Very little talk on the base Mustang and its powerplant.


Its barely more powerful then the 3.8L it replaces too. People thing the 3500 GM V6 is low on power---look at the 4.0 Ford!
It seems they spent money on the 4.6L 3 valve--with a substaital 40hp increase but when it came to the base car they didn't care.

I have a little drving experince with that engine and I found it to be very noisy (not a good noise either) and rough.

I heard rumors that it will get aRWD version of the 3.5L Duratec variant at some point. But I think Austrailia has the motor it should have came with.....4L I6 DOHC.

I sure hope a 5th gen base engine gets more thought fromm GM

Anythoughts?

 

What are the specs on that motor?

 

I think 202hp and 235lb-ft (but I might be very slighty off) NOt much of an improvement though.

 

I thought it was 220 HP?

Even so - not up here with the offerings from Nissan, but then again - that's the GT's teritory anyway. Maybe Ford's wanting to get better fuel economy has something to do with it too - it's the v6 base engine after all.

 

It is cheaper to use an existing engine,Esspecially since the "new" 3.5L V6 wont be out for another year(or 2).Beings this 4.0 comes out of the Explorer it make's perfect sense.
Why pay all that money to get an engine certified when you dont plan on using it for the long haul.A 5speed 4.0 Stang will be "fun" to drive.Notice I didnt say exciting.

 

It's just one way to keep costs down, and the aftermarket already has the parts to keep base model owners happy if they want to upgrade. Makes sense to me.

 

I don't know--I just thought 200hp was pretty lame--even for a base car. They'd better watch out for Malibu V6's! (let alone Nissan and Hondas)

 

Ford has never been known for going with big hp for the base model. They have to keep it kind of tame for the rental car companies and the teens whom parents don't want to have big hp engines. In a way it's a good marketing strategy.

 

V6 owners care more about price and content than performance....so 200HP is enough. I would expect GM to match the Mustang with the V6 Camaro, but not go all out to exceed it. The V6 has to be profitable this time around (it wasn't the last few years of the F4).

 

I'd still rasther have a smaller displacement motor that has SOME enthusiasm for revs. Trade a bit of torque for some hp--probably be more fun to drive. Suppoded to be a sports car you know.

Fords whole V6 program is kinda lame. Only when Mazda and Jag use their Duratech V6 does it make any decent power. Fords 3.8L isn't as good as GMs and don't they still make that 3.0L OHV Vulcan V6?

They don't seem that commited to coming out with a really good V6--maybe in a year or two when that 3.5L comes out.

Hopefully GM can do better for a base V6. I'd imagein every V6 4th gen owner would be screaming if a 5th gen came out and the V6 had 10 more hp.

 

The Mustang is a "PONY" car.And the 4.0 will fit the bill nicely.People who buy the V6 will want to run stoplight to stoplight.The 4.0 will do a better job then the 3.8 EVER could.
Have any here ever driven a 2WD 5spd. 4.0 ranger?They are very fun to drive with the peddle mashed to the floor.It's the same engine "basicly".
The Explorer engine is rated @
210hp@5100rpm
254lb/ft@3700

I HIGHLY doubt anyone looking to buy a "2005 Mustang" will cry about that.

Lets not get started on engine's being "underrated"

 

my dads 2003 Ranger has the 4.0l.. hes got 4wd but when its just in 2 its fun as hell..
like 207hp 215+ ft/lbs of torque.. its good enough for a 3300lb truck i guess... Will easily spin all 4 tires in 4wd though and its a big improvement. For a budget mustang engine I think its more than enough.

 

Yep. Ford sold quite a few of the 88 hp 4 cyl Mustangs back in the 80's. Some people just want the style.

 

And as I said, the aftermarket is already there including TB's, MAF's, superchargers and other boltons for this engine. I'm sure the aftermarket is already working on the headers and other exaust system components as we speak.

 

So if GM were to match it, then the engine they would use would be the 3.5 tuned to about the same 200 hp that the Malibu has. The only thing is, I don't see GM using a smaller motor and not increasing the hp for the base car since 96' when the 3.8 came out. I think the 3.9 will find it's way in the base Camaro's engine bay with about 250 hp. Also, IF the Mustang intends to use a new 3.5 in the future, GM has to take that into account and anticipate that move when the Camaro comes out in 06'.