2015 Ford Mustang
#691
Ford Mustang GT350R adds a lot more than just a new letter [w/video]
Click here to view photo gallery and video
Okay Chevrolet, the ball is in your court. Ford served up one hell of a rebuttal to the track-focused Camaro Z/28, introducing the limited-production Mustang GT350R, complete with over 500 horsepower, over 400 pound-feet of torque and freaking carbon-fiber wheels. Carbon-fiber wheels. Seriously.
It's because of those 19-inch hoops, along with some other changes, that Ford was able to slice 130 pounds from the already lightweight GT350 Track Pack. The wheels are responsible for a 13-pound reduction in unsprung weight per corner, while the removal of such superfluous things like the air conditioning, stereo, rear seats, trunk carpet, backup camera and tire inflator accounts for the rest of the weight reduction.
Along with the lower weight, Ford has thoroughly reworked the GT350's aerodynamics, adding a simply monstrous rear wing and diffuser, along with vented wheel wells, a new hood vent that both extracts heat and reduces lift. Beside the aero aids, Ford has shod the carbon-fiber wheels in ultra-grippy Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, just to guarantee the shiny side remains up.
Ford retained the standard GT350's 5.2-liter, flat-pane V8, Torsen limited-slip differential (complete with a 3.73 rear axle ratio), although as power figures haven't been published for the standard car, there's no way to know whether the GT350R received a power bump.
What we do know, though, is that the GT350R will not be limited to the track. While that's certainly its natural habitat, owners will be able to register and drive this monster on public roads.
Take a look at the official press release on the GT350R, available below. And also be sure to have a peek at both Ford's stock photos of the new car, as well as our full gallery of live images, direct from the Blue Oval's Detroit Auto Show press conference home at Joe Louis Arena.
It's because of those 19-inch hoops, along with some other changes, that Ford was able to slice 130 pounds from the already lightweight GT350 Track Pack. The wheels are responsible for a 13-pound reduction in unsprung weight per corner, while the removal of such superfluous things like the air conditioning, stereo, rear seats, trunk carpet, backup camera and tire inflator accounts for the rest of the weight reduction.
Along with the lower weight, Ford has thoroughly reworked the GT350's aerodynamics, adding a simply monstrous rear wing and diffuser, along with vented wheel wells, a new hood vent that both extracts heat and reduces lift. Beside the aero aids, Ford has shod the carbon-fiber wheels in ultra-grippy Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, just to guarantee the shiny side remains up.
Ford retained the standard GT350's 5.2-liter, flat-pane V8, Torsen limited-slip differential (complete with a 3.73 rear axle ratio), although as power figures haven't been published for the standard car, there's no way to know whether the GT350R received a power bump.
What we do know, though, is that the GT350R will not be limited to the track. While that's certainly its natural habitat, owners will be able to register and drive this monster on public roads.
Take a look at the official press release on the GT350R, available below. And also be sure to have a peek at both Ford's stock photos of the new car, as well as our full gallery of live images, direct from the Blue Oval's Detroit Auto Show press conference home at Joe Louis Arena.
#694
The Shelby GT350R Mustang: Less is More Interesting
Click here to view more photos
Taking the 2015 Ford Mustang and making the Shelby GT350 was a no-brainer, but the Shelby GT350R shown in Detroit puts the car in a slightly different light.
Predictably, the sound is pretty good. And the story with the GT350R is about the more aggressive flares and the lack of pounds over the standard GT350, all of which are supposed to make it leaner and meaner.
Especially in Ford Performance's official blue color scheme, the GT350R casts a more serious look than the classic muscle car costume of the GT350. The carbon fiber wheels on the GT350R also contribute to its rather clean appearance.
I'm not totally sold on the wing, though. It's fine on its own, but in some profiles it makes the car look very Nissan GT-R. Which doesn't sound like a bad thing, but it isn't very American Muscle Car-ish.
Still, it also makes the car easily identifiable as one-up from the already one-upping GT350. And easy clues to show you have the better version are so important among cars like this.
Predictably, the sound is pretty good. And the story with the GT350R is about the more aggressive flares and the lack of pounds over the standard GT350, all of which are supposed to make it leaner and meaner.
Especially in Ford Performance's official blue color scheme, the GT350R casts a more serious look than the classic muscle car costume of the GT350. The carbon fiber wheels on the GT350R also contribute to its rather clean appearance.
I'm not totally sold on the wing, though. It's fine on its own, but in some profiles it makes the car look very Nissan GT-R. Which doesn't sound like a bad thing, but it isn't very American Muscle Car-ish.
Still, it also makes the car easily identifiable as one-up from the already one-upping GT350. And easy clues to show you have the better version are so important among cars like this.
