Ford: Mustang News
12-22-2003, 07:30 PM
#81
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info from here:
The all-new 2005 Ford Mustang will feature a Delphi-produced industry-first color-configurable instrument cluster so customers can light their gauges in any of 125 unique colors. Instrument gauges can be subtly or dramatically illuminated in the new 'Stang, using three light-emitting diodes (LEDs). But it's not just red, green and blue, like crayons from a box. The colors combine to provide six preset shades – green, blue, purple, white, orange and red. Innovative "light pipe" technology then steps in and allows '05 Mustang owners to mix and blend these six shades for up to 125 custom-colored backgrounds.
The six-gauge cluster, with selectable-color backlighting, will be available as an option on the base and GT model of the 2005 Mustangs. Delphi is also providing four other products on the new Mustang including the intrusion and inclination sensor module, smart electrical distribution center, 6 CD in-dash audiophile radio and the Delphi passive occupant detection system.
The 2005 Mustang will be on dealer lots beginning September 29, 2004.
other interior shots:
looks like there'll be no Cobra until '06: http://www.autothing.com/funthings/A...SuspendSVT.htm
The all-new 2005 Ford Mustang will feature a Delphi-produced industry-first color-configurable instrument cluster so customers can light their gauges in any of 125 unique colors. Instrument gauges can be subtly or dramatically illuminated in the new 'Stang, using three light-emitting diodes (LEDs). But it's not just red, green and blue, like crayons from a box. The colors combine to provide six preset shades – green, blue, purple, white, orange and red. Innovative "light pipe" technology then steps in and allows '05 Mustang owners to mix and blend these six shades for up to 125 custom-colored backgrounds.
The six-gauge cluster, with selectable-color backlighting, will be available as an option on the base and GT model of the 2005 Mustangs. Delphi is also providing four other products on the new Mustang including the intrusion and inclination sensor module, smart electrical distribution center, 6 CD in-dash audiophile radio and the Delphi passive occupant detection system.
The 2005 Mustang will be on dealer lots beginning September 29, 2004.
other interior shots:
looks like there'll be no Cobra until '06: http://www.autothing.com/funthings/A...SuspendSVT.htm
12-22-2003, 07:45 PM
#82
TQ > MPG
Current 260hp GT's have hit 13.9's, so the new one should run mid 13's with ease. Remember they may claim 300hp/315tq, but ever since the 99 Cobra they hav underrated their V8's quite a bit. I wouldnt be surprised if it put 280hp/300 tq to the wheels. Also remember that with CVT the average tq production should be much higher, which makes a bigger difference than hp in 1/4 times anyway.
12-22-2003, 08:54 PM
#83
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Originally posted by jtkz13
Current 260hp GT's have hit 13.9's, so the new one should run mid 13's with ease. Remember they may claim 300hp/315tq, but ever since the 99 Cobra they hav underrated their V8's quite a bit. I wouldnt be surprised if it put 280hp/300 tq to the wheels. Also remember that with CVT the average tq production should be much higher, which makes a bigger difference than hp in 1/4 times anyway.
Current 260hp GT's have hit 13.9's, so the new one should run mid 13's with ease. Remember they may claim 300hp/315tq, but ever since the 99 Cobra they hav underrated their V8's quite a bit. I wouldnt be surprised if it put 280hp/300 tq to the wheels. Also remember that with CVT the average tq production should be much higher, which makes a bigger difference than hp in 1/4 times anyway.
I dont think that a 13.9 current 260HP Mustang is the representative time here. I agree about the underrating of the engine. It might be faster than 13.9 in the end.
12-23-2003, 10:25 AM
#84
GEEZER
I still cant warm up to a FORD...well maybe a GT...
12-24-2003, 07:00 AM
#85
TQ > MPG
I wouldnt say 13.9 is indicative of all 99+ GT's, but more than a couple have hit it bone stock. My dad's 00 GT 5 speed has run 14.2 @ 98mph bone stock and pulls 235rwhp/280rwtq. If the 05 GT has approximately 260rwhp that will net mid 13's with a decent driver. Current generation Mach 1's with 280rwhp/280rwtq have hit low 13's stock and high 12's with normal mustang mods.
12-24-2003, 07:53 AM
#86
Full-Time IDIoT---DoH!!!
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i just dont like the inside headlights 
...i think they are extraneous
other than that Ford cars > GM cars IMO (except the corvette, although the SVT cobra does hang w/it rather well
)
...i think they are extraneousother than that Ford cars > GM cars IMO (except the corvette, although the SVT cobra does hang w/it rather well
)
12-24-2003, 11:50 AM
#88
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Originally posted by jtkz13
I wouldnt say 13.9 is indicative of all 99+ GT's, but more than a couple have hit it bone stock. My dad's 00 GT 5 speed has run 14.2 @ 98mph bone stock and pulls 235rwhp/280rwtq. If the 05 GT has approximately 260rwhp that will net mid 13's with a decent driver. Current generation Mach 1's with 280rwhp/280rwtq have hit low 13's stock and high 12's with normal mustang mods.
I wouldnt say 13.9 is indicative of all 99+ GT's, but more than a couple have hit it bone stock. My dad's 00 GT 5 speed has run 14.2 @ 98mph bone stock and pulls 235rwhp/280rwtq. If the 05 GT has approximately 260rwhp that will net mid 13's with a decent driver. Current generation Mach 1's with 280rwhp/280rwtq have hit low 13's stock and high 12's with normal mustang mods.
12-24-2003, 09:45 PM
#90
TQ > MPG
Originally posted by goat
your numbers are off though. I go to the drag strip A LOT, and bone stock stick shift 99+gt's never seem to do better than a 14.5. in the cold though they do better. Best I've seen is a bone stock 4 spd auto do a 14.3 @ 98mph. It was 25 degrees however. :P
your numbers are off though. I go to the drag strip A LOT, and bone stock stick shift 99+gt's never seem to do better than a 14.5. in the cold though they do better. Best I've seen is a bone stock 4 spd auto do a 14.3 @ 98mph. It was 25 degrees however. :P
12-25-2003, 12:58 AM
#91
Suzuka Master
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Originally posted by goat
your numbers are off though. I go to the drag strip A LOT, and bone stock stick shift 99+gt's never seem to do better than a 14.5. in the cold though they do better. Best I've seen is a bone stock 4 spd auto do a 14.3 @ 98mph. It was 25 degrees however. :P
your numbers are off though. I go to the drag strip A LOT, and bone stock stick shift 99+gt's never seem to do better than a 14.5. in the cold though they do better. Best I've seen is a bone stock 4 spd auto do a 14.3 @ 98mph. It was 25 degrees however. :P
12-27-2003, 08:24 AM
#93
GEEZER
One other thing...Every Tom, Dick and Harriet will be driving these things. I like the exclusivity the CL S/TL brings to the table, I drove to Ocala yesterday (180m Round Trip on and Interstate)...saw a SHIT TON of Mustangs, not even 1 CL or TL.
12-27-2003, 02:18 PM
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New Corvette Muscles In
his month's Detroit motor show sees the reinvention of two of America's most enduring automotive icons: the Chevrolet Corvette and the Ford Mustang.
The 2006-model Corvette is a completely new car, built to a brief that called for a more compact, 'chuckable' machine with world-class handling and serious power.
It's five inches shorter and an inch narrower than the outgoing C5 Corvette and, with a Cd of 0.28, surprisingly slippery. Under the skin (it's the first Corvette since 1964 not to have pop-up headlights) is a new chassis with composite floors, an aluminium cockpit structure and an enclosed centre tunnel.
The transmission (six-speed manual or auto) is mounted on the rear axle. Although the suspension is all-new, it still uses transversely-mounted leaf springs. Magnetic ride control damping will be an option.
Power comes from the new LS2 6-litre 'small-block' V8, which delivers 400bhp and 400lb ft of torque. There's also the option of the Z51 Sport package, which offers uprated suspension and braking. Rumours suggest a 500bhp Z06 in 2005 and even a 7-litre 600bhp+ 'Blue Devil' to take on Ford's GT supercar.
Ford's Mustang is also all-new, but based on a steel monocoque chassis. Prices should start at just $20,000 for the 200bhp V6 model. A 300bhp V8 GT will also be offered. Ford is particularly proud of the interior design and quality.
Under the retro-look shell, the car has a rather basic live axle. Ford says Mustang owners insisted on a live axle - something that must have been popular with the accountants, too.
Source: Autoexpress
12-27-2003, 03:54 PM
#98
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Ford did a really nice job with the interior. That has been one of my major gripes over the last few years and the reason why I don't own one. I am eagerly awaiting a review that describes the handling/braking. If the car performs well in those catagories, I will purchase it. Does anyone know which cars Ford benchmarked for handling???
