Well I wasn't impressed ....

[hotmustang331]

Shoot I think bicycle tires would be better than Gatorbacks, and I agree that the Pirelli's are nice tires. I guess what I was trying to say is that at least 2/3's (again my opinion) of Mustang GT owners will swap out tires for something a little bigger and maybe a little more aggressive. Next to exhaust this seems to be a popular mod, why not start the show off right and give it a good stance. They gave it the 31 spline axles and 3.55 gears, complete the package.

Well that may be true about owners swapping tires, but from the look of it you cant get a much bigger tire under there, especially not a DD rim like the current stangs.I didnt know they had 31 spline axles in them though...thats awsome.BTW anyone take a look under the rear of the car and see exactly how much room they left for the tire to go under the car?I agree though, they should have put some more meat under the rear...can you say 345s.

 

[Spackengackle]

Cost, I suppose, is one factor, and suspension tuning the other...some people have reported in their test drives that it is a "nice riding" car, which bodes well for its acceptance by a broader customer base. The 17" tires, with a higher sidewall, provide that ride comfort. For those who can wait, the 18" wheel/tire combo looks to be a good alternative. And if you can believe what was said about the plant not being able to accomodate the installation of tires that size, it would explain why they are not there for the start of production.
QUOTE]

It's because the engineering resources were strapped to pull off two suspension designs with the compressed timing of the program... same reason why they had to decouple the convertible and make it a separate program... they had to go with 17" tires as the base because it has a lower cost of ownership (one of the factors of system design)... soon... patience young padawan...

 

[Mr.Shelby]

What do you expect for 25k??? Leather dash and champagne glove box... They have to improved something in the futur, so first year will be testing year, I guest!

 

[PerformanceRed]

The 2005 Mustang GT needs a whole lot of small cosmetic improvements. First, bring back the Hood scoops and the side scoops. Second, put on more aggressive looking rims on it. Third, make the exhaust much louder. Once all these things are done to the new style 2005 Mustang GT, it will look a whole lot nicer. I am glad that I own a 2001 GT. My 2001 GT looks a lot more aggressive than the 2005 Mustang GT. I will buy a 2005 Mustang GT when they make it look more aggressive. But until then I got my 2001 GT.

And you are 100% right about one thing. The 2005 Mustang GT looks "TOO bland" on the outside. I hate bland looking cars. But I like Barnacle Bill. Do you know who Barnacle Bill the Sailor is? I do.

 

[one2gamble]

I dont think you guys understand marketing at all. First of all, the mustang GT is bland so they can update the car in the coming years with your "scoops scoops and more scoops". Ford doesnt need to make the car "agressive" right now because it will sale anyway. When the car cools off it will be updated with these things.

Secondly the exhaust is as the loudest they can make it and still fall under the legal regulations of factory cars.

Lastly, you will be able to buy hoods and other things to change the way your mustang looks right away if you so chose.

 

[CarrollShelby]

I dont think you guys understand marketing at all. First of all, the mustang GT is bland so they can update the car in the coming years with your "scoops scoops and more scoops". Ford doesnt need to make the car "agressive" right now because it will sale anyway. When the car cools off it will be updated with these things.

Secondly the exhaust is as the loudest they can make it and still fall under the legal regulations of factory cars.

Lastly, you will be able to buy hoods and other things to change the way your mustang looks right away if you so chose.

You're right! Why doing more??? It's already sold out...

 

[ryanrule]

I dont think you guys understand marketing at all. First of all, the mustang GT is bland so they can update the car in the coming years with your "scoops scoops and more scoops". Ford doesnt need to make the car "agressive" right now because it will sale anyway. When the car cools off it will be updated with these things.

Secondly the exhaust is as the loudest they can make it and still fall under the legal regulations of factory cars.

Lastly, you will be able to buy hoods and other things to change the way your mustang looks right away if you so chose.

its just gonna piss off the owners who bought early though.


and the exhaust could be made louder, have you heard some other cars stock?

 

[RICKS]

its just gonna piss off the owners who bought early though.

Doubt it. Don't assume that everybody likes their Mustang plastered in scoops like you. To each their own.

and the exhaust could be made louder, have you heard some other cars stock?

Like what other cars stock???

 

[sixstringthing]

Ive seen the car in person, but not actually HEARD it so I really can't comment on the exhaust. However, if it's like the current GT, they could probably go louder and still keep it legal. The Ferrari Challenge Stradale has a very loud exhaust for being stock, and I don't think there have been any legal issues over that? But anyway, who cares... you can make it as loud as you want.

I still think the exterior is too bland... I never liked the 99-00 Mustangs for that reason but oh man the 05 is taking bland to a whole new level (not as bad as the GTO though!). When i think "sports car" (which includes muscle cars, exotics, imports and whatever else you want to categorize them as) I think of two things: Speed and a cool eye-catching design. If I wanted plain I would get some boring sedan, some of them are packing quite a bit of HP these days anyway.
Too many people here think that if a car is not as plain and boring looking as possible, it's not good. That's all fine and dandy but the majority on this board is the minority in real life. Trust me, drag racers are NOT the majority of mustang buyers.... the v6 is the highest selling and frankly I usually only see teen girls driving them... yea we all know how much high-school/college girls love to drag race and talk about solid-rear axles...

