2005 will have IRS option

[spectravp]

2005 MAY HAVE IRS option... may...

This is somewhat speclation as the document I am referring to doesn't actuallly say IRS, but does say "New Suspension (TBD) optional handling suspension on GT" This is from a Ford Dealer Order Guide draft. It can be had and reviewed here: http://bradbarnett.net/mustangs/timeline/05/05/OrderGuide.pdf

I hope it is an option. I, personally, always felt the live axle was a handling limitation of the stang.

There is also no 18"wheel option available.

 

[(&)]

That's one hell of a misleading title you put on this thread.

 

[scottie1113]

IRS--only in my dreams.

 

[PimpDaddyGT]

Um yeah...I'm pretty sure that simply means upgraded springs and shocks like similar to the Bullitt setup. Way to get us all excited though.

Eric

 

[Yellow99Saleen]

Yeah seriously. I saw that and was Uber excited, oh well

 

[Slapyo]

IRS in the cobra, guys from team mustang at the 05 unveiling said we could count on the IRS in the cobra.

 

[351CJ]

You're dreaming.

I say that the ""New Suspension (TBD) optional handling suspension on GT" is acctually the missing 18" tire option. Which as we discussed here many times, is said to be "late availability", like Jan 05. The shocks (& possibly the springs too) will have to be different with the 18" wheels & tires because they will weight more than the 17" wheels & tires.

 

[SVTJayC]

I find it interesting that there is a typo on this "official" document. Or, if not, Ford is certainly going to take a bath on that 7" wheel option offered exclusively on the GT.

Furthermore, I question the "MPS" stereo, as well as the Torque numbers which are listed once as 320@5400 and 315@4500 and HP as 300@5400 and 300@6000

 

[66stangowner]

We need some prices.

 

[WaltA]

I find it interesting that there is a typo on this "official" document.

I think that is why each and every page is marked as "Initial Draft". We all might want to hold off panicking until we get to see an approved and released version.

 

[Rampant]

IRS in the cobra, guys from team mustang at the 05 unveiling said we could count on the IRS in the cobra.

When will Ford clue in to the fact that there are a lot of people that will want the IRS without having to pay for the top-of-the-line model? Sure, make it a variant (Boss, Shelby, something), but please keep the price close to the regular Mustang.

The good news is it should probably make for a relatively easy aftermarket swap later. It is just a hassle I would preferr not to deal with.

 

[spectravp]

Sorry guys...

I didn't mean to mislead anyone. I hadn't realized that about the Bullit having different springs. You are probably right about the '05 upgrade being something along those lines. We can only hope for an IRS upgrade though. It's not uncommon now-a-days to offer different suspension packages on select vehicles; wether Ford does this or not remains to be seen. Considering the clear division between those who prefer live axles and IRS, I think it would be wise to offer it as an option. Especially since the platform was designed for IRS.

Regarding the 18" wheels, I have no clue. I didn't see it in the document and assumed they wont be available. As someone pointed out the discrepancy in the torque ratings, I will reiterate what someone else mentioned as well: this is an initial draft dated from January of 2004. If they start taking orders in a couple of weeks, I am sure their is a final draft somewhere... If I find it, I'll post it.

 

[SVTJayC]

IRS vs Live is not a "suspension upgrade". It's a whole damn new rear end. It's not going to be an option. The 2005 Mustang GT will have a live axle...get it through your heads. If they were going to give it an IRS, they would have. Nothing has changed here...as always, if you want IRS, go buy a Thunderbird. That's why I bought my 2 in the 90's. That, or Pony up and buy the Cobra, and if the 40k price tag is too much, then buy a GTO. Life is full of choices, but IRS in the GT, isn't one of them, let it go. Do you honestly think they spent all that effort revamping the design to accept a live rear, just so they could turn around and stick what was allready in there right back in?

 

[rhumbline]

IRS vs Live is not a "suspension upgrade". It's a whole damn new rear end.

Well, to many, it’s both a new suspension and a significant upgrade. But not to get too deep into semantically minutia, the "New Suspension (TBD) optional handling suspension on GT" is likely to not be an IRS option, at least for '05.

The IRS will likely be offered in models other than the Cobra as various statements by Ford folks intimate, including sub-Cobra models – in the future beyond ‘05. The S195 chassis was designed to accept either the already-seen live axle and, in the near future, the still in development IRS. My guess is that it would be introduced on the Cobra for the ’06 model year, then some sub-Cobra model, perhaps a neo-Boss or GT-R type thing, after that. Whether it will eventually be offered as an option on the GT is pure speculation at this stage, probably Ford itself isn't committed one way or the other.

In any case, once the S195 IRS is out, I imagine there will be various GT retrofit routes including draggers who want to swap out their Cobra's IRS for a GT owner's live axle, much like the current Cobra and GT owners do. Ford Motorsports may also offer some sort of IRS kit too.

 

[scottie1113]

Until I can get IRS in something other than a Cobra, I will continue to drive my old GTvert with its AODE. But when Ford offers a Mustang equipped like mine with IRS, it's trade in time.

I'm not holding my breath.........

 

[WaltA]

Sure, make it a variant (Boss, Shelby, something), but please keep the price close to the regular Mustang.

Ford has already mentioned there will be a special edition with a sticker around $50K. Far, from the price of a regular Mustang. Well, at least I hope it is.

 

[WaltA]

The IRS will likely be offered in models other than the Cobra as various statements by Ford folks intimate, including sub-Cobra models – in the future beyond ‘05.

Team Mustang had mentioned, some time ago, that it was their plan to offer the IRS on the SN95 GT's as an option. Then the marketing people got a hold of it, and came up with a high price and low sales projections, which killed the plan. It would not surprise me that these same marketing people will just dust off their old report, change SN95 to S197, and kill it again.

One would think that with all the R&D and assembly line costs already paid for by SVT on the Cobra, that it would have been very difficult for the marketing people to have come up with a bad profit projection report.

 

[spectravp]

Team Mustang had mentioned, some time ago, that it was their plan to offer the IRS on the SN95 GT's as an option. Then the marketing people got a hold of it, and came up with a high price and low sales projections, which killed the plan. It would not surprise me that these same marketing people will just dust off their old report, change SN95 to S197, and kill it again.

One would think that with all the R&D and assembly line costs already paid for by SVT on the Cobra, that it would have been very difficult for the marketing people to have come up with a bad profit projection report.

Thank you. And, it would make a lot of sense considering they have to do the R&D for the Cobra's IRS anyhow. Some people are willing to spend some extra dough to get a GT with better handling and can't afford a cobra or don't care for the fuel economy of the cobra. In fact, I would be so bold as to say that is the case with most people on this forum. Albeit, most probably don't care about fuel economy. I sure don't. I think Ford would be foolish not to offer it.

 

[DBMSTNG]

i could swear that i've heard the IRS will be an option on the GT and V6 at some point, just not in 05. more like 06/07. also remember that they are limiting options on the 05 Mustang to avoid as many "new car" bugs as possible.

 

[scottie1113]

I don't want a Cobra. I don't need the power, and I don't want a stick. Just give me a GT with IRS and slushbox and I'll be happy. A manumatic would be better, but I'd succumb to IRS first.

Call me old (I'm 56), but I don't go to the track, and I'm tired of having to shift in heavy traffic. I simply want a powerful, refined road car and I'd like it to be a Mustang.

Sigh...