Yeah I tend to agree with this observation. Adding even more weight to an already heavy car doesn't make a whole lot of sense IMHO. True more HP will overcome those extra pounds in a straight line, but that extra weight will make an already poor handling car, a real nightmare in any kind of twisties.

 

Guys, if I dropped a 600hp motor in an old El Dorado, how many of you would take up for the car's shortcomings? Come on. This thing is a pig and there comes a point where more power is just that, just more power. It has no sexy lines on it, it sits like an SUV, and it is no faster than the previous model. If it is, its MARGINAL.

 

Some of you guys are totally missing the obvious??

Cars nowadays have to meet more strict crash tests, plus most people want more for their $$$ so options lists are bigger also. This all means weight. You WILL NOT have a car the same size as the Mustang weighing the same as cars from old, it just ain't happening.

Just look at the GTo, Charger, Challenger, Camaro concept they are all FAT and heavey. Even BMW's and Mercedes suffer from the same thing.

So quit your whining and just be grateful that companies still offer frigging performance cars at all!


Face it, STOCK for STOCK the new GT500 has more power and is faster than a 03/4 Terminator, get over it will you.

Stanger88, as for ALL Terminators making 375rwhp - BOLLOX!!!!!!!!

We've been over this time and time again. Different dyno types (interia, load bearing - Dynojet, Mustang Dyno) combined with varying correction factors and graph smoothing ALL affect results big time.

SAE to STD can result in 20rwhp+- depending on conditions.

Graph smoothing can make an 5-10rwhp

And dyno types on such cars would normally be giving ~25rwhp variance.

A stock Terminator on a Mustang Dyno, corrected to SAE running sensible graph smoothing will NOT make ~380rwhp, in exactly the same way NO stock LS1 will make 330rwhp under the same test conditions.

So to compare only one dyno run from the GT500 to what would be considered a "high" dynojet number from a Terminator and claim the GT500 is a dissapointment is pure folly.

 

stanger fact is, if I brought this up 2 years from now youd look like a ******* moron

 

I don't think that achieving the best quarter-mile times possible is the main goal for Ford here. They proved that being the fastest thing on the road is really not that important. Look at the Mustang versus Camaro war in the latter years when the Camaro was still in production. The base GTs were getting there doors blown off, and the cobras were not able to run with the LS1, but look which car was coming off production lines in 2003, not the faster Camaro. At a price tag of around $60k, I think the GT500 has a certain target audience. It's not the young people wanting a bad-*** machine to go out and do some seriouse street racing (all though there will be some of those) and it's not for the hard-core bracket racers that are going to strip it down and really **** the motor off (and there will be some of those also). I think the main target audience is going to be the older, more financialy established car buyer that grew up with the original GT500 and GT350. They are looking for something nestolgic(?spelling?) that will be a collector car in a few quick years. I agree with Z2K_MRJ, they probably will not be making these things after a few years, and the resale and collector value is going to go through the roof.

 

I really dont see a problem here over 400 to the wheels in hot weather,bone stock.and with just mufflers and a gear change over 440.dont forget thats with cats,no tuning,and stock air box.a few little tweaks I see 500 no problem.and as for the weight of the car I think its light but I also own a gen 2 lightning

 

I agree here. On a side not, I wish I could get 450hp from a fuking catback swap... I agree with RK. This is a collector car. You don't see a whole lot of people in vettes stripping them down and pissing off the motor. The ones that do are usually out of tuner shops and what not. Most of the other ones might do a wet kit, S/C, H/C but that's it (As if that's not enough). But the older guy in a Z06 likes it just the way he bought it. If I get a collector car, I am not touching it. Just enjoying it. Sort of like the people with modded 35th's. I don't understand why they would **** with the meaning of the car. It is a collector...

 

Look I'll go out during my lunch break and pick one up and dyno it this Saturday sound good? -Mark

 

the problem with this comment is FORD has set this car to compete with the Z06 and VIPER . and it will never in stock trim run with these two cars, its to heavy and i think as we are finding out that the numbers are overblown. the Z06 has all the electronic gizmos and airbags and it stills weighs in at 3300 pounds. the difference in weight according to FORD is the A/W intercooler, supercharger, brakes , and other suspension component upgrades to handle this power. they claim the eng with the supercharger and cooler weigh 250 lbs more than a stock 5.4. this is a feeble attempt by ford to take a mustang GT and make a super car out of it. lots of motor but very little everywhere else. I would take a Z06 anytime .

 

I would take a Z06 anytime . [/QUOTE]


+1

 

What are you talking about? A 5 and 6 series BMW weighs less than the GT500 and don't tell me its not safer. A MB E Class is at least 300lbs lighter than a GT500. Even the GTO is way lighter than the GT500. I think the only car that did the same mistake is the Charger which weighs at 4000-4100lbs
Now i just hope that the 08-09 Camaro doesn't do the same mistake.

 

i think the camaro will be a big, too. it's sad. our cars are getting lighter by the day. 3400lbs is a light car by new car standards. my guess is the new camaro will weigh in at 3800-3900 lbs

 

Totally agree here. If they do this to the new Camaro that will be a dealbreaker IMO.

 

Ya must not tune any?
1. RPM limiter doesn't kill the fuel pump.........it turns off injectors in cycles
2. If there in NO FUEL, how can there be a lean condition?

 

I predicted these cars would be a relative let down about 2 months ago on a post, 13 flat and 10K over MSRP???

Oh well, a fool and his money are soon parted.

 

Crazy how some are defending the Shelby

Power is WAY under what many predicted AND expected; many predicted +500rwhp with a CAI and catback

ZO6'S weigh under 3100 lb. The Viper weighs under 3400 lb. A 997TT weighs ~3500lb. All with better interiors, better options, better technology, and more amenities I might add

4000lb. is an engineering embarassment on a high-performance and expensive modern technology sports car.

Modern technology does NOT mean the car has to increase weight (kinda defeats the purpose of modern tech ).

Waste of R&D.

 

I just think the car was too hyped up and got mosts' expectations too high. I think its all par for the course. I mean its putting down 400+ to the wheels stock, with a power adder. Now, stap a power adder on a stock LS1, just for example, and how much will it be putting down? These are just my opinions so please don't flame me if anyone disagrees. These are just my interests as a performance car even though its marketing and sales audience are varied.

 

Very soon ...Jr will recieve his Gt500... you best believe ill report dyno numbers and ill be sure to look the car over real good and get some good hard facts ..The weight is an issue i agree ..but other than that whats wrong ?

 

So you're saying that adding a supercharger, intake to suuport it, intercooler and all the required piping won't add weight to the GTO and make it similar or heavier than the GT500????

Same goes for the M6. Face it, its pretty podgy plus it uses exotic materials like a carbon fibre roof. You add a supercharger on their and the weight would be very similar.

As for the new Camaro, well I guess a curb weight of ~3800lb would be quite a sensible bet. And that's with using an aluminium OHV motor without a blower and a composit intake manifold.

The GT500 is DOHC and cast iron blocked. Plus the Ford modular motor isn't reknown for being compact.

Light weight cars require light weight components, these cost $$$$$$ which are really out of the GT500 price category.

You really want to see a car which is over weight, take the current imposter BMW Mini, it's harld any bigger inside than a proper Mini yet weighs nearly double!!!

 

what is the MSRP on these cars b4 dealer mark up?