Smart Motorist

The sound of a Mustang is one of the most evocative in the history of the automobile. In a day when people want it all, the 2010 Mustang gives them everything but four doors.

You know it when you hear it: that muscular burble at idle that transforms into an aggressive roar under hard acceleration. For 2010, Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) engineers for the Mustang focused on eliminating the unwanted sounds while maintaining the classic note of America’s favorite muscle car.

Muscle goes modern for 2010 as the Ford Mustang -- America's favorite muscle car for 45 years straight -- hits the streets with a new exterior design; new world-class interior featuring well-crafted materials and updated technology; and a V-8 with even more horsepower and an even throatier signature Mustang exhaust sound.

Ford took the best of the previous generation and crafted an even finer machine. The austere interior has been significantly upgraded, the exterior sharpened and the powertrain judiciously tweaked to give it power and better fuel economy (Ford has not released the mileage numbers yet).

"More than 9 million customers have made Mustang one of the world's most beloved automotive and cultural icons," said Mark Fields, Ford's president of The Americas. "Making sure this modern legend lives up to their expectations has been a driving force for the team, which went to great lengths -- gathering customer input everywhere from race tracks to Main Streets in cities throughout the U.S. -- working to create the best Mustang ever."

There's no wondering where the changes were made on the 2010 model. They are everywhere. The new front end looks more powerful and more athletic than the previous generation. The power dome pushes up, and the gap between the body-colored bumper and the hood pinches the head lights and gives the coupe a more determined look.

A more muscular appearance comes from a power dome on the hood, small haunches over the rear wheels, and more aggressive front and rear fascias. At the same time, the new model, though dimensionally unchanged, appears to be smaller than the current car—which is not a bad thing in today’s pricey fuel climate.

The goal for 2010 was to move the Mustang out of its recent retro past and into the future, still using the platform that debuted in 2004 (foreshadowed by the 2003 concept drawing on classic cues from first-generation 1964½-1968 Mustangs).

Head lamps and turn signals

The head lamps and turn signals are integrated into one piece, and the fog lamps are pushed out to the edges below the bumper on the V-6 models to widen its stance. On the GT models, the fog lamps remain above the bumper. All models tout the Mustang's new pony on the grille. It's bigger, and it's meaner looking.

Suspension & engine:

Of course the easiest way to distinguish the two will be the throaty exhaust of the 315 horse V8. Whatever engine you do choose, you will for sure be driving a modern muscle masterpiece.

The V-6 model also gets an uprated suspension with tires that are an inch larger, though the V-6 output remains a flaccid 210 hp. The new bodywork reduced the drag coefficient on both versions by four to seven percent. Ford claims that improvements in window and door seals have reduced wind noise as well.

Small changes to the GT’s powertrain include a cold air intake, a 250-rpm bump to the V-8’s redline, and 3.5-inch exhaust tips out back. The Bullitt connection means 315 horsepower from the 4.6-liter three-valve V-8, and reworked suspension calibrations optimized for standard 18-inch and optional 19-inch tires. A new stability control system has also been implemented; it includes an intermediate “Track” setting in addition to full on and off operation. Spread across two optional performance packages are high-grip summer tires, track-ready brake pads, GT500 anti-roll bars and rear lower control arms, and a shorter 3.73:1 axle ratio.

Wheels

The wheels, which are one inch bigger on the new model, stuff up nicely into well-cut fenders. The back end is completely redone. The corners are cut, and the tail lights have sequential turn indicators on each of the three red bars. A rear camera is available on some models and is hidden in the spoiler.

Design:

Initial impressions are positive; it’s like the old one, but like, with an exterior that's 25% more "stylish". The interior is finally made from the kind of materials that belong in an actual car and not a Hot Wheels model of one.

This new yellow paint even looks great, showing off the svelte new lines and muscular bulges better than the red or blue versions. The glass roof helps reduces the visual impact of the vibrant paint and helps make the interior a much airier environment.

Without the coupe's roof, you can really see how consistent and clear the lines from the legacy to the S197 are preserved, yet sharpened here.  Check out the lines from headlamp to pillar and from the front fender to the rear quarter.

