esfkotaro

I get that, too, but my point is still that it doesn't make sense to go V6 on the GT500 so long as the base GT still gets a V8. The GT500 is still a very low production count vehicle compared to the base GT. It would make more sense to make the GT a 400-500 hp ecoboost first, while remaining with the 5.8L supercharged V8 in the GT500, at least for a few additional production years.

It's not that I think that it won't happen, I just don't think that it will happen to the GT500 before the regular GT.

m05fastbackGT

That's just it Brian ! We don't even know how much longer the base GT will have a V8 and lets face it Ford's only concern is to make a profit, so if their current V8's for whatever reason/excuse are unable to meet the CAFE requirements by 2017 or 2020 ? they won't continue to produce them if there's not enough demand for them..

Does this make sense to me ? Hell no it doesn't, but unfortunately for us performance enthusiasts we're considered as just a small minority by the auto industry and as I just pointed out if there isn't enough demand for the V8's ? Ford will end up discontinuing them as a direct result rather than continue production and not turn a profit..

I really hope that I'm wrong about this, but as I mentioned in an earlier post this seems to be the direction Ford is moving towards, therefore you can pretty much thank our tree hugging bureaucrats in Washington, DC responsible as far as I'm concerned..

Another way to look at it is this.. If your production costs are greater than your sales/demand ? You're not even breaking even, but rather losing money instead

Stage_3

Too funny Paul. You beat me to it. I was thinking the same exact thing.
I wonder what the V6 twin turbo Shelby would sound like?

Twin Turbo

I'm sure it could be made to sound good........but not V8 good. Not to my ears, anyway

esfkotaro

Unfortunately, I gotta agree with you there. I don't see the V8 being nearly as common by the time my niece gets her license in another 5-6 years. A bit heartbreaking, but not unexpected. Still, as I stated earlier, I see the GT500 carrying the V8 longer than any of the other models, and personally hope they discontinue the GT500 name once the V8 is no longer available.

And I don't mind that Ford's focus is profit. It's a huge business, that's it's job - to make money. No profit, then no businesses being in business.

As for how would it sound? Probably awesome. But it won't sound like a GT500.

zincmach1

I just want to throw out there that I've heard no top of the line Mustang will be getting the Eco V6 from someone I trust very much.


Honestly I think it's something we don't expect. Nearly all SVT/Shelby (And now Ford Performance) models get their own unique engines. The Terminator, GT500's and GT350 just to name a few.

esfkotaro

TBH, this discussion reminds me of a few years back on Top Gear, when they reviewed the Aventador and stated that it was liekly the last big V12 supercar we'd ever see, with everyone going towards the turbo 6's and supercharged\turbo'd v8s due to emissions and efficiency requirements coming down on car makers.

A while later, they tested the Ferrari FF...a 6.3L V12, and noted that they were quite wrong on their assumption that the age of the V12 supercar was over.

Probably just premature panic.

2 Go Snake

When I think of a GT500 , I think of a V8 with a super charger on it. I certainly would not buy a GT500 with a turbo V6. I would think the Ford engineers would be currently trying to get the IRS to hold up to a super charged V8. Super chargers are getting more efficient and by the time the next GT500 is ready a supercharged V8 GT500 will be able to run circles around my 2014 GT500 and make more horsepower.

m05fastbackGT

And do you really think this person in question you happen to trust very much is going risk spreading a wide spread panic by revealing Ford's true intentions ? I think not, especially if he or she happens to work for Ford...

m05fastbackGT

I couldn't agree more ! As I would much rather see Ford retire the GT500 moniker before disrespecting Carroll Shelby along with the car's nameplate
and 50 year heritage by equipping it with an Ecoboost 6 cylinder..

I don't care if the 3.5L EcoBoost 6 is capable of producing 600HP or not ? The point is throughout the entire 50 year history of the GT500, it's always been considered the top of the line Mustang and has always been equipped with a high performance V8 and should therefore remain that way as far as I'm concerned..

I also agree with the other posts and feel the same way, as there will be no way in hell I'd pay whatever the MSRP happens to be and then ADM on top of that for a 6 banger with just the name Shelby GT500 painted on it..

