How hard would it be to engineer a Front-mid engine mustang?

[DeluxeStang]

I was just thinking about this over the last few days. It's no secret the mustang is getting more expensive, and that's not gonna change anytime soon. So I thought what would make it easier for Ford to sell mustangs at a higher price point and justify it? The thought that came to mind was taking mustang in a more exotic, seductive direction, a proposal I've offered in the past.

Not full on supercar levels of exotic, but more like c7 levels of exotic. Keep the front engine layout, but move the front wheels up a bit and/or push the a-pillar rearward. This would make the mustang even sexier, it would also make it easier to position the engine just above, or slightly behind the front axle, effectively making the mustang mid-engine, but front mid-engine so it can retain it's classic proportions. Cut down drastically on the size of the overhangs which is one of the only unattractive things about modern mustang design.

Next level design, and performance, something that would be able to justify charging 50, 60, 70 grand for a gt, but making it feel like less of a rip off.

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[DeluxeStang]

We all know this sculpture from back in the day. A fastback roofline like this, and hood length, with the s650 front end and hips would be just about perfect as far as I'm concerned. This, but tweaked to be practical for production purposes is what I mean by making mustang more exotic and striking without losing it's identity.

 

[GripTime]

I was just thinking about this over the last few days. It's no secret the mustang is getting more expensive, and that's not gonna change anytime soon. So I thought what would make it easier for Ford to sell mustangs at a higher price point and justify it? The thought that came to mind was taking mustang in a more exotic, seductive direction, a proposal I've offered in the past.

Not full on supercar levels of exotic, but more like c7 levels of exotic. Keep the front engine layout, but move the front wheels up a bit and/or push the a-pillar rearward. This would make the mustang even sexier, it would also make it easier to position the engine just above, or slightly behind the front axle, effectively making the mustang mid-engine, but front mid-engine so it can retain it's classic proportions. Cut down drastically on the size of the overhangs which is one of the only unattractive things about modern mustang design.

Next level design, and performance, something that would be able to justify charging 50, 60, 70 grand for a gt, but making it feel like less of a rip off.

Are you suggesting this so it can get closer to a 50 50 weight distribution? I have no idea what it is now but my understanding is that the configuration you speak of is to help with the weight distribution which of course enhances the handling.

 

[DeluxeStang]

Are you suggesting this so it can get closer to a 50 50 weight distribution? I have no idea what it is now but my understanding is that the configuration you speak of is to help with the weight distribution which of course enhances the handling.

That's exactly right. Moving one of the heaviest parts of the car closer to the center to give it a more favorable weight distribution. But keeping it front mid-engine allows Ford to keep the famous long hood, short trunk shape the mustang is known for, giving us better handing, and a better design. It's drastic, but something drastic needs to be done to retain mustang buyers in a sea of rising prices. 60 grand for the current mustang is a steep ask. But make it look like something that belongs on a movie set, and performs like a monster, and suddenly 60 grand doesn't seem like such a big ask.

 

[robvas]

Not sure how many people here are engineers that could give you an accurate answer

 

[Q6543]

I’ll take a guess, it’s in the Billions to do just about anything… 10s of Billions most likely, and mustang does not do the volume to offset that.

Everyone should realize… Ford is basically the F150 company… everything else is expensive side dishes.

 

[GripTime]

I’ll take a guess, it’s in the Billions to do just about anything… 10s of Billions most likely, and mustang does not do the volume to offset that.

Everyone should realize… Ford is basically the F150 company… everything else is expensive side dishes.

Your post is spot on. In the savagegeese video about the DH the Ford engineer said they wanted to lower the roof and the waistline on the S650 but it would have been millions of dollars in investment so of course they didn't do it.

I know everyone wants a newer revised Mustang and so do I. But I am very appreciative and glad they are able to still squeeze out models and maintain the RWD Manual V8.