The most instantly noticeable difference is the exterior styling. At a glance, it's impossible not to notice the angled rear corners when compared to the slab-faced tail of the previous model. Sequential turn signal tail lamps bring back a touch of cool hailing from the early 60's.

While the exterior improvements are the most noticeable change from a curbside view, the moment you slide inside, the interior absolutely stands out as the single greatest improvement to this car. Those who have had the misfortune of experiencing past interiors know even a Spartan would describe it as barren and arid.

The keen observer will notice a close resemblance to the current model in size, profile, and overall shape. In fact, the 2010 Mustang is not an all-new model, but rather a heavily revised version of the current car, with changes concentrated in the areas that called for the most improvement.

Inside, the makeover is even more dramatic; everything appears more tailored and upscale, with softer materials applied to every touch point. The center stack is completely redesigned, with slimmer rectangular air vents replacing the larger round units, allowing the center controls and the optional eight-inch navigation screen to move upward into easier view. The center console flows cleanly from the stack rearward, with the now-lockable console storage lid fitting flush. The flat surface eliminates one of the biggest complaints from owners of the previous model: that the raised console lid blocked a driver’s elbow, impeding shifting. That shouldn’t be a problem in the new car. In addition, the center console and the door armrests are now at identical height, enveloping the driver’s seat.

More pleasing sound while eliminating unwanted noise:

“We wanted to improve the driving environment for the customer. While you’re travelling down the road, it’s now much easier to have a conversation with your passengers, but when you stand on the gas, you still hear the roar of the engine and the sweet sound of the exhaust,” said Greg Wayne, NVH supervisor for the Mustang. “We maintained that Mustang characteristic sound, but made the whole driving experience much more enjoyable.”

The Mustang NVH team knows how important the sound of the Mustang is to its longstanding fans. They also are aware of how unwanted, unrefined noise detracts from the customer’s experience. So the team used a variety of methods and solutions to keep – and even enhance – Mustang’s heritage sound while eliminating unwanted noise.

Customers grapple with road noise, wind noise, powertrain whines, buzzes and booms – among others. Even storage compartments and doors on the new 2010 Mustang were “tuned” to create a more pleasing sound.

Wayne said the NVH team worked closely with their colleagues in Design Engineering and Manufacturing and Assembly to integrate the solutions, which sometimes were neither obvious nor easy.

“Wind noise, for example, is not only about adding absorption and deadening materials,” he said. “It’s also paying attention to the design details: for instance, where the radio antenna is located, how the wiper blades are styled and positioned relative to the hood and glass and how the exterior mirrors are shaped and mounted. There are many aspects from a design and assembly perspective you have to be aware of because each contributes to the overall sound quality you experience inside the car.”

On 2010 Mustang, the radio antenna was moved to the rear, creating a cleaner look on the front end as well as reducing wind noise. The mirrors were redesigned, resulting in aerodynamic gains and reducing wind noise. Those types of win-win solutions were the product of the teams setting a high baseline of expectation and working together diligently to make sure the designs met their targets every step of the way.

“One of the guiding principles for Ford NVH is 'Feels Right, Sounds Tight,’ ” Wayne said. “Door opening and closing falls right into our efforts to create a solid, vault-like sound when you close the door and that positive ‘snick’ and feel when you open it. A lot of factors play into that in terms of the door hardware – latches, strikers, sheet metal.”

Another door-closing variable involves the pressure wave it creates inside the vehicle. “How well the vehicle is sealed affects your door-closing efforts,” he added. “Design Engineering and NVH spent a lot of time on those details to get it just right. ”

Two of the most important tools used to control sound and vibration are the absorptive and damping materials. Absorptive materials are something akin to stuffing ear plugs or cotton into someone’s ears, keeping out loud noises while damping materials help reduce vibration.

Acknowledgment:

http://www.detnews.com
http://www.marketwatch.com
http://www.paddocktalk.com
http://www.jalopnik.com
http://www.caranddriver.com
http://www.stangnet.com
http://www.autoweek.com
http://luxvelocity.typepad.com