I think this one's supposed to have an IRS. Is that true?

Can you guys do an piece on Brenda Priddy some day? Who is she? How did she get into the biz? How did she build such a dominant brand? Her favorite "scoop" to date? Her "holy grail"? What's her daily driver?

Um, yeah. Looks like an 07 with a heavy leather jacket on in August. Did they decide to do some hot weather testing a bit closer to home?

@Al Navarro: Please tell me you've been reading this.

@Ray Wert:
I have to say I only started with the belly shot one...I can only read so many posts and stay somewhat gainfully employed!

Those pieces are fine, but I want an interview....20 questions style. Maybe you can appease the podcast folks by doing it as part of Spin's Maxim show?

Isn't it supposed to be sharing some components (incl irs) with the new aussie Ford Falcon?

Please No, not another ford IRS. The one in the 03/04 cobra was bad enough.

"Brenda Priddy's done it again"
Not too hard in Dearborn as long as you are willing to camp out near the test track or one of the research facilities. I grew and went to school right next to there and saw some pretty odd stuff driving around. That said, she does do a pretty impressive job getting good shots.

oh goodie, another mustang mutation ;)

Unless they upgrade the interior and kill the solid rear axle it is of no interest compared to the new Camaro and Challenger.

I'm not crazy about all that black leather/vinyl crap on the front. Is that for the new european automotive safety regulations?

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sports/GTs, FordLos Jalopniks just posted a pic of what is believed to be a 2010 Mustang test mule. Captured by one of Brenda Priddy's spy photographers, we think it's one of the first shot of the revised 2010 Ford Mustang.

@Andrewpetty:

I think that's the new hood mounted airbag for pedestrians

Boss 5.7L V8...?

What's this now?

@Steve_S: That solid rear axle help keep it's weight and cost down, therefore keeping the car alive. Not to mention that this car won't weigh 4000 lbs like said Camaro/Challenger

@angrypirate06:

Have the weights for the upcoming Camaro been given yet?

So many people praise IRS, but, it has some serious drawbacks for the way a majority of people use these cars. I've never driven an UNMODIFIED IRS car that doesn't have a bad case of the axlehopitis. Whether you drag or are some hoon looking to paint the street with black stripes (most of the mkt BTW), a solid axle is the way to go. Besides, have you ever tried to easily change the ratio in an IRS pumpkin? Oy.

I know, H-A-N-D-L-I-N-G, is the main objection. But, to get all that power to you for UNDER 25k, there has to be a compromise. What killed the GTO? Complexity. It cost too damn much....and that precisely would have killed the Mustang too. If my Cavalier-look alike GTO cost in the low 20s, it would have been a category killer.

@geeteeoh: A little while ago you could have gotten a GTO down near $24-25k brand new with all the price reductions. Of course now that there are barely any new ones left, the prices are back up to MSRP.

I agree though in that drag racing and IRS don't mix. Wheel hop is terrible in stock form. Just look at all the guys (and gals?) using drag bags in their IRS cars.

@geeteeoh:

Handling? That is an overly used, genericized word. Specifically what part of a car's handling?

Anyways, let's ignore the burning-rear-tires-crowd for a second... even if they are the majority of Mustang customers (which I highly doubt). A solid axle would be fine (even preferrable maybe) for roads that were glass-smooth since you don't have camber changes with body roll. However, in the *real* world with bumps and potholes... a solid rear axle is horrible at maintaining traction due to camber changes *on both wheels* from road imperfections.

All that aside - my main complaint with solid axles is the ride quality. I abhor unsprung weight and moving that heavy differential (100 lbs on my tiny e30) for every bump just translates to a very, very, very compromised ride quality.

And really - which do you do more often: Hit potholes and speed bumps or change differentials?

If they changed the car to IRS it would ruin the potential for the car.

Significant power upgrades + IRS + Traction = Broken Parts.

The Mustang created the aftermarket world that we know of because it was a cheap and easy car to upgrade; the same principles Ford has stuck with to this day.

@laughing_guitarist: Maybe I should have quantified my statement of "most people" differently. How does "....most people who modify or drag...."

Being on Jalopnik I assume I wouldn't be taken out of context. I assumed wrong.

I'll offer this thought though. Maybe Ford has done enough analysis to remain steadfast since 1964 to offer only solid axles in full production Mustangs?

@laughing_guitarist: An IRS is good for cars where handling is a priority over speed. Fact is, few Mustangs have put handling ahead of speed. That's not what American Muscle Cars were for. Sure they handle good, just but not the best. Sure they look good, just not the best.
But I'll be damned if you can find a faster new car for the money.

This is the Mustang way: It's supposed to upset people, maybe publicly embarass them and make them hate it; but if you are able to truly take command of it and drive it like you've always dreamed of driving a car, it will please the hell out of a slightly talented master.

It's like with real horses; some people like riding horses and some don't.
Some find them cute but have no intentions of going fast.

I just happen to freaking love it and luckily for me, Ford built it for riders.

As Ricky Bobby put it; I wanna go fast!

@SRekauqh: I know. Sadly I wasn't among the lucky ones to have a GM Credit Card to get the additional $3-5k off. Most traded and traded quickly with the incentives....but some people REALLY got the fire sale price with the card!

@geeteeoh: Yeah, same here. I'm most likely going to get a nice used, warrantied one anyway for under $20k, before the used prices start going up again. The way I see it, no more new cars means the market is now strictly used, which should drive the prices up. I want to get in on the Goat before that happens.

I think everyone knows where i stand on IRS vs Solid...especially in the Mustang. Keep er true, keep it solid.

More importantly, this is the first ive heard of the new BOSS/Hurricane engine in a long time. Thats what im waiting for.

Anyone know anything more?

I'd love to say they should ditch the solid rear end and come into the 21st century.

...but I wonder if it'd really get them any new sales. There are tons of people who mock the mustang's solid rearend, but they're never going to buy one anyways.

A big chunk of the 1/4mi crowd would most likely say no...but not that many people buy a dealer-new car and take it straight to the track.

You could guess the ride/handling would improve somewhat...but that's not why people buy mustangs in the first place. Has a lot more to do with bang/buck, styling, nostalgia, or exhaust note.

So...despite it being a point of mockery for performance connoisseurs, it's pretty easy to see why they'd keep the solid rear (and spend development bux on a newer, bigger engine)

I dont care how much the car weighs.

the mustang needs to LOOK like it weighs 500 pounds less.

from the front wheel well on, the car is way too beefy for my tastes at least.

Boss 5.7? Shouldn't that be 5.4?

@danio3834:

Let's go for ultimate truth and roll on wooden wheels.

I'm firmly with the Independents on this issue (and pretty much everything else).

ummmm, wrong, thats not a 2010 but a 2009. you'll like the 10 more than this pic, hang tight and see

Well, I can tell you guys, as the owner of serveral mustangs, 1965, 1989, 1999 and currently a 2007 GT/CS
the new one rides a hellova lot better than any of the others I've owned. I say keep it real, inexpensive and easy to modify. Like what has been said many times, where can you find a 300HP car that will run 4.9sec to 60mph for 26k? YOU CAN'T!!! The one thing Ford needs to get done though is bump up the horse power to at least 400 if they want to really compete with the competition.

@ballhog: As a 2003 Cobra owner, I was curious to know what your beef with the IRS in that car is.