Yeah, I planned on waiting till 2008 (now 2009) to decide on a new car . . Loan's paid off on my 2003 in 2008 . . .
Yeah, mine will be paid off in '08, as well. I've been trying to decide if I want to think about trading it for a new GT (which I would then want to keep into my old age) or try to keep my current GT into my golden years and simply buy a new V6 for a daily driver (saw one in Grabber Orange with the Pony Package and I was surprised at how much of an impression it made on me.) I also have to admit that what I have seen so far of the Challenger has me tempted, but I would really rather stick with a Mustang. Of course, if the Challenger is offered in a V6 and if they are successful I guess I could keep my '02 and try to get into one of those after they have been out for a couple of years. The look of the next Mustang redesign will certainly play a role in my decision. Whatever I get, I want to buy new next time if at all possible. I want to have a car with a warranty for the first time in my life.
Yeah, mine will be paid off in '08, as well. I've been trying to decide if I want to think about trading it for a new GT (which I would then want to keep into my old age) or try to keep my current GT into my golden years and simply buy a new V6 for a daily driver (saw one in Grabber Orange with the Pony Package and I was surprised at how much of an impression it made on me.) I also have to admit that what I have seen so far of the Challenger has me tempted, but I would really rather stick with a Mustang. Of course, if the Challenger is offered in a V6 and if they are successful I guess I could keep my '02 and try to get into one of those after they have been out for a couple of years. The look of the next Mustang redesign will certainly play a role in my decision. Whatever I get, I want to buy new next time if at all possible. I want to have a car with a warranty for the first time in my life.
The Dodge 3.5L 6 cylinder is a lump.
you can't do much with it (at this point, anyway) the block isn't that strong, and it's heavy . . . the Daimler computers are apparently tough to crack, and no one's been able to figure out how to even get a CAI to work with the computer.
If you're after a daily driver, I'd go with the Mustang 6.
-if you get the itch, you can scratch it . . .-
Re: the Hemi, it will be interesting to see what happens -currently the thing weighs as much as a Shelby, with less hp.
The camaro is having a tough time getting down below 4,000 lbs.
I just can't see it.
The GT's too heavy at 3600 lbs -but then the new Civic weighs just about 3000 lbs . . .
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Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,his upper rooms by injustice,making his countrymen work for nothing...Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?Did not your father have food and drink?He did what was right and just,so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well...But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:13, 15-17
Safety vs power vs weight vs handling vs performance
And the wheels go round.
You're right - cars are getting heavier every year (not to mention all the trucks and SUV's being sold). No sooner do they figure out a way to squeeze more mileage out of a motor or transmission, than we see bigger heavier safety systems, massive bars in the doors, legions of air bags, and stiffer and stronger (but not necessarily lighter) cars.
Without a doubt, the cars seem to be getting better - but also heavier. The trend toward more and higher quality speakers (and entertainment systems) has something to do with the trend as well.
All those "options" are congealing into standard equipment, and power everything rarely translates into lighter anything.
As is true with most weight loss issues, we have met the enemy, and he is us.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kscoyote
The Dodge 3.5L 6 cylinder is a lump.
you can't do much with it (at this point, anyway) the block isn't that strong, and it's heavy . . . the Daimler computers are apparently tough to crack, and no one's been able to figure out how to even get a CAI to work with the computer.
If you're after a daily driver, I'd go with the Mustang 6.
-if you get the itch, you can scratch it . . .-
Re: the Hemi, it will be interesting to see what happens -currently the thing weighs as much as a Shelby, with less hp.
The camaro is having a tough time getting down below 4,000 lbs.
I just can't see it.
The GT's too heavy at 3600 lbs -but then the new Civic weighs just about 3000 lbs . . .
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tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
Look at it this way, too. The cars are also getting heavier, because we, as consumers, expect more. It used to be that items like power seats, mirrors, door locks, yadda, yadda, yadda, were considered options. Only available on high end cars. Now, almost every car out there comes with these items standard. The new trend in A/V as mentioned above not only adds weight due to the equiment, but all the infrastructure to power it. We have storage compartments, almost but not quite, large enought to fit a Mother-In-Law. We have more computers in our cars today than they had on the Saturn V rocket. And, of course, the body work has become heavier because it's more complicated for safety reasons. All this adds up very quickly. Of course, as mentioned by tripleback, we humans aren't helping matters much with our waistlines.
