jrease
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C&D puts out their guesses on the new GT350 power/weight and track times...
2016 Mustang GT350 Performance Estimates: How Quick Is a Flat Snake?
Specific details on the new Mustang GT350 are few and far between. We know it’s Mustang-based (duh), has a six-speed manual, and has a flat-crank 5.2-liter V-8. Real engine specifications are still kept behind closed doors in Dearborn. This marketing-driven trickle of information isn’t by mistake, nor is it going to stop us from making a prediction of straight-line performance. This is, after all, the rejuvenation of a seriously historic nameplate and, as Ford says, the 5.2 is the most powerful naturally aspirated street engine it has ever made.
To make an educated guess—frankly, that’s what our estimates are—we need to know a number of specifications, but the bare minimum is power and mass. What little we know of the new 5.2-liter V-8 is the kind of stuff that makes us weak in the knees. For starters, the flat-crank mill sports a redline of 8200 rpm. That’s a botched downshift from matching Ferrari’s 4.5-liter V-8 in the 458 Italia. Ford makes the vague claim of “more than 500 horsepower” and peak torque of “above 400 pound-feet.” We’d bet the power will trump the Camaro Z/28’s 505, and it’ll likely be a round number. Don’t be surprised if the engine makes 525 horsepower. For the sake of these forthcoming estimates, though, let’s call it a conservative 510.
The curb weight of the GT350 is another story. Basing our curb-weight estimate on the regular, comparo- and 10Best-winning 3810-pound GT is a given. It’s a known quantity. However, there are a lot of changes that will change weight. For the first time ever, Ford is employing magnetorheological dampers in one of its cars. These dampers will add some weight, and while it won’t be much, they are definitely heavier (including all the supporting doodads) than the GT’s dampers. The extra mass is well worth the added benefit of continuously variable damping, which may improve launch traction and will almost certainly improve upon the ride/handling balance that the GT nearly masters. Also, the GT350’s front brakes measure 15.5 inches in diameter and the rears are just 0.5-inch smaller. These are not lightweight carbon-ceramic rotors, but rather iron friction surfaces with an aluminum hat. Either way, they are adding mass to the straight-line equation.
But there will certainly be some lighter materials in the mix. The 5.2-liter V-8’s flat-plane crank should save a few pounds. Ford confirmed there is no speed governor on the GT350, so the driveshaft has the potential to spin mega fast in overdrive. Maybe not the 200 mph Ford claimed for the old GT500, but 185 mph is within reach. There is a distinct possibility that the GT500’s carbon-fiber driveshaft is currently spinning underneath development mules, which will save a few pounds.
So, some bits will be heavier and others lighter. For our estimate, we’re giving the GT350 a 10-pound gift, but it’s essentially a wash with the manual GT at 3800 pounds.
Finally, how quick will this snake be? With 510 horsepower accelerating 3800 pounds of GT350, we think it’ll hit 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, 100 mph in 8.7 seconds, and break the quarter-mile tape in 12.1 seconds. That’s just a bit quicker than the best run we ever recorded for the Boss 302 (which was for an unpublished test). Now, these are conservative estimates. If the Ford manages to come in 100 pounds lighter at the curb, the GT350 could be a car that cracks into the 11-second range. However it shakes out, one thing is certain: You’ll be the first to know when we get the chance to quantify the GT350’s performance.
http://blog.caranddriver.com/2016-mu...-a-flat-snake/
2016 Mustang GT350 Performance Estimates: How Quick Is a Flat Snake?
Specific details on the new Mustang GT350 are few and far between. We know it’s Mustang-based (duh), has a six-speed manual, and has a flat-crank 5.2-liter V-8. Real engine specifications are still kept behind closed doors in Dearborn. This marketing-driven trickle of information isn’t by mistake, nor is it going to stop us from making a prediction of straight-line performance. This is, after all, the rejuvenation of a seriously historic nameplate and, as Ford says, the 5.2 is the most powerful naturally aspirated street engine it has ever made.
To make an educated guess—frankly, that’s what our estimates are—we need to know a number of specifications, but the bare minimum is power and mass. What little we know of the new 5.2-liter V-8 is the kind of stuff that makes us weak in the knees. For starters, the flat-crank mill sports a redline of 8200 rpm. That’s a botched downshift from matching Ferrari’s 4.5-liter V-8 in the 458 Italia. Ford makes the vague claim of “more than 500 horsepower” and peak torque of “above 400 pound-feet.” We’d bet the power will trump the Camaro Z/28’s 505, and it’ll likely be a round number. Don’t be surprised if the engine makes 525 horsepower. For the sake of these forthcoming estimates, though, let’s call it a conservative 510.
The curb weight of the GT350 is another story. Basing our curb-weight estimate on the regular, comparo- and 10Best-winning 3810-pound GT is a given. It’s a known quantity. However, there are a lot of changes that will change weight. For the first time ever, Ford is employing magnetorheological dampers in one of its cars. These dampers will add some weight, and while it won’t be much, they are definitely heavier (including all the supporting doodads) than the GT’s dampers. The extra mass is well worth the added benefit of continuously variable damping, which may improve launch traction and will almost certainly improve upon the ride/handling balance that the GT nearly masters. Also, the GT350’s front brakes measure 15.5 inches in diameter and the rears are just 0.5-inch smaller. These are not lightweight carbon-ceramic rotors, but rather iron friction surfaces with an aluminum hat. Either way, they are adding mass to the straight-line equation.
But there will certainly be some lighter materials in the mix. The 5.2-liter V-8’s flat-plane crank should save a few pounds. Ford confirmed there is no speed governor on the GT350, so the driveshaft has the potential to spin mega fast in overdrive. Maybe not the 200 mph Ford claimed for the old GT500, but 185 mph is within reach. There is a distinct possibility that the GT500’s carbon-fiber driveshaft is currently spinning underneath development mules, which will save a few pounds.
So, some bits will be heavier and others lighter. For our estimate, we’re giving the GT350 a 10-pound gift, but it’s essentially a wash with the manual GT at 3800 pounds.
Finally, how quick will this snake be? With 510 horsepower accelerating 3800 pounds of GT350, we think it’ll hit 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, 100 mph in 8.7 seconds, and break the quarter-mile tape in 12.1 seconds. That’s just a bit quicker than the best run we ever recorded for the Boss 302 (which was for an unpublished test). Now, these are conservative estimates. If the Ford manages to come in 100 pounds lighter at the curb, the GT350 could be a car that cracks into the 11-second range. However it shakes out, one thing is certain: You’ll be the first to know when we get the chance to quantify the GT350’s performance.
http://blog.caranddriver.com/2016-mu...-a-flat-snake/
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