What are some things you DON'T like about the GT350?

[Hack]

Ford does have a challenge with weight, as do all others. The vast majority of customers want quiet cars with lots of options. If they cut down on sound deadening, insulation, carpet, power seats, electronics, A/C, back seats, etc. customers will complain and not purchase. Just hear the complaints around here will people can't get their heated seats on the Recaro's.

If they go to aluminum and especially carbon fiber and exotic lightweight materials, prices significantly increase and customers complain and say price too high for a Mustang and do not purchase.

There is not enough volume in a stripped down track car with expensive lightweight components for $80K+, they have to build a car for the most customers (quiet, comfortable, lots of options, performance).

It is lighter than the Camaro and Challenger, it two main competitors, maybe they can continue to lighten but expect cost to increase or options to shrink.

Do you think Ford is building the GT350 for the vast majority of customers? Here I was thinking it was a smaller group of hardcore fans and that the more standard Mustang models were intended for the vast majority.

If I could have whatever I wanted anything that adds weight would be an optional extra. Air bags, sound deadening, back seat... or at least have them minimized. I remember years back owning an '87 Mustang GT that I bought for $400. It was rusty and had no headliner. Just the absence of the headliner made the car a lot noisier. No sound deadener at all might be too much even for me.

Sponsored

 

[speedrx]

Do you think Ford is building the GT350 for the vast majority of customers?

I do think they want to sell around 5,000 or more each year, can't really do it with a stripper or a really high price. Let's see what they do with the GT350R or GT350S, may provide some different for the smaller group of track-ready buyers.

 

[bullittman]

Do you think Ford is building the GT350 for the vast majority of customers?

There is a VERY small dedicated group of track only guys. I open track/HSDE a couple times a year with my 500. Even at these events the largest group on the track are the beginner/novice. In conversation most of those I talked to it's usually their first or second time. Ford knows this so the large % of cars will be sold with the comfort options. This will still be a fantastic factory sold car that the average /occasional track driver will love.

 

[Hack]

There is a VERY small dedicated group of track only guys. I open track/HSDE a couple times a year with my 500. Even at these events the largest group on the track are the beginner/novice. In conversation most of those I talked to it's usually their first or second time. Ford knows this so the large % of cars will be sold with the comfort options. This will still be a fantastic factory sold car that the average /occasional track driver will love.

Vast majority doesn't translate to track only in my opinion. The vast majority of people at my work own either a minivan or a family sedan.

I want the car, might never even take it to a track, but I really hope I can get it without a lot of extra options. I'd rather spend my money on drivetrain than cush. I would think there are enough people like that to sell 5,000++ per year. I understand some people think Ford should sell a car with the best drivetrain and all the options and still have it be cheap. I'm just saying be a little more realistic - if it has all the options it's going to be more expensive and fewer people will be able to afford it.

What will prevent more people from buying this car - lack of heated leather seats, or a $65,000+ price tag?

Just sayin'...

 

[bullittman]

Ford will sell all they make for sure 5000 or up. All signs (Jamal) and others say that it will be "Reasonably" priced. Lets hope it works out that way. I am in regardless.

 

[Grimace427]

GT500 6spd MT- T56 Magnum- 135lbs

The GT500 used the Tremec T-6060. The Magnum is not an OEM transmission, never been used in any production car.

 

[Jimdohc]

The GT500 used the Tremec T-6060. The Magnum is not an OEM transmission, never been used in any production car.

Yes, you're right. I have a bad habit of calling it T56 Magnum.

TR-6060 is OE version, T56 Magnum is aftermarket version.

 

[TNcoupe]

The stripe thing is a real issue with me. After building and painting my own Cobra replica and tapering the stripes 1/2" from the nose to the hood it really puts straight stripes in perspective. When looking at the car from the front straight stripes look narrow by the time they go over the top. Tapered stripes look the same width at the top as they do at the nose when viewed from the front.

