Official 2010 Ford Mustang Thread

[Elmo187]

Source: AutoBlog

Why wait for the Detroit Auto Show to see the 2010 Shelby GT500 when Ford's driving the thing around Detroit essentially undisguised? Jalopnik's Ben Wojdyla had the convertible version roll right up next to him at a stoplight in Royal Oak, which gave him the opening he needed to grab a bunch of good shots of the forthcoming snake. So, what's new? Well, obviously, the general 2010 Mustang cues all carry over to the range-topper, which also gets a good-looking set of alloys, huge grille openings up front, a heat extractor hood, and all the requisite badging. Ben says the GT500's gutsy exhaust note blended with a hint blower whine sounds as good as it did before. We're digging the black paint with Grabber Blue stripes, too. Ford drives the new GT500 onstage at Cobo in just over a month from now, and we'll be there, as usual.

http://jalopnik.com/photogallery/2010stanggt500spy/

sorry for not posting the pictures themselves, but Jalopnik is a bit strict when it comes to hotlinking even though they put their watermark on it.

[LSixer]

The ass end looks larger than previous versions, but, its hard for me to tell for sure. I have not kept up on stang design evolutions, just havent found them as appealing since they retired the fox style.

I would be curious to see the interior though. What changes might have been added.

I know thats a michigan plate on it, but, I would swear that looks like clinton street donwtown chicago! 

[Polish Guy]

i like the aggressive front.

[LSixer]

Yes the front does look killer. Im just not a real fan of the ass end though. not on this year, nor, the last couple of years. I have always like the simple, clean, even thinner if that makes sense. Since moving away from the fox style, it looks as if it got bloated, overly large again. Again as was the move from the 68 to the 69 and then the early seventies where it got damn huge. Im not nit-picking, just always though a stang should be small and powerful. But, someone disagrees with me, they are selling.

[Coolvw52]

It's a very beautiful car.
I hope the special serie like cobra, svt or other will be so ....

[Elmo187]

It's a very beautiful car.
I hope the special serie like cobra, svt or other will be so ....

this is the Cobra. the full name for the GT500 is Ford Shelby SVT Mustang GT500 Cobra.

i'm hearing alot things about how this might get a mild power hike from the 500hp. i just wish they could bring down the weight a bit. 3900lbs for the current GT500. that's a full 600lbs more than the GT. is the 5.4L Mod really that heavy? that's all i can figure out where all that weight came from.

[LSixer]

It's a very beautiful car.
I hope the special serie like cobra, svt or other will be so ....

this is the Cobra. the full name for the GT500 is Ford Shelby SVT Mustang GT500 Cobra.

i'm hearing alot things about how this might get a mild power hike from the 500hp. i just wish they could bring down the weight a bit. 3900lbs for the current GT500. that's a full 600lbs more than the GT. is the 5.4L Mod really that heavy? that's all i can figure out where all that weight came from.

Is it known what kind of engine block? Cast iron? Aluminum?

[Elmo187]

It's a very beautiful car.
I hope the special serie like cobra, svt or other will be so ....

this is the Cobra. the full name for the GT500 is Ford Shelby SVT Mustang GT500 Cobra.

i'm hearing alot things about how this might get a mild power hike from the 500hp. i just wish they could bring down the weight a bit. 3900lbs for the current GT500. that's a full 600lbs more than the GT. is the 5.4L Mod really that heavy? that's all i can figure out where all that weight came from.

Is it known what kind of engine block? Cat iron? Aluminum?

i don't really know. the 4.6 was produced both in iron and aluminum, so i don't know about the 5.4. being a truck engine though, it might be iron.

[LSixer]

Im really grasping for straws here, but, if the additional weight is maybe due to a different engine, as in iron block, that may make up for the additional weight. Also, I believe that heavier duty springs, control arms, etc may have a factor as well.

If you bought the car, maybe a few weeks at weight watchers (swapping out unneeded parts) may be a plan.

[S POWRD]

<<<<<<<<<

modular engine geek..... And factory trained Ford tech 

The engine that would be used in that would most likely be the same block used in the Ford GT that is supercharged, that block is aluminum with aluminum heads. The iron blocks are used for the trucks still. As for the Lightning though, I'm not positive but I think it is aluminum with cast iron heads. Same for the older body style Ford Mustang R.

