Dan Baldwin

Is this going to be a fwd 4-cylinder? I don't think so...

Bob Cosby

I think the styling has potential. For me to consider a new Mustang (or Camaro), it mainly needs to be smaller, lighter, and more efficient.

Eric77TA

I still think you could easily throw the Mustang Guigario skin, or something close, right on the Evos. The proportions are remarkably similar.

bossco

Well its only going to get so much smaller, Shelby American confirmed in an interview at NYIAS that their relationship with Ford will continue with the next gen. So more than likely they will be retaining the 5.8 in the current car which IIRC is about 30 inches wide and 30 inches tall and 26 or 27 inches long.

I agree there (I've said before that I think the current Mustang has nailed it terms of useful size - sure it could be smaller, but the current car is very comfortable, I can turn a 15-16 hour stint in one no problem which makes the car that more practical. I'd be more interested in what sorts of weight savings Ford could do with some minor trimming of the exterior dimensions.

To play devil's advocate though, I did sit in the BRZ when I was at NYIAS and it was a very well packaged car with lots of room with the exception of the leading edge of the roof. Suprisingly I had more head room than in the Camaro (do the power seats adjust down? I sat in a V6 and it just seemed like there was only a rake adjustment) but sitting in the BRZ was like pulling a ball cap down around my head. The footbox provided a good amount of room (important to me since I wear size 14 wide shoes) as well, but I think a Mustang or Camaro that size would be to small limitng the sorts of powertrains people like to see in these cars.


Yep, unfortunately stereotypes persist, was reading Jalopnik a few days ago and the question of the day was about the worst vehicle to get a new driver, Mustang was #2 because you could easily get into trouble at 20-30 mph

guionM

Bossco, unfortunately just trimming exterior dimensions isn't going to result in any significant weight savings. A bare bones body shell can be carried by 4 guys, and likely doesn't weigh much more than 500 pounds. Pulling in 5 or 10" in length isn't going to do much as far as weight.

The real weight is in add ons like the doors, suspension components, drivetrain, and the hundreds of other pounds added on in creature comfort and performance items, etc.

The Fox Muxtangs of that era were as light as 3200 pounds. But the brakes on them were the diameter of coffee saucers, they had live axles with nothing more than an extra pair of horizontal mini shocks to keep the axle where it's supposed to be when you're burning out. On top of all this, it wasn't exactly a car you'd want to be in if you had a major accident.

But the guy's saying Ford will take an average of 700 pounds off their vehicles? I'm betting Mustang's contribution to that average is no more than 200 pounds.... 100 through weight trimming throughout the structure, components, etc..., and 100 pounds by going to a turbo 4 while ditching the V6.

jg95z28

Argh! Some people just don't get the dynamics of the Millennial generation. After spending the last three years as a mentor and taking several classes on generational relationships in the work place, I feel I have a good grasp on the group. (It also has helped me understand that my two twenty-something stepsons are normal.)

In general, Millennials don't care about sports coupes. They're pack animals and typically hang out with several friends at a time. They want four-doors, connectivity and gadgetry, sportiness yet maintaining their own style and individuality. Ford Focus and Fusion, and Chevy Sonic and Cruze are more in their wheelhouse than Mustang or Camaro.

Sure a small number may like sports coupes, but its not enough to alienate the passionate fans Mustang already has for something "new and tendy". Some here say remember the Probe... well I'm older than most and I remember the Mustang II.

graham

Not sure why people get so caught up on the pony car retro styling with other makes and models in the market like the Beetle, anything made by Porsche, and the Corvette for example.

But for some reason it's a problem when the pony cars try it??

94LightningGal

Guy, Fords target is 300lbs in weight reduction.

They have just partnered up with Dow on Carbon Fiber, so I would imagine that they are looking at creating a viable and cost effective way to mass produce and attach carbon fiber body panels, and other things. If successful, they will really corner the market.

The 700lb weight loss target is for the F-series.

bossco

Its not even the fatmericans that are the issue, put a set of 17 or 18 inch wheels (or larger) on something from the 60's or 70's and see how ****'n stupid they look. Its all about proportion (the reason cars have such high belt lines I might add with the green house being squashed down so that cars dont resemble SUVs going down the road)

I'm sure you guys have seen this but it serves as a very good example of why the wheels and car need to be balanced against each other
[HOLY SH*T] CHEVY CAMARO ON 32 INCH RIMS - MUST SEE!!! See more at www.AceWhips.net - YouTube

93RedDevilZ28

Know how I can tell that you're old?

17's and 18's are quite popular on 60's and 70's muscle cars, particularly out west. In contrast of your opinion, I think those cars look equally as stupid with enough sidewall to land a small plane on.

Bob Cosby

And they generally look like ****, to many of us that are that old.

jg95z28

Depending on the rim, 17s look fine on older muscle cars. Anything larger looks stupid.

(Yes, I do have 17s on my 67 Camaro. )

HAZ-Matt

I agree. I am even in the dumb generation that seems to like rubber band tires.

bossco

Not as old as you probably think, you'd be better off saying conservative when it comes to things like that - to put it into persepctive, I haven't even reached the median age for the buyer of the car I own.

Here IMO is a good example of a wheel that is to large (and perhaps this is the camera angle) in addition to clearancing the fenders for the wheels, the overall diameter of the wheel makes the car sit higher than it should.



I'm not opposed to big wheels per se, I think the big wheels on the Camaro and current Mustang look right at home but the cars are designed around them which has added to the over all bulkiness that so many people dont like about the current cars.

93RedDevilZ28

Ok, then just add the word "school" to the end of my opening statement

I agree that wheel is too large but it is also a 20" wheel at minimum most likely, far from the 17" or 18" wheels you said looked stupid on 60's and 70's muscle. The picture below shows how a bigger wheel can still look good on an old school muscle car: