jedikd

http://www.autoblog.com/profile/2503773/

Check out some of the posts from this "Gloria" person, seems as if they may have some insider info. Some key posts that jump out at me:

1. Expect a plug-in IRS to be an option in the relative near future. No, I do not mean for the 2011MY, as the new engines and transmissions are enough for that year.

Note that I said option. The solid axle will still be standard.

2. Job 1 for 2011 Mustang is 3/15/10

Expect the GT500 to lose 175-200lbs over the current version. Most of that will be over the nose.

3. Job 1 for the 2011 5.0, and 3.7L Mustang, is March 15, 2010.

The Boss 302 should be shortly thereafter.

4. The durability testing, on the Ecoboost, was pretty extreme. Lookup some of the info on it.......... it makes a good read.

You know, things like running 24/7 at peak power............... for 15 days straight. Start-up, floored for a few minutes, immediately shut off. Do this for thousands of times, in a row, to test the durability of the turbo cooling. (if you know anything about turbo engines, this would kill most turbos) Etc.

I don't think that Ford will risk their reliability/dependability ratings............. for one engine.

5. [Regarding the leak of the Mustang horsepower info a few weeks back] Well, since my 1st post never appeared.............

This leak comes from a very good source, and was generally confirmed from another very good source.

BTW, you might just want to get the 2011 GT500, as it will be 200lbs lighter than the current car. Now, I don't know what the 6.4 is supposed to put out, but I can't see it coming close to 540hp, with 3700lbs of car to push. Also, this will improve the weight distribution dramatically.

The GT is supposed to stay pretty much the same weight as now. The V6 is losing weight.

Pricing is also supposed to stay pretty much the same. I would seem as though the 2010 price increases already included the new engines. All of this, is from the same source.

6. All 6-speeds, all engines.

The base engine is the 3.7L V6, naturally aspirated.

Expect to see the Ecoboost V6, in a special edition first................ and I guarantee that it will have alot more than 365hp. Remember that the engine is tranny/AWD limited in the FWD platforms.

Wolfsburg

Interesting. I wonder how much the alleged IRS option would cost.

stangfoeva

Such an exciting time for Mustang fans!

jedikd

If the IRS option is true, I would be shocked if it didn't make it's debut in the alleged 2012 Boss

Twin Turbo

Good spot......but were you stalking Gloria?

I certainly hope all that's true........guess we'll find out soon enough. Well, not soon enough really, but you know what I mean

rhumb

With all the usual caveats about being accurate of not, pretty interesting stuff, some a bit unexpected (IRS opt, Boss 302 so soon). If all this is true, it would all be very good and shows Ford is getting far more serious about the Mustang than they have for the past 5 years, during which, IMHO, Ford's been pretty complacent. Now that they're not the only steed in the pony car arena, they really need to get serious than the mild tunes and cosmetic packages of the past 5 years.

Specific comments:

IRS.

About time and enough vacuous arguments and excuses. Should have done this in '05 but, since they didn't really have too, they rolled out a bunch of lame excuses instead ("...would have cost $5 grand..."). Pricing will be interesting, and it won't be $5k by the way. My guess is that it will be offered, at least initially, in a package, with the aforementioned Boss 302 being an oh-so logical choice. As a follow on, individual option, I might guess $500-$1K alone, though it might come as part of some sort of Track-Pack type deal which will have who knows what else.

In any case, this will be very interesting, putting to rest a lot of the coulda, woulda, shoulda IRS discussions over the years.


Boss 302.

While there have been perennial rumors about a Boss package, that'll be interesting if one actually does come out in '10-'11. Curious as to what it will have to distinguish it from the GT, which already sounds like its getting the 5.0, six speed, uprated brakes that one would have expected to be part of a Boss package. The IRS is one obvious item that would hearken to the Boss 302s race track roots. Perhaps Brembo stoppers off the GT500 over the already uprated GT brakes and a real track rated suspension set up. What of the motor though? Perhaps a mild, Bullitt 'esque tuning upgrade (+15-25hp) or something even more interesting like DI for some real juice (50+ hp). I figure the former.

Of course, there will be the usual cosmetics. My hope is that they don't get too retro and cartoonish but rather, are very modern interpretations of the Boss 302 graphics, whether ala '69 or '70 (they were somewhat different). Oh, and make the more egregious frippery (shaker scoop, wing, slats) optional, just like back in the day.


