BRZ/FR-S vs 2015 Mustang

[Jaylyons1]

With all the new information starting to leak out about the new mustang platform, it's looking like it may be a pretty decent car.

According to Ford inside sources reporting to Edmunds.com, The 2015 Mustang is set to loose at least 400lbs off the current body weight, but that’s not all.

A 400LBS Lighter, 15 Inch Shorter 2015 Mustang

Up until now, we have only been able to speculate about the next generation S550 Mustang being a smaller, more nimble vehicle. Now we have some solid evidence to support the findings. In addition to dropping 400 pounds in curb weight, the same inside source is also reporting a smaller in length 2015 Mustang–slicing off ~15 inches from the total size. This will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the 6th generation Mustang’s gas mileage and MPG. How much it will impact fuel efficiency, is still a mystery.

How this will play out with regards to interior space is yet to be seen, but given the tight constraints of the current Mustang’s back seats, one would wonder how much more room there is to loose from the interior compartment. For those of us who keep the rear seat belts buckled year-round, the prospect of loosing a little more real estate isn’t much of a concern, especially if that means dropping 400lbs.


2015 Mustang Dimensions vs The 2014 Mustang
Width: The 2015 is said to have a “10%” (~6.5 inches) shorter in width compared to the 2014 Mustang.

Width... Mustang: 67.4 inches wide; BRZ/FR-S: 69.9 inches wide

Length... Mustang: 173.5; BRZ/FR-S: 166.7

Weight: 2015 is set to loose ~400lbs curb weight taking it down to around 3200 pounds. This is still about 450 pounds heavier than the BRZ, but this is with the 5.0. The 4-cylinder is thought to weigh in around 3000 pounds.


Pairing Less Weight With the EcoBoost 4-Cylinder Mustang
The drop in curb weight was brought on by two developments on the automotive world–Ford’s need for a more fuel-efficient fleet of vehicles and Europe’s tight vehicle sizing constraints. Given that we’ve heard reports and we have a video of the 2015 Mustang with a turbo’d 4 cylinder under the hood, its only natural to speculate how this new “SVO” will perform.

If the Edmunds report is true and the new Mustang sheds 400lbs of weight–not including the motor–the turbo 4-cylinder would have a curb weight of around 3,000lbs and be pushing somewhere around 300-350 horsepower. Comparatively, the last 4-cylinder turbo’d Mustangs–the 1986 SVO–came in at a curb weight of 3,049lbs and had a power output of 200 hp (149 kW) @ 5000 rpm 240 lb·ft (330 N·m) @ 3200 rpm. Throw in the addition of an IRS and shorter overall length, you have one completely overhauled pony car. Look out, there might be one formidable 4-banger with Mustang logos blowing the doors off older v8s when the 2015 model year Mustangs start rolling out.

The Coyote V8 Will Return in 2015
It’s not all a loss for the die-hard V8 crowd–in addition to a turbo 4-cylinder, the 2015 Mustang will also be produced with the current Coyote motor, possibly with a bump in power to between 450-475HP. A 2015 prototype videotaped doing test runs around the Dearborn, MI area had a V8 and sounded as good as ever, producing the low, muscle car growl we’ve come to expect from the beloved Mustang. The current V6 is set to return as the base model Mustang. The turbo 4 would be the middle ground while the V8 GTs would still be the premium model.

[Jaylyons1]

I just test drove a 5.0 again yesterday. I'm holding out a ton of hope for this new model. I felt like I was driving a boat. Granted it was quite large, the 5.0 moves that car quite well. I'm super excited to see what the new model can do with the same power output while on a diet.

[AVodka14]

2014 Z28 is where it's at. Good review on the Mustang though.

[chrisl]

Originally Posted by AVodka14

2014 Z28 is where it's at. Good review on the Mustang though.

IMO, the Z/28 is addressing a different market - it's a bit too stripped out to be a daily driver. It has a one-speaker audio system (one speaker!) and A/C is an optional extra. As far as Camaros are concerned, the SS would be more comparable to something like the new Mustang than the Z/28 unless all you wanted was a track toy (and honestly, once you get to the price of the Z/28, a base C7 'Vette starts to look awfully tempting instead).

[Jaylyons1]

Originally Posted by chrisl

IMO, the Z/28 is addressing a different market - it's a bit too stripped out to be a daily driver. It has a one-speaker audio system (one speaker!) and A/C is an optional extra. As far as Camaros are concerned, the SS would be more comparable to something like the new Mustang than the Z/28 unless all you wanted was a track toy (and honestly, once you get to the price of the Z/28, a base C7 'Vette starts to look awfully tempting instead).

Yea, the Z/28 is sick but it's a bit out of the price range too. I would totally pick up a C7 before I went for one. Since the C7 is way out of my price range too, I started looking into the Mustang. I'd buy one now if they weren't so fat.

