Ford recently 3D printed an all-new 2015 Mustang slot car for an international slot car championship race in Detroit. Ford uses 3D printing for added efficiencies in prototyping vehicle parts throughout the product development cycle.

Our spies have finally captured the 2016 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R sans its bulky cladding. The car was spotted testing at the Nurburgring, likely for aero/cooling tests, which required it to be naked. It looks excellent, and sounds even better.

Ford has finally released horsepower ratings for each of the three engines that will equip the 2015 Mustang. The standard (in North America) 3.7-liter V6 produces 300 hp, while the 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbocharged engine produces 310 hp and 320 lb-ft (433 Nm) of torque. The range-topping Mustang GT is powered by a 5.0-liter V8 unit with 435 hp and 400 lb-ft (542 Nm) of torque. Each engine is available with either a manual or automatic transmission.

The 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine generates nearly 135 horsepower per liter and more than 139 lb-ft (188 Nm) of torque per liter, being the Ford engine with the best-ever power density. Ford says the EcoBoost-powered model carries fewer than 11.4 pounds (5.17 kg) per horsepower, while the Mustang GT’s weight-to-power ratio is 8.52 pounds (3.86 kg) per horsepower.

That’s because the Mustang EcoBoost has a curb weight of 3,532 lbs (1,602 kg), while the V6 and the GT weigh 3,526 lbs (1,599 kg) and 3,705 lbs (1,680 kg), respectively. The V6 model is actually heavier than its predecessor by 25 lbs (11.3 kg), while the GT carries 87 more pounds (39.5 kg) than the equivalent 2014 model.

The EcoBoost model also has the best-ever weight distribution for a Mustang, with 52 percent of its weight over the front axle and 48 percent to the rear, while Mustang GT has 53 percent of its mass on the front wheels.

Ford says the six-speed manual gearbox has a new shift linkage design for easier engagement and improved precision, with the shift lever now positioned closer to the driver and away from the cupholders, creating a clear path for shifting. The six-speed SelectShift automatic transmission is fitted with wheel-mounted shift paddles with rev-matching downshifts and features a redesigned case with cast-in ribs that help make it stiffer and reduce weight.

No performance figures were offered, except the Mustang GT’s top speed of 155 mph (250 km/h) when fitted with the automatic gearbox.

Ford is hard at work putting the finishing touches on its hotly anticipated 2015 Mustang, which is expected to go on sale this fall. Regrettably we haven’t been offered any time in the driver’s seat but we did get the next best thing: a chance to ride shotgun for a few hot laps.


Ok, being a passenger isn’t all that great. It’s like teasing your dog by dangling a juicy steak a few inches above his nose but never giving him a taste. We were so close to driving the car yet so far at the same time. Still, here’s what we gleaned from our brief experience.

2.3-LITER ECOBOOST



Undoubtedly the most interesting powerplant offered is a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder. This efficiency-focused powerplant promises a stout 310 ponies and an even more appealing 320 lb-ft of torque.

It sports all latest performance-enhancing goodies like variable camshaft timing, direct fuel injection and a twin-scroll turbocharger for rapid response at low RPM. Meanwhile, features like a forged steel crankshaft, upgraded valve seats, piston cooling jets and a cylinder-head integrated exhaust manifold ensure long-term durability.

But how well does it work in the 2015 Mustang? After a brief ride along it seems like this could really be the car’s volume engine.

From inside the cabin, this powerplant is surprisingly loud during acceleration, and the noises it provides are unexpectedly throaty. But you can’t outsmart physics. There simply aren’t enough power strokes per crankshaft revolution to imbue the EcoBoost Mustang a guttural voice. Engineers have probably done everything they can to make it sound good, but it’s still a four-banger.

It’s the same story outside. The exhaust snarls appropriately for a performance coupe but you’ll never confuse it with the GT version, which is powered by a thundering 5.0-liter V8.

Acceleration provided by the turbo-four is strong and the engine seems to kick pretty hard right off idle. To be a proper pony car this powerplant had to deliver a responsive experience and it appears to be able.



Underway, a little vibration is noticeable in the car’s floor but it’s only a minor resonance. Curiously there’s no noise tube to amplify the engine’s ruckus; it’s all natural.

As for the chassis squat and dive are well controlled during hard acceleration and even harder barking. The body stays extremely flat through corners, even while traversing Ford’s Dearborn test track, which has several prominent elevation changes.

Talking with one of Ford’s veteran test drivers he said the new independent rear suspension permits you to roll on the throttle much sooner since it lets the car to put the power to the pavement more effectively than the live axle that supports today’s model.

Naturally the brakes are drastically improved as well. They allow you to decelerate later in corners and ought to be much more resistant to fade

5.0-LITER V8



The noise, the torque, the top-end pull! Ford’s Coyote V8 has always been a stunner and it’s been made even better for 2015.

This is the top-dog engine in the new Mustang, for now at least, and it pulls like a beast. Jab the throttle and the car just rockets ahead. There’s ample twist in the basement and tons of high-RPM horsepower. The way it pulls it seems like it could rev to 20,000 RPM.

Output should clock in at 435 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. Today’s five-oh delivers 420 ponies and 390 units of twist.

Curiously that extra grunt was not provided by any single change; engineers worked the powerplant over thoroughly, making small but meaningful upgrades where necessary.

And one of the most interesting tweaks is the change they made to the engine’s intake ports. They’re essentially copies of the ones used in the Boss 302 Mustang and they’re huge. You can cram at least three fingers into each one. Additionally the cams are basically cribbed from the Boss and feature a massive 13 millimeters of lift.

