Engine: 4.0-liter V-6
Horsepower: 210
Height: 55.7 inches
Width: 73.9 inches
Length: 187.6 inches
Curb weight: 3,476 pounds
What the automaker says: "The 2005 Ford Mustang convertible is the first in a string of specialty versions of the new Mustang."
What you should know: Convertible was part of product plan from the start, helping to keep weight gain over coupe version to about 120 pounds.
Production possibility: Production begins in early spring

INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY FORD

FORD MUSTANG: THE QUINTESSSENTIAL AMERICAN CONVERTIBLE
· Convertible shares foundation with bold, hot-selling 2005 Mustang coupe· Architecture engineered to reduce or eliminate compromises in coupe-based convertible· Quieter, better-sealing top looks good up or down· Clever touches manage air flow to reduce wind buffeting, and noise· Most affordable 300-horsepower and V-6 convertibles in the industry

How can you top something as successful as the all-new 2005 Mustang coupe? You drop the top.

The 2005 Ford Mustang convertible, which will reach showrooms in the spring, is the first in a string of new specialty Mustangs. Just as noteworthy it is the most solid, best handling and most refined open-air version yet of this American legend.

What makes it so is that it uses the same ingredients that have made the 2005 Mustang coupe such an immediate success:
· Totally new and modern architecture
· Muscular stance and bold style
· Brawny engine and rear-drive excitement
· Affordability
And because the convertible was designed alongside the coupe and not as an afterthought, it avoids the pitfalls that have compromised coupe-derived convertibles in the past. Better still, it retains all of the personality that has made the Ford Mustang one of the most-loved automotive nameplates in history.

There are more than 250 Mustang clubs from around the world with the largest – The Mustang Club of America – touting some 11,000 members alone. And when you consider that of the more than 8 million Mustangs sold since 1965, almost 1 million of them have been convertibles – it’s clear that the convertible is a key part of Mustang’s success story.

AVOIDING EXTREME MAKEOVERS
The 2005 Mustang convertible was designed from the ground up to deliver a more rigid body structure without adding burdensome weight. This was accomplished by engineering it in tandem with the coupe. An added benefit of this process was that it provided the car with a cohesive, integrated look – not look like a coupe that has undergone reconstructive surgery to become
a convertible.

The fabric top also seals better than did those of previous models and it affords superior rearward visibility. Ford engineers designed an innovative z-fold top that gives the Mustang convertible a finished appearance even with the top down.

The 2005 Mustang convertible shares the coupe’s bold, aggressive look with the signature long hood, short deck and classic design cues. There’s an unmistakable hint of Mustang notchbacks of yesteryear in the convertible’s profile and stance – with the same athletic proportions, save for today’s bigger, wider wheels and tires – that make it look as good at rest as it does at speed.

THE INSIDE STORY
The 2005 Mustang convertible also makes a statement with its dramatic interior that’s quiet and comfortable.

The smartly engineered convertible platform has more than twice the torsional stiffness of the previous version, helping make it the most quiet and solid drop-top Mustang ever produced. The squeaks, shakes and rattles – common on cars without fixed metal roofs – are startlingly missing from the 2005 Mustang convertible.

Rearward visibility, a common issue with fabric tops, also is improved. The 2005 Mustang convertible comes with a wide glass backlite (including a defroster), full quarter windows and slim C-pillars, all of which offer the driver a better look out the back.

Passengers will appreciate the lack of wind-related buffeting and noise when the top is down. With a windshield header panel more steeply raked than on the coupe and modified rear seatbacks, the 2005 Mustang convertible has no need for add-on devices to block the wind.

Aside from these touches, the 2005 Mustang convertible shares the coupe’s look of a much more expensive car. Mustang’s past is honored by the twin-pod instrument panel, and the present is addressed via modern materials and Ford’s much-praised attention to interior design and details. The color-configurable instrument panel – an industry first –gives the driver 125 different color backgrounds to illuminate the gauges and controls.