GT500

Leaving 200lbs back at the fat farm can only be a very good thing all around, both for acceleration and especially for handling. Might the GT500 also see the IRS option to give it the moves to go with its go?


Ecoboost Durability Testing.

This is curious because, well, what would this have to do with the Mustang? Sounds like the engine lineup would be a naturally aspirated 3.7 base, new 5.0 got the GT, some uprated 5.0 for the Boss and an AL block 5.4 for the GT500. Perhaps it would in fact be the GTs motor, with the 5.0 being a more limited Boss option for reason of overall model line CAFE and whatnot. But I can't see this sitting well with the legion of Stang drag racers who would consider anything less than a V8 as heresy.


Six speeds.

Duh, this is the 21st century after all, what with CAFE, EPA and every competitor sporting a six-pack tranny.


In General.

Given that if even some significant part of this is true, I think it reflects the advantages of competition improving the breed. Given Ford's rather complacent approach to the Stang over the past five years, I guarantee that little of this would be occurring were it not for the Camaro and Challenger, or even the Genesis Coupe among other less direct competitors. Let's hope that at least a good bit of this comes to be for that would make the '11 model year one of the most interesting since '05.

jedikd

I think the implication was that the Ecoboost was destined for a yet unannounced Special Edition, Mustang SHO maybe?

jsaylor

Lots of good info there, but I doubt 'Gloria' is an insider as all of this has been mentioned already by known insiders including the possibility of a plug and play IRS. Something about that plug and play IRS Gloria didn't mention? Thus far it has been considered exclusively as a high end piece, think specific to specialty models like the GT500, etc....if it happens.

YSUsteven

Perhaps the Boss will be the first with the IRS... Wasn't the original a road racer??

Clino

Nothing too surprising, however I would like to know how the GT500 is supposed to lose 200 lbs. Isn't the alum 5.4 only about 50-75 lbs lighter? Maybe a carbon fiber or aluminum hood but I still don't see how that kind of weight can be dropped at the moment.

As far as the IRS goes, I can see it being in the GT500 or part of a more extreme track pack option on the GT. All the work has been done, and is just sitting around somewhere. I think it's just a matter of waiting for it to be financially viable to implement. The current track pack may have been a way to test the waters for the demand for a more dramatic handling package.

SteelTownStang

Actually closer to 90 lbs., but nonetheless, where is the extra 110 lbs coming from? http://www.evoperform.com/shop/index...roducts_id=442

Dixie_Flatline

It's not hard to lose 45-60 pounds off the front of a regular GT, can't imagine Ford would have much problems doing it better.

Clino

Hmmm, I didn't know it was that much lighter, I still can't think of how they would lose the other weight though. Especially if there is IRS added which would just add more weight????

SuperSugeKnight

With the drop in weight in the engine they wouldn't need such a stout K member to hold the engine. They drop weight there. Lighter suspension components maybe.

SteelTownStang

The GT500 has always been a heavy car as acknowledged by all. They've already taken a great deal of effort in trimming weight without much success... to even include removing the spare tire. The aluminum block obviously will help as noted with up to 90 lbs, but the extra 110 lbs will definitely not be easy. The weight problem mostly affects the front. Moving the battery to the rear would help in that area, which they should probably do anyway, but that is just moving weight around. Maybe trim some fat off the exhaust, suspension, gas tank...

Dixie_Flatline

Did you know that swapping out your K-Member and A-arms for an aftermarket K-Member and A-arms will shed 42 pounds off the front *and* improve handling? That's not even touching the radiator support bracket.

I'm sure Ford knows other ways to cut more useless front weight.

And who's to say Ford isn't going to tweak that aluminum block 5.4 for more weight savings?

All-Or-Nothing

This is a great time to be a Mustang and Ford fan.

smitty

True that!

whysoserious

Just curious? - What exactly is it about the current GT500, aside from the engine/sc and accessories, that adds the almost 400 lbs to the car? I've heard about extra reinforcements, but I'm still not sure where all that weight is coming from.

3Mach1

nOT 100 PERCENT SURE but Glofria is 4x4 extreame on many other forms. She is to the best of my knowledge in the know. Take all this with a grain of salt PLEASE.

Im doing the best I can to hang on to 2011 Ford is coming and they are coming wide open.