Not enough power... In 2005

[CarrollShelby]

Where's the power???

After all the goodies of the Mach 1(310hp) and the Super Cobra(390hp)... The check is in the mail for this new baby(300hp)!

We have to wait for the new Camaro 2007 or 2008 to have Horses in our Mustang's... I mean big one 450hp+!

I'm sorry but it's not a good move Mr.Ford! We have the best car for the buck in 2003-2004, a bargain and a super rocket with the Cobra... Tell me why Mr.Ford???

SVT making siesta or what??? Is Carroll Shelby try or sleep, maybe he's dead... What's happen arround here??? We have the King of the Road... Why loosing it???

 

[sgtfirormsg]

260 HP to 300 HP sounds like a great bump to me...

 

[TomServo92]

260 HP to 300 HP sounds like a great bump to me...

...and with very little increase in price. It's amazing that some people want Cobra (or better) power for the price of a GT.

To the orginal poster: name me one car with a 300HP V8 that sells for the $25K?

 

[mattkimsey]

I agree 300 is kinda low. I think 320-330 would have been perfect. 300hp isn't even enough to keep up with 5 yr. old ls1's. How much money would it really cost Ford to give the car 20 or 30 more hp. Heck they could give it 350hp and still make money on it.

 

[SVTdriver]

Hasn't this topic been talked about ad naseum. Let's go over it one more time.

It is a 40 hp increase. How many times has that happened for the mustang in a model change?

The Mustang has never been about the highest hp of all pony cars.
The talking about the mach1 SE. Then complaining about the regular gt. Seems a little out of place. In stead of 04's power difference being 50hp. It's down to 10hp. On a better chassis and suspension.

How many other 300 hp AND (not or) $25k cars are out there? Yes I suppose if you want we can count the 350z. But only the base model, it's still down power, only seats 2 people, and we'll have to wait and see if it has the same performance.

SVT is going to have the next Cobra out sometime late in the 06 model year. Calling it an 07. Or at least that is the story buzzing around. If you want 450hp wait until it comes out to complain. If it has 450hp then you have no complaint. Though I am sure someone will find one.

Why do we need to keep up with old F-bodies. Are we now ghostbusters. That car had more hp than the mustang. But hp apparently didn't sell cars as well as people would like to think. Maybe it would have still sold well. Maybe it would not. There is no way of really knowing. And I have seen plenty of polls on here and other sites. That have the majority of potential drivers thinking that 300hp is just fine.

 

[peyotesands]

Why do we need to keep up with old F-bodies. Are we now ghostbusters. That car had more hp than the mustang. But hp apparently didn't sell cars as well as people would like to think.

You're absolutely right. HP doesn't sell cars. This isn't the 60s, and even in the 60s the high horsepower cars weren't the majority of sales. If horsepower did sale today no one would drive a Honda. I don't know why someone would need a 450 horsepower car for street use anyways. Track, yes, street, nah... Ford knows what it's doing. 300 horsepower is more than enough.

 

[rich8566]

The word out is that the 300HP quoted by Ford is understated for several reasons. FMC has had past problems with vehicles that were under the stated HP rating. Also, for insurance purposes the 05 stang is being underrated. The actual output will be 320 - 330 HP.

 

[spectravp]

I, too, have heard that the car is underrated for the same reasons that rich8566 indicated.

And, regarding the model year 2007 Cobra... do not speculate wether this car will be made or not. It will be made. Ford has publicly committed itself to making it. Just look into a PowerLease. In fact, Ford has announced more details about the 2007 Cobra than the 2005 Convertible.

Of course, things could change... but with the amount of people holding first-dibs-slips from the PowerLeases, Ford would have to offer people some hefty compensation. Part of the PowerLease, for those who do not know about it, gives the Leasee of a 2004 Cobra first dibs on the next Cobra. The term of the lease is 30 months plus or minus 3 months to coincide with the release of the new Cobra.

This, to me, is pretty compelling evidence that the Cobra will be in production, albeit, it MAY NOT BE CALLED A COBRA. That name may be used for the Shelby Cobra if they decide to produce that. Rumor has it that the Mach Name or Boss would be used for the SVT Mustang, i.e., The Mustang Mach SVT, or The Mustang Boss SVT.

 

[CatmanJJ]

The Mustang GT has never been the best at anything, it just does everything well. It'll be close performancewise to the current Mach 1 as is. 300 hp is a nice starting point (I think) for the 05 GT then a lil more hp down the road, maybe 2-3 years, with the refreshing like they always do. There will be the SE and mega hp Cobra so I say they're on the right track.

 

[new22003]

Mustangs have always been a good starting point for a car. A stock camaro was almost always faster than a stock GT. But the GT had a much bigger aftermarket and the GT outsold the camaro and firebird combined 2 to 1.

This will be the most powerful base v8 ever and I expect, like most past stangs, there is a lot of headroom to grow. Ford is also conservative with the hp ratings someimes so you never know. All we can do is speculate until we actually get behind the wheel.

Remember that the 5.0 stangs were rated anywhere from 205-225 by ford.

 

[Z28x]

Ford will lack for '05 but will hopfully have something special for 2006. in 2005 others will have:
400HP GTO
340HP 300C
340HP Chrager R/T
425HP 300C SRT-8 (6.1L Hemi)
425HP Chrager SRT-8 (05 or 06?)

It looks like rumors of the 3v 4.6 being overrated are untrue (at least in Auto cars) I've read on other sites that the auto Stangs are having a hard time breaking out to the 14's and someone said an auto Stang dynoed 245 RWHP.