DONE RIGHT BECAUSE IT’S DONE LIGHT
Numerous benefits are derived from engineering both models of the 2005 Mustang at the same time, including increased torsional stiffness and a stiff, yet light chassis. The typical convertible “conversion” can add as much as 300 pounds, mostly from metal added to brace the top-less structure.

Mustang engineers added strength into both models by designing body joints and rocker panels, for instance, which help solidify the convertible without excessive bracing. The payoff from this “adding lightness” is that engineers could borrow virtually all suspension geometry and tuning from the coupe. As a result, never before have the coupe and convertible ridden and handled so much alike.

The convertible’s sensibly managed weight program also improves acceleration. The Mustang convertible should shave significant time off its predecessors' straight-line performance times much like the coupe, which Motor Trend Magazine recently tested at 5.1 seconds in 0-60-mph straight-line drag runs.

Like the coupe, the Mustang convertible uses a MacPherson strut front suspension and a rigid rear axle rear design that has surprised the automotive press with its composure and handling prowess. The secret for its success is a three-link setup with a Panhard rod that maintains precise control over the axle.

Steering is via a power-assisted rack-and-pinion system.

Disc brakes are fitted at all four corners. The Mustang GT rotors are the biggest ever used on a regular production Mustang and the calipers are the stiffest. The four-channel anti-lock braking system (ABS) comes with an all-speed traction control system, which can be switched off when the driver chooses to “hang it out” or drop the clutch for a smoky burnout.

The convertible’s muscular stance is enhanced by beefy tires. Standard tires on the GT are W-rated P235/55ZR-17 all-season performance radials mounted on 17 by 8-inch alloy wheels. The V-6 convertible comes with 16 by 7-inch wheels with T-rated P215/65R-16 all-season tires.

POWER PERSONIFIED – AND PERSONALIZED
The Ford Mustang is the very symbol of American muscle, and the 2005 convertible blends the freedom of top-down cruising with the coupe’s raw power and performance.

The standard engine is a 4.0-liter SOHC V-6. Producing 210 horsepower and 240 lb.-ft. of torque, it is more powerful than the 260-cu.-in. V-8 that was an option when Mustang was first introduced.

The V-8-powered GT convertible boasts the same 300-horsepower 4.6-liter V-8 as its coupe counterpart. The GT’s new three-valve, single overhead-cam V-8 has variable cam timing to help it generate 40 more horsepower than the previous GT’s V-8 and producing 50 percent more power with less displacement – 281 cubic inches – than the legendary small-block 289 V-8 of 1964.

While they are powerfully responsive, both Mustang engines are respectful of the environment. Both meet Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle II (ULEV II) standards. On average, the 2005 fleet for Ford Mustangs will emit 57 percent less smog-forming pollution than the 2004 model-year fleet.

FIVE SPEEDS, TWO CHOICES
For the first time, the Mustang convertible is available with a 5-speed automatic transmission. The 5R55S automatic is optional with either the V-6 or the GT’s V-8 and has closely spaced gears to keep the engine running in the “sweet” part of its power band. This assists acceleration as well as fuel efficiency.

Both V-8 and V-6 models of the 2005 Mustang convertible are equipped with Tremec 5-speed manuals connected to smooth-shifting linkages and gearboxes.

TO PROTECT AND SERVE
While the agility and acceleration of the 2005 Mustang convertible can help a driver avoid an accident, not all bad situations can be escaped. That’s the point at which passive safety systems take over.

The rigid core of the 2005 Mustang convertible creates a safety cage that helps protect the cabin from deformation and intrusion during an impact. The front of the car is designed to help channel the violent energy of a collision away from vehicle occupants.

The Ford Personal Safety SystemÔ includes dual-stage driver and front-passenger air bags as well as safety belt pretensioners and energy management retractors. Side-impact air bags for the driver and front passenger are optional.

To help customers keep their Mustang in the stable, an optional active anti-theft package provides increased levels of security, including a separate alarm sounder, new anti-tow sensor, ultrasonic interior motion sensor, perimeter anti-theft protection and even a high-capacity battery to keep sounding the alarm longer.