12-28-2003, 07:33 PM
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Originally posted by Maximized
Those people can't drive.....I have seen quite a few bone stock GTs run low 14s. Never seen a stock GT in the 13s, but it's possible. The new GT will be a solid low/mid 13s car.
Those people can't drive.....I have seen quite a few bone stock GTs run low 14s. Never seen a stock GT in the 13s, but it's possible. The new GT will be a solid low/mid 13s car.
12-29-2003, 02:27 PM
#100
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Originally posted by goat
remember the last time you were at byron? you were there with the maxima's right? remember the acura's/honda's there? I had the black accord. There were two 5spd 99+GT's there and they both couldn't best 14.5! it was like 50 something degrees too.
remember the last time you were at byron? you were there with the maxima's right? remember the acura's/honda's there? I had the black accord. There were two 5spd 99+GT's there and they both couldn't best 14.5! it was like 50 something degrees too.
You kept driving thru the water box and had real bad 60' times. The time I saw a pair of GT's running well was at RT 66 in about 80 degrees weather.
01-03-2004, 11:27 PM
#103
2005 Ford Mustang
Here's some news regarding the upcoming 2005 Ford Mustang.
http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=6724
From the looks of things, this looks like Ford's saving grace. I honestly think that this car looks gorgeous and will definitely attract a lot of people.
Note that the rear end of the Mustang has went through some modifications from the ugly concept (Look at my home page under pictures, 2003 Detroit Auto show, and search for the Mustange pictures), and now resembles the vintage Mustang.
http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=6724
From the looks of things, this looks like Ford's saving grace. I honestly think that this car looks gorgeous and will definitely attract a lot of people.
Note that the rear end of the Mustang has went through some modifications from the ugly concept (Look at my home page under pictures, 2003 Detroit Auto show, and search for the Mustange pictures), and now resembles the vintage Mustang.
01-03-2004, 11:59 PM
#105
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INFORMATION PROVIDED BY FORD
Ford Mustang Set to Capture American Hearts – Again
Since its dramatic 1964 introduction, Ford Mustang has been the icon of American performance and style, capturing hearts worldwide. For 2005, Mustang combines an all-new, fully modern architecture with all the soul that makes a Mustang a Mustang – bold style, a brawny engine and rear-wheel-drive excitement.
In short, every inch of Mustang is new – yet it staunchly remains the genuine article – “America’s Car” for 40 years.
Based on an all-new, fully modern body structure and chassis system featuring advanced MacPherson struts and a three-link live axle with Panhard rod, Mustang boasts an overall ride sophistication unmatched by any of its ancestors. Its braking and handling are nothing short of world class.
It produces all the tire-smoking power the rear wheels – and most drivers – can handle, with a better-breathing 300-horsepower, 24-valve MOD V-8 or 200-horsepower SOHC V-6 engine.
With power comes responsibility, and the new Mustang takes occupant protection to a new level. A stout safety cage, Ford’s Personal Safety System™ with passenger weight-sensing technology, available side air bags and a front structure designed for demanding offset impacts, provide drivers and passengers with the most comprehensive protection ever offered in a
muscle car.
What’s more, all this unrivaled driving excitement will continue to come at an attainable price. Mustang will remain the best performance car for under $20,000, and the most affordable 300-horsepower car made today.
Embodiment of American Muscle
Like wild horses on the open plain, Mustangs always have exuded a sense of pure power. The 2005 Ford Mustang offers a clean, contemporary design rooted in this unmistakable heritage. It is direct, straightforward, honest and – above all – authentically American.
The Mustang takes its design language from the concept car that stole hearts along the auto show circuit and signaled that America’s only remaining muscle car would be introduced for 2005 with even more attitude.
“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.
An all-new platform and clean-sheet design approach gave birth to a car that is modern, legendary and unmistakably Mustang.
The signature long hood and short rear deck capitalize on 40 years of history, as do classic design cues that have helped define Mustangs since the 1960s: C-scoops in the sides, three-element taillamps and a galloping horse badge in the center of the grille. The Mustang’s menacing shark-like nose imparts an attitude not seen since the 1967 model, while jeweled, round headlamps in trapezoidal housings are part of a striking new design flair.
“The new Mustang is pure American muscle,” Mays said. “But, rest assured, we’re not insisting on history at the expense of our future.”
The 2005 Mustang has an aggressive rake that puts the car in motion even when it’s standing still. The wheels were pushed to the corners of the body, better anchoring Mustang visually and physically to the road. The six-inch wheelbase gain over the 2004 model and increased interior compartment width provide more room for driver and passengers.
Head-Turning on the Inside, Too
The cabin – a beneficiary of Ford’s tripled investment in interiors – is every bit as breathtaking and genuine as the exterior. Three distinct design themes celebrate Mustang history with modern materials and features, including an available industry-first, color-configurable instrument panel for almost unlimited personalization.
“This is a $30,000 interior in a $20,000 car,” said Larry Erickson, Mustang chief designer. “The functional, contemporary look of this interior and its precise execution set a new standard.”
Available authentic aluminum panels spanning the dashboard are particularly eye-catching, as are prominent dual chrome-ringed gauges that cap an all-new technology. Thanks to the industry’s first available color-configurable instrument cluster, Mustang owners can mix and match lighting at the touch of a button to create more than 125 different color backgrounds to suit their personality, mood, outfit or whim.
these modern touches mix with Mustang history and heritage. Chrome-ringed air vents are aligned vertically across the dash, precisely in line with the gauges, and the steering wheel has three spokes with a black center hub marked by the horse and tricolor bars logo, echoing the design of the 1967 Mustang.
The available Interior Color Accent Package – charcoal with red leather seats, red door inserts and red floor mats – is as much a jaw-dropper as the interior of the acclaimed concept vehicle that inspired it. The cabin’s aluminum hardware accents add a look of technical precision.
Thanks to efficient packaging and the larger overall size of the new Mustang, taller drivers will feel more at home, and all four occupants enjoy more room. Overall, the new model offers the driver more headroom and shoulder room. Rear passengers also enjoy more legroom and shoulder room in their sculpted bucket seats.
More features are standard than ever before, including one-touch up/down power windows, power mirrors, keyless entry and power locks, a heated rear window and interval wipers. Audio systems range from the standard CD player on base models to the wild, chest-pounding 1,000-watt Shaker Audiophile system.
More Power and Punch
Muscular new engines infuse Mustang with its legendary tire-smoking performance. The 4.6-liter all-aluminum V-8 has three-valve heads and cranks out 300 horsepower, while the new SOHC V-6 engine generates 202 horsepower from 4.0 liters. Five-speed transmissions – manual and automatic – put the power to the pavement.
The 2005 Mustang GT is the first mainstream production Mustang to break into the 300-horsepower arena, a place formerly occupied only by legendary Cobra and Boss models. The new level of performance – on regular fuel – is made possible by intelligent application of powertrain technology.
Because of its all-aluminum construction, Mustang’s MOD V-8 – a member of Ford’s modular engine family – weighs 75 pounds less than a comparable cast-iron design and stokes up 40 more horsepower than the 2004 engine. That’s over 50 percent more power than delivered by the fiery, small-block 289-cubic-inch V-8 found under the hood of the classic 1964 model.
Electronic throttle control, faster engine management controls and the new three-valve cylinder heads with variable camshaft timing all contribute to this impressive output.
The three-valve heads with VCT allowed engine designers to use a higher compression ratio with regular 87-octane gasoline to maximize the energy used by every drop of fuel. Intake runners with active charge motion control valves also shape each combustion event for strong, low-end torque and maximum high-rpm power.
New SOHC V-6 Engine: Even More Output
The 2005 Mustang V-6 is powered by a new 4.0-liter, 60-degree, single-overhead-cam engine, replacing the 3.8-liter 90-degree pushrod engine in the 2004 model. It’s inherently smoother and more compact, provides more power and torque and incorporates many of the advanced technologies used on the V-8.
The 200-horsepower, 235 foot-pound engine – gains of 7 horsepower and 10 foot-pounds – features low-profile heads, a composite intake manifold and a sound quality tuned to match
Mustang’s powerful image.
The Right Gear: Smoother-Shifting Transmissions
Mustang’s manual and automatic transmissions are also upgraded for improved performance.
For the first time, Mustang is available with a five-speed automatic transmission. The 5R55S automatic provides a unique combination of off-the-line jump and remarkably good highway fuel economy. A powerful new transmission control computer can communicate with the engine electronics 10 times faster than before and precisely controls shift duration and timing.
