Whatever.. the real meaning is that Ford disbanding SVT isnt gonna turn
their back on what they know they are good at.

With Challenger and CamaBird reintroduction, I wonder if those two will
figger out what they did wrong in the first place.

A small engine base model RWD is key to it.

- Without a tamer/small engine the new Camaro and Challenger
will/would/could end up being high priced specilaty cars.

Does anyone else here realize just how much the Lima 2.3 meant to
Ford..
and us?

- The added volume certainly offset some cost for the V8 version.

Patrick

"A small engine base model RWD is key to it.

Does anyone else here realize just how much the Lima 2.3 meant to
Ford..
and us? "

That was huge, it spread the costs over a larger volume and also helped
with the CAFE standards that got put into place. A lot of foreign makes
really capitalized on the "secretary's car" model, providing a cheap,
reliable car that was also stylish and sporty.

JJ

[snip]

Who thought it would? Seriously. Yeah, the GT500 will be that last
thing with "SVT" on it. Yet Roush has the S197 Mach I and Boss mules on
hand. Both Roush and Saleen are happily churning out S197-based
Mustangs with decent performance. Ford Racing will continue sponsoring
the FR500C in stock car competition for the foreseeable future and the
S197 bodies in white haven't gone away. Plus, the aftermarket is
filling up with products to make the S197 fast including stuff directly
from FRPP. Sure, we are talking about something three years away, and
Ford is claiming to be having fiscal difficulties, but what else is
going on that would make anyone think Mustang is in jeopardy?

The end of SVT is just that, the end of SVT. It's a bummer; I know,
because I liked the groups and clubs that condensed around those
products and it was nice to have factory support for many of them. But
the only thing that's changed is the factory support and the
opportunity to buy a new SVT product in the future.

But the Mustang isn't going anywhere as far as I can tell even though
SVT is shutting down. It's selling too well at the moment for Ford to
throw that production away. SVT was a loss leader unit, not a direct
money maker, so it's natural for it to get lopped off when costs become
an issue. Ford sold $3 billion worth of Mustang last year (without a
corresponding SVT product on the shelves), about 160,000 units. The
car, an iconic nameplate, is profitable; which is what Ford needs at
this time.

Anyway, until we see an actual 2009 mule I'll bet the change in styling
isn't nearly as dramatic as implied by the article. More like the
difference between the '94/'95 and the '98, not the facelift like the
'99. And I wouldn't hold my breath over a bigger motor either ;). Every
single announcement about Mustang has always mentioned bigger
displacement simply because Ford always tests mules with bigger motors
and talks about them. Unless DOD dramatically improves the 5.4's
emissions and fuel efficiency curve I think we'll see the 4.6 in the
Mustang GT again.

But that's OK by me, Kenne Bell already has the twin screw to fit it
and that's just as good as far as I'm concerned :D.

I would love to believe an IRS will show up in the main production
vehicle but I'm not sure that it's proposed existence on Challenger and
Camaro are enough. Ford got significant whining from a large portion of
the Mustang community for the IRS on the Cobra. So much so that a solid
axle with pan-hard bar appeared on S197. Unless the target demographic
for Challenger and Camaro has changed, DC and GM are going to get the
same level of whining. I already know GM guys who are blathering about
how if they wanted IRS they'd buy a Corvette or a GTO. And for the GM
guys it looks like there will, in fact, be a GTO available. So, I'll
believe in an IRS on other pony-cars when they hit production :). Ford
might be thinking the same way ;).

I'm really hoping that the S197 Boss will get done and that it will
sport the IRS and some other road racing gear. Maybe even an FR500 5.0L
DOHC. That would nail it down as my next Mustang :).

So, not only is there going to be a Mustang, there's actually the
possibility that there will be more than two brands of pony-cars to
choose from in 2009. When's the last time that happened? 1972?

To me, *that's* the real story :).

Dan
2003 Cobra convertible
With some stuff and things

[snip]

Who thought it would? Seriously. Yeah, the GT500 will be that last
thing with "SVT" on it. Yet Roush has the S197 Mach I and Boss mules on
hand. Both Roush and Saleen are happily churning out S197-based
Mustangs with decent performance. Ford Racing will continue sponsoring
the FR500C in stock car competition for the foreseeable future and the
S197 bodies in white haven't gone away. Plus, the aftermarket is
filling up with products to make the S197 fast including stuff directly
from FRPP. Sure, we are talking about something three years away, and
Ford is claiming to be having fiscal difficulties, but what else is
going on that would make anyone think Mustang is in jeopardy?

The end of SVT is just that, the end of SVT. It's a bummer; I know,
because I liked the groups and clubs that condensed around those
products and it was nice to have factory support for many of them. But
the only thing that's changed is the factory support and the
opportunity to buy a new SVT product in the future.

But the Mustang isn't going anywhere as far as I can tell even though
SVT is shutting down. It's selling too well at the moment for Ford to
throw that production away. SVT was a loss leader unit, not a direct
money maker, so it's natural for it to get lopped off when costs become
an issue. Ford sold $3 billion worth of Mustang last year (without a
corresponding SVT product on the shelves), about 160,000 units. The
car, an iconic nameplate, is profitable; which is what Ford needs at
this time.

Anyway, until we see an actual 2009 mule I'll bet the change in styling
isn't nearly as dramatic as implied by the article. More like the
difference between the '94/'95 and the '98, not the facelift like the
'99. And I wouldn't hold my breath over a bigger motor either ;). Every
single announcement about Mustang has always mentioned bigger
displacement simply because Ford always tests mules with bigger motors
and talks about them. Unless DOD dramatically improves the 5.4's
emissions and fuel efficiency curve I think we'll see the 4.6 in the
Mustang GT again.

But that's OK by me, Kenne Bell already has the twin screw to fit it
and that's just as good as far as I'm concerned :D.

I would love to believe an IRS will show up in the main production
vehicle but I'm not sure that it's proposed existence on Challenger and
Camaro are enough. Ford got significant whining from a large portion of
the Mustang community for the IRS on the Cobra. So much so that a solid
axle with pan-hard bar appeared on S197. Unless the target demographic
for Challenger and Camaro has changed, DC and GM are going to get the
same level of whining. I already know GM guys who are blathering about
how if they wanted IRS they'd buy a Corvette or a GTO. And for the GM
guys it looks like there will, in fact, be a GTO available. So, I'll
believe in an IRS on other pony-cars when they hit production :). Ford
might be thinking the same way ;).

I'm really hoping that the S197 Boss will get done and that it will
sport the IRS and some other road racing gear. Maybe even an FR500 5.0L
DOHC. That would nail it down as my next Mustang :).

So, not only is there going to be a Mustang, there's actually the
possibility that there will be more than two brands of pony-cars to
choose from in 2009. When's the last time that happened? 1972?

To me, *that's* the real story :).

Dan
2003 Cobra convertible
With some stuff and things