 

[Rhumbline]

While I wouldn't exactly say I don't like it, but I think they are trying to make the FPC 5.2 sound too much like a regular CPC V8, kind of lumpy and lopey. Don't get me wrong, it does sound very good, it's just that it seems to be trading away what could be a far more distinctive note to perhaps placate old bent-8 fans who worry that it might "sound like a Ferrari" like that's a bad thing. As it is, it sounds mostly like a really nice bent-crank V8, just like a gazillion other great sounding bent-crank V8s rather than the more exotic and rare piece that it is.

Rather, I'd like it to better highlight the distinctive nature of the FPC and sound more like an older bundle-of-snakes exhaust GT40, which, due to the bundle-of-snakes exhaust does tend to approximate the equal exhaust pulses and thus, smoother more even sound of an FPC engine.

[ame="[MEDIA=youtube]fwwiIn9CdUE[/MEDIA]"]

Of course, I'll reserve final judgement for hearing one in the wild as perhaps, like many motors, its sound just isn't well captured in videos.

 

[Kodyray72]

While I wouldn't exactly say I don't like it, but I think they are trying to make the FPC 5.2 sound too much like a regular CPC V8, kind of lumpy and lopey. Don't get me wrong, it does sound very good, it's just that it seems to be trading away what could be a far more distinctive note to perhaps placate old bent-8 fans who worry that it might "sound like a Ferrari" like that's a bad thing. As it is, it sounds mostly like a really nice bent-crank V8, just like a gazillion other great sounding bent-crank V8s rather than the more exotic and rare piece that it is.

Rather, I'd like it to better highlight the distinctive nature of the FPC and sound more like an older bundle-of-snakes exhaust GT40, which, due to the bundle-of-snakes exhaust does tend to approximate the equal exhaust pulses and thus, smoother more even sound of an FPC engine.



Of course, I'll reserve final judgement for hearing one in the wild as perhaps, like many motors, its sound just isn't well captured in videos.

I'm willing to bet that the aftermarket will be more than happy to fix that

 

[asphal]

While I wouldn't exactly say I don't like it, but I think they are trying to make the FPC 5.2 sound too much like a regular CPC V8, kind of lumpy and lopey. Don't get me wrong, it does sound very good, it's just that it seems to be trading away what could be a far more distinctive note to perhaps placate old bent-8 fans who worry that it might "sound like a Ferrari" like that's a bad thing. As it is, it sounds mostly like a really nice bent-crank V8, just like a gazillion other great sounding bent-crank V8s rather than the more exotic and rare piece that it is.

Rather, I'd like it to better highlight the distinctive nature of the FPC and sound more like an older bundle-of-snakes exhaust GT40, which, due to the bundle-of-snakes exhaust does tend to approximate the equal exhaust pulses and thus, smoother more even sound of an FPC engine.



Of course, I'll reserve final judgement for hearing one in the wild as perhaps, like many motors, its sound just isn't well captured in videos.

All of the videos I have seen have it sounding pretty incredible and still I have read complaints online that it doesn't sound like a Mustang. If they made it sound like a straight up Ferrari the complaints would be even louder.

I'm looking forward to seeing what aftermarket exhausts can do for the GT350, not that it really needs one.

 

[Rhumbline]

All of the videos I have seen have it sounding pretty incredible and still I have read complaints online that it doesn't sound like a Mustang. If they made it sound like a straight up Ferrari the complaints would be even louder.

I'm looking forward to seeing what aftermarket exhausts can do for the GT350, not that it really needs one.

Pretty much agree: yeah, it does sound great. It's the complaints that it doesn't "sound like (yet another) Mustang," which is at the root of my "complaint." Why would you want a new, exotic, out-of-the-box-thinking FPC motor TO sound just like a legion of millions of CPC crank Mustangs rumbling down the road already rather than highlight and emphasize the specialness, distinctiveness and uniqueness of this motor.

I just think Ford is giving those myopic "doesn't sound like a Mustang" whiners too much weight and as a result are trying to hide, almost defensively, what could really emblemize this very special Mustang and ceding a great marketing angle out of some lack of confidence.

