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Old 08-13-2010, 04:12 PM   #1
5vz-fe
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Default Ford News: 2013 650 HP Mustang GT500 200 MPH

Ford seems to be getting serious with Mustang variation.

http://www.caranddriver.com/news/car...d_info/gallery

Bullitt. Cobra. Shelby. Mach 1. Ford’s charismatic Mustang has taken on many roles, many forms, and many names during its 46-year history, and the company’s modern marketing machine has pillaged pretty much all of them in the past decade. Boss, however, has stayed largely in the shadows, adorning a few track-only specials sold in extremely limited quantities.

The Boss Mustang is hitting the streets once again in the form of the track-oriented Boss 302 unveiled at the Rolex Historic Races at Laguna Seca. According to the company, the 2012 Mustang Boss 302 is the “quickest, best-handling straight-production Mustang ever offered by Ford.” It pays homage to its track-star forebears by lightening and strengthening key components, juicing up the engine, and wrapping it all in the vintage color schemes that Boss Mustangs are known for still today.


A Redux Whose Time Has Come
Aerodynamic changes include a deeper front air dam and a rear spoiler. Not accidentally, the changes stylistically connect the new car to its predecessor, right down to the livery, including Competition Orange, Performance White, Kona Blue, Yellow Blaze, or Race Red. These are offset by white or black C-stripes and a matching roof.
Inside, however, the 2012 Boss 302 couldn’t be less like the original—today’s UPS trucks come with more creature comforts than most track-oriented muscle cars from the late 1960s. The new Boss models receive an Alcantara-covered steering wheel, dark metallic dash and door panels, a black shift knob, and cloth seats with “suede-like” center inserts. The GT500’s Recaro front bucket seats are optional. Eleven pounds of sound-deadening material are missing, to allow more of the engine’s uniquely tuned exhaust sound to fill the cabin.

What a Difference Four Decades Makes
While the ’69 Boss 302 may be the stuff of legends, by modern standards, its (claimed) 290 hp at 5800 and 290 lb-ft of torque at 4300 rpm is less power and only marginally more torque than the 2011 Mustang’s V-6, never mind the brawny V-8 powering the GT. In the Boss, the GT’s 5.0-liter is upgraded with new intake runners, revised camshafts, and more aggressive engine controls, raising output from the 412 hp to 440. Torque drops slightly, from 390 lb-ft to 380.


The power gets to the wheels via a short-throw six-speed manual transmission with a beefed-up clutch, while the rear end packs a 3.73:1 axle ratio and carbon-fiber plates within the limited-slip differential. A Torsen diff is an available upgrade paired with the Recaro seat option.

One of the most interesting features of the 2012 Boss 302 is its quad exhaust system, developed to give the car a unique sound. The two primary pipes exiting the rear handle most of the exhaust gases, while two smaller pipes branch off from the exhaust crossover and exit discreetly along the lower body sides, just in front of the rear wheels, sending gases through a set of metal discs that generate unique sounds. Should the owner live somewhere with more lax noise regulations, the plates can easily be removed in favor of aftermarket dump valves.

Race Car with a License Plate?
In its quest to turn the Boss 302 into what it calls “a race car with a license plate,” Ford upgraded the GT’s suspension with stiffer springs and bushings, adjustable shocks, and a thicker rear anti-roll bar. Ride height drops 11 mm up front and 1 in the rear. As with the original Boss 302, shock adjustment is done manually—in this case via a screw atop each shock tower—among five stiffness settings.

The Mustang’s electric steering system has also been reworked, giving the driver a choice of three feedback settings—Comfort, Normal, and Sport. Traction and stability-control systems are reprogrammed to offer a choice of full engagement, no engagement at all, or an intermediate sport mode.



The 302’s black-painted wheels measure 19 by 9 inches in front and 19 by 9.5 in back; wrapped by 255/40 front and 285/35 rear Pirelli PZeros. The GT’s optional Brembo brakes are upgraded with high-performance pads and unique ABS calibration.

