2002 Mustang Cobra Terminator

• After BlueOvalNews reported on 04 Dec 2001 that Ford Motor Company
would introduce the 2002 Cobra in February 2002, Ford told certain media
members that the 2002 Cobra would in fact be introduced in February.

• Ford will officially launch the 2002 Cobra "Terminator" at the 2002 Chicago
Auto Show. The media preview is from 06 through 07 of February - Ford has
already scheduled a slot for the Cobra on the 6th.

• "A Ford memo states "Detailed information on the new Cobra, except final
pricing, will be released to dealers, customers, and the media on Feb. 6,
2002."

a 400 hp beast

Mustang enthusiasts have been begging and some even demanding that Ford give the pony
car more power and cubic inches. Some want the pushrod 5.0 back while others want the
noisy 3.8 gone.

Ford's push for high-tech engines and their desire to keep a firm grip on the sports car
market is forcing them to do just what Mustang enthusiasts have been suggestion for
years.

First, the base Mustang's 3.8L V-6 is often described as a noisy train, especially when
installed in a convertible model. The 3.8 has also been questioned in the reliability
department due to frequently reported head gasket failures.

The 4.6L 2V GT has been a pretty flawless powerplant and customers have been very warm
to it. The 1999's power improvements have made a lot of Mustang GT owners happy - it is
still a car that's a great bang for the buck. It's surprising to learn then that Ford's concerned
about the GT's market share. In an internal Ford document, Mustang boss Art Hyde said
"We are seeing some softening of the market in some selected areas (particularly for GT)."

While pre-1999 Cobra owners are generally happy with their cars, thousands of 1999 Cobra
owners are upset. The 1999 Cobra Mustang's 4.6L 4V performance failures are another
story in itself that Ford has to address. The 1999 Cobra fiasco has not only been
embarrassing to Ford, it has made a lot of first time Ford buyer's question Ford's ability to
build a truly competitive performance car. The issues are far reaching - will potential
customers look to Ford's competition instead of trusting Ford to get the 2000 Cobra right?
That is, after they satisfy 1999 Cobra owners?

Ford will begin addressing the Mustang's powerplant problems and revisions beginning in
2002. A set of key Ford internal documents leave a paper trail of great things to come. The
internal Ford memos were written by the Mustang's chief program engineer, Art Hyde.

The first key that the Mustang will get a boost in power for 2002 is expressed by Hyde in a
memo stating "Since we have several years without major actions (like 2000, 2001 and
2003), we need to improve fuel economy by over 1 mpg in our proposed 2002 freshening
and with the S197." S197 is the code for the all new 2003 Mustang.

In another document, Art Hyde states "The 2002 program needs better refinement." He
continues "In no way can we allow the vehicle to loose its competitive edge before S197."
Based on the documents, it's clear that Team Mustang is planning an engine horsepower
boost for the 2002 Mustang GT and Cobra. We believe that the base Mustang's 3.8L V-6
will remain unchanged.

A Roush Technologies employee has told BlueOvalNews that both Ford and Roush
engineers are already working on the 2002 and 2003 Mustang engines.

What can Mustang enthusiasts expect and when? You shouldn't see any engine changes
for the 2001
Mustang. The engine changes will start with the 2002 model and carry on through to 2003,
when even more changes are planned.

The 2003 won't just be a new Mustang inside and outside, but underneath as well. The
2003 models will begin to use a modified version of the DEW Lincoln LS chassis.

Unlike the Lincoln LS's 3.0L V-6 and 3.9L V-8 engines, the Mustang will continue to use
modular based V-8 engines and Duratec based V-6 engines.

Here's what you can expect the engine lineup to consist of for 2003 (all figures are from
actual Ford internal documents):

The base Mustang's 3.8 will be killed off at the end of 2002 and will be replaced in 2003 by
a standard 4.0L SOHC producing 210 horsepower @ 5250 RPM. An optional 3.0L 4V V6
will produce 215 horsepower @ 6250 RPM.

The GT will continue to use the 4.6 2V, but it will get a bump in power to 285 horses @
5250 RPM. An optional 4.9L GT 2V will be an all optional engine for 2003. The 4.9L will
produce 290 horses @ 5250 RPM.

The Cobra will drop the 4.6L 4V at the end of 2002 and will begin using an all new 5.0L 4V
that is scheduled to pump out 350+ horses @ 6000 RPM and 340+ Ft. Lbs. Torque at 4750
RPM, according to official documents.

Team Mustang will also address the quality issues affecting the Mustang. A memo by Art
Hyde to team Mustang states "better GT/Cobra performance and craftsmanship being key
priorities."