For those who prefer to compute their own shift points, five-speed manual transmissions are standard. The V-8 powered GT is equipped with a rugged Tremec 3650 gearbox, while V-6 cars get a Tremec T-5 manual. Both benefit from improved shift quality and efficiency. The shift linkage provides quick gear engagement and a solid feel.
A Chassis Born to Run
The purpose-built, muscle-car chassis is new from the ground up, with a state-of-the-art front suspension and precise, three-link rear axle with Panhard rod. Combined with direct, accurate steering and powerful disc brakes, Mustang now has what it takes to catapult the American muscle-car driving experience to the next level.
Track time – at drag strips and on road courses – was a critical part of development, as chassis engineers pushed prototypes to the limit in search of the perfect power-and-handling blend.
“We spent countless hours refining this car on development drives and at the track,” said Mark Rushbrook, vehicle dynamics supervisor. “The car has been to the Nelson Ledges road course in Ohio several times for 24-hour runs and has spent months on our own straightaways and handling courses at our proving grounds in Arizona, Michigan and Florida.”
By the time testing is completed, prototypes of the new Mustang will have logged nearly 1 million miles on streets and highways and tracks throughout the United States, Canada and Sweden in all types of weather.
Strutting an Advanced Front Suspension
The MacPherson-strut front suspension’s reverse “L” lower control arms are the product of a groundbreaking manufacturing technology used to produce steel control arms that actually weigh less than some comparable cast-aluminum designs. MacPherson struts – originally developed in the 1940s by Earl S. MacPherson, a Ford engineer – are widely renowned for their ability to deliver both comfort and control with reduced weight.
A firm bushing is positioned at the point where the shorter forward leg of the L-arm connects to the chassis to control lateral – or side-to-side – motion and quicken steering response. The longitudinal – fore-and-aft – movements are directed through a softer, compliant bushing at the longer, rear L-arm leg, which damps road shocks. This isolation is a direct benefit of the reverse “L” configuration of the control arms.
Still Rock Solid – Rear Axle with New Three-Link Suspension
Mustang’s characteristic solid-rear axle has evolved continuously over the past 40 years, and the new model takes the car’s signature design into a new dimension.
“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.”
The solid rear axle offers several advantages that play to Mustang’s strengths. It is robust, maintains constant track, toe-in and camber relative to the road surface, and it keeps body roll well under control.
For 2005, Mustang’s rear suspension has a new three-link architecture with a Panhard rod that provides precise control of the rear axle. A central torque control arm is fastened to the upper front end of the differential, while trailing arms are located near each end of the axle.
The lightweight, tubular Panhard rod is parallel to the axle and attached at one end to the body and at the other to the axle. It stabilizes the rear axle side-to-side as the wheels move through jounce and rebound. It also firmly controls the axle during hard cornering. The shocks are located on the outside of the rear structural rails, near the wheels, reducing the lever effect of the axle and allowing more precise, slightly softer tuning of the shock valves.
Mustang Sound Character: The Strong, Silent Type
Mustang is faster, more agile and better looking than ever – but it’s much quieter and refined for 2005. In the design process, a quiet cabin – where unwanted road and wind noise is supplanted by the signature growl of a Mustang engine – was a top priority.
The result is a car that delivers the performance Mustang buyers demand, along with a more civilized environment that makes for a pleasant driving experience, whether on long trips or in more routine travel about town.
Brakes and Traction Systems – For Control Freaks
The standard four-wheel disc brakes have the biggest rotors and stiffest calipers ever fitted to a mainstream Mustang. Twin-piston aluminum calipers clamp down on 12.4-inch ventilated front brake discs on GT models – an increase of more than 15 percent in rotor size. The V-6 Mustangs get 11.4-inch ventilated rotors that also are 30 mm thick.
In the rear, the brake rotors are 11.8 inches in diameter – more than 12 percent larger than on the 2004 model. Rear rotors are vented on the GT and solid on the V-6. A new four-channel antilock braking system is available for a greater degree of brake control.
Bundled as an option with ABS, an all-speed intelligent traction control system uses electronic sensors to constantly monitor road conditions and feed the information to a dedicated control computer capable of determining within milliseconds whether the vehicle is on dry pavement or negotiating a slippery surface. On those occasions when traction control isn’t desired – like a smoky burnout at the drag strip – drivers can deactivate the system with a button conveniently located on the instrument panel’s center stack, just to the right of the gauges.
Stronger, Safer, More Secure
Mustang’s agility helps drivers avoid accidents like no muscle car in history. Responsive, precise controls, coupled with high levels of overall grip and the strongest brakes ever fitted to a Mustang, give the driver the controllability that can turn an impending collision into just a close shave.
If a collision is unavoidable, a stout safety cage, Ford’s Personal Safety System™ restraints suite and available side air bags with head and chest coverage give occupants the best possible protection.
The Ford Motor Company Personal Safety System, one of the industry’s most comprehensive safety technology packages, is standard. The system is designed to provide increased protection in many types of frontal crashes by analyzing crash factors and determining the proper response within milliseconds. It uses dual-stage driver and front-passenger air bags – capable of deploying at full or partial power – safety belt pretensioners and energy management retractors.
Standard occupant classification sensing builds on the strength of the Personal Safety System to tailor deployment of the front-passenger air bag. If the passenger seat sensor detects no weight – or very little weight, like a newspaper or a jacket – the passenger air bag is automatically switched off. If more weight is on the seat, like a small child, the air bag remains deactivated and an instrument panel light alerts the driver with the message “PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF.” Of course, children are safest when properly restrained in the rear seat. If an adult is seated properly in the passenger seat, the air bag automatically switches on, ready to inflate within milliseconds if needed.
An optional active anti-theft package offers customers a new level of security for their Mustang. The feature is aimed directly at combating wildly high performance-car insurance premiums. The package includes:
· An inclination sensing module to guard against tow-away thefts
· Interior motion sensor to detect “smash-and-grab” break-ins
· Separate alarm sounder – instead of vehicle horn – to thwart thieves trying to disable the horn
· High-capacity, 60-ampere-hour battery capable of sounding the alarm longer
Mustang Packs More Power, Sophistication for 2005
An engine is the heart of any muscle car, and with the new 2005 Mustang, the beat goes on stronger than ever.
A new V-8 engine pumps the Mustang GT up to an impressive 300 horsepower and 315 foot-pounds of torque – enough to get any muscle-car enthusiast’s heart racing. It marks the first time the mainstream Mustang GT offers 300 horsepower – formerly exclusive Mach 1, Cobra and Boss territory.
The GT’s 4.6-liter, three-valve MOD V-8 packs 40 more horsepower than the current V-8 and more than 50 percent more power than the fiery small-block 289-cubic-inch V-8 that propelled the 1964 model to stardom.
This new level of performance – on regular gas – is made possible by intelligent application of modern technology, including all-aluminum construction and a new head design that incorporates three valves per cylinder and variable cam timing.
The V-6 Mustang customer hasn’t been forgotten either. The new 90-degree, single-overhead-cam 4.0-liter engine produces 202 horsepower standard – up from the prior pushrod engine’s 193 hp – for a new level of performance. Peak torque is 235 foot-pounds, 10 more than the prior model’s 225.
“Part of our promise of building better cars cleaner, safer and sooner is not only delivering these cars to customers sooner, but reaching the end of the quarter mile sooner, too,” said Hau Thai-Tang, Mustang chief engineer.
Electronic throttle control is new to Mustang for 2005. Each engine has been tuned to provide heart-warming performance sound and feel, without unwanted noise, vibration and harshness. New, faster electronic processors with more computing muscle and memory enable Mustang’s more powerful engines to deliver even better fuel economy with lower emissions.
The High-Tech Road to 300 Horsepower
Mustang’s new 4.6-liter, three-valve MOD V-8 has its roots in Ford’s modular engine family that spawned stalwarts like the F-150’s workhorse 5.4-liter Triton™ V-8s and the 6.8-liter V-10 found in Super Duty F-Series pickups.
The V-8’s deep-skirt, lightweight aluminum engine block provides optimum stiffness and strength, saving 75 pounds compared with a cast-iron design. Computer-aided engineering was used to reinforce key areas of the block, adding rigidity without weight.
The lightweight hypereutectic aluminum pistons have short skirts, with an anti-friction coating that assures more of the power is delivered to Mustang’s rear wheels and less is lost to friction. High-tension piston rings provide better cylinder sealing for long-term durability and low oil consumption. The connecting rods use Ford’s cracked powdered metal manufacturing technique for precise fit. Five main bearings with cross-bolted main bearing caps further ensure durability and reduce flex. A tray attached to the main bearing caps baffles oil flow in the pan, reducing aeration and assuring proper oil feed to the crankshaft during the kind of sustained lateral maneuvers encountered in performance driving.
