JIM5.0

This is fine. All I ask is that you cite your sources.
The source you quoted which came directly from FoMoCo is excellent.

This is my praise to you for doing this.

I know. I'm not accusing you of perpatuating the 600BHP misinformation; I was only expressing my disdain of those who did.
I know you did not push the 600BHP false speculation.

I'm only being straight forward. I do not take any offense with what you said. And please, do not think I'm taking any offense to what you said.
Just back what you say with sources and links, just like the quote you put above from FoMoCo.

I am a skeptic and as such, my default setting is to assume unsourced or uncited claims are not reliable until something substantial is presented to back things up.

Again, please, do not think I'm taking any offense to what you said.
I am not attacking you.

And I agree.
Nothing wrong with sharing good news and enjoying what our cars are becoming (even though I dislike the appearances Ford has adopted for their global cars).
This is one of the reasons why today, we are all Ford Mustang fans.

Cruzinaround

Ahh...then my friend I totally understand where you are coming from.

I tend to be a dreamer. And as such my default setting is to constantly strive to attain my dreams.

--

pascal

Well, the previous version of the Focus RS with the 5cyl turbo Volvo engine, only available in Europe and for a limited produced units was a test in itself as the American market shown great disappointment about the non availability of that car here.
And the new one will be available in 4WD, sweet.

I'd also like to see a souped up Fusion as well.

Cruzinaround

With the Misubishi EVO now extinct the younger tuner crowd is anxious to see something in an AWD as a response to the WRX STI.

If this car does come to the US in the same time frame as the GT350... I will more than likely be purchasing two vehicles before the end of year. Actually with 3 kids hitting driving age within the next year I might be purchasing two of these. So maybe 3 total new Fords before 2016.

---

Cruzinaround

Just pondering what is already known about the GT 350...

Considering the cars that Ford used to benchmark the GT350 against.... the Porshe Carrera 911S was the target they were aiming at for overall performance. The Ferrari California is the formula for a front engine FPC setup the GT350 is most similar to but they used The Ferrari 458 Italia as the NVH target (Noise, Vibration, Harshness), The Camaro Z28 was their domestic track ready performance reference point and the Corvette Z06 is the Domestic road handling drivability performance reference. They benchmarked against 4 cars to tweak the GT350.

So just going by the closest PHYSICAL (based on a front engine FPC design) reference that also uses the Magneride suspension, the Ferrari California weighs in at 3916lbs for its curb weight. Pushing closer to 4k lbs with add ons. And the performance numbers weigh in on that FPC as 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and clicking off a quarter mile in 11.9 seconds at 117.4 MPH. It also hits a top speed of 194MPH. with a 47/53 weight distribution with the top up. And this car is the least expensive Ferrari at a smidgen over $200k.

The Porshe Carrera S on the target does 0-60 in 4.1 seconds and 12.6 second quarters at 112mph. The skid pad pulls 0.97-G's. That said... the Turbo Model would also likely have been an attainable bullseye for the GT350 to hit. Both Models of Porshe are also well above 90k and well above 150k depending on trim levels.

So if we take a guess off what we do know for the GT350. It should weigh less than the current Mustang GT with manual. Has more HP than the Ferrari's and Porshe's its benchmarked against. Has more torque as well. Also sports the same suspension tech as the Ferrari's and has everything thrown into stiffening the body structure. It also has the aero thrown in that according to Ford maintain a zero lift. And the car as per Jamal Hameedi is not speed limited via an ECU...its drag limited, therefore the top speed is only limited by the inherent drag of the car itself. Given enough road and depending on the final drive ratios...who knows???

That said. This GT350 is supposedly going to hit the ground with a $53k sticker price.

If all this is correct then the performance we can expect just based off what we do know is this possibly could be the Z28 killer all around from straight line performance to track level performance and definitely as a biggest bang for the buck.

Ford doing what they've always represented in the past and throughout their history as producing affordable performance. And this is exciting.

Yes... this is me guessing, but again just using what we already know and not saying anything here is verified factual on the performance of the GT350, but simply making an educated guess based on what is known. As per Jamal Hameedi in his quoted words....the GT350 is Magnatudes faster on the track than the Boss 302.

Just where would that Magnatude be???

Hmmm
---

pascal

The S197 body (with the FR500C) has been real successful in Europe mostly but also around the world against power houses like Porsches, Ferrari, Aston etc...
I'm talking road course stuff.

I belong to a team (VDS Racing Adventures) that were successful in endurance racing and if that car was a tad lighter (forget not having an IRS), we'd decimate the competition at every races in the GT3 class.
So, it's not the power train with the new platform that need improving, it's the freaking weight... again.
So if the GT350 or any other version of the S550 wants to get good results, it will have to loose weight big time.

Cruzinaround

So are you saying that with the performance figures based off the Ferrari California that is a FPC and front engine car weighing in over 3900 lbs that we can't expect the GT350 to match or better those performance figures even though its lighter has more HP and more torque???

Perhaps the advantage is the higher redline than the previous s197's? How does Ferrari pull it off?

---

pascal

Lots of variants to go fast around the track consistently...
I'm betting that the Ferrari Cal has a better stock suspension and brakes than the stock GT350 and the Italian ride might have the edge on the street if their weight is close.
Also the Ferrari looks like its body mass is lower to the ground than the Stang so it's also a big advantage when it comes to cornering... things like, less body roll and diving under braking etc...
But by the time you get both of these cars in racing mode, all bets are off.
Which ever has the lighter body shell will have the edge.
With our S197 GT3, we had hard time against the Porsches on tight tracks like Road Atlanta but we still got the fastest lap and we finished second only because two of the drivers have never been on that track or worse in that car itself, before that weekend and the Porsche guy was a local. LOL
Tracks like Spa Francorchamps, the Porsche guy wouldn't have been a contest...

If Ford manages to make the Mustang shell with drive train about 700/800 lbs lighter, very few cars can touch it in its class. Certainly not Ferrari or Porsche...
But they fugged up, still a heavy pig.

Cruzinaround

Got it.

The Ferrari has the Magneride Suspension and Carbon Ceramic brakes.

The GT350 Has Magneride Suspension and Steel brakes

The Ferrari body design is lower slung. Even though its almost 4000k in full trim.

The ferrari should be giving the GT350 a 30 to 40 hp advantage and a 40 to 60 ft/lb torque advantage.

But the level of the Magneride suspension on the Ferrari might also be far more advanced than Ford's implemented solution.

And even if the Ford should come in closer to 3500lb curb weight. It might still be a pig on the track due to the capabilities of all the components.

Still, its all just speculation. Perhaps there's a surprise in store. If it comes within a few clicks of that Ferrari... then there's the price. At 55k Vs 200k??

We'll have to wait and see.
---

pascal

On the track thus in racing, one little thing (Anything) might give you the edge but that little thing won't mean squat on the street.
The S197 platform has been the most successful since 65 in road racing despite being the heaviest of all and the good thing about it is the rigidity of the body shell, so it's still a good base to start with on the street especially.
To give you an idea, we ran 1'28"751 at Road Atlanta with our Stang in 2010...