2010 GT500 First Drives

[LeonOfTheDead]

That depends on what an European price would be.

My highly uncientific test says that if we take the Corvette as an example the Mustang would cost here 32.500€ for the V6, 43.300€ for the GT and 71.700€ for the Shelby. On the other hand if we take the HHR as a base the V6 would cost 17.500€, the GT 23.300€ and the Shelby 38.600€.

I'd definitely buy one for HHR prices. Corvette prices are a bit too high though, especially for the Shelby.

Indeed. At least you've got the Falcon.

I'd even happily settle for a GT.

you get the HHR in Spain?!
here just the ex-Daewoo cars, and the newer Captiva too.

Corvette's prices over there? here they are:
C6 Competition: 61.461 €
C6: 67.761 €
C6 Performance Edition (automatic): 80.641 €
Z06: 91.261 €
ZR1: 137.641 €

[Ferrer]

you get the HHR in Spain?!
here just the ex-Daewoo cars, and the newer Captiva too.

Yep we do.

Chevrolet HHR ? Diseño Retro-Clásico

It has a 2.4 litre four cylinder engine with 170bhp and is available from 19.285€.

And then we have the Daewoos.

[Rasmus]

You can walk into a Ford dealer in Denmark and buy a Mustang now. Granted, the first 2005s were unofficial imports, and Ford Denmark is still not the technical importer, but the cars still get sold with dealer backing. It's only the GT coupe and convertible premiums and GT500s though. Or a KR if need be. They've come down in price but they're still too stupid expensive because of tax and "green fee" (ie. another tax). A new 2008 GT vert is now down from DKK850.000 to DKK650.000 or €87.000. I love mine, don't get me wrong, but there's no way in hell I'd pay the asking price in Europe.

And as for the 2010 GT; with the handling pack it handles better than the Challenger R/T and Camaro SS. There. I've said it. I'd still rather have a base C6 than the GT500 though. Only now have the previous generation of GT500s come down to MSRP. The new GT500s will have a ridiculous dealer markup price, eg. GT500KR at $100.000. As I'm not a collector, if I wanted a supercharged Stang, I'd build one.

[teatako]

Italdesign, Giorgetto Giugiaro




I said Giugiaro.

I think the cars look pretty similar, even if the production version clearly recall the original concept from 2002.
I don't think Giugiaro/Italdesign was involved in the styling or design of this Mustang, there is no sign of it on their website.

I stand corrected.
the "I said Giugiaro" part made me chuckle.

Well, the car still looks pretty damn good.

[f6fhellcat13]

or even in RHD, you know, for that other market that buys V8's

Maybe Ford is scared that y'all might get clever and put in some newfangled IRS.

I think that they should, personally. If they're closing down any Falcon (or whatever) plants they should convert one or two to 'Stang plants. I can't imagine the Mustang is complicated enough to make the conversion hard.

But, it has to be reciprocal. We get some LHD Falcon plants in the US as part of the deal.
No more of this captive import stuff (even if Ford hasn't done it yet).

[digitalcraft]

Falcon do want.

[nota]

Motor Trend

2010 Ford Shelby GT500 - First Test - Motor Trend

"And as for swapping the GT500's low-tech Panhard rod for a fancier Watts linkage, he [SVT vehicle dynamics specialist Eric Zinkosky] points to the challenges mounting that linkage to the differential cover involves regarding sealing the diff and points out that you end up with five bushings to control instead of two."

What a load of guff! Is this guy's specialty in suspensions .. or in marketing? And how subservient is MT for printing such twaddle!

Incorporating a watts linkage didn't pose too much of a challenge to another Ford division I could name

(hint: for inspiration maybe Zinkosky should look underneath 1,000,000+ Falcon sedans manufactured between 1982~2002)

picture: 1982 Ford XE

[ThisBlood147]

/\/\/\Agreed. I'm still wondering why, if Ford didn't want to spring for the IRS yet, that they wouldn't go with a watts link. The Saleen P302 owners I've talked to say that it made a world of difference on their Mustangs.....traction loss is more controlled and the rearend pivots into the turns much better. It's still not an IRS, but it makes not having an IRS much more livable....and improves handling overall even more. I've even considered installing the Saleen unit under my GT when I can put aside some money for it.

[clutch-monkey]

probably a cash thing; ford had the existing set up lying around?
although i wonder how much it would have cost to implement the watts link, since it makes such a difference.

[culver]

You know, I think this is one reason Ford isn't going for the government help like GM and Chrysler. They make an awesome car, and yes it is awesome. But they make money off of it even off people who can't afford it because you can buy a very similar cool looking car for a lot less.

When GM decided they wanted to compete with Ford, did they make an awesome car that was part of other lines? Not really. Where are you going to find a $20,000 Corvette? Corvettes start at the price for this car!

Now, maybe they learned their lesson by introducing the new Camaro, but of course its too late and they haven't been able to produce the halo model.

What about a viper? Nope. No $20,000 vipers. Again, maybe the challenger would have been the solution, but too late.

Ford on the otherhand has been using this model with the Mustang for a very long time. I just feel like they are a little smarter with their Mustang. Now only if they could be smart with their brand engineering...

Keep in mind that the Corvette is profitable and has always been more expensive than the Mustang. This was especially true in the years before 1964.5 when the Mustang was free

[digitalcraft]

No, the underlying reason is that people want the solid rear. The car is made for off-the-line drags. Its a muscle car, plain and simple. They did compromise more with this one and work on other things to make it more agile, including making the rear axle have very little sideways motion, but in the end, this car is made to excel at the acceleration (and looking badass), and also be good at driving on roads fast, but not necessarily excel at that.

Ford uses IRS for plenty of stuff so it really would be no problem if they wanted to go with it. Heck, my Thunderboat has IRS and it's a '95. :P (open differential though o.O)

[ThisBlood147]

The problem isn't putting an IRS back there......it's putting an IRS back there that can handle the power/torque. These V8's make power starting way down low, so the rearend has to be able to handle all the driver can throw at it without constantly failing. Sure, they could throw the rear from a Lincoln back there, but I'd be willing to bet that the Shelby's 540hp would rip it a new one after a few hard launches. Ford doesn't want to have to constantly spring for warranty work on an otherwise stock car that got driven a little too hard. They know ppl are gonna take GT's and GT500's to the track....they know ppl out there will drive them hard. How do you provide something inexpensive that will handle the abuse without constant breakage?....you keep the live rear axle.

I don't doubt we'll see Ford go with an IRS on the Mustang within the next few years, but ppl better get used to the idea that they'll be paying more for the model than those available now. It's not possible to keep to the ponycar's MO of "cheap power" and still have it deliver all the comforts, smooth ride, and plush interior of a luxury car or cruiser. You're gonna have to cut a corner somewhere. IMO, cars like the Challenger, Mustang, and Camaro shouldn't reach too high a level of soft edged refinement. There's too many other cars out there that fill that niche already. Ppl turn to the ponycar/musclecar for cheap, raw, power-laden fun. Something that's more visceral an experience than what you get with your typical 2+2 performance coupe.

[clutch-monkey]

No, the underlying reason is that people want the solid rear. The car is made for off-the-line drags. Its a muscle car, plain and simple.

that is a good point, is there a mustang model (possibly a hi-po N/A version) with IRS set up a little more as a GT car? something like the old cobra i think it was.

[ThisBlood147]

that is a good point, is there a mustang model (possibly a hi-po N/A version) with IRS set up a little more as a GT car? something like the old cobra i think it was.

The '99 and '01-'04 Mustang Cobras all had IRS.

[clutch-monkey]

is there gonna be a new cobra?