All good stuff... read on.

09-06-09: This week has been filled with yet more revelations of new
technology coming to the 2011 Mustang. Namely, Ford has two new
engines headed for the 2011 Mustang that are a breath of fresh metal.
The revolution starts with a new 3.7 liter DOHC V6 which is rumored to
power out 315hp for the base 2011 Mustang. This will put the entry
level model at a higher horsepower level than many legendary and
iconic “Muscle Mustangs” of the past.

We’re talking the 1965 Shelby GT-350 at 271-306hp, 1969 BOSS 302 at
290hp, and all Fox Bodied Mustang 5.0 GT and Cobras ranging from
157-240hp. At 315hp this new base engine even out-powers many of the
naturally aspirated 4.6 liter DOHC V8 engines found in the SVT Cobras
and Mach 1 during the SN-95 years! When you consider this is the base
Mustang you can get for under $25,000 with some options that is pretty
remarkable.

This new engine has a number of technologies that get that power up
including dual-overhead cams with variable valve timing. This allows
infinite tuning of the cams on the fly by the engine control module.
It is also rumored that direct injection is the key to that extra
power above and beyond the 273hp that the 3.7 V6 puts out in Lincoln
applications.

What this means is that the Mustang V6 is likely to no longer have the
stigma of being the low man on the totem pole. With 315hp, the V6
would prove a credible option for enthusiasts and frugal buyers alike.
If Ford sees fit to give this thing a nice dual exhaust and pair it
with a 6-speed manual as they plan with the next generation V8, we
have it made.

Speaking of that next generation 5.0 liter V8, there has been a lot of
news and rumor about the upcoming “Coyote” engine. The engine is a
completely new architecture, very compact in design, and shares little
to nothing with the current “modular” V8 family. The new 5.0 liter
engine will be used in both the F-Series trucks and in the Mustang for
2011. The current 4.6 and 5.4 modular V8’s are believed to be going
away for both cars and trucks. The new 6.2 liter V8 will replace both
the 5.4 V8 and the V-10 in the F-Series.

The new DOHC 4-valve engine appears from spy photos to feature dual
variable valve timing which helps put power at or above the 400 mark.
That means both intake and exhaust cams can be individually timed for
optimum settings in all conditions. It might have direct injection for
future applications, but prototype photos appear to show standard port
injection. There have been news accounts however of the engine being
tested with direct injection and turbo charging, but the first show of
the new 5.0 will be naturally aspirated.

The good news is that the extra power does not come at the cost of
efficiency. The new V8 will meet or exceed the current 3V V8 in mpg.
This will in part be achieved by mating the engine to a 6-speed manual
transmission which should make many a Mustang fan happy. The compact
size of the engine itself will also leave room for modders to really
get creative under the hood.

Other news on the wire this week is that the next revision of the
Shelby GT-500 will use an aluminum block to save weight. What is not
known is whether this will be a version of the current 5.4 liter
supercharged V8 or whether Ford is going for a force-fed version of
the new 5.0. In either case a substantial weight reduction for the
GT-500 would go a long way to upgrading performance and handling as
well as casting off its image as being shall we say “portly”.

If all of these technological dreams come to pass in the next year,
the powers that be at Ford will have answered virtually every
criticism of the Mustang that has existed. That is with the exception
of the live axle rear suspension. While there is much debate in the
press, in the enthusiast circles, and even at Ford about whether the
Mustang should have a modern day rear suspension, one thing is clear.
The rest of the world and even Ford has decided that an IRS is the
best solution.

The Crown Victoria and Town Car are going out of production soon,
leaving the Mustang as the only mainstream production car in the world
with a live axle. While most Ford spokespeople and engineers we have
talked to sell us on the notion that an IRS isn’t all that great or
necessary, it hasn’t stopped them from installing it in every SUV they
build and even one of their pick-up trucks. If you read the brochures
for the Explorer, Sport-Trak, or the Expedition the benefits of IRS
are extolled like virtues from heaven. Yet their own halo sports car
does not need it? Something is amiss.

We have been told by Ford to look at Grand Am where Mustangs with live
axles race and win against cars with IRS from companies like BMW,
Porsche, and others. This may be true, but one has to remember that a
smooth race track and the driving environment of public roads are two
different worlds. Once off the race track we have bumps, pot holes,
railroad tracks, expansion joints, and surface transitions that make
that live axle dance. These conditions all remind a Mustang driver
every day of that piece of 14th century design underpinning their
driving experience.

The point of an IRS is not necessarily always about performance, but
rewarding the driver with confidence, stability, and refinement that
is expected in a modern day performance car. With the amount of power
these Mustangs have today, an IRS would not only increase safety by a
huge margin, but also market appeal in a world full of IRS equipped
Chevy Camaros, Nissan 370Zs, Corvettes, and yes even a Hyundai Genesis
Coupe. And when you consider that some high performance Mustangs are
now in the $50,000-80,000 price range, it really has become the time
give the horse some new legs.

Patrick