MT pits the 2011 Mustang GT against the 2011 M3

[atvman]

Coming soon. Nice sedate looking 4 dr sedan with a Bird on the deck lid. Auf Viedersehen Ya'll.

Nice, hopefully the T-Bird rumors are true. My dad would buy one.

[Deanh]

Nice, hopefully the T-Bird rumors are true. My dad would buy one.

better not be too damn sedate...G8 anyone...ANYONE...

[Deanh]

where does that leave the Taurus?????????????????

[akirby]

where does that leave the Taurus?????????????????

 

in the dust - just like the M3................

[NickF1011]

Nice, hopefully the T-Bird rumors are true. My dad would buy one.

 

I'd much rather see the Falcon name revived over Thunderbird for such a car, especially if it is pretty similar to the Falcon that is already on sale elsewhere.

[NickF1011]

where does that leave the Taurus?????????????????

 

If such a car turns out to be an import program like the G8 or upcoming Caprice, then I don't think the Taurus would be going anywhere. Ford just wouldn't be able to supply the volume to replace it outright. Besides, I think the market for both vehicles is different enough that they could co-exist regardless of production/shipping concerns.

[Deanh]

If such a car turns out to be an import program like the G8 or upcoming Caprice, then I don't think the Taurus would be going anywhere. Ford just wouldn't be able to supply the volume to replace it outright. Besides, I think the market for both vehicles is different enough that they could co-exist regardless of production/shipping concerns.

Id stick with thunderbird.....to do anything else would be as sacreligious as renaming the mustang the Probe. T-bird ranks as one of the top four ford Nameplates in my book, Mustang, Explorer and focus the others...in THAT order. So, new flagship I would guess, unless Blue is chain yanking and I doubt that....anyone says Crown Vic replacement should be temporarily suspended.....

[Deanh]

If such a car turns out to be an import program like the G8 or upcoming Caprice, then I don't think the Taurus would be going anywhere. Ford just wouldn't be able to supply the volume to replace it outright. Besides, I think the market for both vehicles is different enough that they could co-exist regardless of production/shipping concerns.

if it is indeed Falcon based they need to re style for here...as much as Ilike the Falcon it is a tad long in the tooth looking and "sedate"...and i dont want to have G8 flashbacks.....and I LIKED that car.... .

[jpd80]

if it is indeed Falcon based they need to re style for here...as much as Ilike the Falcon it is a tad long in the tooth looking and "sedate"...and i dont want to have G8 flashbacks.....and I LIKED that car.... .

 

I agree, the sheet metal for a Thunderbird has to be developed specifically for the North American market

but I think you'd find FoA would welcome such a move anyway as it would give them justification for

re skinning their domestic Falcon to accommodate that move.

 

From what I can find scouring internet sources, the next generation Taurus will grow even bigger/wider

enabling the Falcon platform to slip in between it and the Fusion/Mondeo with enough difference

in size and character to draw a different audience....

[NickF1011]

if it is indeed Falcon based they need to re style for here...as much as Ilike the Falcon it is a tad long in the tooth looking and "sedate"...and i dont want to have G8 flashbacks.....and I LIKED that car.... .

 

I agree the current Falcon design wouldn't go over well in the U.S. It reminds me much more of the GTO than the G8. The Falcon has a much swoopier, curvier early 2000's (in America) style to it like the GTO had. I don't think anything was wrong with the G8's exterior styling in terms of looking modern. I think Pontiac was simply a done and overlooked brand by the time it arrived here.

[silvrsvt]

From what I can find scouring internet sources, the next generation Taurus will grow even bigger/wider

enabling the Falcon platform to slip in between it and the Fusion/Mondeo with enough difference

in size and character to draw a different audience....

 

 

I think that if anything the Taurus is going shrink a bit from the current car....

