Drool... If your big enthusiast heart hasn't already burst with the introduction of a new Corvette - the second in eight years, no less - you may want to check into the ICU ward and strap on the EKG whilst reading about the new 2005 Ford Mustang, the first ground-up renovation of the classic pony car since 1979 and easily one of the best-looking efforts to emerge from J Mays' halls of car coutoure. The '05 Mustang makes its grand entrance at the Detroit auto show this week (technically the North American International Auto Show, the last time we'll refer to it that way for the remainder of the week) riding atop a new rear-drive, live-axle chassis and powered by your choice of a V-6 or, maybe more suitable to your street cred and its own, a V-8 engine. The V-6 will sticker under $20,000, Ford says, and the V-8 Mustang will be the most affordable car in its performance arena, they add. Live axles? Six-cylinder engines? Buyers won't have it any other way, Ford engineers told us at a background session for the new Mustang late last year. In short, the V-6 version pays the bills, keeps unenthusiasts in two-door coupes and keeps the total sales numbers high enough that Ford can spin off wild, high-performance versions like the 390-hp Cobras of recent vintage. As for the live-axle rear end, Ford execs tell us that the tuner crowd needs the durability of the setup so they can continue to tune the 'Stang's engine lineup for racing and other not-so-street-legal events. "We talked to a lot of Mustang owners as we were developing this program," said Hau Thai-Tang, chief engineer. "They are a very passionate group, and a lot of them told us - very strongly - that the all-new Mustang had to have a solid rear axle." Sounds logical to us, and also sounds less expensive to engineer and build, a critical point for a relatively low-volume production number like the Mustang. But there's one thing no one will need convincing to accept in an all-new Mustang - and that's the skin. The new car tosses off past Mustang references like Dennis Miller run amok in the design studio, hangs them all together with aerodynamic concessions to modernity, and in the process makes a new vehicle that even a second grader can tell is a Mustang - and a hot-looking one, at that. The Mustang's entirely new architecture sounds reminiscent of every Mustang of the past, but with the assistance of a clean sheet of paper (okay, probably a clean hard drive and a DVD+RW), it promises to be the best-handling, most capable Mustang ever. Not an astonishing feat in a CAD/CAM-changed world, but since the 'Stang hasn't been fully worked over since many of you were in elementary school, vast improvements were there for the making. The new architecture sports MacPherson struts and a three-link live axle with a Panhard rod. Ford promises the Mustang will ride better than any of its ancestors, which is kind of like promising that yours truly will use a word processor more efficiently than Shakespeare. When it comes to braking and handling, however, the boasts become larger: Ford says they're nothing short of world class. We'll reserve judgement for the street and track early this summer. Depending on which Mustang you choose, a 202-hp V-6 or a 300-hp V-8 engine will be supplied by the nice folks at the Flat Rock, Mich., plant who will assemble the new Mustang (alongside the Mazda6 sedan). The 4.0-liter, 60-degree V-6 replaces the 3.8-liter 90-degree engine found in the '04 model, and bests its output by 7 hp. With 235 pound-feet of torque, it outdoes the former base engine by 10 pound-feet, too. A manual Tremec five-speed gearbox comes gratis, but a five-speed automatic can be ordered as well. The 4.6-liter V-8 is an evolution of the last GT's engine, only now it's crossed the magic 300-hp barrier, up 40 hp from before. Three-valve heads help it breathe better, even while running on regular unleaded, and electronic throttle control and a variable camshaft have been introduced with the upgraded engine. Either a five-speed manual or automatic can be mated to the 300-hp V-8. If you think your job has its pressures - where on earth do I put recycled paper clips, Louise? - think of what J Mays' design team faced when the assignment for the new Mustang landed on their desk. The shape had to be more than pop-quiz answers on what makes a Mustang: "We weren't just redesigning a car, we were adding another chapter to an epic," said J Mays, Ford Motor Company group vice president, Design. The long-deck, short-rear silhouette of every Mustang in history returns with the new shape, and it's far more authentic-looking than in the 1994-2004 edition of the Fox-based Mustang. (Let's not even talk about the Seventies Mustang II). Three-piece taillamps, C-shaped side scoops, circular headlights and a forward-angled nose establish the character of the 'Stang, like fins give flight to Fifties Cadillacs and a split rear window evokes the finest Sting Ray Corvettes. ... http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=6724
Alright, since everyone is opening car threads... Hypothetical: Imagine you could choose a car as a company car. Which one of these two would you take - silver or black?
dont get silver the paint color chips easier then any other color. but if its company money and a lease it wont matter.
are there pictures availible of the new Corvette? If that new 'stang is availible by this time next year.. I might be looking at it for graduation
Yep, it is... I was more interested in what color you think has the higher CMF? (chick magnet factor... )
Black. Go with the black. Silver is flashier, but black is much more attention grabbing. Just keep it clean and you're all set.
Silver chips easier? Never heard that before (and I've had several silver cars). As for the Mercedes, though, I'll bet they sell more silver ones than any other color, so I'd go with black.
Sorry, didn't mean to hijack this thread, just didn't want to start a separate thread for this. Thanks for your opinions, I think I will go with black.
The new Vette looks more evolutionary than anything, but the last car was so good, why mess with success? As for the new Mustang, I'm glad to see they have a V-8 motor with some balls. I never understood why that DOHC plant was as wimpy as it was. I enjoyed working on that Mustang for my cousin, she simply loved it. And with a hot 302 under the hood, a sweet royal blue metallic paint job, some Cobra rims and a good stereo, she has nice car to go through college with. For my next project, I'm going to find a 78-80 Trans Am, paint it to match the Bandit's car from Smokey and the Bandit and put a new drivetrain in, with likely a donor LT1 350 or something like that under the hood.
No kidding. Only being able to see a portion of the picture made me feel like I was running a very low resolution. That thing is HUGE. before posting such a big photo re-size it and then load it.
I'm not a big Mustang fan (recent ones seem to be poorly built), but that's a damn fine-looking car. Can't wait to see them in showrooms.
I have never really liked mustangs, but that looks pretty decent. I would go with the black benz by far. And that vett looks OUTSTANDING. If come by a large sum of money that car is mine.
I liked the concept car version of the 2005 'Stang better. When I saw what actually would be the 2005 'Stang a few weeks ago, I was a bit disappointed. They killed it with those big ol' fog lights in the grill. That's screwed up. As for the 'Vette. Great performance and great exterior. But the interior was designed by pre-schoolers. The 'Vette is great bang-for-the-buck, but man do they short-change you on that interior. And for pete's sake Bama, that picture is twice the width of my dang monitor and the monitor is 20". People are going to sprain their wrists trying to scroll.
You do know the fog lights can be removed, don't you? I'm always more appreciative of Mustang's concept cars. It seems that Ford always wants the Mustangs to appeal to women, as well. Hogwash! Mustangs should have two versions. A "male" one, and a "female" one. Period.
Sorry folks, I'm working on my laptop in Orlando and I had no idea that the photo was that frickin' big. Oops!
