Engine Debate

[ang1sgt]

Nothing sounds as good as a V8! I don't look down on the EB or v6 mustangs, but it does look funny having a 4 cylinder in the engine bay. However, both put out horsepower close to what my Shelby GT did in 2007.

This reminded me of my early wrenching years on cars in the 60's and 70's. I used to LOVE wrenching on pick up trucks due to all the room under the hood, could darn near sit on the fender and change plugs in those things.

The difference between the Ecoboost and the V8 reminds me how much things have changed over the years. I took a look at a Guard GT yesterday and that engine is packed in there like the 70 Mach 1 428 SCJ motor. Man, such memories!

My travels in life I have spent some time in Europe and loved small high strung motors. My last few years have been with V6's and Diesel 4 cylinders. This leads me towards the Ecoboost for sure. I love the technology in both the V8 and the Turbo and I think Ford has done this new Mustang right with these motors.

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[Norm Peterson]

It's starts in first. I manually started it in first, no difference over letting it do it itself (other than not shifting until you do it).

Yuck!

Once well over 3000 RPM it pulled like a monster.

I kind of expected (hoped) that was the case. FWIW, relatively small-displacement high output engines tend to be much better suited to road course driving where output under 3000 isn't nearly as important as it is for drag racing with an automatic, a stock torque converter, and possibly some torque management going on.

At least they upped it to a 3.15 this year, but the lower torque and slightly added weight might make it a wash. That six with a 3.73/4.10 and an 8 speed auto with a .50 top gear would be an awsome package. Would get equal highway mil and would probably help city, as it would need much less throttle for mildy spirited/slightly aggressive keeping up with traffic type driving. IE, getting to other side of an intersection ahead of the 80 year old grandpa that is pissed you want to drive faster than 10 under and decides to give you a run at the next light, for no other reason than they are old and grumpy. That V-6 stang would have to be floored in that situation...

When a lower axle gear lets you upshift at lower road speeds most of the time, city mpg can actually improve, and what you're saying about gears and 8A's is what the mfrs are beginning to do.

80 y/o grandpas, eh? 80 isn't all that many years away for me, and on the right stretches of road it might still be you not going fast enough for me. Hmmm . . I can't help the 'old', but does :stickouttongue make me grumpy?

Too bad the smileys are AWOL.


Norm

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

When a lower axle gear lets you upshift at lower road speeds most of the time, city mpg can actually improve, and what you're saying about gears and 8A's is what the mfrs are beginning to do.

The 2.73 rear axle in my 2011 automatic is in fifth gear by 30 mph. 6th gear by 35. Keep it gentle on the gas and it'll upshift real quick.

 

[BmacIL]

I've decided on what I'm going to do now. If orders can still be made come spring/summer 2015, or it's still available next year(2016), I'm gonna try to get myself a manual V6 with 3.55 gears.

I just got to drive a V6 with 3.55 gears (auto unfortunately) and it was quite noticeably quicker than a 3.15 equipped V6 I drove and way quicker than the 2012 V6 premium (non PP). With a manual, the 3.55 would be dynamite.

The only GT I've driven was a 2014 auto, and the 3.55 2015 V6 wasn't far off that from a spirited road driving perspective.

 

[K-Roll302]

I just got to drive a V6 with 3.55 gears (auto unfortunately) and it was quite noticeably quicker than a 3.15 equipped V6 I drove and way quicker than the 2012 V6 premium (non PP). With a manual, the 3.55 would be dynamite.

The only GT I've driven was a 2014 auto, and the 3.55 2015 V6 wasn't far off that from a spirited road driving perspective.

I've never driven a Mustang before.

I've ridden in my friend's '87 5.0 with barely any interior left(weight savings), and it's a fun and quick ride, VERY loud though.

I've ridden in a '11 GT, that thing was scary as hell when it was floored. Scared me more than the 997 Turbo I was in two weeks later.

You're in Michigan also, awesome! I'm not to far away from you.

If you don't mind my asking, what dealer do you go to?

 

[Charles147]

I've never driven a Mustang before.

I've ridden in my friend's '87 5.0 with barely any interior left(weight savings), and it's a fun and quick ride, VERY loud though.

I've ridden in a '11 GT, that thing was scary as hell when it was floored. Scared me more than the 997 Turbo I was in two weeks later.

You're in Michigan also, awesome! I'm not to far away from you.

If you don't mind my asking, what dealer do you go to?

Talk, talk, talk...go test drive a flipping mustang already...

 

[BmacIL]

I've never driven a Mustang before.

I've ridden in my friend's '87 5.0 with barely any interior left(weight savings), and it's a fun and quick ride, VERY loud though.

I've ridden in a '11 GT, that thing was scary as hell when it was floored. Scared me more than the 997 Turbo I was in two weeks later.

You're in Michigan also, awesome! I'm not to far away from you.

If you don't mind my asking, what dealer do you go to?

Blackwell Ford in Plymouth. They have a Guard V6 with 3.55 that I drove. I think they're open late (9 pm) on Mondays and Thursdays.

 

[HotRod]

This reply comes late in the day but i am compelled to join the debate. I will answer a question with a question:

Does it truly matter what the next guy thinks?

