American car maker, Ford, officially unveiled the spec sheet of its all-new 2015 Mustang. The new Ford Mustang for North America will get the new 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine that will offer 310 horsepower and 320 lb/ft of torque, while the Mustang equipped with a 5.0-litre V8 engine will generate 435 horsepower with 400 lb/ft of torque.
The company claims that it has worked to reduce the weight of the 2015 Mustang to provide better power-to-weight ratio. The fewer the pounds a car carries for every unit of horsepower generated by the engine, the quicker and nimbler it feels. A recent study by Autoblog of cars currently available in the U.S. market puts Mustang at the top of the charts in power-to-weight ratio for all three price categories a customer can specify.
The addition of a new 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine brings turbocharging to the Mustang powertrain lineup. This engine was designed specifically for Mustang, to meet the needs of drivers looking for a mix of performance and fuel efficiency.
The geometry of the EcoBoost intake manifold and turbocharger housing has been optimized to provide better breathing and higher output in Mustang. Producing 310 horsepower and 320 lb.- ft. of torque.
Expressing his views on the unveil, Scott Makowski, EcoBoost powertrain engineering manager said, “This EcoBoost engine delivers the healthy output Mustang drivers expect, regardless of the car’s speed. It delivers where a Mustang driver expects it to – with a broad, flat torque curve and great driveability under any conditions.”
Keeping the exhaust pulses separated from the next cylinder in the firing order virtually eliminates mixing losses and maximizes the pulse energy to the turbine wheel. The result is similar performance to a more complex twin-turbocharger configuration, meaning quicker turbine spin-up and torque delivery when the driver needs it for passing maneuvers.
The separated exhaust ports also enable the exhaust valves to stay open longer for reduced pumping losses that improve specific fuel consumption compared to a single-scroll turbocharger configuration.
With a compact mill generating nearly 135 horsepower per liter and more than 139 lb.-ft. of torque per liter – powering a performance car whose drivers are more inclined to use it – ensuring engine durability was critical. Enhancements to the Mustang EcoBoost engine to withstand the added stresses include:
- Forged-steel crankshaft
- Piston-cooling jets
- Steel piston ring carriers
- Premium bearing materials
- Upgraded valve seat materials
- Forged-steel connecting rods
- High-pressure die-cast aluminum cylinder block with ladder-frame bearing caps
- Deep-sump, die-cast aluminum oil pan
The 5.0-liter V8 delivers a host of upgrades that help it breathe better, especially at higher engine speeds. Many of these changes are derived from lessons learned in developing the special-edition 2012 Mustang Boss 302.
Getting air into the cylinders and exhaust out is key to generating more power and torque from any engine. That has been the focus in the development of this V8, which features:
- Larger intake valves
- Larger exhaust valves
- Revised intake camshafts
- Revised exhaust camshafts
- Stiffer valve springs
- New cylinder head casting – revised ports provide direct path to the valves for less restrictive intake and exhaust flow; combustion chamber modifications accommodate larger valves
- Sinter forged connecting rods are lighter and more durable
- Redesigned piston tops – deeper pockets clear the new larger valves
- Rebalanced forged crankshaft to support higher-rpm operation
These upgrades have boosted output of the V8 to 435 horsepower and 400 lb.-ft. of torque.
The real life performance of the Ford Mustang 2015 still remains to be seen. However, the car looks promising on paper.
Stay tuned into Motoroids for more updates from the world of auto. Do share your thoughts on the new Ford Mustang 2015 through comments below.
