Anyone get a Ford invite?

[-RAC-]

Just got an invite from Ford to a couple of track days with the new Dark Horse SC. Anyone else get a Dark Horse SC Track Tour invite?

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[CorralesR]

I havent gotten anything. Are you an original owner? There's nothing Ford could do to get me to buy a DH. Just really dislike the design. I'm sure it's a great car that does everything well, I just dont like the design like I dont like the 71 to 73 cars. And I dont think I'm alone as sales are really down for the S650.

 

[-RAC-]

I don't own a DH SC. Slow sales? I bet that's why they are doing a track tour with it.

Looks like it will be at Watkins Glen, Road America, Sebring and some other track TBD.

 

[MAGS1]

The DH SC looks cool. It’s a bit pricey but what isn’t these days. I’ve gone into the Build & Price a few times and the thing that sucks is some seemingly innocuous options automatically make you add the Track Package, which adds $30k to the price tag. Ford needs to offer for more standalone options for the base model and not force people into the Track Package if they don’t want it.

Cool that you got an invite and I’m sure it’s to try to boost sales.

I haven’t done the ST SUV Experience that came with our Explorer ST yet, but I recently got a flyer from Ford that they’ve expanded locations, including here in Chicago. They’re taking it on the chin with all the recalls, I’m sure they’re trying to boost enthusiasm for the brand in general by offering/expanding these different vehicle experiences

 

[9secondko]

The track tour thing is the same deal they did 6 years ago with the gt500, which Is basically the same car MIght as well use the same strategy Too.

The SC design is too disjointed for me. The rear diffuser looks cheap and blocky, the front grilles look like they Al came from different cars ( concave rounded central upper grille with…nostrils…, the lower central grill pushed all the way flush with the bumper and flat, and the side grilles that are pushed back as they should be), weight increase, the comical fisher price hood vent, the “SC’ badging that looks like it was typed onto the car using Microsoft word, etc. the design is really bad. When Shelby American makes your design look old and cheap, you have a problem.

Then there is the car itself. A massaged 6 year old GT500. Seriously.

and then there is the ridiculous pricing of a massaged 6 year old car as if it was a brand new, engineered from the ground up, new platform kind of thing.

I wanted to like the car so much. But the more I see and the more I learn, it’s just a miss on Ford’s part. Not even sure they swung very hard. So it’s going to be a miss for me as well.

 

[BullittBoy]

With that current wiring issue recall, I wouldn't buy ANY new Mustang 24-26. But I would go test drive the crap out of one on a track, just wouldn't buy it!

 

[ShelbyGT350]

Ford (and their cheap-ass bean counters) wanted to save $800 a car by not paying Shelby American to have their name on it. Really DUMB STUPID move! Shelby American should be the one telling Ford how to engineer the cars for PERFORMANCE.

 

[MAGS1]

Ford (and their cheap-ass bean counters) wanted to save $800 a car by not paying Shelby American to have their name on it. Really DUMB STUPID move! Shelby American should be the one telling Ford how to engineer the cars for PERFORMANCE.

You do realize it was for the naming rights only right? Shelby American had no input in the S550 Shelby’s. That was all Ford Performance (now Ford Racing). The engineers are not the problem at Ford…

 

[Epiphany]

I got the invite this morning. Watkins Glen.

I loved my GT350. I love my GT500. And I'm glad to see the DH SC come along. The S650 is a well developed platform and Ford engineers have improved just about everything that the S550 GT500 had. The Predator engine has been well supported by the aftermarket community so there's no waiting for parts to be developed if you want to dive into power mods right away.

If I was in the market for one I'd absolutely be negotiating on a version that would suit my needs.

 

[MAGS1]

I got the invite this morning. Watkins Glen.

I loved my GT350. I love my GT500. And I'm glad to see the DH SC come along. The S650 is a well developed platform and Ford engineers have improved just about everything that the S550 GT500 had. The Predator engine has been well supported by the aftermarket community so there's no waiting for parts to be developed if you want to dive into power mods right away.

If I was in the market for one I'd absolutely be negotiating on a version that would suit my needs.

You going to take them up on the invite to drive one, Tob?

 

[Epiphany]

Sadly, I'm recovering from fusion in my cervical spine as well as lumbar fusion (screws, rods, bone "glue" and a cage). That also kept me from the Bronco Raptor Assault I had been looking forward to. I could go on forever about it but suffice it to say, it really sucks.