For refinement, both the V-8 and V-6 engine are installed using hydromount bushings on either side of the block. These liquid-filled engine mounts are tuned to quell specific unwanted vibration. The V-6 engine, with its narrower 60-degree V-angle, also uses a computer-designed, triangular cast-aluminum engine mount bracket.
In addition to offering more power and improved efficiency, Mustang’s engines will meet Ultra Low-Emission Vehicle II (ULEV II) standards, which govern evaporative and tailpipe emissions. This makes the new Mustang a big part of Ford’s growing environmental success story. On average, the 2005 fleet of Ford Mustangs will emit 57 percent less smog-forming pollution than the 2004 model year fleet.
Let It Breathe – Large-Port Heads Improve Efficiency
With 4.6 liters (281 cubic inches) of displacement, the Mustang GT engine generates more than 65 hp per liter. This compares with the 42 hp per liter that wowed enthusiasts when Ford first wedged a fiery, small-block 289-cubic-inch V-8 and four-barrel carburetor into the Mustang in 1964.
One of the keys to producing 300 horsepower from this relatively small displacement is Mustang’s new single-overhead-cam, three-valve cylinder head design with variable cam timing. The new head gives the engine a higher compression ratio than previously possible on regular 87 octane gasoline.
Air equals engine power, and the V-8’s heads use two intake valves per cylinder to move more air into the engine. A new, tuned-length exhaust manifold offers optimized exhaust flow to help scavenge burned gases from the cylinders.
The center-mounted sparkplug, for a symmetrical flame, is a Ford innovation. Longer and narrower than previous designs, it can extend down to the center of the cylinder head, while leaving as much room as possible for the valves. The compact coil-on-plug ignition system frees space under the hood and allows more precise spark control.
The three-valve heads are smaller than the previous two-valve heads, reducing weight. They also offer a more direct, “ported” style path to the valves for better air flow at peak engine speeds. Magnesium cam covers suppress valve train noise and reduce weight. Taking weight out at the top of the engine helps lower the car’s center of gravity and its roll-center axis, improving handling.
Ford’s modular engine architecture lets Mustang share its aluminum heads with the new, 5.4-liter, three-valve Triton V-8 of the F-150, benefiting manufacturing efficiency. The heads in the F-150 and Mustang GT engines even share the same part number, including camshaft. However, sophisticated electronic controls, including the ability to regulate camshaft timing, allowed Ford powertrain engineers to tune both engines quite differently to achieve their individual missions.
The Mustang’s torque curve is steeper and peaks at 315 foot-pounds at 4,250 rpm. The Triton delivers more total torque, at 365 foot-pounds, with peak torque coming in more quickly at 3,750 rpm.
The 4.6-liter, three-valve MOD V-8 engine has the same cylinder bore diameter as the 5.4-liter, three-valve Triton, but a much shorter stroke – 3.54 inches vs. 4.17 inches. This gives it free-revving performance characteristics well-matched to a performance car.
Variable Camshaft Timing – Power Without Penalty
Variable camshaft timing was a key in the quest to wring more power from the Mustang’s 4.6-liter, three-valve MOD V-8 engine, while simultaneously improving efficiency and reducing emissions. VCT lets allows the valves operate at optimum points in the combustion cycle, tailored to the engine’s speed and load at that instant.
The Mustang VCT system allows up to 50 degrees of cam variation in relation to the crankshaft angle. Ford’s "dual-equal" variable cam timing design shifts timing of both the intake and exhaust valves together, with one camshaft per cylinder head. This provides all the benefits of, but creates far less complexity and adds less weight than, VCT systems that actuate the intake and exhaust valves separately.
The cams operate both sets of valves using low-profile roller-finger followers, helping reduce friction and keep the overall engine height – and thus, hood line – low. Cam position is controlled by an electronic solenoid that modulates oil pressure to advance or retard the cam timing based on input from the engine’s electronic control computer.
Tuning the Mustang Sound
Topping off each engine is an all-new intake manifold, specifically tuned for the Mustang. Powertrain and NVH engineers worked together using computer-aided design and engineering, along with sound-quality studies, to achieve the right balance of sound characteristics and maximum airflow, assuring the Mustang engines sound as good as they perform.
Just as an opera singer’s vocal cords vibrate to make a pitch, Mustang’s tuned intakes create a distinctive, powerful, soul-stirring sound.
For the 4.6-liter, three-valve MOD V-8 engine, the new manifold incorporates a low-profile, dual-bore throttle body that draws cold air from outside the engine compartment and uses tuned intake runners for maximum power and efficiency.
The composite integrated air-fuel module incorporates a flat, stainless steel fuel rail with charge motion control valves at the end of each intake runner. The air-fuel mixture entering an engine behaves differently at different engine speeds and loads. At low engine speeds and light loads, these specially shaped CMCV flaps are closed to speed up the intake charge and induce a tumble effect in the combustion chamber. This causes the fuel to mix more thoroughly, and burn more quickly and efficiently. At higher engine speeds, they open fully for maximum flow into the combustion chambers at wide-open throttle.
Electronic Throttle Control – Steady Hand on the Power
Mustang’s sophisticated electronics system – five times faster and boasting up to eight times more memory than the previous generation EEC-V powertrain control module – constantly monitors an array of sensors to make thousands of split-second decisions.
The most important sensor for the all-new electronic throttle control system is the one at the driver’s right foot.
Mustang’s powertrain computer infers the driver’s intent from the position of the accelerator pedal. It continually matches this information against other data – like engine speed and load – and electrically operates the throttle-body at the front end of the intake manifold to achieve results the driver demands.
Mash the pedal, and the throttle body will open as fast as the engine can handle the inrushing air. At the same time, the powertrain computer optimizes the variable cam timing, fuel flow and transmission shift points to match.
This system – called torque-based electronic throttle control – is a direct descendant of technology first used in fighter aircraft. It delivers improved efficiency and better acceleration, compared with systems that simply mimic the action of a mechanical throttle linkage.
Throttle control is tuned to deliver consistent response over a wide range of operating conditions, including temperature and altitude, which influence engine response and power. Although lower density air still limits peak engine power, part-throttle response does not degrade with high altitude or high temperatures. The transmission shift schedule also changes to compensate.
“The benefit of electronic throttle control to the driver is an effortless feeling that gives drivers more of what they want, when they want it,” said Eric Levine, Mustang V-8 Engine supervisor.
Because the stiff metal cable between a traditional accelerator pedal and the engine is eliminated, so is a traditional pathway into the cabin for noise and vibration.
The ETC system has numerous safety features, including redundant sensors and double return springs at the accelerator pedal, dual sensors at the throttle valve, a closed-throttle-default actuator, backup microprocessors and self-diagnostic software. Multiple fail-safe mechanisms are provided by the software and hardware, and the system is fault-tolerant – if a problem is detected, a “limp-home” mode allows the car to move under its own power.
4.0-liter SOHC V-6 – Anything but Basic Performance
With technologies like electronic throttle control, traction control and an available five-speed automatic transmission, the base Mustang’s new 4.0-liter SOHC V-6 powertrain is anything but basic. And with 200 horsepower and 235 foot-pounds of torque, the V-6 engine offers real Mustang performance at a more economical price.
The 4.0-liter V-6 offers improved NVH, higher power output and a more compact package than the previous Mustang’s 3.8-liter pushrod V-6. It features low-profile heads with single overhead cams driven by a slave shaft mounted in the “V” of the engine. This results in a lower overall engine height than a conventional overhead cam setup.
As in V-8 applications, a new composite intake manifold was developed specifically for duty in the Mustang. The 4.0-liter V-6 also gets a unique camshaft grind, new tuned-length exhaust manifolds, a new flywheel and an oil pan. In addition, Mustang engineers designed an enhanced fuel injection system with reduced evaporative leakage, a new EGR system and revised cooling circuit for the 4.0-liter V-6.
Key noise-reducing features of the 4.0-liter SOHC V-6 include a girdled crankcase for increased strength and rigidity, a dual-mode crankshaft damper, coated skirt pistons, optimized bearing clearances and isolated composite cam covers.
Research with current and potential customers played a role in achieving the sound quality buyers expect from a Mustang engine. Listening studies were conducted with current and potential Mustang owners to determine precisely what engine sounds were “powerful.” The resulting sound reinforces the American muscle-car personality of the 2005 Mustang.
