Ford Went After The Wrong Chevy with The GT350 (who cares about track?)

[GT Premi]

I don't think that the "Mustang guys" are clamoring for a track capable car any more than they want a drag strip brawler. I haven't seen any huge influx of S550 Mustangs at the track over the last few years. In fact, I don't think I've seen one. And I've seen just as many GT500's as I have Boss 302's. I think there is more talk about the track than there is actual track days. The vast majority of the GT350's will never be on-track, same as with the Boss 302's, Z28's, etc..
Ford didn't have a problem putting a bespoke supercharged 5.8 liter Trinity in the GT500, and there's no reason they won't do the same for an S550 variant considering how well those cars sold.
S.

Well, the S550 has only been on the market for barely over a year. I still rarely see one driving around. You need to wait for market saturation before you can say whether or not S550 guys are (or will be) hitting the track. Also, don't forget that road courses aren't exactly a dime a dozen. I don't think there's a single one even within 2 hours of me. That being the case, the vast majority of track capable cars in the U.S. never see a track, but they spend plenty of time on back roads.

 

[Para81]

Well, the S550 has only been on the market for barely over a year. I still rarely see one driving around. You need to wait for market saturation before you can say whether or not S550 guys are (or will be) hitting the track. Also, don't forget that road courses aren't exactly a dime a dozen. I don't think there's a single one even within 2 hours of me. That being the case, the vast majority of track capable cars in the U.S. never see a track, but they spend plenty of time on back roads.

80% of GT3 owners track their cars. The Boss302 crowd tracks too.

 

[Voltwings]

Well, the S550 has only been on the market for barely over a year. I still rarely see one driving around. You need to wait for market saturation before you can say whether or not S550 guys are (or will be) hitting the track. Also, don't forget that road courses aren't exactly a dime a dozen. I don't think there's a single one even within 2 hours of me. That being the case, the vast majority of track capable cars in the U.S. never see a track, but they spend plenty of time on back roads.

I think its your area boss, i see more S550 cars than 2v or 3v combined here in south Houston, and there are about 5 tracks within an hour of me. I can also say without a doubt i see more fully prepped mustangs at open track days than any other cars, save maybe miatas, and thats because a miata is cheap. Mustang folks like to track. I have only ever seen 1 camaro at the track in the time i've been doing this and it was a Z28 at that, never a lesser model.

 

[GT Premi]

80% of GT3 owners track their cars. The Boss302 crowd tracks too.

There's probably, what, less than 1,000 GT3s built per year? Eighty percent of that isn't saying much in the grand scheme. I could rattle off a list of performance cars as long as my arm, and I promise you that the vast majority of them never see a track.

 

[GT Premi]

... Mustang folks like to track. ...

That's the same thing I said.

 

[Para81]

There's probably, what, less than 1,000 GT3s built per year? Eighty percent of that isn't saying much in the grand scheme. I could rattle off a list of performance cars as long as my arm, and I promise you that the vast majority of them never see a track.

80% is a huge in the grand scheme of things, also GT3's have been in production since 1999 so they're far more GT3's on the street than cars like the Boss 302.

 

[GT Premi]

Eighty percent of, at most, 16,000 GT3s (12,800) is a drop in the bucket compared to the hundreds of thousands of performance cars built during the same time span. What/why are we even talking about that? :??:

 

[krt22]

80% of GT3 owners track their cars. The Boss302 crowd tracks too.

I dont think 80% of ANY car model sees the track. But its irrelevant either way, regardless if owners of these cars track the cars or not, the new measuring stick at the water cooler is track times. The HP game has reached a limit, there is really only so much HP you can add before its completely unmanageable, so track times by pro drivers is the newest form of bench racing

 

[Lemers]

I dont think 80% of ANY car model sees the track. But its irrelevant either way, regardless if owners of these cars track the cars or not, the new measuring stick at the water cooler is track times. The HP game has reached a limit, there is really only so much HP you can add before its completely unmanageable, so track times by pro drivers is the newest form of bench racing

I think 80% of F1s and NASCARs are tracked

 

[VRYALT3R3D]

I think 80% of F1s and NASCARs are tracked

Those are not production cars.

 

[Lemers]

ANY car

 

[krt22]

*yawn*

 

[HEMI DAVE]

I was with you until you said you hope it does both.

Give us a 662-700 hp Mustang with a 6 sp and an auto option that handles like a 15+ Track Pack GT... price it at 60 with no options... run basement 11s and 10s.

Basically a Mustang version of the Hellcats for similar or less cash.

Bingo.
Horsepower sells. Period. Look at how well the 662 hp GT500's sold. 707 hp Hellcats can't be built fast enough. Follow the '13 GT500 recipe and they will sell like hotcakes. I'd venture to say, they'll sell a car like that better than the GT350's will sell. The best part is...I think they'll be selling BOTH.
S.

I agree with both of you........Those high HP GT500's will have more demand than the GT350's...no doubt about it.