The spectacular three-day event – winner of the prestigious Motorsport Event of the Year Award as judged by the International Historic Motoring Awards in 2013 – is staged at the famous Silverstone circuit in Northamptonshire, birthplace of the FIA Formula One World Championship and home of the British Grand Prix.
The three-day festival features the very best of historic racing covering more than eight decades of motor sport as well as live music from classic rock bands and a wealth of family entertainment including free fun fair, retail outlets, a host of interactive activities, a two-day classic car auction and air displays, plus huge showcases of classic cars often celebrating important milestones in automotive history.
Ford Announces Power Outputs for All-New Mustang
Ford has revealed power outputs and performance details for the all-new Ford Mustang. The all-new Ford Mustang for North America equipped with the new 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine will offer 310 horsepower and 320 lb/ft of torque, while the Mustang equipped with a muscular 5.0-litre V8 engine* will generate 435 horsepower with 400 lb/ft of torque.
Both engine options will be made available to customers in the UK when the all-new Mustang goes on sale for the first time next year. The all-new Mustang also will offer fully independent front and rear suspension, and an advanced lightweight body structure with extensive high-strength steel and aluminium components for excellent ride and handling.
Ford will announce at a later date final specification and details for all-new Ford Mustang fastback and convertible models for Europe.
Ford also has announced brake and chassis performance packages will be standard for European customers.
“Mustang is all about performance and the performance packs give our customers what they are looking for straight from the factory,” said Dave Pericak, Mustang chief engineer.
A global motoring icon with nine million sold since first launched in 1964, Mustang is the world’s most-liked vehicle on Facebook with more than 7 million fans and has made more than 3,200 appearances in film and on TV.
Advanced engine technology
The new 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine was designed specifically for the all-new Mustang, to meet the needs of drivers looking for outstanding performance and fuel efficiency.
“This EcoBoost engine delivers the healthy output Mustang drivers expect, regardless of the car’s speed,” said Scott Makowski, EcoBoost powertrain engineering manager. “It delivers where a Mustang driver expects it to – with a broad, flat torque curve and great driveability under any conditions.”
The newest member of Ford’s global EcoBoost engine family, the 2.3-litre continues to take advantage of state-of-the-art technologies including direct fuel injection, twin independent variable camshaft timing and turbocharging.
With a compact engine generating nearly 135 horsepower per litre and more than 139 lb/ft of torque per litre ensuring engine durability was critical. The Mustang EcoBoost engine will withstand the added stresses with:
• 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-litre V8 delivers a host of features that help it breathe, especially at higher engine speeds. Getting air into the cylinders and exhaust out is key to generating more power and torque from any engine, and 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
Independent suspension and lightweight body for sharper reflexes
With fully independent suspension systems front and rear, and Ford’s integral link rear suspension technology, the all-new Ford Mustang will be more nimble and comfortable, achieving world-class performance in both dynamics and ride quality. Lightweight aluminum is used for the bonnet and front wings to help reduce body mass and improve the weight balance.
Some of the other components made of aluminum include the rear suspension knuckles, rear axle housing on automatic transmission cars, rear control arms, and rear brake callipers. Even parts made of steel and other materials such as the hollow rear stabiliser and the new seats have been intelligently designed to meet the performance standards while keeping weight down.
The base kerb weight of the U.S. specification Mustang 5.0-litre V8 fastback automatic is 1,691kg (3,729 pounds); with the 2.3-litre EcoBoost fastback automatic weighing 1,598kg (3,524 pounds).
The 2.3-litre EcoBoost fastback has 52 per cent of its weight over the front axle and 48 per cent to the rear, while the 5.0-litre V8 has 53 per cent of its mass on the front wheels.
Every new Mustang features an all-new integral-link independent rear suspension. The suspension architecture is based on a lower control arm, integral link, upper camber link and a toe link. The geometry, springs, dampers and bushings have all been specifically modified and tuned to deliver improved mechanical grip for this high-performance application.
The suspension geometry of Mustang now keeps the body level under hard acceleration and braking. Aluminum alloy rear knuckles help reduce unsprung mass for better ride and handling.
At the front, a non-isolated perimeter subframe helps stiffen the structure while reducing mass, contributing to a better foundation for more predictable wheel control that benefits handling, steering, and ride quality.
The double-ball-joint front MacPherson strut system enables the use of large, powerful brakes without resorting to excessive wheel offsets that would hurt steering feel. Like the rear, the front end contributes to improved pitch stability with anti-dive in the geometry to prevent the nose from squatting under braking.
Performance brakes and chassis for Mustang in Europe
Both 2.3-litre EcoBoost and 5.0-litre V8 models will feature performance brake packages as standard in Europe that include:
• Mustang 2.3-litre EcoBoost: four-piston, 46-millimetre fixed callipers, 352-millimetre discs, front; single-piston, 45-millimetre callipers, 330-millimetre discs, rear
• Mustang 5.0-litre V8: six-piston, 36-millimetre Brembo callipers, 380-millimetre discs, front; single-piston, 45-millimetre callipers, 330-millimetre discs, rear
All-new Mustang 2.3-litre and 5.0-litre models for Europe also feature as standard a performance pack including:
• Retuned springs, bushings and monotube rear dampers
• Additional cooling capability for track-day durability
• K-brace connecting strut towers to bulkhead
• Thicker rear sway bar
• Unique tuning for ABS, electronic stability control and electric power-assisted steering
For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit
www.ford.co.uk
* Ford North American market specification. European market specifications TBC pending final European homologation
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