Close-Ratio 5R55S Automatic – One Smooth Operator
For the first time, Mustang is available with a five-speed automatic transmission.
The 5R55S automatic, also used in the Lincoln LS and Ford Thunderbird, has closely spaced ratios that keep the engine in its power band to produce better acceleration, with a wide ratio that provides remarkably good highway fuel economy. The new powertrain control computer delivers benefits in the transmission, as well as the engine, by precisely controlling shift duration and shift timing. Throttle position, engine speed, load, environmental factors and other parameters guide the transmission shift schedule.
A new electronic interface lets the powertrain control module communicate with the automatic transmission 10 times faster than before. For the first time, powertrain engineers could match transmission controls with other sophisticated features like variable cam timing and electronic throttle control. As a result, the entire powertrain works together to deliver smooth performance.
Slick-Shifting Five-Speed Manuals
For those who prefer to compute their own shift points, five-speed manual transmissions are standard on both the V-6 and GT versions of the 2005 Mustang.
The V-8 powered GT is equipped with a rugged Tremec 3650 gearbox; the V-6 cars get a Tremec T-5 manual. Both have been improved for shift quality and efficiency. For example, they now use a flange coupling instead of a splined drive with the driveshaft that results in better balance and reduced lash. An all-new shift linkage is designed to provide quick engagement of the gears, producing a solid feel and none of the “notchiness” apparent on some previous Mustangs.
The boosted hydraulic clutch reduces pedal effort while still offering a performance feel. The V-6 clutch has new plate materials for durability, and the V-8 clutch has been enlarged to handle the 300 horsepower of the new 4.6-liter, three-valve MOD engine.
In both automatic and manual transmission cars, Mustang GT models use a two-piece driveshaft that can withstand higher engine speeds and torque. V-6 models use a slip-in-tube driveshaft.
The rear axle ratio is 3.55:1 for the Mustang GT when equipped with a manual transmission. All other Mustangs use a 3.31:1 final drive ratio. The Mustang GT comes standard with a traction-lock 8.8-inch rear axle for smooth launches and better grip on loose or slippery surfaces.
Mustang V-6 models use 7.5-inch ring and pinion gears. All axles have a robust ring-and-pinion gear and feature a stiff differential case to reduce flex during cornering.
‘Just Enough’ Traction Control
Under some conditions, Mustang drivers may find they need a little help in harnessing all the excitement the 2005 edition has to offer.
That’s where the new all-speed traction control system comes in. Standard on GT and bundled as an option with the antilock braking system on V-6 models, the traction control system takes advantage of the new Mustang’s high-speed communication network by using sensor information from both the engine controller and the ABS to quickly detect whether the vehicle is on dry pavement or is negotiating a slippery surface. The new electronic throttle system and brake system thus work smoothly in concert to reduce wheel spin.
But this is a muscle car, after all, so Mustang’s traction control is tuned a little differently. On dry pavement, the system allows more rear wheel slip under acceleration, enhancing the performance feel of rear-wheel drive. This means drivers still can “hang it out” a bit when the going gets particularly spirited. If the system detects slippery conditions associated with snow, ice or wet roads, it acts more aggressively to help the driver maintain stability.
On those occasions when traction control isn’t desired – such as a smoky burnout at the drag strip – drivers can deactivate the system with a button conveniently located on the instrument panel’s center stack, just to the right of the gauges. Another push will turn the system back on; otherwise, it will activate automatically the next time the vehicle is started.
http://www.autonews.com/files/2004NA...stang/info.doc
Ford Mustang Set to Capture American Hearts – Again
Since its dramatic 1964 introduction, Ford Mustang has been the icon of American performance and style, capturing hearts worldwide. For 2005, Mustang combines an all-new, fully modern architecture with all the soul that makes a Mustang a Mustang – bold style, a brawny engine and rear-wheel-drive excitement.
In short, every inch of Mustang is new – yet it staunchly remains the genuine article – “America’s Car” for 40 years.
Based on an all-new, fully modern body structure and chassis system featuring advanced MacPherson struts and a three-link live axle with Panhard rod, Mustang boasts an overall ride sophistication unmatched by any of its ancestors. Its braking and handling are nothing short of world class.
It produces all the tire-smoking power the rear wheels – and most drivers – can handle, with a better-breathing 300-horsepower, 24-valve MOD V-8 or 200-horsepower SOHC V-6 engine.
With power comes responsibility, and the new Mustang takes occupant protection to a new level. A stout safety cage, Ford’s Personal Safety System™ with passenger weight-sensing technology, available side air bags and a front structure designed for demanding offset impacts, provide drivers and passengers with the most comprehensive protection ever offered in a
muscle car.
What’s more, all this unrivaled driving excitement will continue to come at an attainable price. Mustang will remain the best performance car for under $20,000, and the most affordable 300-horsepower car made today.
Embodiment of American Muscle
Like wild horses on the open plain, Mustangs always have exuded a sense of pure power. The 2005 Ford Mustang offers a clean, contemporary design rooted in this unmistakable heritage. It is direct, straightforward, honest and – above all – authentically American.
The Mustang takes its design language from the concept car that stole hearts along the auto show circuit and signaled that America’s only remaining muscle car would be introduced for 2005 with even more attitude.
“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.
An all-new platform and clean-sheet design approach gave birth to a car that is modern, legendary and unmistakably Mustang.
The signature long hood and short rear deck capitalize on 40 years of history, as do classic design cues that have helped define Mustangs since the 1960s: C-scoops in the sides, three-element taillamps and a galloping horse badge in the center of the grille. The Mustang’s menacing shark-like nose imparts an attitude not seen since the 1967 model, while jeweled, round headlamps in trapezoidal housings are part of a striking new design flair.
“The new Mustang is pure American muscle,” Mays said. “But, rest assured, we’re not insisting on history at the expense of our future.”
The 2005 Mustang has an aggressive rake that puts the car in motion even when it’s standing still. The wheels were pushed to the corners of the body, better anchoring Mustang visually and physically to the road. The six-inch wheelbase gain over the 2004 model and increased interior compartment width provide more room for driver and passengers.
Head-Turning on the Inside, Too
The cabin – a beneficiary of Ford’s tripled investment in interiors – is every bit as breathtaking and genuine as the exterior. Three distinct design themes celebrate Mustang history with modern materials and features, including an available industry-first, color-configurable instrument panel for almost unlimited personalization.
“This is a $30,000 interior in a $20,000 car,” said Larry Erickson, Mustang chief designer. “The functional, contemporary look of this interior and its precise execution set a new standard.”
Available authentic aluminum panels spanning the dashboard are particularly eye-catching, as are prominent dual chrome-ringed gauges that cap an all-new technology. Thanks to the industry’s first available color-configurable instrument cluster, Mustang owners can mix and match lighting at the touch of a button to create more than 125 different color backgrounds to suit their personality, mood, outfit or whim.
these modern touches mix with Mustang history and heritage. Chrome-ringed air vents are aligned vertically across the dash, precisely in line with the gauges, and the steering wheel has three spokes with a black center hub marked by the horse and tricolor bars logo, echoing the design of the 1967 Mustang.
The available Interior Color Accent Package – charcoal with red leather seats, red door inserts and red floor mats – is as much a jaw-dropper as the interior of the acclaimed concept vehicle that inspired it. The cabin’s aluminum hardware accents add a look of technical precision.
Thanks to efficient packaging and the larger overall size of the new Mustang, taller drivers will feel more at home, and all four occupants enjoy more room. Overall, the new model offers the driver more headroom and shoulder room. Rear passengers also enjoy more legroom and shoulder room in their sculpted bucket seats.
More features are standard than ever before, including one-touch up/down power windows, power mirrors, keyless entry and power locks, a heated rear window and interval wipers. Audio systems range from the standard CD player on base models to the wild, chest-pounding 1,000-watt Shaker Audiophile system.
More Power and Punch
Muscular new engines infuse Mustang with its legendary tire-smoking performance. The 4.6-liter all-aluminum V-8 has three-valve heads and cranks out 300 horsepower, while the new SOHC V-6 engine generates 202 horsepower from 4.0 liters. Five-speed transmissions – manual and automatic – put the power to the pavement.
The 2005 Mustang GT is the first mainstream production Mustang to break into the 300-horsepower arena, a place formerly occupied only by legendary Cobra and Boss models. The new level of performance – on regular fuel – is made possible by intelligent application of powertrain technology.
Because of its all-aluminum construction, Mustang’s MOD V-8 – a member of Ford’s modular engine family – weighs 75 pounds less than a comparable cast-iron design and stokes up 40 more horsepower than the 2004 engine. That’s over 50 percent more power than delivered by the fiery, small-block 289-cubic-inch V-8 found under the hood of the classic 1964 model.
