Ford Mustang Set to Capture American Hearts – Again

Since its dramatic 1964 introduction, Ford Mustang has been the icon of American performance and style, capturing hearts worldwide. For 2005, Mustang combines an all-new, fully modern architecture with all the soul that makes a Mustang a Mustang – bold style, a brawny engine and rear-wheel-drive excitement.

In short, every inch of Mustang is new – yet it staunchly remains the genuine article – "America’s Car" for 40 years.

Based on an all-new, fully modern body structure and chassis system featuring advanced MacPherson struts and a three-link live axle with Panhard rod, Mustang boasts an overall ride sophistication unmatched by any of its ancestors. Its braking and handling are nothing short of world class.
It produces all the tire-smoking power the rear wheels – and most drivers – can handle, with a better-breathing 300-horsepower, 24-valve MOD V-8 or 200-horsepower SOHC V-6 engine.
 
With power comes responsibility, and the new Mustang takes occupant protection to a new level. A stout safety cage, Ford’s Personal Safety System™ with passenger weight-sensing technology, available side air bags and a front structure designed for demanding offset impacts, provide drivers and passengers with the most comprehensive protection ever offered in a
muscle car.
What’s more, all this unrivaled driving excitement will continue to come at an attainable price. Mustang will remain the best performance car for under $20,000, and the most affordable 300-horsepower car made today.
 
  Embodiment of American Muscle Like wild horses on the open plain, Mustangs always have exuded a sense of pure power. The 2005 Ford Mustang offers a clean, contemporary design rooted in this unmistakable heritage. It is direct, straightforward, honest and – above all – authentically American. The Mustang takes its design language from the concept car that stole hearts along the auto show circuit and signaled that America’s only remaining muscle car would be introduced for 2005 with even more attitude. "We weren’t just redesigning a car, we were adding another chapter to an epic," said J Mays, Ford Motor Company group vice president, Design. An all-new platform and clean-sheet design approach gave birth to a car that is modern, legendary and unmistakably Mustang. The signature long hood and short rear deck capitalize on 40 years of history, as do classic design cues that have helped define Mustangs since the 1960s: C-scoops in the sides, three-element taillamps and a galloping horse badge in the center of the grille. The Mustang’s menacing shark-like nose imparts an attitude not seen since the 1967 model, while jeweled, round headlamps in trapezoidal housings are part of a striking new design flair. "The new Mustang is pure American muscle," Mays said. "But, rest assured, we’re not insisting on history at the expense of our future." The 2005 Mustang has an aggressive rake that puts the car in motion even when it’s standing still. The wheels were pushed to the corners of the body, better anchoring Mustang visually and physically to the road. The six-inch wheelbase gain over the 2004 model and increased interior compartment width provide more room for driver and passengers.  
Head-Turning on the Inside, Too
The cabin – a beneficiary of Ford’s tripled investment in interiors – is every bit as breathtaking and genuine as the exterior. Three distinct design themes celebrate Mustang history with modern materials and features, including an available industry-first, color-configurable instrument panel for almost unlimited personalization.
"This is a $30,000 interior in a $20,000 car," said Larry Erickson, Mustang chief designer. "The functional, contemporary look of this interior and its precise execution set a new standard."
 
