 cylinder Civic Si and makes 105 more horsepower. I'd venture to say that 4 bangers are still just not what they need to be.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/noframes/28595.shtml

http://www.subaru.com/content/static...x/compare.html

Sad really.Though these are AWD so that attributes some. Not really any potent 4 cylinders out there to test against. Maybe the new Hyundai?

 

So what are the fuel economy numbers for this turbo engine that Ford plans on using?

It's Ok...
I'll wait

 

Agreed. ECO BOAST or not a 4 cylinder needs to work pretty hard to move a car the size of a Mustang. Between a 4 and a V6 the 6 needs to work less and will provide much better performance. AN Eco 6 Might be a better upgrade but that would put the 6 HP up much closer to the 5.0.

 

People who have heavy feet are not going to get good gas mileage with a boosted engine... 4 or 6 or otherwise.

The payoff is on the highway when your are just cruising.
Not everyone is going to see the benefits, especially around town and with such varying driving habits.

 

Its worth reiterating that in the explorer and edge the ecoboost 4 is the PREMIUM engine with better mileage than the 6. if it can move those beasts, moving the mustang especially one with a couple hundred less pounds should be relatively easy. plus the eco4 looks like it costs more to produce than the 6 as there is a price premium on the eco4 in the edge and explorer. i doubt a mustang buyer (probably less concerned about economy) if there was a eco4 and a DI6 people would pay more for the version with less hp even if performance was similar. which leads to the conclusion they will only offer 1 of the 2. it would be smarter for ford to only offer the better mileage version to further balance the cafe cost of the V8.

 

Boomer is right there is a lot to be said for driving habits. The turbo will make for a great highway cruiser.

 

DCT and IRS for sure。

 

I know this might be a little off topic but i wonder if what ford is going to show at the auto show in march will be the first hydraulic hybrid system. i know they were testing it back in 2006 i think with ups trucks if i remember correctly. After about a year i stopped hearing about it so i know it might not be mustang related right at this moment but im sure it could serve future engines well. It will probly first be used on trucks if they do use it given the extra room for the components. If i remember correctly in 06 they were saying 50 percent more fuel economy in the city and alot more tourque. ill have to find a more recent article on it if there is one.

 

I don't see the Eco anything listed here???


http://www.ford.com/crossovers/edge/...ations/engine/

 

Not available yet, sometime after the Explorer most likely.

 

I wouldn't know, I'm only going off of the current facts given. I don't work for an engine manufacturer, I work for a Jet manufacturer. So I can only go off of what is known from my perspective, not theoretical.

If we use BMW math, then I could guess as high as 40 mpg. But the car would have zero power down low, an incredibly computer limited throttle and fuel delivery and would feel much more like a sling shot.

Just sayin', I never guesstimated what Ford said it would get. The car will be lighter, as will the engine so I'm sure it will be better than I can expect. It will at least be 31 mpg highway.

Now that I think about it, the RSTT gets some great fuel mileage with incredible performance, so it's possible.

 

can we get a rev-mach tech like in the 370Z, i think it would be cool.

 

Rev matching is pretty easy, and rewarding. To me, the rev matching seemed cool before I bought a manual of my own. Then I just think well, if you're going to have rev matching why not just remove the clutch all together and use a DCT. Just my 2 cents. But I think it is pretty neat and a good way to get perfect revs on every shift.

 

DCT = snore, even with a rev matching manual you still get all the regular interaction.

Anyways, one improvement I would like to see for the next gen - 2012 Boss Mustang handling & performance numbers should be the starting point for the next GT.


Also having seen some vids for the Boss, its safe to say it will have launch control.