Would You Consider a Smaller Foxbody Inspired Mustang?

[shogun32]

the zephyr/maverick could be a RWD platform base I should think.
It's a damn shame Ford shot their wad naming a mini-truck Maverick. When they could have used the nameplate for the 'mini' Mustang. Hell, slap that body on the C2 and I'd buy it even if it was only FWD.

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[NightmareMoon]

If there ever comes a day where there is a turbo Miata or turbo BRZ from the factory, every car guy on Earth would flock to get one.

Before I bought this Mustang, my main criteria was something with a better power to weight ratio than the (aftermarket) turbo miata I had owned, which was pretty close to 10:1, and a GT was the best I could do w/in a reasonable budget.

Mazda did have a mazdaspeed mx-5 in ~2005 with a factory (small) turbo, but the power to weight was still worse than the current 2nd gen BRZ/86. Then there was the Saturn Sky / Pontiac Solstice which could come with like 260hp. Not quite the 10:1 ratio you're looking for yet, but its something.

The current closest thing is still probably the the 2nd gen BRZ/86. (but still a meager 12:1 ratio, so it won't blow your socks off)

Now I guess we have the Nissan Z, but its pretty close to a mustang in price/weight/horsepower.

My friend is all hot and bothered about the new GR Carolla, which is decent power/weight ratio, but good luck getting one for a good price.

So yeah. Lots of cars that flirt with that ideal 250hp:2500lb / 300hp:3000lb that we'd like to find, but none of them are the obvious winner that find the right balance of power and price.

 

[Bulldog9]

I'd like to see all these cars go on a diet.

 

[shogun32]

nifty site
https://www.powertoweight.com/power-to-weight-ratios-by-engine-type/

the Maverick is 3600lbs so hardly much of a savings despite it's size.

 

[OppoLock]

Ford made the F150 all-aluminum; I was really hoping the S650 would be all-aluminum and shed some serious weight. Other than +20hp and subjective aesthetics, there really isn't much changed on the S650 over the S550. I don't see any reason to buy one if you already have an S550.

I’d love to see them go ham on the use of aluminum for their other models too, but I think the reality is that the magnitude of sales are in different solar systems, so the investment for an aluminum-intensive F-150 can be amortized far greater than on something like a Mustang, let alone a niche-model sports car.

Since 2016 (chose that because the S550 and all-aluminum F-150 introduced in 2015–also, this probably includes the entirety of the F-Series range, but F-150s make up a dramatic bulk of the sales anyway):

As far as the sales proposition for the S650 over S550, I’m sure that comes down to personal preference and that discussion already stretches pages on this forum in other threads. Personally, I’d take the S650 if both were on sale for similar pricing, but I’ve also had an S550 for more than seven years and know its strengths and flaws like the back of my hand, for better or worse.

 

[OppoLock]

I'd like to see all these cars go on a diet.

Tell people to stop wanting airbags in their seatbelt buckles and cupholders; their 10+ speaker sound systems; their active safety equipment; to lower their NVH expectations so we don’t have mega-tons of sound insulation; to stop worrying about magazine benchmark numbers so everything doesn’t pull 1g+ and hit the 1/4 in sub-13s so we can have smaller wheels, tires, and brakes; tell the government to stop mandating crash safety standards that raise hoods several inches which increases the height of everything else; tell people to stop buying cars that are jacked up hatchbacks too while we’re at it

It’s a fucked system for enthusiasts simply by nature of following sales patterns and keeping up with increasing safety regulations

 

[DeluxeStang]

I don't even need the v8. A 2800 lb car with the ecoboost engine making somewhere between 300-350 hp would be incredible! That could easily be done for at or below $40k.

Hell, if Ford has proven this platform can be profitable on the maverick with a starting price in the low 20s, and the focus being cheaper still,I wouldn't be surprised if they could make a business case for pricing these at a starting price in the mid to high 20s going up to about 40k or so. Undercutting the base price of the s650 by about 5k give or take assuming it starts at around 30. That way you could have two different products appealing to different buyers at different price points. The s650 could be more premium, offer the v8, and play the role of the restrained cruiser. Whereas this could offer more progressive styling with some 80s throwbacks to cash in on 80s nostalgia, with more nimble handling. If they only offer Ecoboost engines, they could even do cool throwbacks to things like the svo models and over the top 80s graphic packages.

 

[GT Premi]

the miata/brz are unfortunately too small for Lumberus Americanus. it's sized for the Japanese male. The Ecosport/bronco-sport/maverick in rear-drive could work.
...

My thoughts exactly. If Ford would release a smaller, lightweight (under 3400 lbs)Mustang that actually performs, I wouldn't be able to get to the dealership fast enough! And skip the 4-banger! V8 or nothing!

 

[GT Premi]

...
Whereas this could offer more progressive styling with some 80s throwbacks to cash in on 80s nostalgia...

That's the very opposite of progressive.

 

[DeluxeStang]

That's the very opposite of progressive.

In the sense that paying tribute to 80s design language is more modern than paying tribute to 60s design language. Plus it would be a mostly fresh, and new design, with a few retro touches, rather than a design that had to look identical to an old one, that's what I mean by progressive.

 

[MidwayJ]

I don't even need the v8. A 2800 lb car with the ecoboost engine making somewhere between 300-350 hp would be incredible! That could easily be done for at or below $40k.

That would be great! Ain't going to happen, though. Can a Civic Type R engine go in an 86?

 

[Twizzty]

A smaller, lighter mustang with the 3.5 TT EB would be a fun car! Would be the closest thing to my favorite car so far, the ATS-V.

 

[Ewheels]

That would be great! Ain't going to happen, though. Can a Civic Type R engine go in an 86?

I'm sure it could but then you'll likely need a stand-alone ECU so right away your total investment shoots way up. Probably easier to build a FA20, put a turbo on it, and have a 400hp 86/BRZ.

 

[repeet]

Ford made the F150 all-aluminum; I was really hoping the S650 would be all-aluminum and shed some serious weight. Other than +20hp and subjective aesthetics, there really isn't much changed on the S650 over the S550. I don't see any reason to buy one if you already have an S550.

I've been passing on buying a Mustang for decades. I'm not a fan of the binocular instrument panel or analog gauges. The S650 is the first Mustang for several generations that has an instrument panel that I wouldn't mind having to stare at for hours at a time.

I've got a BRZ on order, but if Subaru keeps dragging its feet, or tries to up the price on deliver, the S650 is the next vehicle on my list.

 

[MidwayJ]

I've been passing on buying a Mustang for decades. I'm not a fan of the binocular instrument panel or analog gauges. The S650 is the first Mustang for several generations that has an instrument panel that I wouldn't mind having to stare at for hours at a time.

Digital dashes were around multiple decades ago? You do get a Coyote V8 with those analog gauges. And a digital dash has been available on the Mustang since 2018.

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