I thought this was an intriguing quote from the following link. See below.

http://www.maximum-cars.com/Cars/Car.php?carnumber=624


[Working on a clean sheet of paper, Mustang’s engineering team could have selected any type of setup at the rear, including an independent suspension. So why choose a solid rear axle? The answer lies in Mustang’s position as America’s muscle car.

"We talked to a lot of Mustang owners and racers when we were developing this program," says Thai-Tang. "They are a very passionate group, and a lot of them told us – very strongly – that the all-new Mustang must have a solid rear axle because of its combination of performance and modification flexibility." ]

Who would have thought a solid rear would be chosen over an IRS.

Its an excuse.....

They are saying it is because of the drag racers, but it was really a cost issue. Can't blame them though. What good is a new mustang if its priced too high for their core market?

But to say that the drag racing community, which might make up, realistically, 5% of all mustang sales, convinced them, is silly.

Drag racers may well make up 90% of the performance-minded buyers.

However, as a product development engineer myself, I can tell you that there's no such thing as a truly clean sheet and the engineers are NEVER free to simply choose what will work best.

Besides ride, reliability, and drag racing, other influences include tooling costs, material costs, manufacturing costs, assembly costs, component and assembly commonality between models and platforms, warranty costs (related to but not the same as reliability).

so basically......to save money?

cuz you know the horde of 16 year old lil girlies buying gt's are all worried about the drag strip performance of their rear end....

Even mustang owners arent that stupid. Sounds like BS.

I still wont be worried about mustangs at the track.

but i am worried about the performance of theirs JK.

actualy it is rather disapointing to see them put a solid rear in that car, just by the styling que's, it doesn't look like a 'Drag' car. if they had put IRS in it, it might have been a darn fun car to take a few laps in. it will be interesting to see how that car does on a track with turns.

You guys are all right. It's got a 9" with a three link. Isn't that what they put in those drag racing Trans Am cars? Surely it won't be able to turn at all. Put the crappy 99 Cobra IRS in there and it would be a Vette killer!!!

The rumors I've heard is that they intend to put the IRS in the upper level cars i.e. cobra, shelby, etc....
I would be nice to see the NA DOHC 4.6 w/ IRS in the new car (which has tiny wheels/tires!)

I agree with Jon.
Why bother with an IRS? You are just going to get a horribly compromised design that probably just won't work.

Want proof that a solid axle works. Tom Ellams CSP Mazda RX3 not only has a SOLID axle but LEAF springs!!
And to call it wickedly fast would be an understatement. And it competes against other cars with IRS, both front and rear wheel drive.

I'll take a solid axle with a 3-link over a junk IRS any day. Hell with a 9" rear, you would probably be able to make it lighter than a production IRS.

Heck, not only can a Trans Am car turn a corner with a 9" (don't they have lockers too?), but rumour has it even a T/A can be made to turn with a 10 bolt.

just a thought: but i've never seen a car whose exhaust tips are secured to the body like this car. wouldn't, under stress, like when driving the car hard, that the exhaust would need some room for flex or movement? so...does the overall car setup allow no flex? or is the flex absorbed somewhere else...? or am i just rambling about minute details that really don't matter.....

that's just a finish piece.. those 'exhaust outlets' are welded to that entire shiny little piece.. i doubt that those are the actual exhaust pipes


http://www.maximum-cars.com/Cars/CarPicDis...24&pictureID=19

so you think that the actual exhaust leads to those "show ready" exhaust exits.....but possibly isn't actually connected?