Debuts '99 Mustang on the Web
27 July 1998
Debuts '99 Mustang on the WebDETROIT, July 27 -- Ford would like you to wait until September to see photos of the 1999 Mustang butknows that auto enthusiasts can't wait. Thus, yet-to-be-released photos and specifications appear on The Car Connection web site starting today. America's most informative on-line automotive magazine has captured the '99 Mustang on its "Caught on the Web" section with the help of its extensive network of spy photographers. This eagerly-awaited model appears on The Car Connection site along with vital specifications. According to , the sheetmetal is virtually all-new. Sharp creases replace the radiused edges of the current Mustang in keeping with Ford's "New Edge" design philosophy. In addition to new sheetmetal, the 1999 Mustang has a more powerful line of engines. The base model pictured in the photos will get a version of the Ford Windstar's 3.8 liter split port induction V-6. Since that engine makes 200 horsepower in the Windstar, it will undoubtedly give the base Mustang a significant performance improvement. Moving up the line, the GT gets a revised SOHC 4.6 liter V-8 that makes significantly more than the 225 horsepower of the 1998 model. At the top of the line, SVT Cobra models get a reworked DOHC 4.6 liter V-8 that will make in the neighborhood of 330 horsepower. However, the big news for the Cobra is not under the hood, according to ; rather, it is under the rear of the car where independent rear suspension resides in place of the current live-axle setup. For 1999, the Mustang will stay on the current "fox" chassis. However, in 2002 it will move to a version of the platform that the 2001 Thunderbird and 2000 Lincoln LS sedan will be built from. This eliminates one more Ford platform, an important objective of Alex Trotman's Ford 2000 program. Economies of scale gained by platform sharing for the 2002 Mustang should help Ford offset the cost of the more sophisticated Lincoln LS based chassis. The Car Connection provides a broad spectrum of car data, news, features and reviews, including the Internet's most extensive automotive "yellow pages." This gives the user direct access to everything from aftermarket suppliers to car clubs to car makers, as well as many hard-to-find European and Asian web sites. There is also industry news, auto financial updates, and an extensive calendar of automotive and motorsports events for the whole year. Denise McCluggage, Bob Bondurant, Jerry Flint, Sue Mead, Bob Weber, Brenda Priddy, and Paul Eisenstein are some of the automotive journalists who contribute regularly to The Car Connection. Internet users can access The Car Connection at .