 

[Venom351R]

Its called insurance rates, if they keep the Cobra where it is now at 390 ( under rated its actually closer to 420) then it keeps the rates down somewhat and for very little mods you can get over 400 at the wheels w/ a cobra. Why give the car more power and make the price go up when the buyer can just do it on his own for less money.

 

[SVTJayC]

It's still 50 less HP than it's predecessors competition (LS1) and 100 < than it's future competition (LS2,Hemi 6.1). A lot less low end torque too. I agree, it's not enough. Guys who say "this thing will hang with LS1's" are not only wrong, but living in the past. Bottom line, the 4.6 is too small to be an all motor platform. Either start offering a low boost blower in the GT, or bump up the displacement to the 5.0, or more.

 

[spectravp]

It's still 50 less HP than it's predecessors competition (LS1) and 100 < than it's future competition (LS2,Hemi 6.1). A lot less low end torque too. I agree, it's not enough. Guys who say "this thing will hang with LS1's" are not only wrong, but living in the past. Bottom line, the 4.6 is too small to be an all motor platform. Either start offering a low boost blower in the GT, or bump up the displacement to the 5.0, or more.

I don't disagree in the least, but we simply can't compare the 2005 Mustang with these other cars considering only power. You have to take into consideration the MSRP of these cars. Power = Money; wether from the factory or otherwise, it's as simple as that.

Granted, Ford has always been had a higher price per feature, where you may be able to get a 400HP car for $32k, Ford would typically offer a similar configuration for $36k.

I wish the 2005 had more; I'm sure everyone does... but not if it significantly impacts price. Some of us are fortunate where we can buy a Cobra without blinking an eye and have 390 HP. Then throw on some mods and go nuts. Other people are just thrilled to have a 300HP car with such a low MSRP and don't have to live on Kraft Macaroni-n-Cheese for 7 years.

If you want to strictly compare HP and performance, I wish the 2005 had 600+ HP. That's easy to say. But if a 600HP GT started at $55k, I think I would be rationalizing; "I wish I could afford that... if only they would lower the performance to make it affordable." There's a reason why a Porsche costs what it does... there's a reason why the Mustang costs what it does. There's a reason why you can buy a Kia for a stick of bubble gum. Can't have your cake and eat it, too, regardless of how much we want to.

In conclulsion; we all need to be fair in our comparisons. Look at the whole picture, good and bad, and make you assesments. Buy one; don't buy one; buy two. Whatever is right for you is right for you. No one here is wrong, rather, we just have different desires for our dollars. If I wanted comfort, my dollar is better spent on a Lexus or VW or something; if I want an unpresidented American Icon that has decent performance, great retro looks, decent gas mileage, all the while looking at a very attractive MSRP... my money is better spent on a Mustang. But, that's just me. To each his own.

 

[joeuser42]

It looks like rumors of the 3v 4.6 being overrated are untrue (at least in Auto cars) I've read on other sites that the auto Stangs are having a hard time breaking out to the 14's and someone said an auto Stang dynoed 245 RWHP.

No, it looks like it is true (although slightly). I understand the rule of thumb is a 20% hp loss from the flyweel to the tires. Therefore 245hp/.80 = 306.25hp at the flywheel.

edit: I assume you meant rumors of it being underrated?

 

[spectravp]

No, it looks like it is true (although slightly). I understand the rule of thumb is a 20% hp loss from the flyweel to the tires. Therefore 245hp/.80 = 306.25hp at the flywheel.

Agreed. Also, keep in mind they were testing on preproduction models.

 

[Z28x]

Its called insurance rates, if they keep the Cobra where it is now at 390 ( under rated its actually closer to 420) then it keeps the rates down somewhat and for very little mods you can get over 400 at the wheels w/ a cobra. Why give the car more power and make the price go up when the buyer can just do it on his own for less money.

For the millionth time, insureance rates are not based on HP. Vehicle value, cost of repair, safty, and the % of accedents that model is in are what they are based on. mods = higher warranty cost for manufactorer, they don't want that. higher vehicle cost = more profit, companies like that.

It's still 50 less HP than it's predecessors competition (LS1) and 100 < than it's future competition (LS2,Hemi 6.1). A lot less low end torque too. I agree, it's not enough. Guys who say "this thing will hang with LS1's" are not only wrong, but living in the past. Bottom line, the 4.6 is too small to be an all motor platform. Either start offering a low boost blower in the GT, or bump up the displacement to the 5.0, or more.

The 4.6L is good for those that want something more than a 200Hp V6 and love that V8 rumble, but for the real performance fans Fords needs to offer something more. 4.6L is a good midrange Mustang engine but the stang needs a 5.4L or better on the high end to be a real player.

 

[CatmanJJ]

than it's future competition (LS2,Hemi 6.1).

Those cars are nowhere near the pricerange of the GT. No way in hell you'll see an LS2 or 6.1 Hemi in a car for less then 30K. That's Cobra territory. GT will be a good midlevel Mustang with decent performance available to the masses as it has been for many many years. When is the last time a Stock GT rulled the streets? How fast u want to make it will be up to the owner.

 

[SVTJayC]

Actually, the LS2 is CHEAPER to produce than the LS1. That is one of the reasons the Corvette has gone down in price for 05. All they need is a platform to put it in. And even the Hemi 5.7 makes more power. Certainly the upcoming charger will be in the mustangs price point.

 

[CatmanJJ]

Certainly the upcoming charger will be in the mustangs price point.

Cobra yes, GT no.