'05 Stang Specs?

Anyone found or got any production info for next years Mustang? I'm wondering if it's worth putting any money under the hood of my '03 or just wait until next year. I hear 400hp for the GT next year?!?
Pat

Specs on the 05 Mustang are getting clearer and clearer all the time. And, as a matter of fact you will be able to see it on January the fourth when Ford officially "shows" the production model for the first time.

The 05GT is not getting 400hp, but it is getting a lot more hp than the current car. The 05GT gets a 4.6L 3 valve per cylinder V-8 that puts out around 320hp at least. That hp number is a leak from inside Roush as they have been dyno testing pre-production GT's loaned to them by Ford in order to have performance parts ready upon the new pony's arrival. So, it is considered pretty solid info and stands up well to Ford's claim that the new GT will be "LS1" fast at least.

The 3-valve engine also offers much, much better torque than the current 2 valve GT engine or even the 4-valve Mach-1 engine. This is simply the nature of 3-valve engines, so it is no real surprise. Even if the current 4 valve Mach-1 motor made a higher peak torque number, there is no doubt the 3 valve engine's torque production is going to be much flatter accross the rpm range and come closer to it's peak much lower in the rpm range than the 4 valve motor.

Simply put, you can expect the next GT to be at least 04 Mach-1 fast, and almost certainly faster. Previously, the car was expected to be significantly lighter than the current model, but it appears now that this may not be the case. This can likely be partially traced to the new car's much longer wheelbase (About 107 inches, but overall length itself doesn't seem to be increasing) and stouter chassis. Still, I expect it to be at least slightly lighter than the current car.

The GT is apparently going to show up riding on 18" rims standard (Not sure I agree with that move) with your choice of a five speed manual or five speed auto transmission. Sorry guys, no six speed for the GT.

The next Cobra won't show until the 2006MY. IRS is currently expected to be a Cobra only feature initially as it seems the GT won't offer it even as an option in 05. However, from what I can tell Ford hasn't ruled out IRS as an option for the GT sometime in the future after 05. And, other special edition Mustang's besides the Cobra can potentially end up with IRS too.

The Cobra is basically going to be getting the 500hp 5.4L V-8 you are currently seeing in the Ford GT right now. Supposedly it is likely to produce even more than 500hp when doing Cobra duty as is the 3 valve per cylinder supercharged 5.4L the Lightning gets when the new one debuts. The Ford GT is moving higher up the hp ladder essentially to clear way for the Lightning and Cobra according to John Colletti...head of SVT.

The Cobra obviously keeps the six speed and is likwely to be riding on 19" wheels. Apparently nobody at SVT is crazy about "bling-bling" wheel sizes (20" or above) on anything other than a truly exotic car like the Ford GT...period

Future special editions are less clear cut. No solid info that I am aware of at all on the reaturn of a Mach-1. Rumours abound about a Boss revival, but they are still only rumours. Ford and SVT have said that there WILL be several special editions, just not what or when.

Also, expect this chassis, and even this basic exterior look, to stick around a while. Think BMW-like life cycles, as well as special model's introduced in stages after the main models in order to keep interest high...just like the Europeans do it.

And finally, Ford has hinted that different models of the Mustang will sport truly different looks, in contrast to todays more consistent appearance throughout the line. From what Ford has said the difference between a Cobra and a GT can probably be reasonably expected to utilize a different front clip altogether as opposed to the simple "bumper and hood" upgrade up front that differentiates between the current Cobra and GT.

Expect the cars to still look similar, but imagine the difference between a 68 GT500 Shelby and a standard 68 Mustang GT. Both cars are obviously 68 Mustangs and look fairly similar, but not one piece of front sheetmetal will interchange and the Shelby looks more upscale and is much prettier. This is the idea I got from Ford, and I think this is what you can expect.

And, not to neglect the base car, it seems pretty solid that the V-6 Mustang is getting the 4.0L SOHC V-6 from the Explorer initially. Apparently, that will likely change within a couple of years, but as to what other V-6 it will change to nobody seems certain.

Also, you can find all the info you ever wanted on the 05 pony over at brad's Mustang site.

Wow... thanks for all the info. Any idea what a GT is gonna go for?

