I have been in the new 5.0 on track. The car is fantastic, the track pack is standard on the 5 liter and the chassis is also set up nicely out of the box.

Hats off to Ford.

 

Are you sure its tonight?!?! I predict 12.8 at best. The fastest stock SS rag tested did 13.0.

[QUOTE=Bullitt44,Mar 28 2010, 12:25 PM]I have been in the new 5.0 on track.

 

i wouldn't be surprised if it runs a couple tenths faster than the Camaro....there is a fairly significant weight difference and from what we have seen the Ford actually makes more power.

 

You know, I don't understand this attitude.

The 1995 Cobra had a 5.0L pushrod V8 making 240 hp, but in 1996 the Cobra had a 4.6L DOHC making 305 hp. It would pass the 1995 Cobra like it was standing still. Kind of hard to argue the larger displacement pushrod engines were somehow better at making power. They were physically smaller, but structurally weaker. Four valve overhead cam heads totally trumped the pushrod motors for power potential.

In addition, the 4.6 SOHC made as much power when it was first put into a Mustang as the out-going 5.0 did. But it made it at a higher rpm. Off idle the 5.0 accelerated harder, but ran out of steam sooner. In a 1/4 mile it was a wash. How is one inferior to the other if they deliver pretty much the same performance?

A common argument is that it is cheaper and easier to make more power with a 302 than a 4.6. But in reality, it's a lot harder than just ordering parts from Summit. And a lot more expensive than people like to acknowledge. There's way more choices for the 302, but there's a lot more to it than just bolting on 100 horsepower. Especially if you want to keep the daily drivability. On the other hand, supercharger kits for the SOHC 4.6 are a dime a dozen, all delivering power levels that would strain the pushrod blocks. You don't have to swap cams and intakes and heads and everything to see 400 hp in your daily driver 4.6.

The new 5L DOHC V8 is just more of the same things that made the 4.6 better than the 302. The displacement happens to be similar to the pushrod 302, but it's far more 4.6 than 302.

 

Take a look at the Ford Fusion or better yet, the Chevy Malibu for a moderately priced domestic car with competitive interior design and materials. For a slightly more upscale example look at the new Buick LaCrosse. It's excellent. The 2011 Regal is very impressive for a domestic sedan in the mid $20's. Or the Nissan Altima. Or the Accord coupe. Forget about the Camaro. Chevy apparently decided to compete with the Mustang for ugliest interior in a muscle car. Seriously, I owned a 2005 GTO for about 2 1/2 years and while it was no standard setter, the interior was very decent compared to what Mustang and Camaro offer. Granted, the MSRP for the GTO was about $34K back in 2005. The frustrating thing for me is that Ford and GM have shown they can be competitive. They simply choose not to be much of the time. I guess on a positive note, the Mustang & Camaro are fully competitive with the interiors of Chrysler vehicles.

 

If it makes you happier, according to MT the '11 Mustangs get soft touch dashboards.

 

XC90 FWD V6 starts at 32,000. V6 Mustant $22,000.
V8 XC90 with 311 HP, which is about what the V6 Mustang starts at $47,000. That's $25,000 more than a base Mustang V6 or about $22,000 more than a V6 premium. For twice the money you'd expect a nicer interior. Look at a $22,000 Mustang interior versus an LX accord. For the same money you get a car with more feature and twice the engine.