Electronic throttle control, faster engine management controls and the new three-valve cylinder heads with variable camshaft timing all contribute to this impressive output.
The three-valve heads with VCT allowed engine designers to use a higher compression ratio with regular 87-octane gasoline to maximize the energy used by every drop of fuel. Intake runners with active charge motion control valves also shape each combustion event for strong, low-end torque and maximum high-rpm power.
New SOHC V-6 Engine: Even More Output
The 2005 Mustang V-6 is powered by a new 4.0-liter, 60-degree, single-overhead-cam engine, replacing the 3.8-liter 90-degree pushrod engine in the 2004 model. It’s inherently smoother and more compact, provides more power and torque and incorporates many of the advanced technologies used on the V-8.
The 200-horsepower, 235 foot-pound engine – gains of 7 horsepower and 10 foot-pounds – features low-profile heads, a composite intake manifold and a sound quality tuned to match
Mustang’s powerful image.
The Right Gear: Smoother-Shifting Transmissions
Mustang’s manual and automatic transmissions are also upgraded for improved performance.
For the first time, Mustang is available with a five-speed automatic transmission. The 5R55S automatic provides a unique combination of off-the-line jump and remarkably good highway fuel economy. A powerful new transmission control computer can communicate with the engine electronics 10 times faster than before and precisely controls shift duration and timing.
For those who prefer to compute their own shift points, five-speed manual transmissions are standard. The V-8 powered GT is equipped with a rugged Tremec 3650 gearbox, while V-6 cars get a Tremec T-5 manual. Both benefit from improved shift quality and efficiency. The shift linkage provides quick gear engagement and a solid feel.
A Chassis Born to Run
The purpose-built, muscle-car chassis is new from the ground up, with a state-of-the-art front suspension and precise, three-link rear axle with Panhard rod. Combined with direct, accurate steering and powerful disc brakes, Mustang now has what it takes to catapult the American muscle-car driving experience to the next level.
Track time – at drag strips and on road courses – was a critical part of development, as chassis engineers pushed prototypes to the limit in search of the perfect power-and-handling blend.
“We spent countless hours refining this car on development drives and at the track,” said Mark Rushbrook, vehicle dynamics supervisor. “The car has been to the Nelson Ledges road course in Ohio several times for 24-hour runs and has spent months on our own straightaways and handling courses at our proving grounds in Arizona, Michigan and Florida.”
By the time testing is completed, prototypes of the new Mustang will have logged nearly 1 million miles on streets and highways and tracks throughout the United States, Canada and Sweden in all types of weather.
Strutting an Advanced Front Suspension
The MacPherson-strut front suspension’s reverse “L” lower control arms are the product of a groundbreaking manufacturing technology used to produce steel control arms that actually weigh less than some comparable cast-aluminum designs. MacPherson struts – originally developed in the 1940s by Earl S. MacPherson, a Ford engineer – are widely renowned for their ability to deliver both comfort and control with reduced weight.
A firm bushing is positioned at the point where the shorter forward leg of the L-arm connects to the chassis to control lateral – or side-to-side – motion and quicken steering response. The longitudinal – fore-and-aft – movements are directed through a softer, compliant bushing at the longer, rear L-arm leg, which damps road shocks. This isolation is a direct benefit of the reverse “L” configuration of the control arms.
Still Rock Solid – Rear Axle with New Three-Link Suspension
Mustang’s characteristic solid-rear axle has evolved continuously over the past 40 years, and the new model takes the car’s signature design into a new dimension.
“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.”
The solid rear axle offers several advantages that play to Mustang’s strengths. It is robust, maintains constant track, toe-in and camber relative to the road surface, and it keeps body roll well under control.
For 2005, Mustang’s rear suspension has a new three-link architecture with a Panhard rod that provides precise control of the rear axle. A central torque control arm is fastened to the upper front end of the differential, while trailing arms are located near each end of the axle.
The lightweight, tubular Panhard rod is parallel to the axle and attached at one end to the body and at the other to the axle. It stabilizes the rear axle side-to-side as the wheels move through jounce and rebound. It also firmly controls the axle during hard cornering. The shocks are located on the outside of the rear structural rails, near the wheels, reducing the lever effect of the axle and allowing more precise, slightly softer tuning of the shock valves.
Mustang Sound Character: The Strong, Silent Type
Mustang is faster, more agile and better looking than ever – but it’s much quieter and refined for 2005. In the design process, a quiet cabin – where unwanted road and wind noise is supplanted by the signature growl of a Mustang engine – was a top priority.
The result is a car that delivers the performance Mustang buyers demand, along with a more civilized environment that makes for a pleasant driving experience, whether on long trips or in more routine travel about town.
Brakes and Traction Systems – For Control Freaks
The standard four-wheel disc brakes have the biggest rotors and stiffest calipers ever fitted to a mainstream Mustang. Twin-piston aluminum calipers clamp down on 12.4-inch ventilated front brake discs on GT models – an increase of more than 15 percent in rotor size. The V-6 Mustangs get 11.4-inch ventilated rotors that also are 30 mm thick.
In the rear, the brake rotors are 11.8 inches in diameter – more than 12 percent larger than on the 2004 model. Rear rotors are vented on the GT and solid on the V-6. A new four-channel antilock braking system is available for a greater degree of brake control.
Bundled as an option with ABS, an all-speed intelligent traction control system uses electronic sensors to constantly monitor road conditions and feed the information to a dedicated control computer capable of determining within milliseconds whether the vehicle is on dry pavement or negotiating a slippery surface. On those occasions when traction control isn’t desired – like a smoky burnout at the drag strip – drivers can deactivate the system with a button conveniently located on the instrument panel’s center stack, just to the right of the gauges.
Stronger, Safer, More Secure
Mustang’s agility helps drivers avoid accidents like no muscle car in history. Responsive, precise controls, coupled with high levels of overall grip and the strongest brakes ever fitted to a Mustang, give the driver the controllability that can turn an impending collision into just a close shave.
If a collision is unavoidable, a stout safety cage, Ford’s Personal Safety System™ restraints suite and available side air bags with head and chest coverage give occupants the best possible protection.
The Ford Motor Company Personal Safety System, one of the industry’s most comprehensive safety technology packages, is standard. The system is designed to provide increased protection in many types of frontal crashes by analyzing crash factors and determining the proper response within milliseconds. It uses dual-stage driver and front-passenger air bags – capable of deploying at full or partial power – safety belt pretensioners and energy management retractors.
Standard occupant classification sensing builds on the strength of the Personal Safety System to tailor deployment of the front-passenger air bag. If the passenger seat sensor detects no weight – or very little weight, like a newspaper or a jacket – the passenger air bag is automatically switched off. If more weight is on the seat, like a small child, the air bag remains deactivated and an instrument panel light alerts the driver with the message “PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF.” Of course, children are safest when properly restrained in the rear seat. If an adult is seated properly in the passenger seat, the air bag automatically switches on, ready to inflate within milliseconds if needed.
An optional active anti-theft package offers customers a new level of security for their Mustang. The feature is aimed directly at combating wildly high performance-car insurance premiums. The package includes:
· An inclination sensing module to guard against tow-away thefts
· Interior motion sensor to detect “smash-and-grab” break-ins
· Separate alarm sounder – instead of vehicle horn – to thwart thieves trying to disable the horn
· High-capacity, 60-ampere-hour battery capable of sounding the alarm longer
Mustang Packs More Power, Sophistication for 2005
An engine is the heart of any muscle car, and with the new 2005 Mustang, the beat goes on stronger than ever.
A new V-8 engine pumps the Mustang GT up to an impressive 300 horsepower and 315 foot-pounds of torque – enough to get any muscle-car enthusiast’s heart racing. It marks the first time the mainstream Mustang GT offers 300 horsepower – formerly exclusive Mach 1, Cobra and Boss territory.
The GT’s 4.6-liter, three-valve MOD V-8 packs 40 more horsepower than the current V-8 and more than 50 percent more power than the fiery small-block 289-cubic-inch V-8 that propelled the 1964 model to stardom.
This new level of performance – on regular gas – is made possible by intelligent application of modern technology, including all-aluminum construction and a new head design that incorporates three valves per cylinder and variable cam timing.
The V-6 Mustang customer hasn’t been forgotten either. The new 90-degree, single-overhead-cam 4.0-liter engine produces 202 horsepower standard – up from the prior pushrod engine’s 193 hp – for a new level of performance. Peak torque is 235 foot-pounds, 10 more than the prior model’s 225.
