Mustang or Falcon

[GTP-814]

Mustang, just because the shape is fresh and shouts muscle & power

[OLDFORDNUT]

MUSTANG for me

[Falc'man]

Originally Posted by Mr X

Are you gazing into a crystal ball Falc'man?

I'm just curious about the responses to this question, but there are further implications.

Originally Posted by Mr X

If the two were built on the same floorpan-and it has been rumoured from time to time-then a Mustang would have to come our way

Why the Mustang was never designed for RHD decades ago still troubles me. It is a "world car" in it's own right.

Originally Posted by Mr X

Its also interesting how Americans on Mustang forums lust after our GT/F6 and our utes.

The common trend is - as pointed out by 'chevypower' in another thread - they (in the U.S.) are way more inclined to the ponycars when it comes down to performance, not sedans.
Naturally, when they see our range they will react like you said; but will they really go for it?? There's only one way to find out.

[XR_Strider_GuY]

Good thread. I feel I can make a comment as I have lived in the states and have driven a Shelby Mustang GT-H (basically a Mustang GT with some go fast extra 20hp parts) as well as common renter V6 stangs.

We see Mustangs here as special and 9/10 Ford enthusiasts will buy a Mustang in a flash (if they sold them in OZ for the equivelant of $30k USD) as they are so rare. Fact that a right hook ready to rego 2008 Mustang GT will sell for $115k its hardly going to pop up in every street or bar in Melbourne.

But picture this if they were in every street and every garage, every poor uni student had an older V6 model, suddenly they will be common fair like our Falcon. This is how a Mustang is in the states, as common as apple pie and a road house franchise of the state highway.

As for the driving experience, the Falcon and Mustang have a different appeal. The XR8 is more refined, polished and you can have fun around a set of twisties without being scary.
Conversely a Mustang is a true 2 door sports coupe, it feels low, tight around you and you can never have that feeling out a sedan (even a sport factory tuned one).

I have dug up an article I actually wrote when I hired a stang and compared it to my XR8 as I feel this is befitting to this thread. PS. Sorry for the long post.

Texas Road Experience - Shelby Mustang GT-H
If you want a car that makes you feel like Steve McQueen, cruising the state highways with that V8 thumping and strumming in background then the Shelby Mustang is for you. From the moment you approach the car you notice that it has a stance of a street fighter. Step inside and you sit low exaggerated by that huge Shelby custom bonnet perched right up in front of the windscreen. Gripping the old school leather wheel, you know that despite being modern this screams a muscle car of the old school. Despite this retro ambience, the Shelby reminded me that you can only get that togetherness feel at the wheel in a 2 door coupe. A 4 door saloon will always be compromised. First impressions that got me were how cool those retro dials are. It makes a pleasant change to the usual instrument cluster you see on other mainstream modern cars. I also love how they made the steering wheel look 1960’s and feel chunky whilst still concealing an airbag. Sadly though, the dashboard and various plastics are not the Mustangs forte. There’s a sharpness and hollowness when you touchl them. Think of it as the same texture as those grainy pattern stackable chairs you get in Big-W and you will get the picture. The leather seats are quite comfortable with a drivers electric forward and back mechanism, incidentlly its something I really miss in my XR8. The steering column has tilt adjustment but absent is the rack n reach adjustment.

Fire up the stang and you’re immediately aware that this thing is properly loud. At idle you can almost count the firing of that 4.6L V8. The local petrol heads agree (even Chevy Enthusiasts) for the right small block V8 sound, nothing sounds like a nicely exhaust tuned Stang. I am amazed how Ford has pulled off that trick as the engine is an overhead cam design.

Put it in drive and notice how the transmission lever is chunky and very stubby. From the moment you drive off you notice the car is tuned with a fairly loose torque converter.
I felt there is a touch of stall built in to keep the telegraph road racers amused. Racers aside, this gives the car a sense of urgency when you take off. Put your foot down at 40mph and the Shelby instantly drops a gear or two and you’re in the engines power band.

The mustangs automatic gearbox is not the most sophisticated on the market but I must say, I do like the no nonsense approach Ford have done. It’s a 5 speed unit with no fancy sequential sports shifts, no power button just a straight out P,R,N,D,3,2,1 T bar arrangement with an overdrive button on the right side of the Tonka like lever to make up the 5th gear over ride.

