We can only think the 2.3 Ecoboost Mustang will have the
dynamic range to de-liver on the unrequited promise of the mid-’80s SVO
Mustang, a car that showed fleeting glimpses of glory but couldn’t deliver the
needed refinement or performance at both ends of the tach. Certainly it has
been performance tuned and will serve as the desirable option for a newer
generation fans who don’t necessarily like or want a V-8.
Most exciting of all, the Coyote is evolving using parts and
experience from the Boss 302’s vaunted Roadrunner engine. Again, Dave laid out
the highlights: “Of course, the 5.0-liter, the engine that’s at the top of our
lineup, we are not leaving that alone. We are improving its fuel performance,
and overall power. “
“We taking learnings from the Boss 302, and even, in some
cases, some components out of the Boss 302. We’re making the engine breath
better,” he said. “Larger intake and exhaust valves is one improvement...
Revised camshafts with higher valve lift and a new cylinder head with improve
port flow [is another improvement]. All that we learned from the Boss 302.”
The automatic is
re-engineered to reduce parasitic losses and withstand great power and torque
“Now, some of the components we’re using are the Boss 302
valve-springs and connecting rods...” he added. “We’re also adding a standard
air-to-oil cooler because the top speed across the entire lineup on Mustang is
being increased, with the V-8 hitting 155 mph.”
“So, you’ve seen us take the 5.0-liter from 412 to 420
horsepower, now we’re going to take yet another step forward. We always put the
and solution out there, so we’re improving the fuel as well,” he explained.
“And how are we doing that? We have a new intake manifold with remote control
valves... That allows us to control the combustion chamber and optimize it to give
it more stability at idle and it will improve our total emissions and fuel
economy. And then we have mid-lock variable cam timing phasers as well that
allow us to more... precisely control the airflow.”
More specifically Dave confirmed the new 5.0 cylinder head
is not the fully CNC-ported Boss 302 head, which is impossible to build in
Mustang GT volumes. Rather it’s a new casting incorporating lessons learned
from those heads. That said, at press time the projected specs on the revised
5.0 are an obviously conservative 420 horsepower at 6,500 and 396 lb-ft at
4,250 rpm.
All of these engines are married to the same six-speed
transmissions in use today, but with significant improvements. The Getrag
manual gains improved internals for smoother shifting and improved shifter
plane spacing. It is “rewarding and precise,” states Dave.
The automatic is re-engineered to reduce parasitic losses
and withstand great power and torque. Furthermore, every automatic, with all
engines, offers paddle shifting with rev-matched downshifts. These shifts are
tuned by the new driving mode selector so Sport gives quicker, more aggressive
shifts, and we presume Snow/Wet gives less shocking gear changes.
Suspension
Ford is
fine-tuning differential construction so the V-6 car’s diff will be lighter and
the V-8’s stronger but heavier
To make the worst kept Mustang secret official, Dave
confirmed the ’15 uses an independent rear suspension. He described it as a
“world-class, integral-link suspension designed specifically for Mustang... it
improves stiffness and reduces compliance for more precision.” Few details are
available other than the IRS geometry has double the anti-lift under braking
and two times the anti-squat during acceleration than the outgoing suspension
for flatter handling. Also, it is based on the 8.8-inch differential, and
expect to see all the good options available for the Boss 302 to reappear in
the ’15 Mustang GT – such as the Torsen limited slip.
Furthermore, Ford is fine-tuning differential construction
so the V-6 car’s diff will be lighter and the V-8’s stronger but heavier. Dave
confirmed the GT gets monotube shocks at the rear as well.
A major part of the Mustang chassis story is that after the
IRS was designed, the design team concluded they absolutely needed to widen the
rear track 70mm. The front suspension had been widened by 15mm early in the
program for performance reasons, and after much discussion, was not widened
again when the rear was. This decision to widen the rear track was driven
strictly by styling concerns says Dave (his chassis team met all of the
handling objectives without the wider track), but it did mean a major effort
revising the already designed IRS and everything it influences outward late in
the program. The commitment to make this work for the better of the car shows
the dedication of the whole Mustang team to the cause.
So far, only the
basic specifications for the front brakes are known, but they do point to a
quantum leap in braking performance
A MacPherson strut front end was retained for the new
Mustang, but it is absolutely all new, including the front subframe (K-member)
which is stiffer, lighter, and stronger. This allows for smaller diameter,
better-riding sway bars because the front end twists less. Overall, the chassis
is stiffer by an unspecified amount as well.
An exciting front suspension development is
double-ball-joint geometry at the outer end of the lower control arm. This is a
definite step up in suspension design from previous Mustang practice - it’s
more of a BMW trick – and it delivers increased precision through reduced wheel
load lever arm, improved road feel, and wheel-rate stiffness. Not without its
challenges such as cost and increased steering friction that demand careful
engineering to reduce, this was still one of those improvements everyone wanted
but management thought too pricey until a blind back-to-back test was arranged.
The double ball-joint was approved immediately.
Put together, the front and rear suspensions yield “an
extremely well-balanced vehicle,” Dave said. He stopped short of stating the
new GT will out-lap the Boss 302, instead saying he wasn’t “making a promise,
but [the development team] are on track to do that.” To our ears, the message
was Ford is emphasizing handling on the new Mustang, a most welcome
development.
