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I am not certain Ford really offers all that many performance vehicles. Just calling something a performance model does not make it so.
To me, a performance vehicle must be:
RWD or performance (full time) AWD
Faster than my 4 door pick up truck (i.e. at least 5.5 second 0-60).
Available with a manual transmission (just a personal quirk, not really necessary since some automatics now outperform manuals with a good driver, but IMO automatic transmission is not really driving a performance car, it is letting a computer drive a car for you).
Not just a re-badged economy car with an upgraded muffler.
For example, the Ford Focus ST and Ford Fiesta ST are not performance cars.
IMO Ford is just slowly phasing out the V-8 first it was in it's sedan line and now possibly in the F150 series of trucks.
I have been driving my 5.0 Coyote Mustang since 2011 and thought the Coyote was the best possible engine for the F150 until a salesman talked me into test driving the 2.7 twin Turbo in a 2015 F 150 Super cab.
Unbelievable acceleration for such a small engine in a truck, better than the 5.0
I see the writing on the wall with Ford performance. They could just as easily put the flat plane 5.2 liter in the Ford GT but they went with the turbo v-6 just to prove they could win with less cylinders and cubes.
The V-8 Mustang will be around for a while but who knows for how long.
My gripe with the SHO, is that the first and 2nd gen SHO used a unique engine not available in any other vehicle...period.
Yep...that's because that was a random engineering exercise before the purse strings were tightened. These days there's simply not enough demand for a much more bloated Taurus performance vehicle and no benefit to developing (or buying, as it were) a unique engine for it.
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I wouldn't have an issue if Ford kept the Ford brand primarily FWD baised with AWD, but the Lincoln brand needs a little performance boost.
It just depends on what Lincoln is trying to be. If they are out to fight BMW and Merc - by all means, a performance variant is needed and the 400/400 MKZ can spawn offspring. But it doesn't strike me as if though that's what Lincoln is after. Performance isn't as important as comfort and refinement, what with Black Label and their "Quiet Flight" direction.
I am not certain Ford really offers all that many performance vehicles. Just calling something a performance model does not make it so.
Actually, most manufacturers have very stringent requirements for calling a vehicle a "performance" variant. Just depends on what "performance" means to you.
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RWD or performance (full time) AWD
Age-old discussion I won't get into.
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Faster than my 4 door pick up truck (i.e. at least 5.5 second 0-60).
Performance cars aren't just tasked with going fast in a straight line.
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Available with a manual transmission (just a personal quirk, not really necessary since some automatics now outperform manuals with a good driver, but IMO automatic transmission is not really driving a performance car, it is letting a computer drive a car for you).
This I actually tend to agree with.
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Not just a re-badged economy car with an upgraded muffler.
For example, the Ford Focus ST and Ford Fiesta ST are not performance cars.
You're joking, right? Have you ever actually driven either? They are quite a bit more than "re-badged economy cars with an upgraded muffler".
The V-8 Mustang will be around for a while but who knows for how long.
I don't think you can get rid of the V8 in the Mustang at all. At least right now. It's just one of those things where you think of cars like Mustang, Camaro, Corvette, etc, you associate them with a big powerful V8 engine.
With that said, anecdotally speaking, the Ecoboost Mustang is outselling the 5.0 while 3.7L V6 sales are virtually nil. But, that doesn't really speak much to the impending doom of the 5.0 as the "base" model cars have always outsold the V8 Mustangs by a significant margin. What this does say is the 3.7L V6 Mustang days may be numbered.
Despite the number of 2.3LT mustangs sold, I see very few at local Mustang shows and driven by enthusiasts in the various clubs I'm in. Most often, I see 5.0's at the shows, and track being raced.
I think that sincere following by enthusiasts might keep the v8 in a Mustang for a long time to come
I would be surprised if the Mustang clubs and groups were all that accepting of 2.3's either though, which could in effect drive the few enthusiasts who own them away. Lets face it, there is some V8 snobbery from some enthusiasts who cannot accept that anything else might offer a fun experience behind the wheel.
Yes, 2.3's will still be a minority of Mustang enthusiasts at those kinds of events, but I am sure there are some folks who are passionate about Mustangs, bought the 2.3, and are perfectly happy with it.
