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Thread: Run for cover! (The Ford Mustang Thread)

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  1. #1
    Bad Taste novicius's Avatar
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    Run for cover! (The Ford Mustang Thread)

    (Continued from here.)







    Ford Mustang EcoBoost: Driven

    Quote Originally Posted by Pistonheads.com
    Ford claims 310hp, 320lb ft and a US highway economy figure of 32mpg that should translate into something over 40mpg on the official NEDC test. First impressions are good: the motor fires into life with a nice hard-edged exhaust note and there's appropriately Mustang urge low down. The car we drove was fitted with the optional six-speed auto, but even working through the slush of the torque converter throttle response is decent and there's little lag. At everyday speeds, it works well.

    Ask for more and the engine breaks sweat. It's been tuned to deliver best in the mid range and it starts to feel breathless well before it gets to the 6,500rpm redline and the soundtrack gains a harshness that suggests the motor isn't really appreciating the workout. There's less at the top end than the brawny low-down response has led you to expect; the Mustang is plenty fast in absolute terms - a mid-5s 0-60mph according to US magazines - but you feel a bit short-changed when you try to rev it out.
    Huh, I'm surprised that it runs out of breath towards redline. I'd think that early EcoBoost owners are going to feel dissatisfied compared to the cheaper V6 (that is, until they re-flash the ECUs ).

    As an aside, keep in mind that the weight of the 5.0L GT as been stated as being in the 3,750-3,800 lb. region, aka as fat as the current Camaro now. The new Camaro could end up being as much as 250-300 lbs. lighter than the new Mustang.
    Last edited by novicius; September 18th, 2014 at 09:26 AM.

  2. #2
    Corvette Enthusiast Kchrpm's Avatar
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    Lots of mid-range, breathless at the top? Sounds like the turbo 4 in the Mazdaspeed.
    Get that weak shit off my track

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    Spiny beast TheBenior's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kchrpm View Post
    Lots of mid-range, breathless at the top? Sounds like the turbo 4 in the Mazdaspeed.
    Judging by the only dyno chart I've seen which is from Motor Trend (not the most credible source for figures, I know), the 2.3 Ecoboost seems to run out of steam at high rpm at a pretty noticeable rate. However, judging by my experience with a 2.3L engine with a medium/small twin scroll turbo, I'm guessing that it could be mitigated effectively with intake/exhaust mods and a reflash. Hopefully, exhaust mods for the 2.3L Ecoboost will be cheaper than on the GT, since it's only got one bank of cylinders and turbo cars don't need mufflers.

    Ecoboost Mustang:


    Stock MS3:


    MS3 with off the shelf Cobb AP 93 octane map, catted turboback exhaust, intake/turbo inlet, but the same old K04 turbo:

  4. #4
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    Wonder if Americans are really ready to embrace a 4 cylinder Mustang.

  5. #5
    Bad Taste novicius's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Crazed_Insanity View Post
    Wonder if Americans are really ready to embrace a 400+ HP 4 cylinder Mustang.
    FTFY.

  6. #6
    Member Member 21Kid's Avatar
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    I like it!

    FiFTY?

  7. #7
    Ask me about my bottom br FaultyMario's Avatar
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    What happened to Dat Ass?
    acket.

  8. #8
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    I really like the looks all around, but even I find a 4 cylinder Mustang kinda weird. That profile... that big bulging hood should have a big engine residing inside it... Hope it'll at least sound good. Not going to be like the turbo charged whimpy F-1 cars...

    BTW, I thought it's 310HP... where did you get the 400+ from? Does it have the potential to output that much after some sort of after market mods?

  9. #9
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    Let's remember the Mustang had a four cylinder for almost twenty years before it went back to the V6/V8 only... and some of those four cylinder 'stangs were pretty awesome....



    ...and seriously threatened their V8 brothers!

    The fact that the torque > HP leads me to believe the breathing issue is tuning - boost tapering off or maybe cam selection - and quite possibly designed to make the four slot in neatly between the six and eight. The exact same thing was true of the SVO (and the XR4Ti for that matter), where they didn't want to cannibalize Mustang GT sales by having a magical 240-250hp four cylinder running around. It's certainly possible the issue is from a shitty head (also true of the Lima 2.3t) that they didn't have incentive to fix, but in 2014 I don't think that Ford has the luxury of introducing pumping losses like they did 30 years ago.

    I read that Ford said the weight gain was between 28 and 87lbs depending on model, so not too bad. The bump in MSRP ($1k-$3k) seems a little rough. OTOH, nobody knows exactly what an ATS-based Camaro is going to look like. The ATS is an expensive car and is built using some high end materials. The only way GM will be able to keep its weight down is by retaining those materials, so either (IMHO) the Camaro will get lighter and more expensive - or the opposite. I think it's also conceivable that Ford left themselves a route for improvement - more power, less weight, whatever - to magically produce once they see the Camaro and/or to keep the Mustang fresh for the next several years.

    Personally, ATM, I like this new car, but I'm not sure I'd chose it over a '13/'14. My friend ostensibly ordered one (not sure if the four or six, definitely not the eight), so I guess I'll see...

  10. #10
    Bad Taste novicius's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by thesameguy View Post
    I read that Ford said the weight gain was between 28 and 87lbs depending on model, so not too bad.
    Quote Originally Posted by MotorTrend.com
    The new Mustang GT weighs in at 3814 pounds, a 196-pound increase over the last similarly equipped Mustang GT we tested.
    The weight gain has floored me, really. The Mustang is not a small car and hasn't been since the debut of the S197 but still: 3,800+ lbs. is firmly in 5th-gen Camaro territory.

    Not that I'm a customer for either car -- a mod-motor'd S197 (or someone willing to take a serious loss on a first-gen Challenger R/T) will (eventually) get my money. But I fully expect the next-gen Camaro SS to A.) become lighter and more expensive, and B.) trounce the 2015+ Mustang GT.

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