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'05 Sonic Blue GT w/ '07 V8 engine, 5-sp, IUP, Beige leather interior, nothing else -
just the way I wanted it. (1 of 113)
OK, so I've added a few things to it. Check my Profile - too many to list here.
Are we sure about that? The article says that clay models are being studied for possible Lincoln and/or Mercury versions. That could be taken to mean that clay models for the Lincoln/Mercury models are being made and studied or it could mean that clay models of the 2010 Mustang concept are being studied to get ideas for a possible Lincoln/Mercury version. It really isn't clear from the article if the clay model is the concept for the next Mustang or for a Lincoln/Mercury version.
Did anyone else see a concept picture of the 2010 mustang that had the headlight cutout go vertically up the sides of the car?
I could have sworn that I saw that...
Almost all car body styles follow this: (american and some earlier foreign)
Curvy and well-thought out 60-70
Going towards boxy late 70
BOXY 80-early 90
sudden breakthrough with curves mid 90's
Sleek, sudden curves and sharp corners late 90's-2000
And then new models try to go reminiscent, but you be the judge...
Most people do make the connection between early mustangs and the 05-07s out there.
I just thought that the progression went rather nice and then the 05's came out of nowhere!
If you line all the mustangs up 1964.5-2004, you see a steady "evolution" where curves came in and headlights morphed from vertical to horizontal, back to vertical, and the headlights evolved too... I can even see the jump from 93-94...
Did anyone see the 05 prototypes being considered? One of them looked like a combination of a 2004 Mustang and one of those Toyota Celica things and those new Datsun things there... Nissan Z.
I bet Ford will take the 05-09 model and just skew it a little in photoshop for concept art, then do the whole clay prototype-tunnel-cad-etc thing
Ah, well, then, I should have said, "It really isn't clear from your article if the clay model is the concept for the next Mustang or for a Lincoln/Mercury version."
Kidding, and thanks for the clarification. I did read it, but maybe I just overlooked that part.
I don't think anyone should get too excited about clay models. They make them out of clay so they CAN be changed and the changes studied. Particularly clay models (I've personally done some work in clay for similar purposes with products other than cars) which are captured far short of a highly "finished" state.
Even concept cars often fool you - look at the 05 concept and the reality - or the GT500 concept vs reality. As we learn more and more about a car (or even just an idea for one), we should always remember that the bean counters and upper management meddlers have the final cut at that clay.
Good article, by the way, sir. Thank you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JB02GT
Ah, well, then, I should have said, "It really isn't clear from your article if the clay model is the concept for the next Mustang or for a Lincoln/Mercury version."
Kidding, and thanks for the clarification. I did read it, but maybe I just overlooked that part.
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tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
Good point trippleback, clay models are just that. There is a concept car based on the Mustang architecture that is being worked on for the Detroit Auto Show in January that is said to be bearing the Lincoln (or Mercury) brand name. You may rememeber the Mercury Messenger concept from 2003 that was shown alonside the then 2005 Mustang concept. At the time, people in Ford thought a Mercury version of the Mustang might work out.
I suspect that the concept car they are working on will be more akin that that in the way of form, the clay model suggests a lower roof line than the Mustang and a different face massing all together. But, all concepts take artistic license.
We've been discussing this over in Ford Needs Saving for the last year. A new Cougar based on the S197 platform makes ALL kind of good sense. (Sorry, I think the Messenger name would be great for a delivery van/crossover concept, or maybe a minivan - NOT for our new Cougar XR7 Eliminator).
With Ford's current near-death throes, strange things may happen.
If I were them, I'd empty out the new idea bin and take a stab at it - with little to lose and lots to gain, it seems very obvious.
Quote:
Originally Posted by shaymart
Good point trippleback, clay models are just that. There is a concept car based on the Mustang architecture that is being worked on for the Detroit Auto Show in January that is said to be bearing the Lincoln (or Mercury) brand name. You may rememeber the Mercury Messenger concept from 2003 that was shown alonside the then 2005 Mustang concept. At the time, people in Ford thought a Mercury version of the Mustang might work out.
I suspect that the concept car they are working on will be more akin that that in the way of form, the clay model suggests a lower roof line than the Mustang and a different face massing all together. But, all concepts take artistic license.
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tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
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