Why is Mustang heavier?

[sjerven]

With the Dark Horse being almost 4000 lbs, it got me wondering why that is the case. More coolers, slightly larger overall size of car (?), technology etc. Ford increased headroom and beefed up the car into muscle car territory, which I don’t mind. Aside from carbon fiber parts, wheels, rear seat delete what could ford do to reverse the weight trend here?

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[bfets]

I've wondered the same thing. Interesting when I looked into it, it seems for us here in Australia the weight gain wasnt that much. We dont get the handling pack for the Dark Horse here.

https://www.carexpert.com.au/ford/mustang/2022-mach-1-90dc5943
Weight for Mach1: 1776kg

https://www.carexpert.com.au/car-news/2024-ford-mustang-price-and-specs
Weight for DH manual: 1822kg

So the difference at least in Australia is 46kg (101 LBS)

The difference must be the new tech, better insulation and better quality interior?

 

[Twin Turbo]

The S650 also reverts back to steel front wings/fenders. Added tech and safety features means it was always going to gain weight.

Unless they started with a clean sheet (and we know they didn't) I can't really see any way of significantly reducing the weight.

 

[Q6543]

Light weight is a thing of the past, having to meet crash and safety standards just adds an untold ridiculous amount of weight.

but it is all for driver/passenger safety! So I get it… and I feel how safe the car is when I’m driving it… when I hop in my foxbody that’s 1000 lbs lighter it all makes sense… the fox is literally deadly.

 

[Eurasianman]

Light weight is a thing of the past, having to meet crash and safety standards just adds an untold ridiculous amount of weight.

but it is all for driver/passenger safety! So I get it… and I feel how safe the car is when I’m driving it… when I hop in my foxbody that’s 1000 lbs lighter it all makes sense… the fox is literally deadly.

^ This. Especially with EVs (heavier than non-EV vehicles) starting to become more common, other vehicles on the road need to have beefed up frames and safety equipment to keep the driver and passengers safe.

But wait, I'm sure it'll get even better (sarcasm). If I recall correctly, the safety standards are about to get more strict (i.e. rear passengers safety). This potentially means more safety systems being implemented (or in other words, more weight being added due to safety measures).

 

[IFFV68]

The S650 also reverts back to steel front wings/fenders. Added tech and safety features means it was always going to gain weight.

Unless they started with a clean sheet (and we know they didn't) I can't really see any way of significantly reducing the weight.

Why couldn’t the Mustangs be made out of aluminum?
My 2020 F150 Limited is aluminum Except for the Frame & bed frame.
Why can’t Ford make the Mustang body out of aluminum?
If the truck is safe with aluminum why wouldn’t the Mustang be safe with aluminum? The 2019 and 2020 Limited come with the same motor as a Ford Raptor ,450 horse & 510 pounds of torque. I know it’s a truck not a car so it’s heavier.

 

[5.0ALM]

...The difference must be the new tech, better insulation and better quality interior?

The oil pan is now steel, so that probably adds a kilo or two?

More pronounced rear haunches means increased surface area of steel panels, which is more steel.

Is the starter motor beefier (and heavier) due to the Auto S/S?

Second CAI and throttle body.

The second screen would weigh more than the S550's smaller center stack screen.

Bigger rear brakes.

Two gas struts instead of a single prop rod.

Slowly adds up!

 

[jimgt2k24]

Good quality materials?

 

[GripTime]

The Car and Driver Lighting lap video specifically called out the large brake rotors as adding weight.

What is the driveshaft on these cars and will we be able to upgrade to aluminum or carbon fiber like past models?

 

[horned-toad]

safety doesn't have to mean more weight but the cheapest and most naive solution results in more weight.
Also there is a decent amount of sound deadening added.
Just wait till they add 150HP in the form of motor and battery - it'll be a hoot and no real car guy will care about weight since it allowed 0.00001 second faster 0-60 and quarter mile.

Embrace the steady drumbeat of enshitification. It's the EV way.

 

[Zig]

safety doesn't have to mean more weight but the cheapest and most naive solution results in more weight.
Also there is a decent amount of sound deadening added.
Just wait till they add 150HP in the form of motor and battery - it'll be a hoot and no real car guy will care about weight since it allowed 0.00001 second faster 0-60 and quarter mile.

Embrace the steady drumbeat of enshitification. It's the EV way.

Only when I can swap the battery pack almost as quickly as changing the current starter battery

when I care if I put the battery in the trunk or under the hood dead weight sux the life out of it

 

[Eurasianman]

Why couldn’t the Mustangs be made out of aluminum?
My 2020 F150 Limited is all aluminum.
Why can’t Ford make the Mustang all aluminum.
If the truck is safe with aluminum why wouldn’t the Mustang be safe with aluminum? The 2019 and 2020 Limited come with the same motor as a Ford Raptor ,450 horse & 510 pounds of torque. I know it’s a truck not a car so it’s heavier.

Be careful about the wording. The body panels on the F-150 are aluminum. The main frame is still made out of steel, as well as, the bed frame.

 

[IFFV68]

Be careful about the wording. The body panels on the F-150 are aluminum. The main frame is still made out of steel, as well as, the bed frame.

Yes, you are correct.
The main frame is Steel..
I thought the bed frame was Aluminum.. The rear fenders & bed are aluminum.
Need to edit.
Thank You.

 

[Eurasianman]

Yes, you are correct.
The main frame is Steel..
I thought the bed frame was Aluminum.. The rear fenders & bed are aluminum.
Need to edit.
Thank You.

No worries. I saw your original post and had to go recheck myself

 

[Upacurb]

The Car and Driver Lighting lap video specifically called out the large brake rotors as adding weight.

What is the driveshaft on these cars and will we be able to upgrade to aluminum or carbon fiber like past models?

Sounds like corporate speak considering the 350s have the larger brakes also ....
I am really curious why no press cars have the carbon fiber wheels .....

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