[LSixer]

<<<<<<<<<

modular engine geek..... And factory trained Ford tech 

The engine that would be used in that would most likely be the same block used in the Ford GT that is supercharged, that block is aluminum with aluminum heads. The iron blocks are used for the trucks still. As for the Lightning though, I'm not positive but I think it is aluminum with cast iron heads. Same for the older body style Ford Mustang R.

Thanks for clearing that up. I have such a narrow focus on my car knowledge. I can diagnose an electrical problem and an engine problem on the six, or e30, or e38, but, put a current American engine in front of me, DUH!

I would be pleased to see the future iterations of the mustag slim down a bit, again, they seem to have grown outside of the "sporty" size. I think the current iteration stang is as large as my six, and they refer to the six as the Big Coupe.

[Elmo187]

Source: Motor Authority

The Saleen name is one of the best-known in the Ford tuning world, and despite his recent break with the Saleen, Inc. company he founded in 1983, Steve Saleen's new SMS Supercars project is going strong with a new range of 2010 Mustangs. Dubbed the 2010 Signature Series SMS 460 Mustang, the new cars will feature massive power plus thoroughly upgraded components for handling and appearance to match.

All of the Signature Series Mustangs will be fully certified and street-legal according to SMS, despite offering outputs ranging from 475hp (354kW) to over 650hp (485kW). The basic core inside all of the Signature cars will be the 4.6L V8 that's standard in the 2010 Mustang GT, but with the addition of an SMS custom supercharger.

Exterior modifications include a patented 'SMS Red Butterfly Induction' hood, aerodynamically functional body upgrades and custom wheels. The interior will also get a unique look, and the suspension gets a full complement of SMS 'ultra-high performance' components.

"The 2010 Mustang already has an exciting and sculptural exterior, as well as new, up-scale interior," notes Phil Frank, SMS Chief Creative Officer. "The SMS 460 Mustangs will evolve our design DNA in a more aggressive and aerodynamic direction."

In line with their name, each Signature Series car will be hand-signed by Steve Saleen and adorned with unique badges and graphics to identify the car. Production volume will be restricted on an annual basis, though SMS hasn't yet set a target figure. Orders are now being accepted on the cars, but the first deliveries won't land in customer driveways until at least the second quarter of 2009.

Previously SMS has produced a 2009 Mustang-based Gurney Signature Edition with many of the same performance and appearance mods likely to be implemented on the 2010 model, though as Frank noted, the new cars will feature an 'evolved' design.

wow, this is a big "fuck you" to his former company Saleen, Inc. they're selling themselves while his company SMS is still making vehicles.

[S POWRD]

I have high hopes for this one.

And the new 2010 mustang's ass looks quite a bit better than the current one.

[LSixer]

I would be interested in seeing/hearing the nuts and bolts of the integrity upgrades as well. When I boosted the HP in my old 93, thats the next place I went to due the structural issues a convertible has. It may be boring, but, I would like know not only what was done, but also what material was used.

[Elmo187]

Source: AutoBlog

Like the last GT500, this one gets more aggressive styling, particularly in the nose, and reprises many of the same detail elements. The horizontally mirrored trapezoidal shape of the grille in the upper and lower front fascia is meant to echo the oval shape of the Shelby Cobras of the '60s. The upper grille is tilted forward at a steeper angle than the GT and the grille surround is separated entirely from the hood. The leading edge of the hood on other Mustangs forms the upper frame of the grille, while the new GT500 has an extra bit of bodywork there.

The hood of the GT500 still has a functional air extractor allowing some of the massive heat generated by the blown V8 to escape. The power dome of the V6 and GT is supplanted by a smoother bulge that now encompasses most of the hood. The driving lamps stay in the lower fascia reprising the last edition and leaving the grille area open for air flow.

Careful observers will note that the snake badge has moved from the right to the left side of the grille (when viewed from the front). This has nothing to do with the blowing of political winds, but is actually functional. Like the GT, the GT500 now has a cold air intake that sits directly behind the snake's former residence.