#695
First Look! Inside the Ford GT350’s Flat Plane Crank 5.2L V8
We Finally Get To See What Ford’s Putting In The GT350 and GT350R Mustang.
http://www.hotrod.com/news/first-loo...crank-5-2l-v8/
We’ve seen the car for months but nobody has opened the hood on Ford’s sweet-sounding new Mustang GT350. In a tiny upstairs room at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show, we found a cutaway of the elusive 5.2L “Voodoo” V8. Notice the compact exhaust manifold configuration, and the minimal skirting on the pistons. The intake is also tuned with a newer valve technology that uses a flap that comes out of the intake wall to adjust the runner size for better intake flow. The older version used a butterfly-style valve which was more obtrusive. Of course you can see the small crank throws and the 180-degree configuration that gives this engine the flat-plane designation. Ford reps say the same engine will be used in both the GT350 and the GT350R, although the GT350R will have a different exhaust.
http://www.hotrod.com/news/first-loo...crank-5-2l-v8/
#696
Shelby Mustang GT350 Ordering Guide Leaked
Even though Ford has tried to keep info such as equipment levels and engine specs a secret for the all-new Shelby GT350 Mustang, we now get to see at least one of these details surface via a leaked ordering guide.
These documents were uploaded to the Mustang6g.com forums and thanks to them, we learn about the GT350's standard equipment levels, equipment group, functional equipment, color & trim levels as well as a big old 'TBD' where the horsepower and torque numbers should be.
It seems like buying a GT350 will be a very fair investment as far as on-board tech is concerned, as the car comes standard with ESC, dual-stage front and side airbags, launch control, remote keyless entry system, air conditioning (manual), cruise control, 4-way adjustable Recaro suede sports seats, leather and alcantara wrapped steering wheel as well as rear view camera and the SYNC infotainment system - plus a few others which you can check out in the pictures below.
There are also 4 different packages you can select, the R Package, Technology Package, Track Package and Electronics Package, with the R Package of course being the juiciest one you can get as it offers: MagneRide suspension, heavy-duty front springs, selectable drive modes, 19" carbon fiber wheels, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, carbon ceramic front brakes plus a few other perks such as the chance to say goodbye to the rear seats, the air con, floor mats, tire mobility kit, audio system, audio jack, SYNC and USB port - which will help you go faster around a track.
Hopefully we're not going to have to wait much longer until finding out just how powerful that new 5.2 liter Ti-VCT Flat Plane Crank V8 is.
These documents were uploaded to the Mustang6g.com forums and thanks to them, we learn about the GT350's standard equipment levels, equipment group, functional equipment, color & trim levels as well as a big old 'TBD' where the horsepower and torque numbers should be.
It seems like buying a GT350 will be a very fair investment as far as on-board tech is concerned, as the car comes standard with ESC, dual-stage front and side airbags, launch control, remote keyless entry system, air conditioning (manual), cruise control, 4-way adjustable Recaro suede sports seats, leather and alcantara wrapped steering wheel as well as rear view camera and the SYNC infotainment system - plus a few others which you can check out in the pictures below.
There are also 4 different packages you can select, the R Package, Technology Package, Track Package and Electronics Package, with the R Package of course being the juiciest one you can get as it offers: MagneRide suspension, heavy-duty front springs, selectable drive modes, 19" carbon fiber wheels, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, carbon ceramic front brakes plus a few other perks such as the chance to say goodbye to the rear seats, the air con, floor mats, tire mobility kit, audio system, audio jack, SYNC and USB port - which will help you go faster around a track.
Hopefully we're not going to have to wait much longer until finding out just how powerful that new 5.2 liter Ti-VCT Flat Plane Crank V8 is.
#701
they officially denied that V8s are going away in 2017
http://www.carscoops.com/2015/01/for...p-v8-from.html
http://www.carscoops.com/2015/01/for...p-v8-from.html
#702
they officially denied that V8s are going away in 2017 http://www.carscoops.com/2015/01/for...p-v8-from.html
#703
well they denied that they would kill Mercury. Any company when confronted with a rumor like this is always going to deny. V8s will get killed by CAFE, just a matter of when.
#704
Mercury the Brand or the Mercury Maurader? That was a beast of a vehicle a few years ago... Not sure what happened to that vehicle.. Maybe sales were down...
#705
The 2003–2004 Marauder sales fell short of corporate forecasts, and after a production run of 11,052 vehicles, the Marauder was discontinued at the end of 2004.[6] For comparison, Mercury produced 179,723 examples of its Grand Marquis counterpart during the same time. The number of Marauders produced per year in each color breaks down as follows:
2003 – Total: 7838 (328 Dark Pearl Blue, 417 Silver Birch, 7093 Black)
2004 – Total: 3214 (980 Dark Toreador Red, 997 Silver Birch, 1237 Black)
2003 – Total: 7838 (328 Dark Pearl Blue, 417 Silver Birch, 7093 Black)
2004 – Total: 3214 (980 Dark Toreador Red, 997 Silver Birch, 1237 Black)