JOINT DEVELOPMENT ADDS TO VALUE, QUALITY
The Mustang convertible V-6 – still the most affordable V-6 in the industry – comes well equipped in Deluxe trim with a base manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $24,495. The Ford Mustang GT convertible Deluxe is the industry’s most affordable 300-horsepower drop-top sports car with a base MSRP of $29,995.

NEW HOME FOR THE RANGE
With the 2005 model year, Mustang has moved to a new factory from its long-time home at the historic Dearborn Assembly Plant at the Ford Rouge Complex. All Mustangs are now made at the AutoAlliance International assembly plant in Flat Rock, Mich. The 2005 Mustang convertible will go on sale in the spring.

2005 FORD MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE
ON SALE: Spring
BASE PRICE: $27,000 (est.)
POWERTRAIN: 4.0-liter, 210-hp, 240-lb-ft V6; rwd, five-speed manual
CURB WEIGHT: 3476 pounds
0 TO 60 MPH: 6.9 seconds (est.)

Why is the new Mustang convertible better than the old Mustang convertible, better in fact, than any Mustang convertible ever? There are a lot of answers to that, but it all comes down to architecture.

“This is the first time that we had an all-new platform that didn’t require compromises for our use,” said Mustang vehicle engineering manager Bob Johnston.

That’s a polite way of saying Ford finally built a Mustang to be a Mustang, instead of forcing a Mustang on something else. As you’ll recall, the previous pony car traced its roots all the way back to the Fox platform of 1978, and even then it had to perform other duties, including but not limited to holding up those “icons” of style and speed, the Fairmont and Granada. It was like asking your weed whacker to function also as a Flowbee hair trimmer, Waring blender and a snowblower. Sure, with enough engineering it could probably carry it all off, but not as well as any of those should, and you always wound up with hair in your daiquiri.


Ford designers and engineers did a lot of things right in bringing the new Mustang to market, and maybe the single most important element was building a solid chassis that would allow for a no-compromises convertible. The result is a fun, solid car that lives up to its iconic good looks.

The new Mustang platform doesn’t have to be anything but a Mustang (so far, anyway), and when engineers started to build it, they started with the assumption that it would also be a convertible.

That meant the basic structure of the car was designed to work with a minimum of reinforcement to keep it structurally sound even without a roof.

Ripping the top off a car generally sucks out about 70 percent of its torsional rigidity. That can be replaced with weight-bogging reinforcements to the floor pan, rear structure, A-pillars and windshield frames, but that’s like adding the plumbing after you’ve put in the drywall.

“Typically, convertibles are afterthoughts,” said Mark Rushbrook, Mustang vehicle dynamics manager.


While there was some stiffening to those areas on this car, that stiffening was nowhere near as much as it had been on the Fox platform convertibles. The main reinforcements to the new convertible are a big V-brace underneath in the back and a strut bar underneath joining the lower inboard suspension pickup points in front. Together those changes keep the new convertible remarkably tight.

“You’re never going to get all the cowl shake out of a convertible, but this is much better than we’ve ever been able to do before,” said Rushbrook.

Rushbrook was speaking from the passenger seat of the convertible as we sped along the contour-hugging bends of State Highway 39 in the mountains above Los Angeles. Indeed, the cowl wasn’t shaking much at all. In previous Mustang convertibles you’d hit a bump or whang into a pothole—what vehicle dynamics engineers call “an incident”—and then the waves of energy would travel back and forth through the body of the car for several long seconds, and at a fairly low frequency. Things would rattle off the dashboard, the glovebox would spring open, your glasses would bounce off the end of your nose and your date would make a mildly unhappy sound from the passenger seat. Now there is far less residual shake, for a shorter duration and at what feels like a higher frequency. In other words, it’s tight, man.


In more precise engineering terms, the body of the old convertible took 3000 lb-ft of torque to twist 1 degree. When they made this convertible, the goal was to double that figure, but they wound up exceeding it with a measure of 6500 lb-ft per degree. Granted, that doesn’t compare to a carbon fiber race tub, but it is a 117 percent improvement. Bending resistance is also up, by 25 percent.

The Mustang convertible does weigh 120 pounds more than the coupe, but even that figure is 30 pounds less than the weight penalty the old convertible paid compared with the old coupe.