Twin Turbo

Well, in that case I'm still calling an Ecoboost V8


Well, the person said what it WASN'T going to be, not what it WAS going to be, so not really revealing Ford's intentions

m05fastbackGT

As I mentioned in previous posts in this thread, If Ford is unable to produce it's line up of V8 engines to meet the CAFE requirements by 2017-2020 or whenever they become mandatory, do you really think Ford will continue to produce them if there's no longer enough demand ?

As I also said, Ford is in the auto industry business to make money..Therefore if they feel the V8 is no longer profitable ? They won't continue to spend money on production costs if there isn't enough demand..

Boomer

CAFE is an average.
Mustangs are a drop in the bucket for overall sales. V8 equipped vehicles (GT+) even more so.

V8 isn't going anywhere for the near future. 400+HP turbo6 is going to cost more than an NA v8 in a GT.

And while yes a 600hp eco6 would be interesting, a forced induction V8 would fall more inline with the Shelby's since coming back in 2007. (and Cobra's starting in 03)
The V8 history with the sound and power potential alone are more than enough to answer the question of 'why not Eco6'.

How much more room to grow on that engine safely and how much does it cost to produce, vice a larger displacement v8 that has room to grow and sound like Satan yelling.

Death of the V8s is greatly exaggerated.

m05fastbackGT

I really hope your right about this, however I still have my doubts especially knowing that Ford is using the 3.5L twin turbo 6 for it's latest Ford GT instead of going with the N/A 5.2L FPC used in the 2016 Shelby GT350..

Throughout the history of the GT40, it like the Shelby was equipped with a high performance V8.. Then when Ford resurrected the car back in 2005 as the Ford GT, it once again shared the very same high performance V8 as the Shelby GT500's 5.4L S/C V8..

Fast forward 10 years later and now Ford breaks the GT's 50 year heritage/tradition and decides to change the car's class for it's purpose for using it as an experiment for the 3.5L twin turbo 6 claiming that it will outperform a larger displacement V8 and do so more efficiently ?

Although the latest incarnation of the Ford GT is such a low volume/limited edition just as it was 10 years ago.. I just can't make any sense as to why Ford would justify going through all the R&D along with how expensive it cost them to produce if their intention is to only use it for the Ford GT..

Also if I'm not mistaken, despite the fact that Ford also includes the EcoBoost 6 for it's F-150 line up, it's a different version when compared with the 3.5L twin turbo V6 which is being used for the Ford GT

Unless I'm missing something here, it seems to me that if Ford can break it's V8 tradition with such a supercar as the Ford GT, then who's to say they won't do the same with the next Shelby GT500 ?

SpectreH

The GT/GT40 was traditionally a V-8, but those cars were never in production long. The Mustang had 50 years of production (tradition) behind it and I doubt they'd drop the V-8. Remember the backlash when they wanted to produce a FWD 4 cylinder Mustang in the late 1980's? The Mustang loyalists killed that idea and the Probe was born. It was a good car, but I'm glad it never said Mustang on it.

m05fastbackGT

Do you remember when Ford dropped V8 production when the first Mustang II debuted in 74 and didn't return until the 75 model year ? and then once again during the Fox body generation in 79..

So during the Mustang's 50 years of production (tradition) the V8 was dropped twice and yes I also do remember the backlash in 88-89 when Ford was considering retiring the Mustang nameplate and replacing it with the Ford Probe..

Therefore I thank all those Mustang loyalists for protesting to Ford in killing such a disrespectful and heinous thought and although I agree with you that the Probe was a nice car within it's class.. I'm also glad that it never replaced the Mustang let alone have it's name upon it..

My concern this time around is.. Why would Ford invest so much for R&D in production costs for the 3.5L twin turbo 6 if they only intend to use it for the Ford GT

2k7gtcs

Sun is gonna go into a cold stage in 15 years and then they'll be begging is for our higher emissions to warm the planet

Evil_Capri

The V8 wasn't dropped during the Fox ages. FMC switch to a destroked "5.0" equating to the 4.2L/256 cu in V8 in 80 and 81 I believe.

m05fastbackGT

I didn't say that it was dropped during the entire Fox generation.. I clearly stated the V8 was not included when the first Fox body Mustang debuted in 1979..

But just as you stated, it did return in 1980/81 as a 4.2L/256 cu V8

Evil_Capri

A 5.0 V8 was in the '79 Fox.