[smbstyle]

I've always been a Mustang fan, had an 03 Cobra, 03 Mach 1, and was about to pull the trigger on a Boss 302 before buying the BRZ, but I could just could not get over the fact that the new Mustang felt like a boat on track after driving a 2013. Steering didn't feel that connected to the car; it was like the car would move a second after the steering input, and was just too darn heavy.

With that said, I have high hopes for the 2015 Mustang. I caught a 2015 mule testing at Sebring a while back, and running some SERIOUSLY fast laps.

The car itself was a silver 2013 mule, had the Boss 302 front grille, black tape around the car, for what appeared to be sensors and such, and then what I found to be the most odd was the gas tank area protruded from the normal body lines of the car, significantly enough that I could see it as it was going around the track at full speed. The wheels were also much wider than stock, and stuck out of the wheel wells a significant amount.

The car was EXTREMELY quiet; there was zero blower whine, and it was significantly quieter than the ZL1 and 911 Carrera S they were testing as well (more on that in a second).

So I went over to the hot pits and found a black dual car trailer with a black F series dually, neither had any markings on it, and there was a black pop-up tent next to the trailer in the hot pits. This appeared to be the same setup that was down here at Sebring when they were testing the 2013 GT500 last October. I saw some guys with laptops next to the tents, and then two test drivers in white fire suits with giant "SVT" logos in blue on the back of the fire suits. In front of the tent, they had what appeared to be a stock black Camaro ZL1 and the new 911 Carrera S, that also appeared to be stock, and was silver.

I got a few lap times on the silver Mustang and the Carrera S, but I did not get one on the ZL1:

Mustang best lap time: 2:27
Carrera S best lap time: 2:24

That is 3 seconds off one of the best driver's cars out there, on one of the roughest tracks in the country.

Here is a video (sorry for the poor quality, had to snap it with my Iphone):

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHzbfKV7BdU"]Ford Testing at Sebring 1/18/13 - YouTube[/ame]

[TruRace]

Not sure if it was mentioned already, but the 2015 mustang is rumored to have independent rear suspension. Should make for some serious competition for the twins.

[Anaxilus]

Originally Posted by AVodka14

2014 Z28 is where it's at. Good review on the Mustang though.

Too fat. More expensive than a Corvette = nonsense collector item.
______

To the OP. Finally a good versus thread topic. This is actually the debate I had prior to picking up my 86 recently.

Reasons I went w/ the 86.

1-Still going to be 300-400lbs lighter.
2-Will have a wider width and track, if the early figures are correct.
3-Reliabilty/quality-For all the quirks of the early 86, an early Ford is even scarier. For anyone who complains about the interior of the 86 being cheap, touch the inside of any Ford/Lincoln product. Yuck.
4-Aero/mileage advantage will remain unchanged.
5-Which also translate into better potential for noise control in a DD.
6-Waiting for the unknown and missing out on a 10 series (I wasn't attracted to either Scion or Subaru available packages).

Reasons to wait for the Mustang:

1-Immense and easily attainable power potential compared to the stock 86.

Regardless, future Boss type Stangs will be seriously fast. Toyobaru will have its work cut out if it wants to play in the same league using the 86.

[Deep Six]

Were the Mustang and 911 running street tires?

[smbstyle]

Originally Posted by Deep Six

Were the Mustang and 911 running street tires?

definitely squealed like street tires; they were howling around every corner.

[TruRace]

Originally Posted by Anaxilus

Too fat. More expensive than a Corvette = nonsense collector item.
______

I'm pretty sure pricing for the 2014 z28 hasn't been announced yet (could be wrong though). The z28 lapped Nurburgring faster than the Lexus LFA, Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, and the Porsche 911 Carerra S... Not exactly a nonsense collector item.

[smbstyle]

Originally Posted by TruRace

I'm pretty sure pricing for the 2014 z28 hasn't been announced yet (could be wrong though). The z28 lapped Nurburgring faster than the Lexus LFA, Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, and the Porsche 911 Carerra S... Not exactly a nonsense collector item.

Inside source told me ~$70k

[thill]

Smaller, lighter, independent suspension. These were all musts with the Mustang. I am excited to see the finished project, but if these renderings are close to being accurate, I think Ford missed the boat on design:
http://www.autoblog.com/2013/10/15/2...ke-real-thing/

[smbstyle]

Originally Posted by thill

Smaller, lighter, independent suspension. These were all musts with the Mustang. I am excited to see the finished project, but if these renderings are close to being accurate, I think Ford missed the boat on design:
http://www.autoblog.com/2013/10/15/2...ke-real-thing/

agreed; that is pretty much what the front end looks like. Here's a leaked photo:

looks way too much like the Fusion/Taurus