“Part of our promise of building better cars cleaner, safer and sooner is not only delivering these cars to customers sooner, but reaching the end of the quarter mile sooner, too,” said Hau Thai-Tang, Mustang chief engineer.
Electronic throttle control is new to Mustang for 2005. Each engine has been tuned to provide heart-warming performance sound and feel, without unwanted noise, vibration and harshness. New, faster electronic processors with more computing muscle and memory enable Mustang’s more powerful engines to deliver even better fuel economy with lower emissions.
The High-Tech Road to 300 Horsepower
Mustang’s new 4.6-liter, three-valve MOD V-8 has its roots in Ford’s modular engine family that spawned stalwarts like the F-150’s workhorse 5.4-liter Triton™ V-8s and the 6.8-liter V-10 found in Super Duty F-Series pickups.
The V-8’s deep-skirt, lightweight aluminum engine block provides optimum stiffness and strength, saving 75 pounds compared with a cast-iron design. Computer-aided engineering was used to reinforce key areas of the block, adding rigidity without weight.
The lightweight hypereutectic aluminum pistons have short skirts, with an anti-friction coating that assures more of the power is delivered to Mustang’s rear wheels and less is lost to friction. High-tension piston rings provide better cylinder sealing for long-term durability and low oil consumption. The connecting rods use Ford’s cracked powdered metal manufacturing technique for precise fit. Five main bearings with cross-bolted main bearing caps further ensure durability and reduce flex. A tray attached to the main bearing caps baffles oil flow in the pan, reducing aeration and assuring proper oil feed to the crankshaft during the kind of sustained lateral maneuvers encountered in performance driving.
For refinement, both the V-8 and V-6 engine are installed using hydromount bushings on either side of the block. These liquid-filled engine mounts are tuned to quell specific unwanted vibration. The V-6 engine, with its narrower 60-degree V-angle, also uses a computer-designed, triangular cast-aluminum engine mount bracket.
In addition to offering more power and improved efficiency, Mustang’s engines will meet Ultra Low-Emission Vehicle II (ULEV II) standards, which govern evaporative and tailpipe emissions. This makes the new Mustang a big part of Ford’s growing environmental success story. On average, the 2005 fleet of Ford Mustangs will emit 57 percent less smog-forming pollution than the 2004 model year fleet.
Let It Breathe – Large-Port Heads Improve Efficiency
With 4.6 liters (281 cubic inches) of displacement, the Mustang GT engine generates more than 65 hp per liter. This compares with the 42 hp per liter that wowed enthusiasts when Ford first wedged a fiery, small-block 289-cubic-inch V-8 and four-barrel carburetor into the Mustang in 1964.
One of the keys to producing 300 horsepower from this relatively small displacement is Mustang’s new single-overhead-cam, three-valve cylinder head design with variable cam timing. The new head gives the engine a higher compression ratio than previously possible on regular 87 octane gasoline.
Air equals engine power, and the V-8’s heads use two intake valves per cylinder to move more air into the engine. A new, tuned-length exhaust manifold offers optimized exhaust flow to help scavenge burned gases from the cylinders.
The center-mounted sparkplug, for a symmetrical flame, is a Ford innovation. Longer and narrower than previous designs, it can extend down to the center of the cylinder head, while leaving as much room as possible for the valves. The compact coil-on-plug ignition system frees space under the hood and allows more precise spark control.
The three-valve heads are smaller than the previous two-valve heads, reducing weight. They also offer a more direct, “ported” style path to the valves for better air flow at peak engine speeds. Magnesium cam covers suppress valve train noise and reduce weight. Taking weight out at the top of the engine helps lower the car’s center of gravity and its roll-center axis, improving handling.
Ford’s modular engine architecture lets Mustang share its aluminum heads with the new, 5.4-liter, three-valve Triton V-8 of the F-150, benefiting manufacturing efficiency. The heads in the F-150 and Mustang GT engines even share the same part number, including camshaft. However, sophisticated electronic controls, including the ability to regulate camshaft timing, allowed Ford powertrain engineers to tune both engines quite differently to achieve their individual missions.
The Mustang’s torque curve is steeper and peaks at 315 foot-pounds at 4,250 rpm. The Triton delivers more total torque, at 365 foot-pounds, with peak torque coming in more quickly at 3,750 rpm.
The 4.6-liter, three-valve MOD V-8 engine has the same cylinder bore diameter as the 5.4-liter, three-valve Triton, but a much shorter stroke – 3.54 inches vs. 4.17 inches. This gives it free-revving performance characteristics well-matched to a performance car.
Variable Camshaft Timing – Power Without Penalty
Variable camshaft timing was a key in the quest to wring more power from the Mustang’s 4.6-liter, three-valve MOD V-8 engine, while simultaneously improving efficiency and reducing emissions. VCT lets allows the valves operate at optimum points in the combustion cycle, tailored to the engine’s speed and load at that instant.
The Mustang VCT system allows up to 50 degrees of cam variation in relation to the crankshaft angle. Ford’s "dual-equal" variable cam timing design shifts timing of both the intake and exhaust valves together, with one camshaft per cylinder head. This provides all the benefits of, but creates far less complexity and adds less weight than, VCT systems that actuate the intake and exhaust valves separately.
The cams operate both sets of valves using low-profile roller-finger followers, helping reduce friction and keep the overall engine height – and thus, hood line – low. Cam position is controlled by an electronic solenoid that modulates oil pressure to advance or retard the cam timing based on input from the engine’s electronic control computer.
Tuning the Mustang Sound
Topping off each engine is an all-new intake manifold, specifically tuned for the Mustang. Powertrain and NVH engineers worked together using computer-aided design and engineering, along with sound-quality studies, to achieve the right balance of sound characteristics and maximum airflow, assuring the Mustang engines sound as good as they perform.
Just as an opera singer’s vocal cords vibrate to make a pitch, Mustang’s tuned intakes create a distinctive, powerful, soul-stirring sound.
For the 4.6-liter, three-valve MOD V-8 engine, the new manifold incorporates a low-profile, dual-bore throttle body that draws cold air from outside the engine compartment and uses tuned intake runners for maximum power and efficiency.
The composite integrated air-fuel module incorporates a flat, stainless steel fuel rail with charge motion control valves at the end of each intake runner. The air-fuel mixture entering an engine behaves differently at different engine speeds and loads. At low engine speeds and light loads, these specially shaped CMCV flaps are closed to speed up the intake charge and induce a tumble effect in the combustion chamber. This causes the fuel to mix more thoroughly, and burn more quickly and efficiently. At higher engine speeds, they open fully for maximum flow into the combustion chambers at wide-open throttle.
Electronic Throttle Control – Steady Hand on the Power
Mustang’s sophisticated electronics system – five times faster and boasting up to eight times more memory than the previous generation EEC-V powertrain control module – constantly monitors an array of sensors to make thousands of split-second decisions.
The most important sensor for the all-new electronic throttle control system is the one at the driver’s right foot.
Mustang’s powertrain computer infers the driver’s intent from the position of the accelerator pedal. It continually matches this information against other data – like engine speed and load – and electrically operates the throttle-body at the front end of the intake manifold to achieve results the driver demands.
Mash the pedal, and the throttle body will open as fast as the engine can handle the inrushing air. At the same time, the powertrain computer optimizes the variable cam timing, fuel flow and transmission shift points to match.
This system – called torque-based electronic throttle control – is a direct descendant of technology first used in fighter aircraft. It delivers improved efficiency and better acceleration, compared with systems that simply mimic the action of a mechanical throttle linkage.
Throttle control is tuned to deliver consistent response over a wide range of operating conditions, including temperature and altitude, which influence engine response and power. Although lower density air still limits peak engine power, part-throttle response does not degrade with high altitude or high temperatures. The transmission shift schedule also changes to compensate.
“The benefit of electronic throttle control to the driver is an effortless feeling that gives drivers more of what they want, when they want it,” said Eric Levine, Mustang V-8 Engine supervisor.
Because the stiff metal cable between a traditional accelerator pedal and the engine is eliminated, so is a traditional pathway into the cabin for noise and vibration.
The ETC system has numerous safety features, including redundant sensors and double return springs at the accelerator pedal, dual sensors at the throttle valve, a closed-throttle-default actuator, backup microprocessors and self-diagnostic software. Multiple fail-safe mechanisms are provided by the software and hardware, and the system is fault-tolerant – if a problem is detected, a “limp-home” mode allows the car to move under its own power.
