Tony Alonso
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Posts posted by Tony Alonso
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I've ordered the 2011 GT/CS and you can't get the brake package. Don't know why, but I do know it sucks.
The GT/CS-specific wheels don't clear the 14" brake calipers.
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This car my wife picked out just like she wanted it. It's to be her's to drive to Mustang Club stuff mostly, and around some I guess. Candy Apple red, polished aliminum 18" wheels, 4.6 V8, automatic, comfort Group, Interior upgrade group, GT upgrade group, HID's and anti theft group, spoiler delete, and rear wheel mud guards.
Sounds nice!
It was interesting seeing a woman pick out her car and ordering it just how she wanted it. All I'm doing is paying for it. She should have it in a month or two.Do you get to drive it?? What's next on your Mustang list?
The S197 Mustangs are great daily drivers. I've enjoyed my 2007 since last August, putting on 22,300 miles since that time. Enjoy!
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20 year old designs still on the road with no replacements planned.
Which ones?
Products rotting on the vine.Which ones?
Vehicles not being upgraded with readily available parts.Which ones and what parts?
New vehicles being redesigned without new powertrains because they are not ready.Which ones?
Plants closing because of lack of product.I submit it's because they do not need the volume of vehicles at the current market share level, not because of lack of them.
People losing their jobs while CEO's wives are flown around the globe spending their spouses multi-million dollar bonuses.I agree that perks like this seem counterintuitive with Ford in crisis mode. I also agree the people who left were significantly affected by decisions from people who were most likely in roles well above them in the management hierarchy. Many did get buyouts while some were let go without any safety net.
Ford's biggest challenge is to get products to market FASTER than they do today. Also, since we here in the US don't often consider the global picture, I would add that the market does include other areas where they do have success already.
Less perks would make a statement.
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Assuming SRA/watts for severe service duty, do you think a unibody architecture will be able to contain maintenance costs on par (or better) than the panthers? You see all the time in police videos CV's that get pounded over drainage ditches and off-road chasing PUs and SUVs and they often see continued service after repairs with the CV body-on-frame architecture. Can unibody be as rugged or at least as cost effective in your opinion?
Excellent question and response that follows! This type of coversation hopefully continues and increases more frequently as Ford looks over its global portfolio. I suspect that a particular application like this for a certain market must drive product planners crazy because it becomes hard to justify a major investment if the profits are used to subsidize other vehicle lines. I wonder if this is the case.
Also, I would be curious to see how the Dodge Charger police cars would do in this regard, since they are derived from a unibody Mercedes Benz platform.
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Ford had to put that in some perspective so rightfully they touted the excellence of the 3-link design. Apparently some folks bought ALL the rhetoric that went along with that spin -- you and I apparently two of the few who didn't
-Dan
And it is excellent, relative to the previous 4-link live axle suspension set-up of the SN-95
It's all about the "positioning"!
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IRS is fundamentlly better because it greatly reduces unsprung weight and greatly augments stable behavior of the vehicle over uneven pavement in turns -- i.e. when it actually matters!
Fully agree!
To argue that IRS is not needed is to argue that anything fundamentally better under specific conditions is not needed when those conditions are not actually occurring -- i.e. specious and self-serving.Specious - nifty SAT word!
If you do a spitrited drive of a live-axle mustang and an IRS mustang over the exact same set of twisty, challenging secondary roads (the road that many car guys crave and seek out whenever possible for the sheer joy of drving them) there is no comparison between the two technologies. To say otherwise just means you either haven't done that or don't know the difference. Nothing HTT or anyone else says can change the laws of physics.On bumpy curved roads when trying to put the power down, there is definitely a difference. If the surface is smooth, then there is a comparison. I have autocrossed both IRS and live axle RWD cars. When hitting a tight corner and getting on the power, the feel was similar. Of course, there are cases where you can overload the wheels and get axle hop, but that is another dynamic.
And that's exactly what Ford's argument against IRS is: horse
!My suspicion is the live axle got the nod definitely because of price since the additional development time and cost to make it work for the GT500 might have come up against deadline and budget limits, respectively.
At any rate, I think we could see an IRS in this car and possibly the next Mustangs, but obviously nothing is certain.
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It's about time they allowed some designs to make a statement without trying to satisfy everybody.
Tried attaching a slightly tweaked photoshop rendition with a taller greenhouse dropped front hood and lowered beltline towards the front. I think it looks a bit more mainstream and mimics the 300 a bit less.
First try was jumbled try this time may be better
Great job! I like the changes you made - looks more "production viable".
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Since it has been brought up, heres what it would look like with just a 2 bar grill, I personally feel the 3 bar thing has been over played
Agree it should have a little rake to the front end, maybe a more pronounced bumper, (slightly) And the rear quarter needs some work, But overall, a very good profile. IMO
Mike
Nice job! That helps the remove some of the "weightiness" of the front end.
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This is a distinct improvement in styling over the current version of the Malibu. The rear end, to me, looks similar to the Acura TL and TSX, which have been generally judged as positive in the styling department..
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I also think there is a strong possibility that something like this gets built, especially since it is sitting on the Mustang platform. To accomplish the design they have on an extended version of a chassis that underpins a more affordable car than T-Bird or LS shows a seriousness in the intent to produce. Assuming they do, I suspect that it would be a wonderful way to amortize the costs of a potential IRS since there is this and the Lincoln concept.
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I will have to see it in person to get the full effect but I like it so far. It could use maybe just a bit more work on the front to tighten up it up a bit.
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The outside view just might be the thing that is needed to spark the momentum. I wish Alan the best of luck. As a side note, I find the Bill Ford/Mark Fields animated GIF amusing.
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Wonder if our new CEO is going to trade his Lexus in? :rolleyes:
According to this USA Today article, the answer is 'yes'.
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I say great, the Mustang needs to get back in touch with it's old racing heritage. What it is now is a disgrace!
Why do you say that?
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There are 2 ways I know of to increase the displacement of the 4.6l to 5.0l cost efficiently in a production setting.
One is to deck the 4.6l block and stroke the crank like Ford did to build the 5.4l. In this way you can use the same pistons and rods.
Method 2 is to use the 4.6l block and move the location of the wrist pin in the piston. This method requires a new piston and crank.
I am curious if method 2 is what Saleen is using to make the 3v 5.0L aluminum engine for the PJ Saleen Mustang. I would think the technology transfer agreements between Ford and Saleen is a natural place to look for how this engine would be produced.
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A few more of these recalls will not dramatically change many people's opinion of Toyota. However, the ball is in motion now, and some might pause a bit.
If anything, it gives Ford and GM supporters something to counter the "Toyota is infallible" arguments.
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The engine computer is sensitive to the efficiency of the combustion, especially to meet emissions regulations and prevent detonation. Lower octane gas on the stock tune will cause problems. It is not worth the potential damage to your engine to do this.
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You would increase the likelihood of engine detonation and having drivability issues. The stock engine tune is aggressive and the engine has a high compression ratio, hence the need for premium gas.
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Thank you for all you've done. Wishing you the best as you forge ahead. You are in my prayers.