Lincoln LS Inspired Mustang?

[PetesSweets86]

my Chevy buddy told me he rescently read up the inspiration for the new mustangs all came from the Lincoln LS.....well tha'ts a positive.....


"The key to the Mustang’s good road manners is a thoroughly modern structure, adapted from the Lincoln LS." http://www.caranddriver.com/features/05q1/2005_10best_cars-10best_cars/2005_ford_mustang_gt_page_12

 

[SoonerLS]

The '05 Mustang was originally supposed to be built on the LS's DEW-98 platform, but the cost of adapting it to the Mustang's size and form factor was too great. IIRC, the only things they kept from the LS were the floorpan and firewall; the rest of it was developed by the Mustang team.

 

[PetesSweets86]

I heard the 2011 has a Live Wire Axle instead of a IRS and supposedly the LWA comes from the Lincoln LS.....at least that's what I heard but my information is going off of memory...I could be mistaking things...but that's what I heard that the IRS is gone for 2011 and it's now a Live Rear Axle or somethin like that

 

[SoonerLS]

The '05+ Mustangs all have live axles, but they didn't get them from the LS--the LS has an independent rear suspension, not a live axle. The only Mustangs that had a (factory) IRS were the '99/'02-'04 Cobra, but they did away with it in the '05 redesign (for reasons that only made sense to half-witted execs).

 

[02LSE96LSC91SE84TC]

Expense. Trying to keep the base v-6 models in the teens meant solid axle. Think I read it somewhere.

 

[SoonerLS]

Expense. Trying to keep the base v-6 models in the teens meant solid axle. Think I read it somewhere.

Yeah, I read that, too. IIRC, it ended up being a nominal price difference (less than $100/car). That kind of difference only makes sense to a bean counter, particularly on that kind of car.

 

[PetesSweets86]

indeed, you'd think for 100/car we could get better valve cover gaskets

 

[SoonerLS]

I almost forgot--there is one other major tie between the LS and the Mustang: Hau Thai Tang. He was the Vehicle Engineering Manager for the LS and the Chief Engineer for the '05 Mustang program. (If his name sounds familiar, it's probably because he was later the head of SVT, and is now in charge of product development for Ford's South American Operations.)

 

[PetesSweets86]

Ford South America...it's like ford...but with Spinners!

 

[De-marko]

The '05+ Mustangs all have live axles, but they didn't get them from the LS--the LS has an independent rear suspension, not a live axle. The only Mustangs that had a (factory) IRS were the '99/'02-'04 Cobra, but they did away with it in the '05 redesign (for reasons that only made sense to half-witted execs).

Also, from reading in mustang mags to forums, the Cobra guys hated the IRS and wanted a solid axle for drag racing etc. Ford received a lot of flak for putting that in the mustang.

 

[PetesSweets86]

indeed but i think the 5.0L is a good make-up present :-D I wanna have one

 

[De-marko]

Me too!