Chief Engineer Dave Pericak Breaks Down the 2015 Mustang
A lot has changed in the past 50 years: world leaders, currencies, celebrities, bread prices and, of course, the Ford Mustang. Since the days of LBJ’s administration, the iconic pony car has hit the highs of record sales and undeniable cultural relevance and the lows of performance-strangling emissions regulations and anemic power trains. Five decades of experience, development and refinement have lead to the 2015 Ford Mustang. The car’s chief engineer, Dave Pericak, and Automobile do a fine job of summing up its highlights:
- An all-new platform. (The 107-inch wheelbase is the same length as the 2014 model’s)
- Independent rear suspension! That means higher performance and a smoother ride than that from the old live rear axle. The front set-up has also been altered to be compatible with the rear’s abilities.
- Pericak says he and his team are going to beat the last-generation Boss 302 on the track with the new ‘stang.
- The 305-horsepower V6 is a carryover, but the Boss-influenced 5.0-liter V8 now features better airflow, which equates to “420-plus” horsepower, more torque and better fuel economy.
- A new 2.3-liter EcoBoost 4-cylinder engine packs a twin-scroll turbocharger, a steel crankshaft and high-flow injectors. Torque will build quickly and spread across a wide range. Pericak calls the mill the “I-want-it-all solution” for buyers looking for performance, gas mileage, technology and environmental responsibility.
- An available EcoBoost performance package will include an upgraded axle and brakes, suspension mods and summer-only rubber.
Of course, you’ll have to wait until later this year to get your hands on (and your right foot into) the 2015 Mustang. Are you going to be the first one at your local Ford dealer to test-drive it?
originally on [The Mustang Source]