rjstaaf said:
Gonna disagree with you there. Why even build the motor if it is not going to wind up in a production vehicle at some point even if a limited edition. I seriously doubt Ford built it just to add content to the Ford racing catalog.
When they first designed it, it was rumoured to be one of the options for the 02 Cobra, but they decided against it for some reason. It was realized that Ford needed a new crate motor that represented the modern technology present in Ford engines, and so they decided to go down that path. GM has many, many crate motors that have never, nor will ever, be in a production vehicle. Heck, just look at the 502 and 572 cuin motors.
I don't think Coletti would have put the blown 4.6 on the shelf so quickly with no expectation of it being used in another high performance vehicle. I'd love to see the Marauder have it if that actually continues production (haven't heard a decision on that car either way). If SVT hadn't put the DOHC 4.6 on the parts shelf when the 03 Cobra came out, we wouldn't have had the Mach 1 (or with possibly just a Bullit engine).
Don't get me wrong, I would love to see a version of the 5.0 Cammer in a production Mustang, but I doubt it will happen. There's too much (speculative, I'll admit) evidence to suggest the blown 4.6 instead.
EDIT:
Also, I don't think the 5.0 is going to replace the 4.6, ever. With VVT, the 3v 4.6 is plenty powerful enough for a factory car while still meeting emissions. If it happens, it would have to be a SOHC 3V design w/ VVT, because the DOHC model we have now would not likely be a big enough improvement in power (after figuring all the usual emissions restrictions such as cats, etc) to justify it. And even if it was significantly faster, it wouldn't be a replacement. The 5.4 3V engine for the F150, while one of the most badass V8s Ford has offered in a truck, is not the standard engine - the 4.6 is. Fuel economy and emissions will keep bigger engines from being standard equipment I suspect. GM is just narrowly getting by with the 6.0L LS2 engine in the Corvette, and even then it's only because of the six-speed transmission - with the 4-speed auto, it has a gas guzzler tax (or maybe it's the GTO that does.. can't remember).
The 4.6 is used in way too many vehicles to be replaced with something that's going to have a hard time passing fuel economy and emissions regulations in a couple of years. 2007 is going to see a lot of big changes for the automotive world, although the biggest is the new collision standards (hence why so many cars are being redesigned between now and '06).