 

As for the Falcon/Tbird...look at this way...its going to be a low volume Halo/Flagship car for the NA market...starting price in the 30K range and going up to 50K or so. Then we get to add the MKR to Lincoln lineup too! The Taurus will be the volume/every day car with the SHO as the model with extra spice.

 

 

 

 

[PREMiERdrum]

Here's a few more I just found:

 

M3 vs. Nude Sweedish Twins: While the twins are fun, the M3 wins based on its inability to speak and the fact you don't have to take it out to dinner before you go for a ride.

 

M3 vs. Chocolate Bacon Funnel Cakes: The sweet and salty fair fare is delicious, but the M3 narrowly pulls out a win. Death by crashing into a tree on the Nuremberg > Death by clogged arteries. Though MT says both left their hands a little sticky. :shades:

 

M3 vs. Jesus: M3 wins this one hands down. The M3 has been consistently improving since its debut (like the Mustang). Our Lord and Savior, on the other hand, was left to die and forced to rise again (like the Camaro).

 

I hate to be that guy, but can I just take this opportunity to express my disappointment that this didn't get as much as just one " "

[one2gamble]

I hate to be that guy, but can I just take this opportunity to express my disappointment that this didn't get as much as just one " "

 

I laughed IRL

[Project-Fairmont]

Great article! I think the author overlooked some history though. When the original E30 M3 was introduced (1988) a Mustang HO (LX or GT) compared very well. Other than a slight top speed advantage for the M3, it was a very even match up. Although you could get a very well equiped LX for around $13k, the M3 was $40k! The same goes through the ninties when a 305hp SVT Cobra was every good as an E39 M3 IMO. The E46 M3 started to pull away, however an '03 -'04 SC SVT Cobra was faster in a straight line.

 

Now we have this; the Holy Grail of sport Coupes the E92 M3 has an equivelent with less understeer ( I can't believe I just wrote that), and traditional Pony car advantages; more torque and disadvantages; brake dive...somethings never change.

 

Subjectively one can justify paying more for the Bavarian as it feels unbreakable and smooth as a velvet glove (plus that 4.0 V8 revs out like a Nextel Cup car). $40k for a well equipped Mustang GT is more than I paid for a very torquey and fast TT E83 one series, something I want to pay off.

 

Love that Grabber Blue, but I will sit this one out. Although we will be looking at a 2011 Explorer to replace our very disappointing and under-engineered MB GLK (POS rides, handles, shifts like a 10 year old Buick; soft, lazy and sloppy).

Edited August 24, 2010 by Project-Fairmont

[timmm55]

Don't get me wrong, I'd buy the Mustang GT (again) in a heart beat. But the M3 has a couple of things beyond snob appeal going for it. In the handling department there is less squat and dive, or so the article said. The other thing is materials: the grade of leather, carpet, trim etc.

 

Con: The M3 is the least ugly BMW right now. And the typical German complexity (and eventual repairs) is mind boggling.

[timmm55]

Great article! I think the author overlooked some history though. When the original E30 M3 was introduced (1988) a Mustang HO (LX or GT) compared very well. Other than a slight top speed advantage for the M3, it was a very even match up. Although you could get a very well equiped LX for around $13k, the M3 was $40k! The same goes through the ninties when a 305hp SVT Cobra was every good as an E39 M3 IMO. The E46 M3 started to pull away, however an '03 -'04 SC SVT Cobra was faster in a straight line.

 

Now we have this; the Holy Grail of sport Coupes the E92 M3 has an equivelent with less understeer ( I can't believe I just wrote that), and traditional Pony car advantages; more torque and disadvantages; brake dive...somethings never change.

 

Subjectively one can justify paying more for the Bavarian as it feels unbreakable and smooth as a velvet glove (plus that 4.0 V8 revs out like a Nextel Cup car). $40k for a well equipped Mustang GT is more than I paid for a very torquey and fast TT one series, something I want to pay off.

 

Love that Grabber Blue, but I will sit this one out. Although we will be looking at a 2011 Explorer to replace our very disappointing and under-engineered MB GLK (POS rides, handles, shifts like a 10 year old Buick; soft, lazy and sloppy).