Ford’s performance claims for the 2012 Boss 302 include cornering capability in excess of 1.0 g, shorter stopping distances than provided by the GT—even with its available brake upgrade—and a 155-mph top speed. Ford declined to provide acceleration figures, but the 302 should handily beat the 2011 Mustang GT’s marks of 4.6 seconds from standstill to 60 mph and 13.2 seconds through the quarter-mile at 109 mph. Whatever the time, it will certainly best the ’69 Boss 302’s 6.5 seconds to 60 and 14.9-second quarter-mile at 93 mph. (That seemed much faster back then.)

Lighter and Tighter: Laguna Seca Edition
Additionally, Ford is launching an even more exclusive “Boss 302 Laguna Seca” model for the harder-core buyer. It ditches the rear seat and some creature comforts while additionally stiffening the body and suspension, and carrying over the aerodynamics package from the Ford Racing Boss 302R almost unchanged.

The 2012 Mustang Boss 302 and 302 Laguna Seca hit dealerships sometime in 2011 at a price yet to be determined. Figure around $36,000 for the base 302 and upwards of $40,000 for the Laguna Seca. Considering that Ford isn’t having any trouble finding homes for its $50,000 Shelby GT500s, we expect the limited-edition Bosses to likewise go quickly.
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Old 08-13-2010, 11:50 PM   #2
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Unless it sounds like this, it is just a sticker pack and price hike

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Old 08-14-2010, 01:41 AM   #3
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We all know that it's not gonna be straight pipe loud like in your vid.
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Old 08-14-2010, 05:01 PM   #4
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Did you guys read the article? Its got side-pipes with a disc that limits how much exhaust goes out them. That means, if you remove the disc, you've got your straight-pipe noise The Laguna Seca package looks really appealing to me, this is the GT3 RS of Mustangs. Hard not to love it (although some of the colour combos leave a bit to be desired)
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Old 08-15-2010, 02:00 PM   #5
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Ford really are doing great things with the stang, it's just the best muscle car period!!

Originally Posted by RC45 View Post
Unless it sounds like this, it is just a sticker pack and price hike
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhBVb...os=PXh7201lQBA
that thing sounds like it's about to kill its driver

Originally Posted by hemi_fan View Post
Did you guys read the article? Its got side-pipes with a disc that limits how much exhaust goes out them. That means, if you remove the disc, you've got your straight-pipe noise
yeah this pic was confusing me, i was like " did they actually include a cut out system?!!", then i saw your comment and things made some sense...



Every Boss features a unique quad exhaust system: Two outlets exit in the rear similar to a standard Mustang GT. The other two outlets exit to either side of the exhaust crossover, sending exhaust through a set of metal discs that act as tuning elements before the pipes terminate just ahead of the rear wheel opening. Visually subtle, the side pipes flow very little exhaust but a lot of exhaust sound, providing a sonic experience unlike any other Mustang - and giving home tuners an additional avenue for modification.

"We added the attenuation discs to meet legal regulations, but we knew buyers might operate these cars in situations where noise regulations weren't an issue," Carney said. "The disc is removable and includes a spacer plate sized to match aftermarket exhaust dump valves. If an owner wants to add a set of electric valves, they just undo two bolts on either side; the disc and spacer slide out and the valve will slide right in. And the side pipes are tuned so that drivers can run wide-open and the sound levels are comfortable - very aggressive but livable for an all-day track outing."
can't wait to hear what it sounds like on straight pipe mode
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Old 08-15-2010, 03:01 AM   #6
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Ford definitely did a good job for the 2010, 2011 mustang. So far it has been receiving praises media.
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Old 11-15-2011, 09:56 AM   #7
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Seems "Ford News" has disappeared... so this is the new one

Autoblog link

2013 Ford Shelby GT500 delivers 650 HP and 200 MPH straight from the factory

By Steven J. Ewing RSS feed
Posted Nov 15th 2011 12:02AM

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650 horsepower. 600 pound-feet of torque. 200-plus miles per hour. With specs like these, you don't need long-form introductions. This is the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500, and all we can say is, the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 has officially been put on notice.