The 2.3 sounds kind of neat if it holds up. That is a hard working engine. I would not want one, but it sounds neat. I am not sure why someone would get one when the 5.0 is still available.
When someone says they have a great idea: "Put a 4 in a Mustang" I cannot help but be reminded of the Iron Duke Camaro (slower than the GM school bus of the same year). Of course the Mustang 4 is totally different, a bit more HP than a Dodge Minivan, it will move along pretty well (I suspect it is still slower than my pickup. Come on, you need to do better than a pick up truck to be a real pony car or sports car. Pony/sports cars are not for MPG they are go fast cars, and while there is more to them than going fast, they still need to go fast .
BTW for whomever asked, yes I have driven a Fiesta ST and it is pretty - yawn. Why would you pay that much for a slightly souped up economy car? The price point puts you into a decent sports/pony car.
I would be surprised if the Mustang clubs and groups were all that accepting of 2.3's either though
While I recognize that those groups are important, who gives two sh1тs about someone else thinking my car is a "real" [insert nameplate]. It's my car, I paid my own money for it - if anyone doesn't "accept" it, they can go pound sand.
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Lets face it, there is some V8 snobbery from some enthusiasts who cannot accept that anything else might offer a fun experience behind the wheel.
And if you're letting those people dictate the car you buy, you're a moron. (Not you, Checkered24, specifically, mind.)
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Yes, 2.3's will still be a minority of Mustang enthusiasts at those kinds of events, but I am sure there are some folks who are passionate about Mustangs, bought the 2.3, and are perfectly happy with it.
I ordered the 2.3 as my work lease car because it's got the same engine as the Focus RS. If I can't order the car itself through our lease program, this will be the next best thing. I anticipate being plenty happy with it.
I am not sure why someone would get one when the 5.0 is still available.
Cheaper and gets better gas mileage. So, cheaper. Good enough reason for me.
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a bit more HP than a Dodge Minivan
Nice subtle way to sneak in a dig. I'd reply with something snarky, but it was actually pretty clever.
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(I suspect it is still slower than my pickup. Come on, you need to do better than a pick up truck to be a real pony car or sports car. Pony/sports cars are not for MPG they are go fast cars, and while there is more to them than going fast, they still need to go fast .
There's more to performance cars than HP. Your pickup might win the drag race to the next red light, but would you autocross it or take it to a track?
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BTW for whomever asked, yes I have driven a Fiesta ST and it is pretty - yawn. Why would you pay that much for a slightly souped up economy car? The price point puts you into a decent sports/pony car.
You keep referring to it as a "slightly souped up economy car" as if though saying that enough times will make it so. The base Fiesta has 120 hp. The ST has 197. If a 64% HP increase is "slight", think about your cable bill increasing from $120 to $197 each month and see if you'd consider that a "slight" increase. And, just like I said, there's more to the Fiesta than the HP upgrade. The suspension, exhaust, seats, etc... There are various levels of performance and just because you have your very narrow definition doesn't mean the rest of the world feels the same way.
I don't think you can get rid of the V8 in the Mustang at all. At least right now. It's just one of those things where you think of cars like Mustang, Camaro, Corvette, etc, you associate them with a big powerful V8 engine.
With that said, anecdotally speaking, the Ecoboost Mustang is outselling the 5.0 while 3.7L V6 sales are virtually nil. But, that doesn't really speak much to the impending doom of the 5.0 as the "base" model cars have always outsold the V8 Mustangs by a significant margin. What this does say is the 3.7L V6 Mustang days may be numbered.
Despite the number of 2.3LT mustangs sold, I see very few at local Mustang shows and driven by enthusiasts in the various clubs I'm in. Most often, I see 5.0's at the shows, and track being raced.
I think that sincere following by enthusiasts might keep the v8 in a Mustang for a long time to come
In my opinion, I think the reasons why the V6 isn't selling like the Eco-Boost or 5.0 are two fold. One thing, it doesn't have the HP/torque as the Eco-Boost, and obviously the 5.0. Secondly, there are no options for it, with the exception of an automatic tranny. You get what you get unless the dealerships do their own options. Seems like the V6 is treated more as a rental unit than the others.
I would still like to test drive the Eco and compare it to the V6. When I had my 'stang, it was the 4.6 V8, so it would be interesting to see what the comparisons are.
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. I'd reply with something snarky, but it was actually pretty clever.
