REPORT: S197 Ford Mustang could have had independent rear suspension for $100 per car
It seems that any discussion about a modern Ford Mustang inevitably turns into a debate about its solid rear axle. While Ford has done an incredible job of optimizing the pony car's suspension, many still find it unacceptable that such an antiquated technology is used on a modern day performance car. Motor Trend boss Angus MacKenzie, however, says that the S197 Mustang platform almost received an independent rear suspension a while back – and for a lot less than you might think.
According to MacKenzie, the 2005 Mustang was set to get an independent suspension shared with the BA-series Falcon sedan built in Australia. Even when it was decided that the two cars would use different platforms, Ford designers set about designing an independent suspension specific to the Mustang. So why did it still end up with a solid rear axle? According to MacKenzie, product development executive Phil Martens convinced Bill Ford Jr. that they could save $100 per car if they dropped the IRS and went with the solid axle. For all of you non drag-racing types that wish the Mustang had an independently suspended rear, this news probably makes you sick to the stomach.
But wait... there's more! MacKenzie's sources say that the cost of sorting out the current Mustang's suspension actually cost $98 more per car than the IRS that could have gone in the car. Like Angus, we love the current Mustang but have to wonder if it could have been that much better.
[Source: Motor Trend]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 8)
Pablo 5:05PM (6/22/2009)
Typical management mismanagement. Don't blame it all on the bean counters.
Reply
Lad 6:06PM (6/22/2009)
See what happens when management listens to the bean counters and not the engineers. Germany engineers are revered; American engineers are tolerated.
Matt Rigney 5:05PM (6/22/2009)
Probably smarter to go with the live axle instead of the IRS due to warranty issues and part failures.
More parts on the IRS then a live axle setup would eventually save them even more money in the future.
Reply
jcar302 5:14PM (6/22/2009)
Agreed, the IRS would of been a warranty nightmare.
tankd0g 5:28PM (6/22/2009)
Until you realize that people would have to replace all those parts out of warranty at a hefty retail price.
Randy 5:46PM (6/22/2009)
Wow I never thought of that one! Must be why the Mustang is always picked as the highest quality sports car by JD Power.
Aki 5:53PM (6/22/2009)
What a truly retarded comment. Econocars like Mazdas have had IRS for years, with ZERO problems. Can't believe how self-deceiving some people can be.
Shiftright 5:53PM (6/22/2009)
Yeah, we should also go back to carbs, leaf springs and mechanical brakes without ABS just so there aren't warranty issues. That's a ridiculous reason for not having an IRS. It's not like it's new-fangled technology. If some mullet boy really wanted to turn his 'Stang into a drag racer, I'm sure he/she could get a bolt on live-axle via the aftermarket or Ford. Passing up an IRS for $100? FAIL!!....
Franz 6:38PM (6/22/2009)
Are there any other modern cars (not trucks) that use a live axle setup? It may sound like a dumb question, but I don't know of any modern cars (let alone ones with sporting intentions) that use a live axle other than the Ford Mustang. If warranty issues and part failures is supposed to be such a huge concern, how come virtually every other car manufacturer on Earth isn't having warranty issues associated with IRS part failures? That's a stupid excuse if I ever heard one.
jcar302 7:49PM (6/22/2009)
To those of you that think there are no warranty issues with irs's.
Read through some forums on different cars, 03/04 cobra's, older cadillac CTS v's for sure, even corvettes all have IRS problems.
Most notable of which is the 03 cobra, one of the best mustangs ever built, too bad axles and center sections get destroyed on a daily basis.
They just aren't reliable in a 4000lb car that is going to get the crap beat out of it.
adrian 7:56PM (6/22/2009)
I am sure Ford could deal with a possible problem like you describe and keep the costs down. Maybe the US engineers should of gone to Ford Europe, Mazda or even Jaguar for help if there not sure how.
miataguy94 8:09PM (6/22/2009)
i hate to start this fight but the only cars i've seen metioned on this debate with IRS problems are USA made..... let the yelling begin
Philthy 8:10PM (6/22/2009)
"They just aren't reliable in a 4000lb car that is going to get the crap beat out of it."
Riiiiight... You do know the Falcon sedan this was going to be borrowed from is Australia's taxi cab? And IRS is fitted as standard on every one?
Lee Gibson 8:34PM (6/22/2009)
Yeah, because nobody has ever made a car with an independent suspension without getting slaughtered by warranty costs.
Bobby 10:14PM (6/22/2009)
Toyota Camry
Honda Accord
Proton Wira (Notorious Malaysian built crap car with bad build quality, but excellent reliability)
Proton Waja (Refer to above, newer model)
Countless Mazdas, Mitsubishi, Subaru etc are all cars with independent suspension without any sort of issues.
Common Americans, this is why Big 3 lost the game.
some1 11:05PM (6/22/2009)
seriously people... the mustang's spotlight is drag. the point of the car was always spos to be a simple V8 to a simply axle for cheap.
if you ask me, the rest of the muscle cars should have a live as well.
i drive my mustang everywhere, and guess what, the live axle is just fine. For average driving it isn't a big deal, so why is this always a complaint on review sites? MORE people drag than road course with mustangs, so ford panders to the correct crowd.
the mustang isn't a refined sports car, its a messy muscle car... and it should stay that way. I love the track pack, but again, its an option, its not standard.
besides, if you are going to take your live axle mustang to the track? im sure there wont be a ton of pot holes all over the raceway.
I'm tired of this joke of a debate, the car is a great car, dont bash the live axle.
its like me complaining that i bought a corvette, and i cant put my kid in the back seat, well... maybe the corvette isnt spos to have a back seat. thats not the point of it.
PJ 12:07AM (6/23/2009)
The Mustang's S197 platform is a modified version of the DEW98 platform that underpinned the '99-'08 Jaguar S-Type, '00-'06 Lincoln LS, and '02-'05 Ford Thunderbird, all of which used independent rear suspension. If anyone's aware of any of those cars having IRS-related reliability issues, it'd be news to me.
Matt 5:23AM (6/23/2009)
Warranty issues? You were joking when you typed that, right? Most taxis in Australia are BA/BF Falcons and theres no problems with IRS there. For just $100? Who made that decision needs a good arse kicking. Think you guys need to have a drive of Falcon and see how good things could've been lol. Forget the "G8".
Joe 9:08AM (6/23/2009)
Bobby...all the cars you listed are front wheel drive, not rear wheel drive. Consider your point moot.
PJ...the Mustang platform was ORIGINALLY going to be a heavily modified version of the DEW98, however, the price point was too high, so the D2C platform was developed. This is very, very loosely based on the DEW98, however, the only thing retained from the DEW98, according to Wikipedia, were "...the floor pans, portions of the transmission tunnel, the front frame rails, and basic fuel tank design."
Jei 11:56AM (6/23/2009)
It seems to be clear that most people think the Mustang should have received an IRS setup in the last generation version of the Mustang. It is about time that Ford "grow-up" the Mustang and continue to refine it.
OK, no I don't expect it to be as refined as the Corvette, but the Mustang just keeps getting bigger and more expensive. Ford should be thinking about introducing a mid-size ponycar-like coupe in the near future if refining the Mustang is going to be tough.