Available authentic aluminum panels spanning the dashboard are particularly eye-catching, as are prominent dual chrome-ringed gauges that cap an all-new technology. Thanks to the industry’s first available color-configurable instrument cluster, Mustang owners can mix and match lighting at the touch of a button to create more than 125 different color backgrounds to suit their personality, mood, outfit or whim. Chrome-ringed air vents are aligned vertically across the dash, precisely in line with the gauges, and the steering wheel has three spokes with a black center hub marked by the horse and tricolor bars logo, echoing the design of the 1967 Mustang.
The available Interior Color Accent Package – charcoal with red leather seats, red door inserts and red floor mats – is as much a jaw-dropper as the interior of the acclaimed concept vehicle that inspired it. The cabin’s aluminum hardware accents add a look of technical precision.
Thanks to efficient packaging and the larger overall size of the new Mustang, taller drivers will feel more at home, and all four occupants enjoy more room. Overall, the new model offers the driver more headroom and shoulder room. Rear passengers also enjoy more legroom and shoulder room in their sculpted bucket seats.
More features are standard than ever before, including one-touch up/down power windows, power mirrors, keyless entry and power locks, a heated rear window and interval wipers. Audio systems range from the standard CD player on base models to the wild, chest-pounding 1,000-watt Shaker Audiophile system.
  More Power and Punch
Muscular new engines infuse Mustang with its legendary tire-smoking performance. The 4.6-liter all-aluminum V-8 has three-valve heads and cranks out 300 horsepower, while the new SOHC V-6 engine generates 202 horsepower from 4.0 liters. Five-speed transmissions – manual and automatic – put the power to the pavement.
The 2005 Mustang GT is the first mainstream production Mustang to break into the 300-horsepower arena, a place formerly occupied only by legendary Cobra and Boss models. The new level of performance – on regular fuel – is made possible by intelligent application of powertrain technology.
Because of its all-aluminum construction, Mustang’s MOD V-8 – a member of Ford’s modular engine family – weighs 75 pounds less than a comparable cast-iron design and stokes up 40 more horsepower than the 2004 engine. That’s over 50 percent more power than delivered by the fiery, small-block 289-cubic-inch V-8 found under the hood of the classic 1964 model.
Electronic throttle control, faster engine management controls and the new three-valve cylinder heads with variable camshaft timing all contribute to this impressive output.
The three-valve heads with VCT allowed engine designers to use a higher compression ratio with regular 87-octane gasoline to maximize the energy used by every drop of fuel. Intake runners with active charge motion control valves also shape each combustion event for strong, low-end torque and maximum high-rpm power.
  New SOHC V-6 Engine: Even More Output The 2005 Mustang V-6 is powered by a new 4.0-liter, 60-degree, single-overhead-cam engine, replacing the 3.8-liter 90-degree pushrod engine in the 2004 model. It’s inherently smoother and more compact, provides more power and torque and incorporates many of the advanced technologies used on the V-8. The 200-horsepower, 235 foot-pound engine – gains of 7 horsepower and 10 foot-pounds – features low-profile heads, a composite intake manifold and a sound quality tuned to match Mustang’s powerful image.
The Right Gear: Smoother-Shifting Transmissions
Mustang’s manual and automatic transmissions are also upgraded for improved performance.
For the first time, Mustang is available with a five-speed automatic transmission. The 5R55S automatic provides a unique combination of off-the-line jump and remarkably good highway fuel economy. A powerful new transmission control computer can communicate with the engine electronics 10 times faster than before and precisely controls shift duration and timing.
For those who prefer to compute their own shift points, five-speed manual transmissions are standard. The V-8 powered GT is equipped with a rugged Tremec 3650 gearbox, while V-6 cars get a Tremec T-5 manual. Both benefit from improved shift quality and efficiency. The shift linkage provides quick gear engagement and a solid feel.
 
A Chassis Born to Run The purpose-built, muscle-car chassis is new from the ground up, with a state-of-the-art front suspension and precise, three-link rear axle with Panhard rod. Combined with direct, accurate steering and powerful disc brakes, Mustang now has what it takes to catapult the American muscle-car driving experience to the next level.
Track time – at drag strips and on road courses – was a critical part of development, as chassis engineers pushed prototypes to the limit in search of the perfect power-and-handling blend.
"We spent countless hours refining this car on development drives and at the track," said Mark Rushbrook, vehicle dynamics supervisor. "The car has been to the Nelson Ledges road course in Ohio several times for 24-hour runs and has spent months on our own straightaways and handling courses at our proving grounds in Arizona, Michigan and Florida."
By the time testing is completed, prototypes of the new Mustang will have logged nearly 1 million miles on streets and highways and tracks throughout the United States, Canada and Sweden in all types of weather.
 
