If you were disappointed that the newly-unveiled 2015 Ford Mustang is to be offered with independent rear suspension--across the range, for the very first time--rather than its traditional live axle, then we have good news for you.
It looks like Ford will be offering a solid axle Mustang after all--albeit not as a complete vehicle. A Ford Racing representative at the Performance Racing Industry Show allegedly told Gas2 (via Mustangs Daily) that the company is planning to offer a 2015 Mustang "body in white" with a nine-inch solid rear axle. The model will be aimed largely at the drag racing fraternity, for whom live axles are still the best tool for the job--as well as being simpler and easier to maintain than the street-handling-friendly but more complicated independent setup.
The setup is likely to be just one part of a wider "body in white" program of Mustangs, intended to "attract serious racers to the platform". Rival Chevy has offered something similar with the Camaro for several years, allowing racers to prepare a vehicle to their own tastes depending on their chosen discipline. For the Mustang, it suggests other setups beyond the live axle option may be available for those wishing to dive into motorsport without tearing apart a fully-equipped production Mustang first.
The live axle 2015 Mustang package is expected to make its debut at next year's Performance Racing Industry Show. With such a system in development, it may not be too long before other interested customers can purchase an off-the-shelf kit as a stand-alone option--and Mustangs Daily suggests it could be an option in the rumored 2015 Mustang Cobra Jet.
The message here? The Mustang might have become more sophisticated in its latest generation, but it's still the same old performance car at heart.
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