I would have loved to have gone to see if the DH SC feels that much different than the 500. I've tracked my car and found out right away that the 4S tires were a bit limiting. I really wanted to see how well the carbon brakes and better tires differentiate the car from the 500 too. Oh well.

 

[ShelbyGT350]

You do realize it was for the naming rights only right? Shelby American had no input in the S550 Shelby’s. That was all Ford Performance (now Ford Racing). The engineers are not the problem at Ford…

Yes, I understand that. But i"m in the sales and marketing business and Ford's bean counters threw away one of the best marketing tools they had to sell high-performance Mustangs just to that they could save $800 a car and have their own "brand," Dark Horse. Some of the engineering that Ford's done on the Dark Horse (and even the GT's) leaves a lot to be desired. And when in the hell are we EVER going to see a 2.7 or 3.0L TT V6 in a Mustang? Likely never because the brainiacs at Ford think that will bastardize too many V-8 sales away to Ecoboost motors. I own a 2016 EB and at high RPM, that is a COARSE engine, rather than the TT V6 motors which are a lot smoother with more power at a lower RPM range. I also own a M-B GLC43 SUV which has a 3.2L DI/TT motor in it tha puts out 370 HP and it is a WAY better engine and smooth like butter.

 

[HoldenSSVandGT350]

Ford (and their cheap-ass bean counters) wanted to save $800 a car by not paying Shelby American to have their name on it. Really DUMB STUPID move! Shelby American should be the one telling Ford how to engineer the cars for PERFORMANCE.

Um. No. Never. The end.

 

[MAGS1]

Yes, I understand that. But i"m in the sales and marketing business and Ford's bean counters threw away one of the best marketing tools they had to sell high-performance Mustangs just to that they could save $800 a car and have their own "brand," Dark Horse. Some of the engineering that Ford's done on the Dark Horse (and even the GT's) leaves a lot to be desired. And when in the hell are we EVER going to see a 2.7 or 3.0L TT V6 in a Mustang? Likely never because the brainiacs at Ford think that will bastardize too many V-8 sales away to Ecoboost motors. I own a 2016 EB and at high RPM, that is a COARSE engine, rather than the TT V6 motors which are a lot smoother with more power at a lower RPM range. I also own a M-B GLC43 SUV which has a 3.2L DI/TT motor in it tha puts out 370 HP and it is a WAY better engine and smooth like butter.

From an actual marketing perspective, yes it would’ve been worth the money to renew that Shelby license. Someone (or multiple someone’s) were obviously ready to move on from Shelby. At some point, the Shelby name won’t mean much to folks but I don’t think we’re at that point yet. Whether there is a direct correlation to current sales and the removal of the Shelby name is unclear. Given rising costs of everything and uncertainty abound, I don’t think that’s the sole reason DH SC sales are sluggish (potentially, since there are no actual sales figures yet). The car itself appears to be fantastic and while the changes may not be wholesale, there are a lot of upgrades in some keys areas as Tob alluded to earlier.

We have the 3.0L TT V6 in our Explorer ST, it scoots, especially in a 4,700lb SUV. Would love to see it in a Mustang, but as you said, it won’t happen because it’s too close to the V8. There’s more than one rumor out there that a larger displacement, NA motor is coming for a Mustang trim yet to be named. If that becomes the standard Mustang V8 for the next generation, that would give Ford the opportunity to use the 3.0L TT V6 next generation as well. Will they do it? Probably not, but we can dream

 

[HoldenSSVandGT350]

I got the invite this morning. Watkins Glen.

I loved my GT350. I love my GT500. And I'm glad to see the DH SC come along. The S650 is a well developed platform and Ford engineers have improved just about everything that the S550 GT500 had. The Predator engine has been well supported by the aftermarket community so there's no waiting for parts to be developed if you want to dive into power mods right away.

If I was in the market for one I'd absolutely be negotiating on a version that would suit my needs.

This. I think the DH SC looks suboptimal, but, I’ve read about the engineering updates, and, especially, the aero work they did that was based on GTD dev lessons learned and I think that is going to be worth decent gains at the track. Especially higher speed venues like COTA, Road America, Watkins et al.

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