Ford dropping V8s for the Mustang?

I read this today and thought it interesting...

especially the part that said Ford is planning to drop V8s from some of its models...

http://editorial.autos.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=455013&topart=luxury

In the early to mid 1970s emissions controlls, specifically the catalytic converter, coupled with high gas prices (70 + cents a gallon), and CAFE regs killed the American High Performance car. It took about a decade but by the mid 80's starting with the H.O. Mustang GT, the Buick Regal Gran Nationals and the TPI'ed Z28s, T/A, & Vettes the Manfactures figured it out and horsepower numbers started to rise again and have continued to rise to this day far surpassing the Horsepower of the big blocks of the 60's.

The point is the Manufactures figured out a way to make horsepower despite all the regulations and restrictions then , and they will figure it out now.

Don't the new C6's get like 30mpg on the highway?

The highest I have achieved so far is 24 MPG.

That's what I thought after reading the story. It says Ford will drop V8s on some models, but I would bet Mustang isn't one of them.

That would be like new Coke.

Besides they can have one tire shreading gas gulping car, they just have to get an average across the board. The V-8 mustangs are more of a nitch car, the V-6 is by far the biggest seller. Thier going to put the new ecoboost V-6 in the linclons with twin turbos, it will have the power of a V-8, but the mpg of a V-6. I'm sure the mustang will be privey to the eco as well, but there will allways be a place for a V-8 in a mustang. Especially if it puts out 400 hp and gets 30 mpg. That would be close enough for thier 35 mpg average if they have 4 or 5 other cars that get 35 - 40 mpg like the focus, the new verve, fusion, escape and whatever else they come up with.

You guys also need to remember the newest rendition of the F150 isn't available with a V6 ( the one that just got introed at Detroit) Though there isn't much difference between the mpg of a 4.2 versus that of the 5.4, as mentioned before things can be done by the manufacturer that would make gas mileage better. It's a shame cars don't come already done with the stuff we all do. Old school was 4bbl carbs, headers and dual exhast. My little bro was getting 23mpg in a Cobra II with a 302 and C4 4bbl, true duals, not easy on the pedal either. My Dad got 30mpg in his 88GT slightly more mild driver but, when he wanted to the car was sideways. All these cars are capable of 30mpg and above especially with engines becoming more efficient the sad part is we as the end users have to spend an extra thousand dollars, in order to undo what lawmakers have done and get better mpg and better performance Cold Air Intakes, Free flowing Exhaust, performance headers, you can even get better mpg throwing on a supercharger as long as you keep a light foot

regardless ,,,,,, the numbers of "GT"s then will be disproportional smaller and incredibly more expensive than they are today.

I can even envision a situation where the numbers would be comparable to the current Shelby GT within any model year.

IMO - the days of V8's for the masses are quickly ending

Ford is not dropping the V8 from the Mustang. On the contrary, they are actually adding two new engines for 2010. One is a 302 and the other is the 6.2L. Both will also be offered in the F-series and Explorer. This will be their answer to the new Camaro and Challenger.

Any word whether one of these is the 'Hurricane V8' that Ford promised some years back?

If GM can put a hybrid power train in the Yukons with their V8, Ford can figure it out too.

Ford should set a new standard for the muscle car and offer a model of Mustang GT that uses a hybrid power train but retains the V8. Not a replacement model but another. Of course as they tweak it, eventually, and in time for new CAFE regs, it could replace the normal GT.

It could have gobs of torque and get 25mpg easily. (city/freeway)

The sad thing about the SUV/Pickup hybrids from GM is 1. the price, and 2. they're still so heavy that 20mpg isn't that impressive to me for a hybrid vehicle. Yes the $24K Toyota Prius is a grand idea on paper but, I'm still enough of a gearhead if I'm gonna spend over $20k for a car I want to be able to slide the rear end out on it.
I've also heard rumors of Ford throwing in an optional 3.5 V6 in the Mustang for 2010. Regardless the only thing that keeps Mustang sales higher than the other cars in the same market are the easily accesible and stylish V6 cars. I thought about getting an 05 and newer GT but with the options you can throw at the base models these days, plus the MPG, it's worth a second thought. No you can't make a V6 sound like a V8 and sometimes you can't get the performance per dollar on equal playing terms, but sometimes it's sad when you turn 30 and think about the more practical side of things. I hate getting old

lexus had a hybrid V8. i think it was something crazy like 400 hp, but the electric motor did most of the cruising. i am too lazy to google it to get more info though.

LS600h. Power of a V-12 with the fuel economy of a V-8. What I want to know is who worries about MPG at that price point?

Anyways, the real gain in MPG will be to put cars on a diet. What kills city MPG is moving all that mass in stop and go traffic. That's why the V-6 F-150s don't get much better mileage than the 5.4 version, even with the significant decrease in performance in the V-6. What did a Fox notch weigh? 3000lbs? What kind of city mileage and performance gains would my 06 GT gain if it lost 500+ lbs?

No worries guys. Ford is NOT dropping the V8 on the Mustang. Here's an attachment link that I located on one of the other forums.



http://www.autosavant.net/2008/02/details-emerge-on-new-mustang-gt-engine.html

good link.

Cant put these beast on a diet .........

not with all of the DOT mandated safety nonsense and EPA smog junk weighing them down.

It's finally nice to know that Ford is going both VVT, and DI for 2010. Hopefully will see close to 30+MPG. Excellent for a 5.0 V8