The heart of the new Ford stunner is a 5.8-liter, aluminum-block V8, complete with a larger, more efficient supercharger. Nearly the entire powertrain has been upgraded for 2013, including a new cross-drilled block and heads, updated camshaft profiles, a carbon fiber driveshaft and upgraded clutch, transmission and axle. The cooling system has also been upgraded, and the new six-speed manual transmission now has a final drive ratio of 3.31-to-1 – optimized to handle the massive amounts of torque put down by the new engine.

Further enhancements can be had in the GT500 Performance Pack, which incorporates SVT-designed Blistein electronic adjustable dampers with 'normal' and 'sport' modes and a Torsen limited-slip differential. What's more, the Track Package adds an external engine oil cooler, rear differential cooler and transmission cooler. Like the current GT500, 19-inch wheels are standard up front (20-inch rollers are found out back) and a Brembo braking system keeps everything in check when its time to control all that force. The whole package weighs in at just 3,850 pounds – 270 less than the Camaro ZL1 – and Ford says it will not be subject to the dreaded Gas Guzzler Tax.

Visually, not too much has changed from the current GT500, save some minor aerodynamic tweaks like an ever-so-slightly revised front fascia with new air splitters, as well as a minimally tweaked rear end. Inside, it's the same levels of comfort and refinement that you'll find in the rest of the Mustang lineup, albeit with new Recaro front buckets.

We'll be sure to get up close and personal with the GT500 this week at the LA Auto Show, but for now, wipe the drool from your keyboards and hit the jump for Ford's official press release.
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Old 11-15-2011, 10:33 AM   #8
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wow!

http://www.roadandtrack.com/tests/dr...d-shelby-gt500

2013 Ford Shelby GT500 - First Ride

Before its introduction at the 2011 L.A. Auto Show, we took a spin around the Nürburgring in Ford’s new 650-bhp GT500!

By Shaun Bailey / Photos by Author & Press
November 14, 2011

Slideshow >>



It’s going to be hard to keep quiet. This is being written on June 17th, somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean. I’m on my way back from the Nürburgring, where I was a member of the Ford SVT Shelby GT500 development team for a day—a lucky 200 pounds of ballast for repeated laps in the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 development mule as it careened around the track. Only a few days earlier I’d seen spy photos of the very same car, and speculated about twin turbos and an independent rear suspension. I was wrong, and now I’ve had to hold my tongue about the truth for five long months—a difficult task for any journalist.

The V-8 engine is now at 5.8-liters and capable of revving to 7000 rpm.




So if you’re anything like me, you’re waiting to hear the facts. What I learned wasn’t what I expected, but the GT500’s changes are surprisingly logical when viewed from the engineering team’s point of view. The lack of turbochargers and independent rear suspension doesn’t mean they aren’t trying to improve the performance of the GT500; those things simply didn’t make a lot of fiscal or engineering sense. The chassis, introduced in 2005, wasn’t designed to support IRS; it was designed to support a 200- bhp V-6 and a 300-bhp V-8. It’s now sporting twice that power—a testament to the strength of the chassis and durability of the suspension. The Mustang’s live rear axle is not unfamiliar with high-horsepower abuse and the team is making use of it, although the 8.8-in. rear end is fitted with bigger bearings. The new 5.4-liter aluminum V-8, introduced in 2011, is now bored to its maximum intended size of 5.8 liters, a capacity that engineers had allowed for in the block but never really expected to use. I suppose we can thank the competition for pushing them to this. Ford’s patented plasma transferred wire-arc coating protects the bores. New pistons are used with oil squirters for improved cooling, requiring a higher-capacity oil pump. The cast-aluminum oilpan is larger now by 1.5 quarts, and replaces the stamped steel pan. The forged crank is about the same, but better balanced with a titanium slug to support a new redline of 7000 rpm, up from 6250. Topping it off is an Eaton-supplied 4-lobe TVS style supercharger breathing through a larger 3-row intercooler, up from a 2-row. The majority of parts on this Nürburgring mule are not finalized, but functional—very-very-rock-your-socks functional, to the tune of 650 bhp. This is where the SVT team members smile and quietly thumb their noses at the (550-bhp at time of writing) 580-bhp Camaro ZL1. I can understand why they wanted me here; they were having a hard time not telling anyone too.