A revised duck-tail spoiler sits at the back end along the trailing edge of the trunk-lid and incorporates a Gurney flap. The faux diffuser along the bottom of the GT500's rump is now more prominent, although probably not any more functional. Regardless of the diffuser's functionality, the new GT500 does have more down-force thanks to that spoiler and the front splitter. The center of pressure has also been moved further forward, which should help reduce understeer at higher speeds.

The diffuser is flanked by a pair of four-inch diameter tail-pipes that could be used to patch your local water main the next time it bursts. The Shelby badging along the trailing edge of the trunk-lid also now stretches the width of the distance between the tail-lights, just like the original 2005 concept.

Supporting the still excessive mass (we'll get back to that) of the GT500 are new ten-spoke alloy wheels with a slimmer spoke design than before. Coupes and convertibles each get the same design but in different sizes and constructions. The rag-tops get a cast 18-inch version of the wheel, while closed-roof versions get a forged 19-inch construction. The forged version is both stronger and lighter than the smaller wheel compensating for the extra size. The sides of the spokes on the forged wheels are milled, helping to reduce the mass without sacrificing strength.

The leather seats inside the car now have pairs of longitudinal contrasting stripes that echo the stripes stretching the length of the body, as well as alcantara trim on the side bolsters, shift lever, parking braking boots and steering wheel. The traditional white cue-ball shift knob is now also adorned with a pair of black stripes parallel to the shaft of the short throw shifter. All of this is neither here nor there, as none one of these interior niceties makes the GT500 faster, turn better or stop better.

For that we have to look in the engine compartment. The powerplant remains a twin cam 5.4L V8 with a supercharger. New additions to the power plant include knock sensors, the aforementioned cold-air intake and a lower restriction exhaust system. The updates bump output from from 500 hp at 6,000 rpm to 540 hp at 6,200 rpm. Twisting force also goes from 480 lb-ft at 4,500 rpm to 510 lb-ft at the same peak speed.

Unfortunately, one aspect that didn't change is the cast iron engine block. The aluminum block that was used in the Ford GT supercar had a dry sump system that can't be packaged in the Mustang. Thus, the iron block from the F-150 was used with the top end of the GT engine, which pushed the car's weight up over 3,900 lbs. That makes the GT500 both the heaviest and most powerful Mustang.

The top two ratios in the new GT500's gearbox have been made numerically lower to help reduce fuel consumption. As before, getting all the drive torque from the engine to the gears is the job of a dual plate clutch. The clutch plates have been increased in diameter from 215 mm to 250 mm. This allowed Ford to reduce the clutch pedal effort while improving the torque transmission capability.

All that torque flows from the Tremec 6-speed gearbox through a limited slip differential with a 3.55:1 final drive ratio. The 2010 GT500 gets 17% stiffer springs at the front axle and 7% stiffer at the rear axle. The forged alloys on the coupe are wrapped in Goodyear F1 Supercar rubber sized 255/40R19 front and 285/25R19 rear. The Brembo four-pot calipers are retained at the front and the GT500 also get the same standard electronic stability control that lesser Mustangs get for 2010.

Like the GT with the Track Pack, the ESC in the new GT500 always defaults on when the car is started, but can be turned off or put into a Sport mode. In Sport mode, the ESC allows greater amounts of slip before intervening.

The 2010 GT500 now has more power and presumably better handling than before. When we drove the last iterations of the GT500 and Bullitt, the Shelby was undoubtedly faster but the Bullitt was a better all-around car and daily driver. The Bullitt's lighter weight and better balance made it more fun to drive on the street while the blown Mustang was king at the Friday night drag races. Only time will tell if the GT500 can overcome.

good god, this car is absolutely beastly. and it still weighs considerably lighter than its new competitors, the Camaro and Challenger. there's no way in hell the Challenger and Camaro are going to keep up unless they build more powerful cars.

here's some ideas for Dodge and Chevy:
Chevy Camaro ZL-1 with the new 568hp supercharged 6.2L LSA from the new CTS-V.

Dodge Challenger SRT/8 ACR with the MOPAR 392c.i. 6.4L HEMI.

both new engines produce well over 500hp, so why not?