Undoubtedly the aftermarket will uncork the unique aural qualities of this motor rather than trying to make it sounds like about 50 million other CPC V8s on the road today, just a shame Ford seems to lack the confidence to do so themselves. Again, sounds great, unfortunately, pretty much just like a gazillion other V8 Mustangs.

PS I wonder if this motor might be found in the rumored upcoming GT(40) successor. If so, perhaps Ford would be more confident in unleashing its own natural and distinct voice in that platform than in the Mustang GT350, sounding more like the original GT40 clip in my preceding post.

 

[Grimace427]

Pretty much agree: yeah, it does sound great. It's the complaints that it doesn't "sound like (yet another) Mustang," which is at the root of my "complaint." Why would you want a new, exotic, out-of-the-box-thinking FPC motor TO sound just like a legion of millions of CPC crank Mustangs rumbling down the road already rather than highlight and emphasize the specialness, distinctiveness and uniqueness of this motor.

I just think Ford is giving those myopic "doesn't sound like a Mustang" whiners too much weight and as a result are trying to hide, almost defensively, what could really emblemize this very special Mustang and ceding a great marketing angle out of some lack of confidence.

Undoubtedly the aftermarket will uncork the unique aural qualities of this motor rather than trying to make it sounds like about 50 million other CPC V8s on the road today, just a shame Ford seems to lack the confidence to do so themselves. Again, sounds great, unfortunately, pretty much just like a gazillion other V8 Mustangs.

PS I wonder if this motor might be found in the rumored upcoming GT(40) successor. If so, perhaps Ford would be more confident in unleashing its own natural and distinct voice in that platform than in the Mustang GT350, sounding more like the original GT40 clip in my preceding post.

How do you know what we've heard so far from the Voodoo engine isn't actually it's natural tone and not just Ford trying to make it sound like a CPC? What's to say the exhaust note from a Ferrari IS the natural FPC note and not just Ferrari's specific exhaust tuning?

 

[Rhumbline]

Several reasons I suspect that Ford is trying to make the Voodoo FPC V8 sound more like a typical CPC V8:

• FPC with the even on-bank intake/exhaust timing and pulses shouldn't have the "lumpiness" of a CPCs uneven pulses, the later of which gives CPC's that distinctive lumpy exhaust cadence and that the GT350's note also seems to have/replicate.
  
• Ford GT40's with their bundle of snakes exhaust system that in their own way create equal exhaust pulses sound quite distinct -- much smoother -- than the GT350's lumpier exhaust seems to.
  
• Ford has itself acknowledged purposefully trying to make the FPC GT350 "sound like an American V8," which would inevitably imply trying to make it sound like a CPC V8.
  
• Other FPC engines (Ferrari and Lotus for example) and their exhaust analogues (GT40s) do have similar, though by no means identical, exhaust qualities that distinguish themselves from CPC V8s.

Of course, as I've mentioned, I'm reserving final judgement until I here one up close and personal in the wild. However, based upon the vids I've heard so far and my above reasoning, I am reserving judgement.

Again though, I'm not saying the Voodoo V8 sounds bad by any means -- it sounds great -- its just that it might be giving up some level of distinctiveness in its note in order to sound like pretty much any other hot American V8 who are for some reason, afraid it would sound like a Ferrari. Would those same people likewise be afraid that a CPC Voodoo would have sounded like a Dodge, Chevy or AMG?

 

[Doc Holliday]

I think it's going to have a more distinct sound than some are predicting, especially when those exhaust valves are open. In the nurburgring videos I think there is a very noticeable difference in the exhaust note on the voodoo car vs the coyote equipped car. In person it may be even more apparent. Also, many of those shots catch the car coming into a corner or in the middle of one where they probably aren't turning very high rpm. If you listen to a few of the straightaway shots, it sounds more like what I would expect from a fpc. Maybe I'm just being optimistic.

I agree though that Ford shouldn't be worried about it sounding "too much like a Ferrari." What is that supposed to mean? That reminds me of a country music song titled Too Much Fun by Daryle Singletary.

Sponsored