The engine’s variable cam timing setup has been tweaked as well. It provides a massive amount of adjustability, anywhere between ZERO valve overlap to more than what’s found in a top-fuel dragster. This is part of what makes the engine idle so smoothly yet pull like a jet engine at high speeds.



Additionally the 5.0-liter features butterfly valves in the intake runners or “charge motion control valves” in Ford parlance. These little plates partially obstruct the intake ports at lower engine RPM to induce tumble and swirl for enhanced fuel-air mixing. This improves idle quality and fuel economy while cutting emissions. Curiously, this engine makes monster power without direct fuel injection, which is an expensive addition.

ODDS AND ENDS



Of course there’s a third engine option in the new Mustang. The entry-level powerplant is a tried-and-true 3.7-liter V6, which we did not get to experience on the test track. In the 2015 car it will deliver an even 300 horses with 280 lb-ft of torque. Power is down by five compared to the outgoing model because the new car’s hood has been lowered by 35 millimeters, which necessitated redesigning the intake manifold.

Both a manual and automatic transmission are offered in the new ‘Stang and each has six forward speeds. Like the V8 engine they’ve been reworked as well.

The stick should be more reliable and provide smoother shifting thanks to redesigned linkage; the auto-box now features paddle shifters and is both stiffer and lighter.

The 2015 Ford Mustang appears to have all the right ingredients. It’s pretty, powerful and appears to drive very well, plus gives customers lots of options when they go to buy. On paper it looks like a smashing success. Now all we have to do is drive one to find out.

The 2015 Ford Mustang promises to be a better car in just about every measurable way compared to the outgoing model. It’s got extra power, a much more advanced chassis and loads of advanced technology. But how will it perform? Let’s explore this car’s weight-to-power ratio.

WEIGHT, WEIGHT… DO TELL ME!

Much to the relief of enthusiasts everywhere the car is NOT dramatically heavier; you could almost hear the internet release a collective sigh of relief when the numbers were posted. Sure it’s put on a few pounds but you might have gained more this year than the Mustang has.

The fastback model with an EcoBoost engine and automatic transmission should be the lightest. They’re expected to check out at 3,524 pounds, which is just six pounds more than a similar six-cylinder 2014 Mustang, its closest competitor since obviously a turbo-four is not currently offered.



The base V6-powered Mustang coupe should gain anywhere between 12 and 30 pounds depending on transmission. Cars with the manual gain more but weigh slightly less. Total mass should measure 3,526 pounds with the manual and 3,530 with the self-shifting gearbox.

Pony Power

With the exception of its base V6 the 2015 ‘Stang is gaining a lot of oomph. The new 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-banger promises to put out a stout 310 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque. With a dual-scroll turbocharger, direct fuel injection and careful tuning it should sound pretty good and offer abundant low-end responsiveness.

But the engine you really want is Ford’s freshly tweaked Coyote V8. The five-point-oh-my-gosh is set to deliver 435 hp and 400 lb-ft of twist. The engine incorporates lessons learned from the Boss 302 program. It features new intake ports, larger valves, more aggressive camshafts and charge-motion control valves in the intake manifold to promote swirl for better drivability and cleaner emissions.

By comparison the 5.0-liter V8 in today’s Mustang delivers a still-impressive 420 hp with 390 lb-ft.

The 2015 car’s entry-level engine remains a 3.7-liter V6. It should put out an even 300 horses and 280 units of twist, five fewer ponies than today’s car. That drop is attributable to a redesigned intake manifold that was necessitated by the hood, which has been lowered by something like 35 millimeters.

Pounds Per Horsepower

One of the best metrics for evaluating a vehicle’s performance capability is looking at its weight-to-power ratio. This is a measure of how many pounds every pony has to lug around. The more mass each equine is saddled with the more blunted the performance should be.



A 2014 Mustang with the V6 engine and a manual transmission weighs about 3,496 pounds. Dividing that figure by 305, which is the car’s horsepower rating, results in 11.46 pounds per horsepower. Not too shabby.



A similarly equipped 2015 model weighs 3,526 pounds and brandishes 300 ponies. Doing the math that works out to about 11.75 pounds per horsepower, slightly worse. An EcoBoost fastback with a stick weighs 3,524 pounds and has 310 horses, numbers that work out to 11.37 pounds per pony, slightly better than the 2014 car can muster. That’s progress, albeit a baby-step forward.



Shifting our attention to the 2014 Mustang GT with a manual, it strains the scale at a burly 3,618 pounds. Dividing that figure by 420 results in a rating of 8.61 pounds per horsepower, which is significantly better than either the V6 or EcoBoost models.



The 2015 equivalent should clock in at 3,705 pounds, which means each one of its 435 ponies is saddled with just 8.52 pounds. That’s a better power-to-weight ratio than an Audi R8 V8 Spyder (8.82) or a Porsche Cayman S PDK (9.16), two very well-respected performance machines.



Looking way back in the rear-view mirror it’s incredible how far the Mustang has come over the last 10 years. For a little perspective a 2004 GT coupe was powered by a SOHC 4.6-liter V8 that delivered just 260 hp, 40 LESS than the new six-cylinder engine despite having almost a liter’s worth of additional displacement! With a curb weight around 3,006 pounds this decade-old car had a weight-to-power ratio of 11.56, only slightly better than the 2015 base model.



For an even more dramatic comparison, check out a 1965 Mustang’s specs. Hardtop models weighed around 2,556 pounds. If customers sidestepped the standard inline-six and opted for the available 289 V8 instead they were treated to 220 horses. Crunching these numbers results in a rating of 11.61 pounds per pony, not as far off as you might expect thanks in large part to the car’s feather-light curb weight.