GT350 Announced

[bird_dog0347]

Willie, that's what the exotic race cars have been doing for years.

http://www.projectm71.com/Cross_FlatPlane.htm

Thanks for the link. I honestly wasn't sure what flat-plane meant. I was just thinking about the stress that connecting rods take at high RPM. It's amazing they stay together with that much stretching force.

It's funny to me that sport bikes have used flat plan (I4) engines for a long time and a few years ago the R1 became the first to go to a cross plane crank. It made the engine much heavier/bulkier but made the tq curve much better for them and they won many championships with it. It's funny that V8 sports cars are going the opposite direction, but I also fully understand all the reasons why for both sides.

The bikes are at a point where more power will only kill the tires, they simply overpower everything so the point was to make the power more usable and obviously it worked. The mustang doesn't have that same issue.

That's the first new mustang I've seen that I like better than my 2014. Someday, I'll have a GT350, I like it better than the 2014 GT500.

[BLAKE]

That looks amazing.

This is probably blasphemy, but I think if you add boost to this car, you're missing the point. High revving N/A with a nice flat torque curve... Boost would likely just turn it into a very expensive tire destroying machine that's ready to pop an already heavily-tweaked motor.

[racrguy]

That looks amazing.

This is probably blasphemy, but I think if you add boost to this car, you're missing the point. High revving N/A with a nice flat torque curve... Boost would likely just turn it into a very expensive tire destroying machine that's ready to pop an already heavily-tweaked motor.

I don't disagree with this, but I'd also be lying if I said I wasn't curious what you could get away with. If you could get the turbos selected and tuned right, I bet it would still be quite useful, depending on chassis capabilities. Personally, I wouldn't put a blower on it as high RPM tends to favor turbos. I hope out of the box it's a bad bitch, but time will tell.

[Denny]

It's funny to me that sport bikes have used flat plan (I4) engines for a long time and a few years ago the R1 became the first to go to a cross plane crank. It made the engine much heavier/bulkier but made the tq curve much better for them and they won many championships with it. It's funny that V8 sports cars are going the opposite direction, but I also fully understand all the reasons why for both sides.

The bikes are at a point where more power will only kill the tires, they simply overpower everything so the point was to make the power more usable and obviously it worked. The mustang doesn't have that same issue.

That's the first new mustang I've seen that I like better than my 2014. Someday, I'll have a GT350, I like it better than the 2014 GT500.

The cross pane cranks use counterweights and make a smoother balance. Flat panes don't need it, but are not as refined.

[46Tbird]

That looks amazing.

This is probably blasphemy, but I think if you add boost to this car, you're missing the point. High revving N/A with a nice flat torque curve... Boost would likely just turn it into a very expensive tire destroying machine that's ready to pop an already heavily-tweaked motor.

This is so hard to get across to people. I am just not a huge fan of boost on street cars. Been there, done that, got the repair receipts.

The car will probably be an awesome performer and looker, even if (visually) it's a GT-R ripoff. I really don't like the Gone in 60 Seconds color choice for the debut, nor do I like the fact that the video is all CGI. Now that we see it has an entirely different body package, I bet this car will be in the $75k range.

I don't want to be negative Nancy about it, because I applaud Ford's commitment to a real performance car here (unique engine, aero, brakes, wheels/tires, etc) but this one looks like it won't be a hopped-up, no frills, light weight car for the masses like I was hoping. Can't wait to see actual photos and data.

[Denny]

This is so hard to get across to people. I am just not a huge fan of boost on street cars. Been there, done that, got the repair receipts.

The car will probably be an awesome performer and looker, even if (visually) it's a GT-R ripoff. I really don't like the Gone in 60 Seconds color choice for the debut, nor do I like the fact that the video is all CGI. Now that we see it has an entirely different body package, I bet this car will be in the $75k range.

I don't want to be negative Nancy about it, because I applaud Ford's commitment to a real performance car here (unique engine, aero, brakes, wheels/tires, etc) but this one looks like it won't be a hopped-up, no frills, light weight car for the masses like I was hoping. Can't wait to see actual photos and data.

I think it's just an icebreaker to another avenue Ford is heading. This one might just be for the collectors with money to blow, but it might branch off to a broader market.

[Moose242]

"...flat-plane crankshaft 5.2-liter V8 engine that will produce more than 500 horsepower – the most powerful naturally aspirated Ford production engine ever."

Uhh, did they forget about the 427 cammer?

[bird_dog0347]

"...flat-plane crankshaft 5.2-liter V8 engine that will produce more than 500 horsepower – the most powerful naturally aspirated Ford production engine ever."

Uhh, did they forget about the 427 cammer?

I Think they mean with today's standards for measuring horsepower.

[Denny]

I Think they mean with today's standards for measuring horsepower.

Right

[01vnms4v]

I still think the stingray will rape that car. Will have to wait and see what it does

[46Tbird]

"...flat-plane crankshaft 5.2-liter V8 engine that will produce more than 500 horsepower – the most powerful naturally aspirated Ford production engine ever."

Uhh, did they forget about the 427 cammer?

No, they didn't.

The 427 SOHC was never installed in an assembly line production car. It was only available as a crate engine for Nascar and drag racing teams.

[dee]

No, they didn't.

The 427 SOHC was never installed in an assembly line production car. It was only available as a crate engine for Nascar and drag racing teams.

And was absolutely awesome.

[Moose242]

No, they didn't.

The 427 SOHC was never installed in an assembly line production car. It was only available as a crate engine for Nascar and drag racing teams.

Ford sold enough to homologate the engine for nascar, and you could buy them over the parts counter. I guess this hinges on how pedantic you want to be about what qualifies as production.

[Denny]

Ford sold enough to homologate the engine for nascar, and you could buy them over the parts counter. I guess this hinges on how pedantic you want to be about what qualifies as production.

That is opening up new areas other than the subject at hand.

[Baron Von Crowder]

Ford sold enough to homologate the engine for nascar, and you could buy them over the parts counter. I guess this hinges on how pedantic you want to be about what qualifies as production.

FMS sold enough letter cams to circle the globe a few times, but that doenst make them oem.