Anyone found or got any production info for next years Mustang? I'm wondering if it's worth putting any money under the hood of my '03 or just wait until next year. I hear 400hp for the GT next year?!?
Pat
This is the only information available to the media at present :

" 2005 MUSTANG: COLOR CONFIGURABLE CLUSTER: It's something never seen on a production car before – but it'll be on the all-new Mustang. A color-configurable instrument cluster can be back-lit in any of 125 backgrounds by “mixing” three primary colors with the turn of a dial. The effect can be subtle or dramatic, particularly at night, as the speedometer and tachometer illuminate in variations of blue, green or red hues, creating a unique, personalized driving mood. It uses six light-emitting diode (LED) lights that are selectable in order from green, blue, purple, white, orange and red. The LEDs are filtered through innovative “light pipe” fittings on the sides of the speedometer, tachometer and vehicle operation indicator panel to create the numerous color options. Ford also is allowing customers to take a piece of the new Mustang home early. A screen saver that teases the new car and illustrates how the new color-configurable instrument cluster will work is available at www.fordvehicles.com "

That is so gay.... money better spent on a few more ponies... or just keeping the cost down all together.

Wow... thanks for all the info. Any idea what a GT is gonna go for?

BTW, that instrument cluster mentioned above can be seen over at Brad's site as well. If I recall the price of the GT is not expected to change much, so you can expect to spend standard WRX (not STi) money for a nicely equipped GT...about 25 large.

That is so gay.... money better spent on a few more ponies... or just keeping the cost down all together.

Actually, it is a lot cooler when seen than you might expect. I thought it sounded pretty stupid myself until I laid eyes on it...now i like it. I also get the idea that Ford expects to use this basic instrument cluster in more than just the Mustang, so it makes sense economically to offer more variety.

i can feel it were going to price ourselves out of the market like the supra and the camaro,,why dont they go to the roots of a stang a v8 for under 23,000..we dont need 18inch rims thats ricer crap im glad i got my gts when i did...

as for that independent rear suspension thats not going to happen the car will have a curb weight close to 4000lbs

IRS not going to happen? Um, sorry but it already has. The Cobra has IRS right now, and apparently Ford had to think long and hard about not making it a standard item across the line........period.

And, the car is going to be nowhere near 4000lbs with IRS or not as the much larger and more loaded out Jaguar S Type and Lincoln LS are both based on the same basic chassis as the new Mustang and THEY don't weigh 4000lbs with IRS and power everything.

As for the "roots" of a stang I said a decently equipped GT is going to cost about twenty five grand....um...that's pretty cheap. And, if you knew about the roots of the Stang that is cheaper than they were back in the day.

The difference between 1968 and 2004 money is right at a factor of ten. Find the price of a decently equipped 68 Mustang GT 2+2 and multiply it by ten...it WILL be more than 23,000 dollars. In today's money a 68GT500 convt. was over fifty grand loaded out so let's not act like the Mustang hasn't offered options in that price range before.

I would hardly call a fairly well loaded car with a 320hp V-8 for 25 grand "pricing yourself out of the market". Maybe people who think that is such an enormous sum of money need to go to the Honda dealer and pick up a Civic.

i said the IRS is not going to happen in the GT i know the cobra has it..im talking 05' and yes the GT is going to be over 25,000....actually yano what we'll wait till jan 4 when ford unvails the car to the public..then ill come back and post ill write your name down.

also i bougt my gts for 18,500..not bad for a stock 14.533. i think

i said the IRS is not going to happen in the GT i know the cobra has it..im talking 05' and yes the GT is going to be over 25,000....actually yano what we'll wait till jan 4 when ford unvails the car to the public..then ill come back and post ill write your name down.
I dunno....The dealer I talked with over the summer had also said the new GT is going to be in the same ball park price as the current production GT's.

I dunno....The dealer I talked with over the summer had also said the new GT is going to be in the same ball park price as the current production GT's.

I hope that's true, 'cause if it is, that'll be one sweet car for one sweet price.

i said the IRS is not going to happen in the GT i know the cobra has it..im talking 05' and yes the GT is going to be over 25,000....actually yano what we'll wait till jan 4 when ford unvails the car to the public..then ill come back and post ill write your name down.

Same basic price as the current GT is what Ford has been saying all along, but I suppose Ford may not know about the pricing of their own car????? LOL Also, I already said that IRS is not going to be in the 05 GT, so what exactly was your point?

In 1995 you paid almost 19 grand for a very stripped V-8 Mustang....not a bad price. But, that was ten years ago and there will be no V-8 Mustang as stripped as the GTS offered in 05. By the time you account for inflation over ten years and the options to turn your car into the "decently" loaded GT I am referring to you are easily at 22 large and frankly more than that. Do I think another 100hp, a much better chassis, 18" wheels, and a classic look are worth a couple grand? Um..yeah.