Mustang fans have heard rumor after rumor about new and more powerful engines for the
Mustang - although nothing ever materializes from them.

The beauty of this article? It's based from Ford's own internal documents. It's not based
from rumors or speculation. Wow - the future of the Mustang suddenly looks good. Really
good. Start saving your money - 2002 is right around the corner!

2003 MUSTANG ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS
ENGINE
Horsepower
Torque
Torque @1500
SAE net
torque
Engine
Redline
Top
speed
3.0L DOHC
*
215@6250
210@4500
182@1500
250
7200
120
4.0 SOHC *
210@5250
240@3250
215@1500
250
7200
120
4.6 SOHC
GT *
285@5250
310@4000
265@1500
330
6500
142
4.9 SOHC
GT *
290@5250
320@4000
265@1500
330
6500
142
5.0 * Cobra
350+@6000
340+@4750
250+@1500
360
7100
155

* not available in a supercharged version.

2003 MUSTANG GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS
ENGINE
Standard axle
Optional axle
Max GVW in
lbs.
Max GCW in
lbs.
Tire rolling
radius
3.0L DOHC
2.73
3.55
3453
4453
12.746
4.0 SOHC
2.73
3.55
3453
4453
12.746
4.6 SOHC
2.73
3.27
3688
4688
12.872
4.9 SOHC
2.73
3.27
3688
4688
12.872
5.0 Cobra
2.73
3.27
3817
4817
12.89


2003 MUSTANG DEVELOPMENT DATES Follow the Mustang's development
PROGRAM TIMIMG
DATE
<SI/IR>
September 1999
AP MRD
January 2000
CP Build MRD
September 2001
1PP Build MRD
May 2002
FEU Build MRD
Sepetember 2002
JOB1 Launch
February 2003

BlueOvalNews.com

Sounds good to me... Looks like my 98 Cobra may be getting traded in the near future, probably with less than 15,000 miles on the odometer.

very sweet
:sun:

here is more info A source at the Dearborn-Mustang Assembly Plant told BlueOvalNews that they
recently built an unspecified number of Mustangs dedicated for use on the
"Terminator" Cobra program. DAP currently builds the Base, GT, Cobra and
Bullitt model Mustangs.

Last February BlueOvalNews interviewed a member of Team Mustang who said
that SVE was working on offering a SuperCharged Cobra, possibly for the 2002
model year. The code name for the program is "Terminator". A source close to
the "Terminator" program told BlueOvalNews that "Ford wants a SuperCharged
Mustang on the market. That's already been determined. Now it's just a matter
of if we can make that happen for 2002 or not." A source at Roush told
BlueOvalNews that they had a dedicated team working 24-7 on developing the
"Terminator" Cobra in an effort to make the program into a production vehicle for
the 2002 model year.

A previous report by BlueOvalNews detailed how Ford is exploring the usage of
SuperChargers and smaller displacement engines for production vehicles. While
the Cobra would definitely benefit from a factory SuperCharger, it will not fall
victim to a smaller displacement engine - at least not for the 2002 model year.
Sources familiar with the program have told BlueOvalNews that the 2002
"Terminator" Cobra will not use the 4.6L 4V engine but instead use the 4.6L 2V
engine. In another effort to make the 2002 Cobra faster, Ford is also looking at
ways to trim the "fat" in an effort to make the Cobra lighter and more efficient.

Ford might use the "Terminator" moniker for the production version of the 2002
SuperCharged Cobra, but a Team Mustang source also noted that the "KR" for
"King of the Road" name was proposed as well. If everything goes well for the
Colletti group, you will see the "Terminator" unveiled at SEMA this November.

The last Mustang that was equipped with a factory SuperCharger was when
Ford gained control of the Shelby Mustang GT350 in 1968 and moved
production to Ionia, Michigan.

more info

Ford will introduce Terminator, the last in a series of special models of the Mustang, in 2002 as a 2003 model. Though much of the new styling of Terminator is hidden in this photo of a prototype, some detail changes are evident. That bulge on the hood is a necessary addition that hides the space given over to a supercharger. The five-spoke wheels are special to Terminator. Despite the car's cover, it's apparent that the fascia is slightly altered with wider openings to provide added cooling to the engine. At the rear is another altered bumper fascia, this one to accommodate larger exhaust outlets. But under the sheetmetal lie the real differences in this Mustang. For highest performance, Ford specialty car engineers selected the company's standard 4.6-liter DOHC V8 as the base engine, then added a supercharger to provide a power boost. The result is about 400 hp, a level that puts Terminator in a class with the best of the competition: Viper and Corvette Z06. Transmission is a six-speed manual. Production probably will be limited to a few thousand.