For those blasting the car for not having IRS (I myself am disappointed) keep in mind that this is the ONLY performance type car with RWD and a V8 ENGINE in it's price range (GT's will probably start close to 8,000 less than a GTO).

At least they are trying to keep the V8 affordable to guys like us. GM and Chrysler seem to be unwilling to give us anything for less than 35K.

I'm just hoping they make the IRS an option on the GT.

 

I don't know if this holds any weight but on Motor Trends website, they state that the GT will be about 290 and the Cobra will be a NA 5 liter with 350 hp. The GT sounds right but I would have a hard time believing that the Cobra would take a step back in performance from the older generation naturally aspirated or not.......................of course it has happened before with the fox body to the sn95.

 

quoted from that article it says

Sources say the base engine will be a V-6, but GT and more powerful versions will start at 300 hp and work their way well north of that figure.

unquote.

If it comes out during this summer, I wonder if I should hold off for a 06 cobra, save up even more money and my 21st birthday would be right around the corner

 

The m*****g will survive not because it is retro or not. It survives because ford has built a car that has a long history and is cool to own by those in all income groups. Ford also is very in tune to its owners, Something GM has yet to learn. But more importantly is the fact that for 14k any one can buy a base model. This allows for a growing up in the car. And as you get older and make more money you have higher priced versions available to you. This is something that GM should look hard at for the next gen Camaro if it ever returns. It is what they did with the 1st and second gen camaros. They got away from it with the 3rd and 4 gens and ended up killing the f-body even though it was by far a better car than the ford.

 

 

How did "Brad" end up with a picture of the styling clinic interior to post on a website? If it was GM instead of Ford, he would probally be drawn & quartered by now.

No telling if the chrome panel made it to production (Personally I doubt it), but that is pretty much the dashboard of the new Mustang. You can also see it pretty clearly in the TCC picture.

BTW, that is a roof cover & not a convertible.

 

We know


Brad got the pic emailed to him from a "sercret source"
Sure it wont be a "real" alum panel.At most they will do a "fake" brushed finish,Like the Merc. Mountaineer.

 

OK - It's been an interesting read so far...
now I gotta chime in.

As for the aluminum in the interior... it's GONNA happen.
Wanna know why... LOOK HERE
There's been a huge trend over the last couple years with guys putting billet machined parts into their interior. Like centric said - they are sick and tired of plastic chit - it looks cheap and often cracks and breaks under stress. Everything from AC controls to adhesive panels to door locks to window switches have all been done in aluminum. People like the look and it is "fresh". Surveys work BTW.

Someone quoted,"I still believe that FoMoCo is missing a HUGE opportunity to make the new stang a world-class vehicle with a ground-up design. "
I respond to that by saying that I don't WANT it to be a world class car. Quick, give me a list of "world class cars" that a high school kid can afford, not be embarassed to be seen in, has withstood 39 years of market swings, gas crunches, wars, recessions, fashion reversals, and has such a cult-like following?!?!

Keep it simple. Stylish. Functional. and Cheap.
Let the GT's get the performers antsy.
Let the Boss's, Mach 1's, and Bullitt's draw in the purists and enthusiasts.
Let the Cobra be the "world class" car with more expensive IRS, exotic-level power, and price to match.
DON'T price the base car out of the kids' range, or you may as well give the farm to the import crowd NOW and spare us the trouble of fighting it.

One last interesting tidbit about the Stang...
For ANYONE who doubts Ford's committment to it, I'd offer you to read this article... LINKY .
After reading that little article, I was ready to drive to Dearborn and kiss the guy right smack on the face.
I'm sure that many execs play the media for hype and advertisement, but notice who did the article and under what context. For a guy who could be driving anything on earth... Jags and such included, THIS says alot. And I don't think it's BS either.

Trust me, the Mustang will be doing just fine for a good while!

 

ProudPony...

That article was short, but interesting....gotta love and respect this answer:

Q: If you had to buy a non-Ford vehicle, what would it be?

A: I'd walk.

 

Yeah I saw that a while back. Wow, the chairman of Ford and the great grandson of Henry Ford himself would rather walk than drive another company's product. That's shocking. I mean c'mon what would you expect him to say, "well I'd really love to get my hands on a Corvette convertible, man those things are HOT!"

He loves the Mustang like Scott Settlemeire loves the Camaro. He loves Ford as much as Scott loves Chevy...well actually more, since at the end of the day it's his name on the car for crying out loud...Unfortunately for Scott he isn't in the position to run the whole show at GM.

 

I can't be sure if it's BS or not....but I am sure about Ford's level of commitment for the Mustang.

 

I look at it this way...
If it WAS a BS response to draw attention to a car, why wouldn't he use the spotlight to draw attention/sales to a more profitable unit, or a unit in need of a shot in the arm like the T-bird? For heaven's sake, the guy could be in a Navigator Limited, Lincoln LS, any Jag or Volvo offering, anything from Ford of Australia (including the new Falcon) - you name it. I'm sure he could get his paws on a Ford GT or other new road test mule if he wanted too.

So if it was a PR-stunt to "plug" a buggy, why would he pick the Mustang of all the cars in his foray?

Definitely not a flame to you Charlie - far from it.
I too am an admitted skeptic when it comes to the media and interviews because so many are staged, but this was so passe, and Bill Ford seems so "normal", it's just hard not to beleive him. There was another article in the press recently where he received a jacket from a Mustang line worker and he seemed genuinely enthused and sincere (see photo/caption at right).

For those interested, here's an additional "follow-up" to the short Q&A article I linked to previously... LINKY II

'Nuf said... I think the new car has all the support and enthusiasm one could expect from the source itself.
I'm tickled.

 

I think when that interview with Bill Ford happened, he was just using the stang as a beater while awaiting delivery of his GT-40! (I know it's the GT, but I'm always gonna call it the GT-40!!!) I think he was trying to appeal to the 'everyman' with that quote. At least he could've said it was a 10th anniv. Cobra Vert, imo....

And back to what I was saying earlier about the stang being world class...We don't need all the bells and whistles; I just think they need to concentrate on these things (and they might be already...)
1. Drop as much weight as cost allows ( at least < 3500 lbs)
2. For the Cobra, a high-revving, aluminium, N/A 5- or 5.4 liter
3. Step up the build quality and tightness
4. At least for the Cobra, ditch the Mac struts and go multi-link at all 4 corners.

They do those things, they can take my order today

 

No doubt whatsoever that Bill Ford's favorite car at Ford is the Mustang.

He's plugged trucks & SUVs, and is most definately proud of the Ford GT. But the only vehicle he seems to talk about off the record, or seems to get somewhat enthusiastic about is the Mustang. I'm reading that as genuine.

 

Here, enjoy. . .

Right click and save as. . .
http://www.kingsoftheroad.com/movies/2005Mustang.mpeg
11 meg file. . .