A new Eaton TVS supercharger is more efficient.




Supporting that extra horsepower and torque is a slightly larger twin-disc clutch with extra clamping force, and a pedal that is slightly heavier, but now with an over-center spring to keep it easy at a stop light. Power continues into a Tremec TR6060 transmission that is similar to the one used in the Dodge Viper, but with unique gearing. Of special note is the 2.66 1st gear that, with the 3.31 final drive, will get the GT500 to about 62 mph at 7000 rpm. So a dramatic 0–60 improvement is expected, and combined with an extra 100 horsepower the quarter-mile time could likely drop by a half second. Sixth gear remains optimal for cruising, and the team hopes to maintain the car’s fuel efficiency and avoid the gas-guzzler tax.

Carbon-fiber single piece drive shaft saves weight and is stronger than the steel two piece unit used before.





Differential is now a torque-sensing helical-gear unit with cooler.




Achieving those acceleration times means effectively putting that power to the ground, and the 2-piece driveshaft wasn’t going to cut it, so it’s replaced by an 11-lb.-lighter single-piece carbon shaft. And that viscous differential that seemed so questionable during our previous testing is now a torque-sensing helical-gear unit with about a 2.1–2.3:1 torque bias, a much-needed upgrade. Of course both the transmission and differential now feature coolers; the transmission’s uses an integrated mechanical pump in the Tremec, while the differential’s has an electric pump actuated by temperature. Both are visible in prototype form above the bumper through the test car’s grille. Below, the lower grille is filled with the air-to-water intercooler. The driver’s-side foglight housing is now an air duct for a remote oil cooler. The team is obviously focusing on extreme heat management—as if the original’s 550 bhp wasn’t enough of a challenge! Flexible air deflectors that route air to an enlarged radiator with greater cooling capacity and bigger Brembo brakes are all part of accommodating the extra ponies. The new GT500 displayed at the L.A. show has a unique front clip that retains fog lights, but has a much enlarged radiator opening that is unhindered by a grille.

Convenient hiding spot for the Damptronic Bilstein switch. A press of this button drastically changes the valving of the shocks from normal to sport.




To go with the added engine performance is a stiffer suspension featuring adjustable Damptronic monotube Bilstein dampers. It’s not like most systems in our experience, with multiple adjustments being constantly tweaked by a car’s computer, but rather two sets of valving; one for normal street driving and one for attacking an apex. The new dampers adjust both compression and rebound to preset levels that are being determined here on this drive, as the team evaluates the car with both subjective feedback from test driver Gene Martindale and recorded data collected by myriad electrical devices spread throughout the car. I evaluated the system from the passenger seat and concluded that in normal mode the 2013 GT500 felt as comfortable as the 2011 car, but that in sport mode the bumpiest of roads was a bit unbearable. On the track I needed only to experience a partial lap; after the first jump at Quiddelbacher-Höhe I began frantically gesturing for a switch to the sport setting. Gene was in complete agreement, as normal mode is not appropriate for attenuating the landings of the Nürburgring’s four jumps—there is simply too much bounce on the landing, like a Cessna trying to touch down with excessive airspeed. The previous-generation GT500 suspension is a compromise of these two settings in both spring rates and damper stiffness. The result is a somewhat playful suspension, but one that’s more compliant on a track than it really should be. These new adjustable dampers allow, at least felt from the passenger seat, a very perceptible change in the suspension. With the click of a button it goes from acceptably sporting to ultra-stiff, so stiff that over a particularly bumpy road outside the track my vision blurred.

The 2013 GT500 engineering team.