 

Back in 82 I bought my first new car, an 82 Capri HO. My roommate had a new 320i........no comparison, the Capri creamed the BMW! I think the Capri was around 8 or 9K, the BMW was over 12K (?)

[T'Cal]

I remember last year when Motor Trend pitted the Mustang GT against the Camaro SS and Challenger R\T. The M3 won that too.

[danglin]

Don't get me wrong, I'd buy the Mustang GT (again) in a heart beat. But the M3 has a couple of things beyond snob appeal going for it. In the handling department there is less squat and dive, or so the article said. The other thing is materials: the grade of leather, carpet, trim etc.

 

I would hope for $29,000 more, you would get better leather, carpet, trim etc.

[twmalonehunter]

I would hope for $29,000 more, you would get better leather, carpet, trim etc.

 

I think the Boss will completely dismantle the M.....sorry BMW.

[Mark B. Morrow]

Here's a few more I just found:

 

M3 vs. Nude Sweedish Twins: While the twins are fun, the M3 wins based on its inability to speak and the fact you don't have to take it out to dinner before you go for a ride.

 

M3 vs. Chocolate Bacon Funnel Cakes: The sweet and salty fair fare is delicious, but the M3 narrowly pulls out a win. Death by crashing into a tree on the Nuremberg > Death by clogged arteries. Though MT says both left their hands a little sticky. :shades:

 

M3 vs. Jesus: M3 wins this one hands down. The M3 has been consistently improving since its debut (like the Mustang). Our Lord and Savior, on the other hand, was left to die and forced to rise again (like the Camaro).

 

POST OF THE WEEK. It's all over.

[NLPRacing]

I remember last year when Motor Trend pitted the Mustang GT against the Camaro SS and Challenger R\T. The M3 won that too.

 

And the Accord came in second.

[papilgee4evaeva]

And the Accord came in second.

I thought it was the Sonata...

[jpd80]

I think that if anything the Taurus is going shrink a bit from the current car....

 

As for the Falcon/Tbird...look at this way...its going to be a low volume Halo/Flagship car for the NA market...starting price in the 30K range and going up to 50K or so. Then we get to add the MKR to Lincoln lineup too! The Taurus will be the volume/every day car with the SHO as the model with extra spice.

 

 

Mondeo based platform will make Fusion even more roomier and almost Atlanta Taurus size internally,

Ford NA engineers have already hinted that next generation Taurus will be wider and longer.

 

Thunderbird for North America would be nice but so long as S/C 5.0 Falcon exists in AUS, I'm good.

[sullynd]

I think that if anything the Taurus is going shrink a bit from the current car....

 

I'm hoping it will mainly be more efficiently packaged (i.e. smaller exterior, bigger interior) and be V6 and Hybrid capable (With a V6 [2.7?] Hybrid for Lincoln)

 

As for the Falcon/Tbird...look at this way...its going to be a low volume Halo/Flagship car for the NA market...starting price in the 30K range and going up to 50K or so. Then we get to add the MKR to Lincoln lineup too! The Taurus will be the volume/every day car with the SHO as the model with extra spice.

 

I'm still hopeful D2C gets sedanized.

 

Lincoln: FWD/AWD/Hybrid/Electric C2 Based Car, RWD Sedan/Coupe/Vert D2C, FWD/AWD/Hybrid CD4L/D5? Sedan, RWD/AWD E8 Based Sedan.

[atvman]

Id stick with thunderbird.....to do anything else would be as sacreligious as renaming the mustang the Probe. T-bird ranks as one of the top four ford Nameplates in my book, Mustang, Explorer and focus the others...in THAT order. So, new flagship I would guess, unless Blue is chain yanking and I doubt that....anyone says Crown Vic replacement should be temporarily suspended.....

You forgot perhaps the greatest Ford nameplate in history, F150.