I would like to initiate a debate/conversation with the following question:
Mustangs are not "just a ponycar". They are THE ponycar. Getting back on topic, the ponycar community is filled with meatheads who truly buy into the idea that the only ponycar is one with a V8. Without the other engine options (which make up the majority of sales) there would be no V8. It was never the idea behind the car. Mustang is about the experience. What does the car do for you? Everything from the styling, interior, and engine options, the sum of those parts equate to the Mustang experience. Many Mustangers enjoy their sixes and now 4 bangers as much as others enjoy their GT's. I've owned seven Mustangs, the first of which was a brand new 1998 V6. The rest are GT's including the two i currently own. Of all my Stangs the V6 is not at the bottom of my list enjoyment. I feel the GT and higher end Mustangs are the most passionate and gratifying expression of the Mustang experience. I give props to ANY Mustanger whose ride is tasteful IMO whether stock or modified. REGARDLESS of its cylinder count. Good natured ribbing about engines are just like inter-service rivalries; we talk a lot of smack but mutually respect one another. All are needed even though some take the rivalry bit quite seriously.

I drove several 3.7L Stangs and thought "I wouldnt mind having one of these. I rented a 15' Eco-boost premium this weekend and thought "I WANT ONE OF THESE!" Its a Mustang and the experience I had with that car this weekend was a great one. Get what you want/can afford/suits you needs. To hell with what the next guy thinks. When/if you do, welcome to the Mustang brotherhood! What ever you get, enjoy it.

I swear, I wrestle this in my mind every single day I've wanted a Mustang, and who better to ask than a Mustang community, and hopefully without any hate or judgement. Now that the Mustang has three engines now(but maybe not for long) it seems that the choice of Pony is even harder than before; maybe just for me and some others, as I've noticed that it seems that the majority believes that it NEEDS a V8 and nothing else.

Is there an superiority/inferiority complex amongst Mustang owners? Now the most experience I've got with Mustangs, is my time at Mustang Memories this year, a ride in a '11 GT, and a '15 preproduction GT.

Most of the time, I hear the following responses:
1. V8 or nothing
2. If you're not buying a V8, you're buying the wrong car
3. V6s are for girls/secretaries/females/rental fleets/daddy's girl, and they aren't manly or for men.
4. Anything less than a V8 makes you less of a man, more feminine ect.
5. V6 is not a muscle car, but then I have to ask, isn't the Mustang not a muscle car? Isn't it just a pony car?

I guess having the top-of-the-line motor means:
1. Prestige
2. Bigger is better
3. Superiority
4. Heritage(to some extent)
5. Other things I'm not aware about

Why? What's the big deal with this? Why does it happen? Is a V6 not good enough? Does it make it inferior? Personally, I like 6 cylinder cars, 911s, BMWs, I've been around those cars my entire life. I love the way they sound, and sound is a very important characteristic of how I enjoy my driving. As such, I wouldn't mind a V6, in fact I'd love to have one, but then I'd have to worry about other car people and even Mustang owners that'd say you bought the wrong car. Is it just stereotypes or is it something more? Maybe just preference? But even so, why the negative stigmas?

If newer V6s are making more power and maybe more torque than V8s from the last decade or so stock for stock, are the V8s still superior?

Hypothetically, if and when the 3.7L finally goes away, if the Mustang were just left to the EB and GT, the EB would be the base Mustang, would it then be the "rental/female/secretary car"?

Now, with the EB, I bet it's a great motor and I hope it does well, even if it's taking the Mustang into a future I simply cannot embrace; that and having been through three 4-cylinder cars(I'm on my second and third right now), I'd want something different.

Does having anything less than a V8 make a Mustang, not a Mustang? Does any of this make sense? I hope I have not offended anyone by this, I'm simply curious.

 

[Norm Peterson]

This reply comes late in the day but i am compelled to join the debate. I will answer a question with a question:

Does it truly matter what the next guy thinks?

When you're only 19 and haven't fully formed your opinions of most things, automotive or otherwise, I think it does. "Will I fit in if I make choice "X" matters to most; at that age I think only a few people are secure enough in their own choices - or stubborn enough as nonconformists - to make them in the absence of outside opinion. Or, as is likely to be the case with this particular topic, in spite of a lot of it.

A neighbor of mine had an early-S197 V6 Mustang on a lease (not sure what year) before I even started the round of car shopping that put my '08 in the driveway. I'd only be kidding myself if I tried to deny that his sixxer influenced my purchase.


Norm

 

[MagneticA]

If I'm not mistaken, the original poster has already weighed his options and decided...

There is no "Best" because something will always come along as better. So the best is "What's Best for You".

 

[Sixer]

the V8 Mustang is an icon of Americanism.

there's no other American car built car that's taken it's place.
it's part of the culture Americans grow up with, a factual 3 dimensional element of American life,
seen, and heard, by most everyone.

Mickey Mouse, Coke, blue jeans, Mustang and so on.

say, think, Mustang means V8 , anything else is less.

 

[Strokerswild]

I am tempted to order a EB this spring since I'm a fiddler and would love to see what I could do with it.

But since this car might be a keeper I will probably spring for the V8.

 

[Murdered Out Pony]

If newer V6s are making more power and maybe more torque than V8s from the last decade or so stock for stock, are the V8s still superior?

Yes they are because they are also making more power and torque.

 

[oldlugs]

It's going to be really interesting to see how our friends all over the world get on with tuning the new 4 cyl. While I'm still loving a V8 in my cars (which aren't driven daily), this new turbo 4 will no doubt get heavily massaged and end up making awesome power. The Ecoboost models may end up being a tuner's favorite in Europe...
We may see Ford offering specialized versions of the 4 cyl Mustangs for Euro markets.
Mustang ST or RS...?

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

the V8 Mustang is an icon of Americanism.

there's no other American car built car that's taken it's place.
it's part of the culture Americans grow up with, a factual 3 dimensional element of American life,
seen, and heard, by most everyone.

Mickey Mouse, Coke, blue jeans, Mustang and so on.

say, think, Mustang means V8 , anything else is less.

But... you're Canadian?

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