Cowl shake is also reduced by a softened suspension, which you can have if you’ve got a stiff chassis. If you can get the springs to soak up the bumps before the body has to, you’ve got a more efficient package. So spring rates front and rear are reduced by 15 percent while all four shocks are softened as well. The rear stabilizer bar goes up to 20 millimeters vs. 18 millimeters to compensate for the added roll of the softer springs and shocks. The convertible’s tires are the same as the coupe—235/55ZR-17s on the V8-powered GT and 215/65R-16s on the V6-powered base model.


On the road you might notice the softer setup; it felt just a little mushier than the coupes we’ve driven. The rack-and-pinion steering feels much better connected to the road than you’d expect, given the Mustang convertibles of yore. Four-wheel discs are standard. As with any coupe/convertible choice, driving and performance purists will want the coupe, but there is far less compromise in this soft-top version.

Many other features were added to get the new ’Stang up to the competition. The top is all-new, of course. It is three layers thick, as are most tops nowadays, with an outer waterproof layer, middle sound insulation and a handsome inner liner. The basic construction consists of five bows that stack in a big Z behind the rear seats. The headliner is stiff and wide and attaches to the windshield frame with two big hand clamps. Top operation is electrohydraulic and takes 16 seconds. The rear glass is as big as they could make it, for optimum visibility, and has electric defrost standard. The Mustang also has rear quarter-windows, which, along with big side mirrors, add to all-around visibility.

The side glass now slots up into rubber molding under the roof rails, a technique we first noticed on BMWs, and one also featured on the Mustang coupe. When you pull the door handle, the glass lowers before the door opens; when you close the door, the last thing the glass does is schmoosh up into the molding. That makes for a 12 percent reduction in wind noise and a 25 percent reduction in air leaking through the seals.

The rest of the Mustang doesn’t change. Power to the rear wheels comes from your choice of 4.6-liter 300-hp V8 in the GT or 4.0-liter 210-hp V6 in the base car. Five-speed manual and five-speed automatic are available in both models.


The convertible bows at the Los Angeles auto show about the time you read this and will enter showrooms in the spring, when pricing will be released. Past convertibles have made up about 30 percent of sales, and this one should settle down to that after an initial sales spike. And it will spike. After 26 years riding on the old Mustang/Fairmont/Granada, engineers were more than anxious to show what they could do with a clean-sheet-of-paper Mustang convertible.

“You’d kind of like to get it right,” said Johnston.

This time they certainly did.

2007 SVT Cobra to be unvieled at the Detroit Auto Show starting March 25


SVT Still Kicking, Ford Says

"With no cars currently on the market, there’ve been plenty of rumors working their way through the industry grapevine about the future of Ford Motor Co.’s high-performance SVT unit. But “reports of its demise have been greatly exaggerated,” the head of the brand-within-a-brand told TheCarConnection.com, lifting a turn-of-phrase from Mark Twain. “We’d hate to give up on the brand equity we’ve established over the last 10 years,” insisted Hau Thai-Tang, the new boss of SVT, who until recently led the development of the new, retro-styled Mustang. An SVT version of the Mustang will be unveiled at the upcoming New York Auto Show, said Thai-Tang, and though he wouldn’t confirm production plans, sources told TCC it’s a bit more than a year away. Several other possible SVT models are under consideration, with an emphasis on adding a more mainstream product, such as a high-performance Fusion sedan.

SVT’s current hiatus was not due to problems with the unit, Thai-Tang insisted, but simply the result of limited resources being shifted to the development of the Ford GT supercar. Going forward, SVT intends to return to its roots, the Vietnamese-born executive explained during an exclusive interview. It will focus on building high-performance, limited-volume products with “substance” and value. But rather than putting a premium on off-the-line acceleration, future SVT models will likely strive to have broader appeal, much like the vehicles sold by European high-performance brands, such as BMW’s M line. That means they’ll have to handle and stop as well as they launch at a light, said Thai-Tang. Do not expect an SVT version of every Ford division product, sources report, though it is possible SVT may eventually lend its name to products sold by other Ford Motor Co. divisions.