BUT as I look more and more at the car something hit me, yes it's plain but what has been bothering me all along that I never figured out are the proportions! Something is just not right, the old Mustangs (which I don't really like either) look fine, the new ones look fine.... this one is off somehow.

 

[CarrollShelby]

It's important to know what's wrong and what's good... What people's like and what the unlike! The Mustang buyer's are the king...

 

[one2gamble]

its off because the concept car looked so much better

 

[ryanrule]

Doubt it. Don't assume that everybody likes their Mustang plastered in scoops like you.

did i say i did? but if they give it better styling, it WILL annoy people who have a year old car that is now lookin out of date

To each their own. Like what other cars stock???

str-4

 

[RICKS]

You have GOT to be kidding me!!!!!! The only car you can point at is a turbo-charged four that sounds like a groundhog that ate too many tacos??? Style-wise, I don't find the car to be plain by any means. You just perceive it as plain, because all you can picture in your heads is scoops and more scoops. I'm sure that with the upscale models, some more "flair" will come along, and many GT owners will upgrade their cars to incorporate the new stuff. But Ford's taking it step by step. Everybody who buys a new car gets a little ticked when the next "new and improved" model replaces it. That is SMART BUSINESS!!!! Ford doesn't want you to keep the friggin car until you croak! They want you to see each new model, say "AWE MAN, I GOTTA HAVE THAT", and come trade up to the new one. It's called selling cars and maintaining strong sales. It's as though many here are bitching, though they don't really realize it, that Ford isn't dumber with their product planning, and long-term marketing strategies. They're doing this very smart. You may want scoops, but they know EXACTLY what they're up to.

 

[PerformanceRed]

That's plain stupid. I don't want to purchase a different hood. Ford should make the car aggressive straight from the factory, not from an aftermarket parts catalogue. We shouldn't have to spend more money to make a bland car like the Mustang look aggressive. Period.

 

[one2gamble]

you wont if you wait a bit....it would make zero sense for ford to make the 05 look the best it can. Besides the GT is supposed to look rather normal so as to leave room for special editions.

Every car goes through changes as it ages so I suppose every owner gets upset?

guess what.....who cares if they are upset. My point is that the aftermarket allows them to make their car into whatever THEY WANT. No matter what ford would do to the car it wouldnt appeal to everyone anyway so what difference does it make?

 

[CarrollShelby]

That's plain stupid. I don't want to purchase a different hood. Ford should make the car aggressive straight from the factory, not from an aftermarket parts catalogue. We shouldn't have to spend more money to make a bland car like the Mustang look aggressive. Period.

No it's not stupid... They make million's with aftermarket parts and mod's! Think about it?

 

[TomServo92]

That's plain stupid. I don't want to purchase a different hood. Ford should make the car aggressive straight from the factory, not from an aftermarket parts catalogue. We shouldn't have to spend more money to make a bland car like the Mustang look aggressive. Period.

That is a subjective appraisal of the Mustang based upon your own personal likes/dislikes. Ford is not in the business of catering to you, but to the general public. They've done market research and focus groups to come up with a design that appeals to largest number of people. Unfortunately you aren't in that group but whining about it isn't going to change it. Did you ever stop to think that if Ford did what you wanted, they might lose two sales for every one they gain? If Ford is wrong about the styling, then the sales will show it and they'll do something about it.

 

[SVTdriver]

That's plain stupid. I don't want to purchase a different hood. Ford should make the car aggressive straight from the factory, not from an aftermarket parts catalogue. We shouldn't have to spend more money to make a bland car like the Mustang look aggressive. Period.

Because nobody ever modifies a mustang.

 

[Mr.Shelby]

I put a R badge's... My car fly so fast?

 

[Spackengackle]

That is a subjective appraisal of the Mustang based upon your own personal likes/dislikes. Ford is not in the business of catering to you, but to the general public. They've done market research and focus groups to come up with a design that appeals to largest number of people. Unfortunately you aren't in that group but whining about it isn't going to change it. Did you ever stop to think that if Ford did what you wanted, they might lose two sales for every one they gain? If Ford is wrong about the styling, then the sales will show it and they'll do something about it.

They also got the guy who did the
Audi TT
Beetle
Thunderbird
F-150
Cobra concept
Bronco concept
Ford 427 concept
Ford GT

to do the final design... The Mustang had plenty of flair and features in 2004, this car had to be different in every way, also different than any other Mustang since 1979 because of the recycled fox platform. This design is exactly where it should be for Mustang for 2005 given its design history... in my modest opinion of course...

Isn't there something, oh I don't know... MANLY about being understated? Or would we rather be more like spastic peacocks as ricers are... What do the women prefer, I mean REALLY prefer. Yeah, I want the Mustang to look like that TUPPERWARE Chevy Avalanche, or the VERY cool looking new Durango, hi-tech, overproportioned vehicles that were probably styled by engineers instead of artists...

My rant is now over.