What happened to a significantly smaller and lighter 2015 Mustang?

[Formula51]

"The new car retains the current Mustang's 107.1-inch wheelbase, and despite actually looking longer than the 2014 model in person, it's one fifth of an inch shorter overall. The most dynamic change of dimension, though, is the width. The rear track has been stretched from 62.1 to 64.9 inches, and the car is 1.5 inches wider overall. Finally, it's 1.4 inches lower than the today's car."

The new Mustang is bigger, not smaller? And there is no way it is going to lose significant weight if it has grown in size. Not going to happen from an economics standpoint.

Am I missing something.....

 

[NOLACLS]

I thought I saw someone say something about 430lbs less...but that was on here in no official format.

 

[RTD]

200 lbs less is the rumor from Autoweek.

Front fenders are made of aluminum. Front suspension is significantly lighter than current. At the press event this morning Ford said there wasn't a single part on the car that they did not look at for weight reduction.

 

[NOLACLS]

Thats what I heard too was 200...but then someone on here said 430....I hadn't seen anything official tho. Either way 200lbs is 200 lbs. Every 100 is about a 10th faster right.

 

[01GTB]

It will shock me if it's any lighter. I said that months ago when the consensus was the car was like 12" shorter. It will have the same components. What the weight comes from is still there.

 

[NOLACLS]

But they used lighter components so I wouldn't be surprised if its bigger and lighter. Just might mean there will be less to cut for the modders...

 

[SID297]

I thought I saw someone say something about 430lbs less...but that was on here in no official format.

That was debunked months ago, but people kept talking about it as if it were fact.

 

[NOLACLS]

That was debunked months ago, but people kept talking about it as if it were fact.

Thats what I figured...just wasnt sure with the swarm of threads popping up today that I missed it.

 

[charba951]

I can see the 2.3 turbo car being lighter due the the smaller engine

 

[Voltwings]

The transmission apparently has also been reworked with a lighter casing, the front fenders and suspension. When you nickel and dime every component on a car it adds up.

 

[01GTB]

You think the IRS will be lighter than live axle? If so, that kind of worries me.

 

[2012GTCS]

^I think thats where alot of the reduction came...

 

[jonb347]

first of all those were all rumors. and it is shorter in all respects, just wider, which is good

 

[SID297]

You think the IRS will be lighter than live axle? If so, that kind of worries me.

No, but it puts the weight weight in about the best place it could be moved.

 

[sunburned]

I hate the fact that they didn't make it any smaller. I think the current car is wayyyy too big and making it wider doesn't help matters. New edge size was perfect.

 

[NOLACLS]

wider

I believe it also has the occupants lower...lowering the center of gravity...along with it being wider...might add a lot to the handling of it vs just making it smaller.

 

[IT-Purrrs]

I hate the fact that they didn't make it any smaller. I think the current car is wayyyy too big and making it wider doesn't help matters. New edge size was perfect.

Then it would be looked at as a BRZ/FRS competitor. I am so glad that didn't happen. I know those rumors of the Mustang getting smaller were just a hoax, but they got the proportions of this car right this time around and it looks so very clean.

 

[Formula51]

first of all those were all rumors. and it is shorter in all respects, just wider, which is good

No, it is identical to the current car in wheelbase and 1/5" shorter in overall length or basically equal. It is lower and wider and while I like that it is wider, it means more body, more material, more weight.

 

[Formula51]

200 lbs less is the rumor from Autoweek.

Front fenders are made of aluminum. Front suspension is significantly lighter than current. At the press event this morning Ford said there wasn't a single part on the car that they did not look at for weight reduction.

This reminds me of the C7 Corvette. They did a lot to save weight, but added a lot back in with more premium components and content. It sounds like the Mustang may have done a lot of the same things. Plus, the Mustang got bigger (wider) and the Corvette did not. The end result was the C7 was roughly equal in weight to the C6. I don't see it being any different for the Mustang.

What would a 200lbs. reduction put the 2015 Mustang GT curb weight at, about 3,300 - 3,350lbs? I just can't see that happening when I look at what other cars weigh (i.e. Corvette).

 

[twistedneck]

Rear sub frame and its is like 200lbs heavier than current live axle.. Front got a lot lighter and engine has boss like improvements. Look for 450hp.