4.0-liter SOHC V-6 – Anything but Basic Performance
With technologies like electronic throttle control, traction control and an available five-speed automatic transmission, the base Mustang’s new 4.0-liter SOHC V-6 powertrain is anything but basic. And with 200 horsepower and 235 foot-pounds of torque, the V-6 engine offers real Mustang performance at a more economical price.
The 4.0-liter V-6 offers improved NVH, higher power output and a more compact package than the previous Mustang’s 3.8-liter pushrod V-6. It features low-profile heads with single overhead cams driven by a slave shaft mounted in the “V” of the engine. This results in a lower overall engine height than a conventional overhead cam setup.
As in V-8 applications, a new composite intake manifold was developed specifically for duty in the Mustang. The 4.0-liter V-6 also gets a unique camshaft grind, new tuned-length exhaust manifolds, a new flywheel and an oil pan. In addition, Mustang engineers designed an enhanced fuel injection system with reduced evaporative leakage, a new EGR system and revised cooling circuit for the 4.0-liter V-6.
Key noise-reducing features of the 4.0-liter SOHC V-6 include a girdled crankcase for increased strength and rigidity, a dual-mode crankshaft damper, coated skirt pistons, optimized bearing clearances and isolated composite cam covers.
Research with current and potential customers played a role in achieving the sound quality buyers expect from a Mustang engine. Listening studies were conducted with current and potential Mustang owners to determine precisely what engine sounds were “powerful.” The resulting sound reinforces the American muscle-car personality of the 2005 Mustang.
Close-Ratio 5R55S Automatic – One Smooth Operator
For the first time, Mustang is available with a five-speed automatic transmission.
The 5R55S automatic, also used in the Lincoln LS and Ford Thunderbird, has closely spaced ratios that keep the engine in its power band to produce better acceleration, with a wide ratio that provides remarkably good highway fuel economy. The new powertrain control computer delivers benefits in the transmission, as well as the engine, by precisely controlling shift duration and shift timing. Throttle position, engine speed, load, environmental factors and other parameters guide the transmission shift schedule.
A new electronic interface lets the powertrain control module communicate with the automatic transmission 10 times faster than before. For the first time, powertrain engineers could match transmission controls with other sophisticated features like variable cam timing and electronic throttle control. As a result, the entire powertrain works together to deliver smooth performance.
Slick-Shifting Five-Speed Manuals
For those who prefer to compute their own shift points, five-speed manual transmissions are standard on both the V-6 and GT versions of the 2005 Mustang.
The V-8 powered GT is equipped with a rugged Tremec 3650 gearbox; the V-6 cars get a Tremec T-5 manual. Both have been improved for shift quality and efficiency. For example, they now use a flange coupling instead of a splined drive with the driveshaft that results in better balance and reduced lash. An all-new shift linkage is designed to provide quick engagement of the gears, producing a solid feel and none of the “notchiness” apparent on some previous Mustangs.
The boosted hydraulic clutch reduces pedal effort while still offering a performance feel. The V-6 clutch has new plate materials for durability, and the V-8 clutch has been enlarged to handle the 300 horsepower of the new 4.6-liter, three-valve MOD engine.
In both automatic and manual transmission cars, Mustang GT models use a two-piece driveshaft that can withstand higher engine speeds and torque. V-6 models use a slip-in-tube driveshaft.
The rear axle ratio is 3.55:1 for the Mustang GT when equipped with a manual transmission. All other Mustangs use a 3.31:1 final drive ratio. The Mustang GT comes standard with a traction-lock 8.8-inch rear axle for smooth launches and better grip on loose or slippery surfaces.
Mustang V-6 models use 7.5-inch ring and pinion gears. All axles have a robust ring-and-pinion gear and feature a stiff differential case to reduce flex during cornering.
‘Just Enough’ Traction Control
Under some conditions, Mustang drivers may find they need a little help in harnessing all the excitement the 2005 edition has to offer.
That’s where the new all-speed traction control system comes in. Standard on GT and bundled as an option with the antilock braking system on V-6 models, the traction control system takes advantage of the new Mustang’s high-speed communication network by using sensor information from both the engine controller and the ABS to quickly detect whether the vehicle is on dry pavement or is negotiating a slippery surface. The new electronic throttle system and brake system thus work smoothly in concert to reduce wheel spin.
But this is a muscle car, after all, so Mustang’s traction control is tuned a little differently. On dry pavement, the system allows more rear wheel slip under acceleration, enhancing the performance feel of rear-wheel drive. This means drivers still can “hang it out” a bit when the going gets particularly spirited. If the system detects slippery conditions associated with snow, ice or wet roads, it acts more aggressively to help the driver maintain stability.
On those occasions when traction control isn’t desired – such as a smoky burnout at the drag strip – drivers can deactivate the system with a button conveniently located on the instrument panel’s center stack, just to the right of the gauges. Another push will turn the system back on; otherwise, it will activate automatically the next time the vehicle is started.
http://www.autonews.com/files/2004NA...stang/info.doc
01-04-2004, 12:18 AM
#107
I think chrome dresses up a car's interior, when used in moderation, but those chrome rings around the vents and gauges are way too thick. Coupled with the aluminum on the dash and that is one bright interior, even in the picture it looks bright. I can only imagine what it would be like on a sunny day drive. The shifter might be hot as hell too.
I like the exterior, though.
I like the exterior, though.
01-04-2004, 12:22 AM
#108
Photography Nerd
Looks sweet but I just don't know if I can buy another American car.
The last American car my family bought was a 99 Caravan Town & Country and we sold it after 6 months because it was such a POS. It was in the shop 7 times in the six months we had it for warranty repairs. The transmission was defective from day one and had to be replaced. The sunroof leaked while my dad was going through the car wash and totally destroyed a brand new suit. They needed 2 weeks for that repair. The front right wheel bearing failed after 3000KM on the way to the cottage which caused us to lose a day on our vacation. Then the final straw was a faulty O2 sensor at 5500KM.
I rented a 2003 Mustang convertible when I was on business in Iowa (hell you've gotta have some fun while you're away!) and I was equally disappointed. There was so much chassis flex that you can see the dashboard move when you hit the throttle! Hopefully the 2005's will be a little more solid.
The last American car my family bought was a 99 Caravan Town & Country and we sold it after 6 months because it was such a POS. It was in the shop 7 times in the six months we had it for warranty repairs. The transmission was defective from day one and had to be replaced. The sunroof leaked while my dad was going through the car wash and totally destroyed a brand new suit. They needed 2 weeks for that repair. The front right wheel bearing failed after 3000KM on the way to the cottage which caused us to lose a day on our vacation. Then the final straw was a faulty O2 sensor at 5500KM.
I rented a 2003 Mustang convertible when I was on business in Iowa (hell you've gotta have some fun while you're away!) and I was equally disappointed. There was so much chassis flex that you can see the dashboard move when you hit the throttle! Hopefully the 2005's will be a little more solid.
01-04-2004, 12:25 AM
#109
Moderator Alumnus
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Mustang ragtop will stay under wraps
(00:57 Jan. 03, 2004)
2004 Detroit: Mustang ragtop will stay under wraps
By AMY WILSON | Automotive News
Convertible lovers will have to wait as long as a year for their first glimpse of the redesigned Ford Mustang convertible. Ford Motor Co. will unveil only the 2005 Mustang coupe at the 2004 Detroit auto show.
At this year's Detroit show, Ford displayed concepts for both the Mustang convertible and coupe. But when production begins late next summer at the AutoAlliance Inc. plant in Flat Rock, Mich., the coupe will have a head start. It will go on sale in the fall.
The convertible version is expected to arrive in dealerships six to eight months later.
Ford is expected to unveil the production convertible shortly before it goes on sale, possibly at the 2005 Detroit auto show.
Ford executives have said they want to create excitement for product lines by phasing in new body styles or models throughout the life of a vehicle.
Source: Autoweek
2004 Detroit: Mustang ragtop will stay under wraps
By AMY WILSON | Automotive News
Convertible lovers will have to wait as long as a year for their first glimpse of the redesigned Ford Mustang convertible. Ford Motor Co. will unveil only the 2005 Mustang coupe at the 2004 Detroit auto show.
At this year's Detroit show, Ford displayed concepts for both the Mustang convertible and coupe. But when production begins late next summer at the AutoAlliance Inc. plant in Flat Rock, Mich., the coupe will have a head start. It will go on sale in the fall.
The convertible version is expected to arrive in dealerships six to eight months later.
Ford is expected to unveil the production convertible shortly before it goes on sale, possibly at the 2005 Detroit auto show.
Ford executives have said they want to create excitement for product lines by phasing in new body styles or models throughout the life of a vehicle.
Source: Autoweek
01-04-2004, 11:54 AM
#111
Safety Car
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