All this hunting down future Mustang facts and rumors has me thinking.......


Rumors are that Ford is considering making a live rear axle available on some future Mustang models. Perhaps;....as some of the brainstorming goes;....the base car would have a live rear to keep base price below $20K. Also, it may be available (or standard), on a V8 model to keep drag racers happy.

Would an available live rear axle be appropriate on some model of the next Camaro? Personally, I may have some anxiety over this. Camaro, finally, at long last, really needs a modern chassis, which includes a good IRS. Not just for better vehicle dynamics but to raise the bar on the Camaro's image.

While my preference would overwhelmingly be for a modern IRS....I wonder if engineering a live rear axle for some Camaro models would be useful.

If for no other reason, it would help differentiate Camaro SS (live rear axle), from Z/28 (IRS).

What do you guys think?

 

As long as the axle is a twelve bolt, I'd love the option of choosing between them.

 

I could definitely see a V6/solid axle and a V8/IRS. Only problem is that I seriously cannot imagine GM offering both options, with their cookie-cutter tendencies to their own detriment I might add. Exclusive IRS on all models seems more likely for a 5th gen if it ever happens

 

i think there outta be a option package with the IRS available, but the live axle standard on most models
i could care less about a damn IRS, personally
maybe they outta make the Z28, like the original......the performance package that handled, with the IRS, 1LE type suspension
and make the SS, the standard "drag racer" with the live axle

 

Just because Mustang does it does not mean Camaro should. Camaro should be a leader, not a follower. Short/long arm IRS on all models.

 

Quite frankly if the IRS is engineered right ala Corvette there is no need for a solid axle for drag racing. Mustang guys complain about the Cobra's drag racing characteristics because its IRS is quite poor from what I understand.

 

That would really sit well with die-hard drag racers...

Nothing like having to lay out a couple extra grand for an IRS that you get to dump outside the back door of your garage and replace with an $800 live rear end, huh?

Or I guess you could just stiffen everything else up on the car and go down the strip listing 15-degrees to the right...

Again... options and choices let a person get EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT, and are willing to pay for. If a guy wants to drag a Camaro, he should be able to get a beefy live axle for his car, IMO. IRS should definitely be available for those who want better everyday ride or want to try autocross, but I think it should not be mandatory.

 

The IRS used on cars until '02 did not perform as well as had been hoped for in general. First attempt, shared parts, and shoe-horn fitting cost in the end. The new blade IRS (developed in OZ I beleive) is going into the new '03 Cobra and is designed FOR this application. It is getting rave reviews, and is quite a bit lighter than it's predecessor too. Ford has invested quite a bit on IRS in the last few years... it is now making it into the Explorer, Mustang, as well as some of the Linc/Merc luxury models. I think we'll see it more and more as it gets cheaper to produce and lighter.

As far as drag racing goes... I have to agree with you that it CAN be done so as to work in most drag applications. BUT - if you are the average Joe and don't have thousands to spend on your rear set-up, you can't come close to the performance and modification capability of a live axle. Adding traction bars, ladder bars, stiffeners, coil-overs, etc. to a live rear is very easy and the parts are all available... have been for years now. IRS is MUCH harder to tune or modify to withstand a rear-tire-stand type of hard launch. It boils down to $, how much you wanna put in a rear-end to go try and tear up every weekend? And how much $ you wanna spend repairing/modifying it?

U-joints can take a whole lot of abuse, but give me the solid axle for twisting +500 hp consistently.

 

I could see the place for the option, but I doubt it would be cost effective...

Plus, It's just time for Camaro to step up to IRS, IMO.

AND... as, Z28Wilson said, if the IRS is done right, like Corvette, there really isn't much need for the solid axle...

 

Yeah, I don't hear anyone complaining about any launch issues with the new '03 Cobra IRS, as opposed to the more compromised IRS on the'99/'01 Cobra.

From my perspective, IRS offers so many advantages over a solid axle..especially in a car like Camaro. Sure it costs alittle more and may in some cases be marginally heavier ( unless lighter materials are used), but it is far superior to a live rear end in most other areas of ride and handling.

 

When you mention ride , and I think this is where sales will benefit most from IRS...

You can retain great handling, while taking the potholes and cruddy roads a lot easier on your spine... you dont get jostled all around the car, and have it bouncing around the road...

This is what most average buyers will love....

Since FWD cars have become commonplace, the average customer has come to expect a good car to handle the bumps in the road like an IRS setup can.

Plus, with the cockpit being knocked around less harshly, you'd think less squeaks and rattles would develop over time... built-in bonus!

 

I knew the reasons behind the complaints about the IRS on previous Cobras, but if the '03 Cobra's IRS is vastly improved you've helped to prove my point. Sure a solid axle will always be ideal for weight/cost savings and probably is the better drag setup but I'd say the vast majority of Mustang and F-body owners would prefer the characteristics of an IRS. Again, I don't see Corvette enthusiasts complain about drag racing in their cars. C5 may be a more sophisticated setup I'll give you that but I think GM could come up with something similar at a reasonable cost to us.

 

One thing I need to throw in, being the killjoy I am at times.

Until the C5 got active suspension, the solid axle Camaro Z28 actually OUTHANDLED the IRS Corvette on the track.

Also, John Coletti (Ford's SVT boss) has a history in drag racing, so (though I haven't heard anything outside the magazines) if Mustang does come with 2 suspension setups, I'm sure he probally had a influence in it (ie: Mach1)

 

True, but a smooth track is much different than most real-world situations. As few people as there are that actually go to a drag strip and race their cars I'm willing to bet that just a fraction of those few actually go autocrossing...

 

Most autoX courses are on parking lots with lots of bumps (as is the real world). Enter one and you will invariably be tasked as a corner worker for a portion of the day. This really gives you the chance to see different car types "up close and personal" going around the same course at 10/10ths.

I can tell you first hand that the solid rear cars have far more drama going around than ones with IRS...especially with mid corner bumps.