Mash on the gas from standstill and there is a sensation that you are in a drag car. The revs jumps to around 2500rpm along with a brief constant noise just like a car equipped with a mild stall. By this time the Shelby has gathers momentum and sings with an old school V8 bellow with shifts occuring at 6000rpm all while the BF Goodrich’s are protesting against the road for traction. Not only you hear the exhaust roar but you get a lovely whistling induction roar to boot. That Ford Racing intake fitted to these GT-H models is certainly doing its business.
The Shelby is quite a rapid car as anything should be with 320hp, but I did notice a slower rate of acceleration after 85mph.
The roll on mid range acceleration I thought was very good. So far then so good it seems that the GT-H is displaying the Mustang’s heritage of muscle car seduction.
Sligh complaints, well I will have to agree with the specialist media in terms of engine being slightly asthmatic even with an added 20hp pack. With the 4.6L overhead cam configuration and a near on square bore and stroke I was expecting the engine to really give a surge in power at the top end of the rev range. But it feels strangled some how as it gets towards redline. I think either the standard intake manifold is quite restrictive and perhaps the engineers focused on the mid range power. Worth noting though, there are plenty of aftermarket intake manifolds that will sort this little achillies heal and see the 4.6L engine revving past 6400rpm. All things being equal I felt my XR8 has a superior top end punch than the GT-H.

On the road, the ride is firm but not too jarring thanks to the relatively thick profile rubber fitted to many modern American muscle cars. The suspension has that typical live axle composure when encountering pot holes or rough dips in the road. Not awful but something to be mindful when pushing along around some corners.

Coming from the XR8 one learns on how a long wheel base chassis can make cornering at the limit much more forgiving as it gives constant warning before and during cornering under power. The Shelby’s combination of a shorter wheel base, live-axle and a gearbox that wants to drop a gear at a touch of the accelerator can prove to be quite a handful.

With a straight line road from the start then approaching two 90 degree left handers separated by a 30m straight then onto a further 1/4+ of straight, this secret test track (private property offcourse) was the place to give the Shelby a shakedown in its handling and acceleration abilities.

I approached the first corner with a speed that I felt was comfortable for the Shelby. With a neutral trailing throttle I was immediately aware of the mid-corner understeer. The front end does not feel as heavy as the XR8 and has good initial turn in bite. Continueing through, I noticed how much more lock I had to put in to make it turn.
The next corner I wanted to test exit out and power down which in my opinion is the critical part of cornering. I accelerated at a pace and throttle input I would use in my XR8 when driving quite aggressively out of a corner. In the GT-H, after I got past the apex I accelerated. As the road straightened the back stepped out with no inital warning that it was going to happen. It would be fair to say the Shelby would be quite a tricky car going up Kariong Hill just past Gosford in NSW (A favourite road of mine).

A few other points I noted, the very bad blind spot these Mustang convertibles have with the roof up. The rear window is very small for fold down packing reasons.
On rutted roads the convertible has a few creaks and groans coming from the back of the car. The Shelby exhaust is too low for my liking; on a small speed hump it has to be engaged with care so as not to scrap the underside of the centre muffler.

Honestly these are minor points of complaint. In conclusion I really love the car, I love the way it’s a car of the people yet it still turns heads. Even in Texas everyone takes a 2nd look at the Shelby GT-H.

[GK]

Falcon for me.

4 Doors always!

GK

[barra240t]

I think if you posted this on an American Ford Forum, it would be the same as here, they would say the Falcon because it is different to what they are used to which is the pony.

[GlenW]

Id have to say the supercharged FPV is my pick. Even though Mustangs are right up there on my list of cars to own, the amount of money outlaid to buy either one means I'll be owning it for a very long time & in this time it will become a family car.

[GlenW]

Originally Posted by Papa Smurf

Loved that and then there is THIS....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epDGQc7Gj9s

Fkme thats hot. Imagine a FG Falcon pumped up on the same drugs.....

[R-Design]

I wonder how many people would change their votes back to Falcon if the next generation model took a leaf out of Mustangs book and was retro 'XA' styled.

It's just too good a concept to let go, and is a great way to attract people to the large car segment.

[Chilla]

Originally Posted by Tucool

The blown falcon for me...(hopefully just a year or two away)

Why would you pay $1000's more for flawed technology when you can go out and buy an G6ET off the showroom floor which would shame a lot of so called performance cars, world wide? AND it's Aussie built!

[Windsor220]

Originally Posted by Chilla

Why would you pay $1000's more for flawed technology when you can go out and buy an G6ET off the showroom floor which would shame a lot of so called performance cars, world wide? AND it's Aussie built!

G6ET vs GT with blown V8. If you cant understand why people would pick the GT then you never will.
Dont really understand the flawed technology part there either.

[BPXR6T]

Originally Posted by Boss315

I wonder how many people would change their votes back to Falcon if the next generation model took a leaf out of Mustangs book and was retro 'XA' styled.

It's just too good a concept to let go, and is a great way to attract people to the large car segment.