Strutting an Advanced Front Suspension
The MacPherson-strut front suspension’s reverse "L" lower control arms are the product of a groundbreaking manufacturing technology used to produce steel control arms that actually weigh less than some comparable cast-aluminum designs. MacPherson struts – originally developed in the 1940s by Earl S. MacPherson, a Ford engineer – are widely renowned for their ability to deliver both comfort and control with reduced weight.
A firm bushing is positioned at the point where the shorter forward leg of the L-arm connects to the chassis to control lateral – or side-to-side – motion and quicken steering response. The longitudinal – fore-and-aft – movements are directed through a softer, compliant bushing at the longer, rear L-arm leg, which damps road shocks. This isolation is a direct benefit of the reverse "L" configuration of the control arms.
Still Rock Solid – Rear Axle with New Three-Link Suspension  Mustang’s characteristic solid-rear axle has evolved continuously over the past 40 years, and the new model takes the car’s signature design into a new dimension. "We talked to a lot of Mustang owners as we were developing this program," said Hau Thai-Tang, chief engineer. "They are a very passionate group, and a lot of them told us – very strongly – that the all-new Mustang had to have a solid rear axle." The solid rear axle offers several advantages that play to Mustang’s strengths. It is robust, maintains constant track, toe-in and camber relative to the road surface, and it keeps body roll well under control. For 2005, Mustang’s rear suspension has a new three-link architecture with a Panhard rod that provides precise control of the rear axle. A central torque control arm is fastened to the upper front end of the differential, while trailing arms are located near each end of the axle. The lightweight, tubular Panhard rod is parallel to the axle and attached at one end to the body and at the other to the axle. It stabilizes the rear axle side-to-side as the wheels move through jounce and rebound. It also firmly controls the axle during hard cornering. The shocks are located on the outside of the rear structural rails, near the wheels, reducing the lever effect of the axle and allowing more precise, slightly softer tuning of the shock valves.
Mustang Sound Character: The Strong, Silent Type Mustang is faster, more agile and better looking than ever – but it’s much quieter and refined for 2005. In the design process, a quiet cabin – where unwanted road and wind noise is supplanted by the signature growl of a Mustang engine – was a top priority. The result is a car that delivers the performance Mustang buyers demand, along with a more civilized environment that makes for a pleasant driving experience, whether on long trips or in more routine travel about town.  
Brakes and Traction Systems – For Control Freaks
The standard four-wheel disc brakes have the biggest rotors and stiffest calipers ever fitted to a mainstream Mustang. Twin-piston aluminum calipers clamp down on 12.4-inch ventilated front brake discs on GT models – an increase of more than 15 percent in rotor size. The V-6 Mustangs get 11.4-inch ventilated rotors that also are 30 mm thick.
In the rear, the brake rotors are 11.8 inches in diameter – more than 12 percent larger than on the 2004 model. Rear rotors are vented on the GT and solid on the V-6. A new four-channel antilock braking system is available for a greater degree of brake control.
Bundled as an option with ABS, an all-speed intelligent traction control system uses electronic sensors to constantly monitor road conditions and feed the information to a dedicated control computer capable of determining within milliseconds whether the vehicle is on dry pavement or negotiating a slippery surface. On those occasions when traction control isn’t desired – like a smoky burnout at the drag strip – drivers can deactivate the system with a button conveniently located on the instrument panel’s center stack, just to the right of the gauges.
  Stronger, Safer, More Secure
Mustang’s agility helps drivers avoid accidents like no muscle car in history. Responsive, precise controls, coupled with high levels of overall grip and the strongest brakes ever fitted to a Mustang, give the driver the controllability that can turn an impending collision into just a close shave.
If a collision is unavoidable, a stout safety cage, Ford’s Personal Safety System™ restraints suite and available side air bags with head and chest coverage give occupants the best possible protection.
The Ford Motor Company Personal Safety System, one of the industry’s most comprehensive safety technology packages, is standard. The system is designed to provide increased protection in many types of frontal crashes by analyzing crash factors and determining the proper response within milliseconds. It uses dual-stage driver and front-passenger air bags – capable of deploying at full or partial power – safety belt pretensioners and energy management retractors.
Standard occupant classification sensing builds on the strength of the Personal Safety System to tailor deployment of the front-passenger air bag. If the passenger seat sensor detects no weight – or very little weight, like a newspaper or a jacket – the passenger air bag is automatically switched off. If more weight is on the seat, like a small child, the air bag remains deactivated and an instrument panel light alerts the driver with the message "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF." Of course, children are safest when properly restrained in the rear seat. If an adult is seated properly in the passenger seat, the air bag automatically switches on, ready to inflate within milliseconds if needed.
An optional active anti-theft package offers customers a new level of security for their Mustang. The feature is aimed directly at combating wildly high performance-car insurance premiums. The package includes:
  • An inclination sensing module to guard against tow-away thefts
  • Interior motion sensor to detect "smash-and-grab" break-ins
  • Separate alarm sounder – instead of vehicle horn – to thwart thieves trying to disable the horn
  • High-capacity, 60-ampere-hour battery capable of sounding the alarm longer