Meanwhile, Ford is likely to develop other high-performance options. It is expected to expand its ties to Shelby Motors, the tuner firm run by racing legend and longtime Ford consultant Carroll Shelby, as well as Saleen Motors, the California firm best known for its customized Mustang models."


This additional stuff was taken off another forum:

First off, it is official that Ford will be bringing a Cobra to market for MY2007. SVT is not dead. At least according the new head SVT (the guy who designed the 05 Mustang) who said as much a couple of days ago at the Detroit Auto Show.

Then, this surfaced and although it is still conjecture, it does seem quite likely to be true based on what Ford said about re-using the 5.4L Ford GT engine in other cars.

This is exciting stuff. The three most interesting details:

- 465HP, 6-speed manual running in the low 12's with a trap speed of 120mph! That's not z06 territory, but that's definitely standard corvette country.

- You choose the rear suspension set up, either IRS or Solid Rear Axle with the IRS apparently pulling over 1.0g in the corners... which would instantly put the Mustang Cobra in very special company.

- The Price... in and around 30k. That I find hard to believe.

Anyways, read all the juicy details for yourself. There's also some mention of Ford taking on the new Camaro come 07 with a higher output GT model as well.

This was copied and pasted from southfloridaracing.com which on there was copied from somewhere else. Seems like a bunch of wishful thinking to me but if it does happen I want to be the one that said it first. I will belive it when I see it.

From an extremely reliable inside source at SVT (who is best friends with my sister's husband), this is supposedly the gospel of a lot of what we will see in the new Cobra. This car is already scheduled to debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January of 2006 with delivery available in mid (May/June) 2006 as a MY2007. Prototypes that are on the streets today are almost indistinguishable from other SN197's other than tires and exhaust note. There are a couple using unorthodox hood arrangements but these are supposedly not the cars with the drivetrains we will see. Here is what I was told will be the heart and soul of the next Cobra. Time will tell...

Motor: 5.4 Supercharged, 3 valve heads (with HUGE valves), forged internals similar to the 4.6 (Crank, rods, etc), modestly rated (under rated actually) ~465 HP/495 lb ft Torque, using a twin screw S/C similar to that on the Ford GT but pullied differently, hence the lower HP. This motor was supposedly made official (in house only) just in the last few days. It will NOT be rated the equal or even close HP-wise as the Ford GT exotic for exclusivity reasons. It will have more restrictive intake/exhaust systems than the Ford GT which is partly to blame for the lower performance numbers. Also, a cold air induction system will purportedly being looked at as an option but may be standard if it can get past the bean counters.

Transmissions: 6 speed manuals standard with a heavy duty 5 speed auto (the tranny used on the Ford Superduty but programmed/geared differently) as an option in late '07 or the '08 M/Y.

Suspensions: A re-engineered, heavy duty IRS will be an option with a modified 3 link/panhard bar-live axle setup as the standard rear axle. SVT will be going for the Road Race buyer as well as the straight line racer with both axles optional. However, the Axle options are not set in stone as of the moment but look highly likely to be approved. The Cobra will be lowered about 1.5" from a stock GT.

Bodywork: The retro theme will continue with a serious nod to the '67 Shelby. The fenders may be flared more than the standard '05 but that is not for certain as of now. The ducktail will be factory installed. Also, no convertible is planned for now but no reason was given other than concerns over chassis reliability due to the torque volume.

According to "John Doe" (he does not want to get 'relieved' of his assignment), only 3 of the Cobra protos built so far have the S/C'd 5.4 in them. There are actually 6 or 7 on the streets now, not all at the same time but there are similarly painted versions of different cars. There are also supposed to be three Protos with 6+ liter motors in them, 2 with blowers, one that is N/A but these will not be used in the next generation Cobra.

Supposedly, the 6+ Liter motors (he does not know the precise specs on them) are a Hurricane based engine with radical camming and a "first for Ford style of fuel delivery." I have no idea what he means by that and he would not elaborate to my sister either - apparently he was only repeating what he was told.