A retro falcon coupe would be the only thing that would make me choose new falcon over mustang. But even then it would be a tough decision...

[Falc'man]

Originally Posted by XR_Strider_GuY

I have dug up an article I actually wrote when I hired a stang and compared it to my XR8 as I feel this is befitting to this thread. PS. Sorry for the long post.

Texas Road Experience - Shelby Mustang GT-H

I always appreciate this kind of info; real hands on experience of different products, but we know in your case there's isn't any bias. Good write-up.

[DJR-351]

Originally Posted by Boss315

I wonder how many people would change their votes back to Falcon if the next generation model took a leaf out of Mustangs book and was retro 'XA' styled.

It's just too good a concept to let go, and is a great way to attract people to the large car segment.

I would, but as i have an XA Coupe i guess it would have to be as recognizable to the original XA as the latest Stangs are to their predecessors, not some Cobra style knockoff that has already been done, two door hardtop or nothing....

Just dreaming..... :

[barbarian]

If my memory serves me right but i do remember Holden CEO confirming that the new Camaro will be sold here some time in 2010 ?

If that's the case, Ford Aus would be foolish not to import Mustang down here

[LeadFoot81]

Thats like asking would you rather an Commodore SS or a Monaro, except that in this case the two door isnt just a 'cut down' version of the sedan.

Mustang for sure!

[Chilla]

Originally Posted by Windsor220

G6ET vs GT with blown V8. If you cant understand why people would pick the GT then you never will.
Dont really understand the flawed technology part there either.

Then consider, mild to increasing understeer with speed. Live rear axle, allowing immediate breakout of the rear end, with little to no warning. Sub standard finish to interior etc. Over the top pricing. You pay for the privilege of all this! I'll stick with our Oz G6E-T, and spend the savings on other things. In the meantime I'm happy with my VCT. You enjoy your blown V8.

[LeadFoot81]

Originally Posted by Chilla

Then consider, mild to increasing understeer with speed. Live rear axle, allowing immediate breakout of the rear end, with little to no warning. Sub standard finish to interior etc. Over the top pricing. You pay for the privilege of all this! I'll stick with our Oz G6E-T, and spend the savings on other things. In the meantime I'm happy with my VCT. You enjoy your blown V8.

The OP stated in bold that this hypothetical oz bound Mustang would have the same tech as a Falcon. Regardless, the dude you quoted would rather a coyote powered FPV GT than a G6ET.

And funnily enough, you need to chill out mate...

[Mr X]

Originally Posted by Falc'man

I always appreciate this kind of info; real hands on experience of different products, but we know in your case there's isn't any bias. Good write-up.

Yes great write-up.The new Mustang sounds just like a genuine old school muscle car ie-tail out power oversteer with little or no warning-a lot of fun if its intentional.Something lost from a lot of the newer stuff.

[Mr X]

Originally Posted by Falc'man

I'm just curious about the responses to this question, but there are further implications.

I'm intrigued.......where are you going with the topic Falc'man?

[noosacuda]

Mustang of course! Who wants to own a glorified TAXI!???

[Antwon]

I said falcon, but now that i think of it if the mustang were built here as well, then probably the mustang. Also if the mustang and falcon were built off the same platform, then wouldnt that mean that they would look pretty similar?

[XR_Strider_GuY]

We have seen when Tickford back in the day when they did the operation for the Cobra mustangs back in 2002. The asking price of $85k was not recieved too well hence they stopped the operation.

I wonder if they priced the Mustang with conversion to around $55-60k, that it might be a good seller here.

[BPXR6T]

^^ at that price I would be at the dealers tomorrow.

[gcg2503]

I find the Mustang borderline repulsive to look at

Would rather a Falcon

[Watto_Cobra]

Originally Posted by Antwon

I said falcon, but now that i think of it if the mustang were built here as well, then probably the mustang. Also if the mustang and falcon were built off the same platform, then wouldnt that mean that they would look pretty similar?

I wouldn't think so. Commodore and Camaro share platform and drivelines and little else. I'd like to see Mustang and Falcon share our platform.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by barbarian

If my memory serves me right but i do remember Holden CEO confirming that the new Camaro will be sold here some time in 2010 ?

If that's the case, Ford Aus would be foolish not to import Mustang down here

The RHD version of the Camaro was cancelled.

[Paxton]

Falcon.

V8 for V8, Mustang might have it, but Falcon's trump card is the I6 and Turbo.

[Chilla]

Originally Posted by Paxton

Falcon.

V8 for V8, Mustang might have it, but Falcon's trump card is the I6 and Turbo.

Hear Hear!

[Bad Bird]

This is true, but the Mustang is faster than the Falcon in any guise in a straight and around a circuit.