 

[DeluxeStang]

Your post is spot on. In the savagegeese video about the DH the Ford engineer said they wanted to lower the roof and the waistline on the S650 but it would have been millions of dollars in investment so of course they didn't do it.

I know everyone wants a newer revised Mustang and so do I. But I am very appreciative and glad they are able to still squeeze out models and maintain the RWD Manual V8.

My guess is that's the sort of change we'll see with a new platform. Based off of the comments of Ford's CEO, it seems like that could be likely. Everything from him wanting to make the mustang lighter without adding a ton of cost, wanting to offer hybrid powertrains, and wanting to offer a mustang sedan alongside the coupe, those are all things they're probably gonna need a new platform to do.

They're apparently planning on investing more heavily in mustang than they have in a long time, so we'll see where that takes it. I get the impression as good as the s650 is, it's kinda a stop gap between two major redesigns, the s550, and whatever comes after, so Ford wanted to keep development costs low.

 

[MidwayJ]

Your post is spot on. In the savagegeese video about the DH the Ford engineer said they wanted to lower the roof and the waistline on the S650 but it would have been millions of dollars in investment so of course they didn't do it.

I know everyone wants a newer revised Mustang and so do I. But I am very appreciative and glad they are able to still squeeze out models and maintain the RWD Manual V8.

Agree, but I feel like the price of a Dark Horse is too close to a C8, a car GM obviously invested in heavily.

 

[BoostRabbitGT]

Just curious, how would you go about designing a front/mid-engine Mustang, @DeluxeStang ?

 

[DeluxeStang]

Just curious, how would you go about designing a front/mid-engine Mustang, @DeluxeStang ?

Freeing up more space first of all to give you that additional room to push the engine rearward. With a mustang sedan all but confirmed, it seems like that's gonna become the popular model for mustang enthusiasts who really need a back seat. So make the coupe a 2 seater, saving weight, cost, and making it easier to push the a-pillar back because you don't need to package a rear seat anymore.

This would give engineers more freedom and space to work with behind the front axle, especially if they also pushed the front wheels up a little bit. It would also make the mustang a lot sexier with the hood getting even longer.

 

[DeluxeStang]

Agree, but I feel like the price of a Dark Horse is too close to a C8, a car GM obviously invested in heavily.

Which is part of the problem, and why I suggested this thought exercise in the first place. The c8 sells incredibly well for what it is. A massive reason for that is the sense of value and excitement it brings, notice I said value, and not affordablilty. The c8, most of them on dealer lots anyway, are selling for 70 grand plus, so it's not cheap. But the price feels like a bargain for what you're getting, because it is, there is no other mid engine V8 sports car that comes anywhere near the c8 in terms of price.

If Ford wants to turn the mustang into a corvette rival, which seems like the plan, they have to step their game up. The s650 is great, but for 60,70, 80 grand, it needs to be better, it needs to handle better, it needs to be more visually striking, and so on. This is another example of where I'd like to see mustang go design wise. Keeping that mustang look, but just giving us...more.

 

[MidwayJ]

The c8 sells incredibly well for what it is. A massive reason for that is the sense of value and excitement it brings, notice I said value, and not affordability.

I agree! And a Dark Horse just seems like poor value in comparison.

If Ford wants to turn the mustang into a corvette rival, which seems like the plan, they have to step their game up.

I don't think that's Ford's plan (it never has been), but I think some kind of new and improved chassis for the S650 was warranted to make it a better value.

 

[DannyJ7]

Technically, the EB is front/mid since the block is behind the front axel (or very near to being 100% so).

 

[DeluxeStang]

I agree! And a Dark Horse just seems like poor value in comparison.


I don't think that's Ford's plan (it never has been), but I think some kind of new and improved chassis for the S650 was warranted to make it a better value.

I don't think that was Ford's plan 10 years ago, but I think it could be today. Either way, as far as I'm concerned, with the Camaro dead, and the challenger being an EV, it's things like the corvette which presents the greatest competition to mustang. The only two American V8 sports coupes on the market even if that's almost all they have in common.

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