Tires: Alledgedly, the 5.4 S/C'd cars are running 315's on the rears, 275's on the fronts using 18" rims. Similar setups are on the other Protos. However, the 315's may only be optional with 295's being the standard fare.

Performance: The 5.4 S/C'd cars have been clocked in the very low 12's (12.10-12.25) in the quarter at nearly 120 mph and have been traction limited, according to "John". They are also supposedly able to pull over 1 G in handling.

Per "John", SVT is also adding enormous brakes and will be using an air cooled Intercooler, opting away from the water cooled version used previously due to reliability concerns (?). Other touches will possibly include some form of active/adjustable suspension as an option but he did not know much about it.

Supposedly, we should expect a price to be in the very high $30k range (base price - 6 speed, live axle, base tire/wheel combos) according to his sources in the know.

Also - prototype Mach 1's are also on the streets. These are supposedly running N/A'd 5.4's, tuned for 370hp with the 6 speed transmissions for now and debate still ongoing about which auto to use. None of the proto Mach's are running the Shaker hood to keep them cloaked to spying eyes. This car is supposed to appear for the '06 M/Y with some final tweaking to be set in stone by Jan/Feb 2005.

"John Doe" is considered to be an extremely reliable source. He said that Ford will rely heavily on already built/designed components rather than exotic pieces.

He also said that Ford is hoping to stymie the rumored F-body's comeback sales numbers with more powerful engines in the V6/GT Mustang in M/Y 2007 cars, perhaps as high as 20% increases in HP/Torque with 10-12% increases in fuel economy. If true, we could be seeing 320/325 HP GT's in 2007! Purportedly, GM is planning to use detuned LS2's in the F-bodies and Ford wants to head them off early with upgraded 3v motors.

2007 SVT Cobra to be unvieled at the Detroit Auto Show starting March 25

SVT Still Kicking, Ford Says
"With no cars currently on the market, there’ve been plenty of rumors working their way through the industry grapevine about the future of Ford Motor Co.’s high-performance SVT unit. But “reports of its demise have been greatly exaggerated,” the head of the brand-within-a-brand told TheCarConnection.com, lifting a turn-of-phrase from Mark Twain. “We’d hate to give up on the brand equity we’ve established over the last 10 years,” insisted Hau Thai-Tang, the new boss of SVT, who until recently led the development of the new, retro-styled Mustang. An SVT version of the Mustang will be unveiled at the upcoming New York Auto Show, said Thai-Tang, and though he wouldn’t confirm production plans, sources told TCC it’s a bit more than a year away. Several other possible SVT models are under consideration, with an emphasis on adding a more mainstream product, such as a high-performance Fusion sedan.


Details:
- 465HP, 6-speed manual running in the low 12's with a trap speed of 120mph!
- You choose the rear suspension set up, either IRS or Solid Rear Axle with the IRS apparently pulling over 1.0g in the corners...
- The Price... in and around 30k.
Motor: 5.4 Supercharged, 3 valve heads (with HUGE valves), forged internals similar to the 4.6 (Crank, rods, etc), modestly rated (under rated actually) ~465 HP/495 lb ft Torque, using a twin screw S/C similar to that on the Ford GT but pullied differently, hence the lower HP. This motor was supposedly made official (in house only) just in the last few days.

Transmissions: 6 speed manuals standard with a heavy duty 5 speed auto (the tranny used on the Ford Superduty but programmed/geared differently) as an option in late '07 or the '08 M/Y.

Suspensions: A re-engineered, heavy duty IRS will be an option with a modified 3 link/panhard bar-live axle setup as the standard rear axle. SVT will be going for the Road Race buyer as well as the straight line racer with both axles optional. However, the Axle options are not set in stone as of the moment but look highly likely to be approved. The Cobra will be lowered about 1.5" from a stock GT.

Bodywork: The retro theme will continue with a serious nod to the '67 Shelby. The fenders may be flared more than the standard '05 but that is not for certain as of now. The ducktail will be factory installed. Also, no convertible is planned for now but no reason was given other than concerns over chassis reliability due to the torque volume.