2015 Ford Mustang REVEALED (official pics)

[Firefighter]

Originally Posted by Fenderaddict2

I don't think they just mean performance figures. The Z/28 is killer, no doubt but not exactly a yearly Daily Driver which both the Porsche and Bimmer are. I would expect GM to follow this line of thinking with the 6th gen, performance at at Z/28 Level, ride of the ZL1 in a smaller, more efficient package.

And just to clarify as I seem to be coming across as a Ford guy. I'm a car guy, and was interested in the latest and greatest Camaros, especially the ZL1. For me though, Camaros were even more removed from my previous BMWs and less fun than the Mustang. I've missed the off track ride and interior quality of my Bimmers though and was considering a 911 next. However the new Mustang does have my attention. Can't wait to see if I like it in the flesh, January in Detroit. In the meantime I'm finally happy to see Ford and GM building world class cars we no longer have to make excuses for.

Well said...

[LostPony]

Originally Posted by toesuf94

LostPony: Your posts are concise and informative, not typical fan boy ranting that I have seen from Mustang people on this site (AND a TON of Camaro owners on this site as well!!!) Thank you for that. It is indeed a great time to be a Pony Car enthusiest and here's to competition!! I cannot wait to see the numbers that the new Mustang puts down and what GM and Dodge do to respond.

Thank you for the kind words. I try to ignore "fanbois" on both sides and focus on a real debate based on fact and merit. Although I am more of a Mustang fan than a Camaro fan, I have owned both over the years, and I have gone from American muscle to Japanese and even Euro when the mood or car strikes my fancy. I consider myself an auto enthusiast first, and a Mustang fan second.

As to other posts, Fords first attempt at an IRS in a Mustang was a fail despite what the "Terminator" fans say. It was a compromised design to bolt in to the same mounting points as the SRA. Start with those parameters and it's doomed to fail. They should have started with the idea to build a quality IRS first. I do not see Ford making that mistake again. I give it 6 months in our fast paced aftermarket to expose any weaknesses and have solutions shortly thereafter.

The horsepower will in my opinion be around 430-450 in '15. All of those improvements sound like a big thing when seen on a list, but if you have ever built a race engine, or been around those who have, they will tell you that you get very small gains from each of those things. Sometimes what you get is that one thing will not give you any benefit on it's own, but will enhance the benefit of something else to get you a slightly better "bump" in power. So I expect 430-450, and possibly 460-475 only after switching to DI.

[Firefighter]

Originally Posted by LostPony

Thank you for the kind words. I try to ignore "fanbois" on both sides and focus on a real debate based on fact and merit. Although I am more of a Mustang fan than a Camaro fan, I have owned both over the years, and I have gone from American muscle to Japanese and even Euro when the mood or car strikes my fancy. I consider myself an auto enthusiast first, and a Mustang fan second.

As to other posts, Fords first attempt at an IRS in a Mustang was a fail despite what the "Terminator" fans say. It was a compromised design to bolt in to the same mounting points as the SRA. Start with those parameters and it's doomed to fail. They should have started with the idea to build a quality IRS first. I do not see Ford making that mistake again. I give it 6 months in our fast paced aftermarket to expose any weaknesses and have solutions shortly thereafter.

The horsepower will in my opinion be around 430-450 in '15. All of those improvements sound like a big thing when seen on a list, but if you have ever built a race engine, or been around those who have, they will tell you that you get very small gains from each of those things. Sometimes what you get is that one thing will not give you any benefit on it's own, but will enhance the benefit of something else to get you a slightly better "bump" in power. So I expect 430-450, and possibly 460-475 only after switching to DI.

Well thought out post I especially agree with the last paragraph. I would lower that last set of numbers myself though.

Like you said when you build a motor things don't work out in an exponential way. Too many people use ricer math when they see a list like the one presented. I think the biggest key is that the internals are tougher than before. That makes for a better foundation for the guys who Mod their cars.

[S3XPanther]

[Firefighter]

Not bad. A little raspy, but not bad. The rear brakes kill me though.

[big hammer]

Originally Posted by Bhobbs

The fact that a 500 HP base Mustang is possible should be enough to worry about. If it becomes a reality, I don't see how GM could respond.

true. GM has no 500+ hp engines....

[JacekPSUr1]

I like it - Mustang GTs always sounded good out of the factory.

[Firefighter]

Originally Posted by big hammer

true. GM has no 500+ hp engines....

That was Sarcasm right? It's hard to read that through the computer...

[big hammer]

Originally Posted by Firefighter

That was Sarcasm right? It's hard to read that through the computer...

*needs sarcasm font

[nitto85]

Originally Posted by JacekPSUr1

I like it - Mustang GTs always sounded good out of the factory.

Yep, they do have some of the best factory sounding exhausts.

I like it, I'm a little iffy on the front, but I think I would pick it over a 2014 Refresh. Can't wait to see what they come up with for the exterior of the GT500.

[Bizlipkick]

I agree with you guys. I had a 2013 5.0 that I traded for my 2012 Camaro 2ss, before those I had a 2011 370 sport+touring 6MT- I am a car guy first. I drove MK3 supra's back in high school (2 1987's), and the camaro was the closes to that car, a little heavy but loaded with luxury and still a blast to drive. I liked the mustang to, hell even the 370z was a blast, just I aged past hearing every rock and gravel noise in the wheel wells behind you. We all win in this situation with the pony wars.

A little food for thought though- and bear with me this might be long winded- allot of my car guy friends are jumping on the 2015 Mustag bandwagon "it will destroy a 5 gen" "Outhandles EVERYTHING OMG z/28 SUX"- lets look at the new stingray. We can all agree the c6 vette is a fantastic car, but look at how huge the upgrade was in EVERYTHING with the new Stingrays. I love my 5 gen, but it suffers from "sins of the father" in regards to being developed and budget concerns with a failing GM. The next camaro will be all hands on deck, and I expect a similar improvement like the stingray was with the vette. Once again, we are all winners.

Oh and p.s. all camaro fan boys, the only reason we have the 5gen is because of the 05+mustangs and the huge success they were for FORD.

[Firefighter]

Originally Posted by big hammer

*needs sarcasm font

I've been saying that for years... IDK why it hasn't been invented yet.

[Firefighter]

Originally Posted by NVmyZL1

Again, why? If there is no benefit to having matching Brembos on the rear, and adding them only increases weight, what's the point other than aesthetics?

I road raced both my ZL1 and my GT509 and never felt unconfident in either from a braking standpoint.

Aesthetics aside (it does look cheesy as hell though) there is no way that that caliper can match the repeatability of a FULL set of Brembos. I know you are unique in having real world experience with both cars but obviously someone like Randy Probst who commented on the superior braking in the ZL1 (I believe it was head to head between the ZL1/GT500 or was it the 1LE/GT Track Pack? I've been looking for the video) vs. the GT500. There might be something to it.

Listen everyone knows that the majority of the braking is from the front. If you can get a car to stop "flatter" by getting the rears to do more work you disrupt the cars balance less and therefore go through a turn better.

You never did say which car you were faster in. There's a reason why professional drivers get better course times out of the ZL1 more often than not. There is more to going fast around a track than Horse Power. It's a total package. Now down the 1/4 mile HP/TQ is way more pertinent.

That might be why they stick to those little rear brakes to facilitate Drag Radials.

[Firefighter]

The only REAL dig on a Gen 5 is it's weight. Everything else is damned near perfect. Well at least my 1LE is... lol