Upon my arrival in at the Nürburgring, I was blindfolded and taken to a secret garage. No, I’m kidding. The Ford team shares space in the Jaguar garage, a legacy agreement from the days when Ford owned Jaguar. The Jag guys are a cordial bunch who welcome the three Shelby GT500 test cars into their secretive garage bays, yet the Jaguar F1 engine displayed in the front lobby has the Ford emblems on its valve covers concealed with black tape. Of the three Shelby GT500s, one is a 2011 car that’s been in Europe since last September when the development of the 2013 GT500 began. The team went round the Ring in this car and apparently our spy photographers missed it. As a 2011, its white hood stripes are thinner than those on the newer cars that arrived by plane only two weeks before I did. One is red and fitted with a full cage; the other is black with blue stripes that only has a rollbar. The full cage was necessary for the next leg of development testing in Europe where the team will travel to Nardo for top-speed validation. The 155-mph speed limiter will be removed, allowing a top speed approaching 200 mph to be achieved in 5th gear. I suspect breaking that 200-mph barrier will be difficult, but 5th is geared to do it.

A place of business. Part race car, part street car.




In my laps with Gene, the track was its usual finicky self and refused to give a consistent surface. Although dry and sunny at the pits, the run down to Ex-Mühle was wet with recent drizzle. Occasional sprinkles on the windshield made me glad for the full cage of the red car I was riding in. This, however, didn’t keep me from making some observations. Compared to the 2011 car, the 2013 car is far sharper and precise in its body motions. Pitch and roll in Sport mode are almost nonexistent. For 2013, the wheels will be slightly different in style, but retain the same forging and size. The new Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar G:2 tires will remain the same size as well, so the changes I felt are mostly coming from the suspension. Clearly, my butt isn’t sitting on the comfy Recaro production car seats, but is instead for safety reasons physically clamped in place to a full bucket race seat courtesy of some heavily padded TeamTech 6-point restraints. During the four lapping sessions, Gene had the team increase the rear sway bar diameter and change out the jounce limiters to those of different heights.

Part of being a test mule means strange diagnostic tools being zip-tied everywhere. This one I believe was measuring engine oil loss at over rev during prolonged lap sessions.




Launch control isn’t functional at this time, but is planned to be something like the one used in the Boss 302, which has an adjustable 2-stage limiter that holds a lower preset adjustable rpm until the car moves, at which point it reverts to the 7000-rpm redline. This allows the driver to simply floor the throttle and side-step the clutch for consistent launches at the drag strip. With 650 bhp on tap, this should provide for plenty of giggles. The new GT500 may not rival the electronic gadgetry of the Camaro ZL1, but it looks as if it will hold its own and be far more practical for those who want to modify the car from stock.
I’m glad to finally get this off my chest, as it’s one less secret to keep. Now I can just look forward to the day we get to sit in the hot seat. A direct head-to-head with the Camaro ZL1 is imminent!
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Old 11-15-2011, 10:53 AM   #9
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Nice. A serious Mustang at last.

Now if only it can look as cool as the 2000 Cobra R.

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Old 11-15-2011, 03:41 PM   #10
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Looks pretty potent, and the initial driving impressions I've seen have been relatively positive with respect to the pointy-ness of the front end. I'm still a little concerned that it's going to be:

1. Under-tired
2. Too front heavy

Both of which will result in interminable understeer. There's an awful lot of weight in that front end, even with an all-aluminum block.
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Old 11-16-2011, 12:00 PM   #11
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Yeah, the car will be shod in some new GY SC's; which I have a tenancy to think aren't that great.
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Old 11-17-2011, 12:01 AM   #12
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I NEED THIS MUSTANG IN MY life !!!!
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Old 11-19-2011, 12:41 AM   #13
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It's available as a lease car through the employee/retiree lease program too according to the latest series of emails that went out to employees.
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Old 11-19-2011, 03:14 AM   #14
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Now if only they could do a GT-H version.... and offer full coverage rental insurance
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Old 11-21-2011, 09:40 AM   #15
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I heard it through the grape vine that pricing is mid 60's on this car.
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