I'd like to see a smaller and lighter Mustang

[06 T-RED S/C GT]

Well they have a new RWD/AWD platform coming for the 2019 Lincoln Aviator which will most likely also get used for the next-gen Explorer, and who knows how many other models ... I wouldn't be completely shocked to see it also get used for a future Mustang.

Can you say AWD Mustang? I wouldn't be upset to see the option come to market, it would only broaden the car's appeal in the snow states.

Seems to work fine for the Challenger, so might as well for the Mustang

 

[NUTCASE]

But the AWD chally can only be had with the v6. Kind of a dumb move IMO. When they started advertising it as the first AWD muscle car I think everyone was looking for the HEMI engine.

With the impending demise of all of Ford's car chassis (as we know them), I wonder how long Ford will see fit to develop a totally stand alone Mustang chassis? Or will they use an existing chassis from overseas as the under pinnings with the body/drivetrain styled here? With V8's only existing in trucks and the Mustang and Ford's focus on the Ecoboost product, I wonder if the V8 will be around in a couple Mustang generations from now. I could see the Mustang GT losing the V8 in favor of a turbo 3.5 or 3.0 with the 10 speed auto and the V8 car becoming the halo car with the big premium up charge.

I don't think the mustang has shared a chassis since 1988.

And I know I said it recently, but building a Lincoln version of the S550 chassis, and putting the 3.5 EB in it to start warming people up the the idea of a turbo V6 muscle car would have been a great idea. Do you realize how much hate mail they had to deal with just putting in an IRS in the freaking year 2015? The S197 was supposed to be IRS.

GM and FCA have trucks and cars to put their V8s into. Even with Ford getting rid of sedans they are not getting rid of anything that had a V8. The only reason the 5.0 is still an option in the F150 is because ford knows there are people out there who won't buy a truck unless it has a V8, no matter how good the v6 is. But I think those buyers are fading.

 

[Gabe]

Yeah, more and more of those "gotta have a V8 in my pick'em-up truck" buyers are giving the EcoBoost V6 options a try and realizing that things have changed a lot in the last 40 years in the automotive industry.

The AWD Challenger only offering a V6 is just aligning the platform with the other AWD platform mates, the Charger/300, they haven't offered a V8 AWD option in a couple/few years now, supposedly due to lack of enough sales.
For most people, the 300-hp V6 with the new 8-spd auto is more than enough though ... many times we forget that the true enthusiasts are a small percentage of the buyer base out there.

Now, an AWD 3.5 EcoBoost "Lincoln Mustang" using the Raptor version of the V6 (also already used in the Navigator), would be awesome. Maybe even bump up the HP a bit more, get it up to 475 or so, with that awesome new 10-spd auto. It would give buyers of the BMW/Mercedez/Infitini/Audi coupes a serious American option.

 

[NUTCASE]

This would also help with people bitching about how the fit and finish of a $35k mustang is inferior to a $80k+ Audi/BMW/Mercedes Benz.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Can you say AWD Mustang? I wouldn't be upset to see the option come to market, it would only broaden the car's appeal in the snow states.

The whole point of a Mustang - any ponycar, muscle car, or sports car, for that matter - is that it's not intended to appeal to everybody. You either 'get it' or you don't, and any effort to broaden the appeal too far is to dilute what makes a Mustang a Mustang. Looking for a non-WRX WRX? Start with a Focus.


Norm

 

[tjm73]

Now, an AWD 3.5 EcoBoost "Lincoln Mustang" using the Raptor version of the V6 (also already used in the Navigator), would be awesome. Maybe even bump up the HP a bit more, get it up to 475 or so, with that awesome new 10-spd auto. It would give buyers of the BMW/Mercedez/Infitini/Audi coupes a serious American option.

View attachment 67300

Like the mechanical ideas you layout, but the styling is MEH. It's not unique enough. Looks too much like a Mustang with a different nose. Needs all the Mustang underpinnings with it's own unique Lincoln body.

In reality however it would need to be some kind of electric hybrid. That is where all the high end sports cars are headed right now.

I think in the next 10-15 years we are going to see V8 gasoline sports cars fall out of favor in a big way. Smaller engines and/or smaller engines with electric hybrid making V8 or bigger power will be the new wave of performance.

 

[Gabe]

yeah the rendering I posted above was just one of the things that popped up when I searched for "Lincoln coupe concept".

As far as the hybrid idea, Ford announced a while ago that the 2020 Mustang will have a hybrid model, I totally see a higher-power version of it also being used in the Lincoln version.
Come to think of it, the 2020 Mustang hybrid system will probably be closely related to the 2019 Aviator hybrid

 

[Pentalab]

F1 cars get an extra 160 hp..at the touch of a button..and good for 30 secs too. With typ 16-19 corners on a F1 track, they can keep the batteries charged up..and save on friction brakes. If the hybrid was done right, you could have ur cake and eat it too. Eco boost.. + an additional XXX hp with the electric motors in full bore mode..at the touch of a button. Good enough for the strip, road course, auto X..and street / hwy. Extra power on tap. Go green, save the planet, make it a plug in hybrid. Install some solar panels, and now you have a solar powered muscle car..with some ecoboost assist. Electric motors typ have max tq at zero rpm. IE: there is room to grow, somebody will no doubt make the 1st hot rod hybrid. AWD, with an electric motor on all 4 x corners would be a flame thrower..without the flames.
Then u could also have the option of coming /going early mornings, or late at night, and not bother the neighbors. Or drag race in total dead silence. All you need is big tires on front + back..and somewhere to plug in.

 

[waylander]

F1 cars get an extra 160 hp..at the touch of a button..and good for 30 secs too. With typ 16-19 corners on a F1 track, they can keep the batteries charged up..and save on friction brakes. If the hybrid was done right, you could have ur cake and eat it too. Eco boost.. + an additional XXX hp with the electric motors in full bore mode..at the touch of a button. Good enough for the strip, road course, auto X..and street / hwy. Extra power on tap. Go green, save the planet, make it a plug in hybrid. Install some solar panels, and now you have a solar powered muscle car..with some ecoboost assist. Electric motors typ have max tq at zero rpm. IE: there is room to grow, somebody will no doubt make the 1st hot rod hybrid. AWD, with an electric motor on all 4 x corners would be a flame thrower..without the flames.
Then u could also have the option of coming /going early mornings, or late at night, and not bother the neighbors. Or drag race in total dead silence. All you need is big tires on front + back..and somewhere to plug in.

I accept I may be in the minority here but I don't actually want any MORE power. I'm running an 05 SLK55 which is low 4secs to 60 and handles very well to boot. Thing is though I can't use all that power without losing my licence

What I want is a nice rumbly V8 with low 5 secs to 60 reasonable road manners and above all FUN