If you follow my Instagram (@jackbaruthofficial) then you know why this Roundup is way late. My apologies, everybody.
Without further ado, let’s get cracking on last week’s contributions.
Bark reminded customers that they have the power when they buy a car. He explained the rise of the mommybloggers, and he reintroduced “Sunday Stories” to TTAC with an amusing tale of stubborn Persian love.
At TTAC, I considered C6 Z06 resale values (they’re RISING!) and commented on the temperatures in Ohio for ZX-14R riders (they are falling!).
For R&T, I bid adieu to the V6 Mustang in an article that has MY OWN STUNT DRIFT SHOTS! My print article on getting a good trackday instructor was also republished for the Web.
This upcoming week will have more bling than a table of copper Kraken coins, so watch this space!
You didn’t mention that the V6 Mustang blew up an engine in the original comparison. Given that you’ve lambasted other car reviewers for that kind of thing before (“This year’s model is so much better then last year’s, which was a piece of trash!”), I’m disappointed to see you do the same thing.
It didn’t happen in that comparison. I wrote about the busted Mustang for TTAC almost two years before the Accelerated Depreciaton test.
With regard to your next to last paragraph in the V6 Mustang article, there’s always been a lot of us who were proud of our sixes, even back in the days of the SN95. I knew a lot guys with “3.8” and “232” badges on their 94-04 V6s that put a lot of care in all manner of modifications, including a few enterprising guys who installed all custom one-of-a-kind twin turbo and big turbo kits. Hell, one of my best friends still has a 1994 V6 with a 4.2L all custom stroker motor. When the 2005 came out with the 4.0L SOHC motor, I remember waiting for them to hit the dealers with the same degree of anticipation one might have exhibited for the newest video game system (finally 200+HP stock!). We even had V6 only races organized with guys across the country. At our 2005 annual drag meet, we saw the race organizer’s rented 2005 automatic coupe run a 14.9 in the quarter and a 1995 with a built big turbo motor post a 9 second time. Exciting stuff at that time.
Mine was a relatively rare Deep Violet Metallic automatic coupe with Mach460. I installed dual exhaust, an cold air intake, and a set of pulleys, probably made 160-165HP. Wound up totaling the car in an interstate accident (hit a deer at 85MPH) after converting the top end of the engine to the split-port style heads and intake of the 99-04 cars. I still miss that car even after owning a 335i and a Z4 M.
I’m not sure why I never pounced on one of the newer V6s, but I think it has a lot to do with the relatively small price penalty for the V8 and the resale values. It’s really easy to get a good used Mustang cheap, and, in any given body style, it’s never much of a stretch to find a GT or even a Cobra. Also, Ford makes it so stinking simple to modify the V8 cars (and the old 302 Windsor in particular responds to modifications very well).
At some point, I’ll probably get another Mustang, but I’m fairly certain it’ll be a 94-95 GT or Cobra convertible (the last years of the 302). Maybe I’ll paint it Deep Violet Metallic.
MACH460!
now *that* brings back memories.
Definitely one of the coolest options to have on that car, and a must have on any future Mustang of the era. I even went through the effort of adding the standalone CD player in the second DIN slot. Finding the expansion wiring harness was stone bitch.
Honestly, I’m not sure that the stereos in my BMWs have been that much better than the old Mach460.
I’ve found most BMWs have utterly dreadful sound systems. Especially the non-branded systems.
I appreciate the V6 love. I’m more of an S197 guy and I was a GT owner, but I always loved the Shelby CS6 (wasnt offered from the factory I know). Although many dirided those when they tried to apply the typical “with the same money I could do X,Y,Z to a GT and be way fasterererer” logic on the internet. I also knew a guy who was pushing deep into the 12s with his blown V6 back in 06/07 when that was still outside the realm of most contemporary performance cars.
I dont know how comparable they are to the Mach460, but the Shaker1000 I had in my 2005 Mustang GT was probably the best sound system I’ve had out of a line up of Bose, Harman, Kardon, and Pioneer systems in various other cars I’ve owned also.
Though The Shaker1000 was the only system that had a factory subwoofer in the trunk.
Ive also flirted with the idea of an old 94-95 Cobra. You should do it. If I knew you, Id live vicariously through you if you did.
I would like to see Ford develop a new inline six for use in the mustang and the f-150, there was a recent article in TTAC about the resurgence of inline sixes because of the trend of automakers backing away from v-8 engines because of more power and economy coming from smaller and smaller engine packages, and the inline six falling back into modular engine build practices, while they are at it, they could put some art into how the engine actually looks instead of shrouding it in plastic!
there’s no “resurgence.”
Ford’s last I-6 died last month. With an incredible special edition. A proper send off
You made me reconsider my plans to move on from my C6Z. Thank you for bringing me back from the brink.
Now THAT is good to hear!
Also, the hubbub about your word choice in the TTAC motorcycle article is just further proof for me that Scott Adams is one the most perceptive and intelligent people in the country.
So, did Mrs. Baruth end up with a Grand Sport?
She did not… which is not to say that she won’t be sportin’ the crossed flags at a track near you… more info to come.
Regarding the C6, my humble theory can be laid down in 3 simple words: Port Fuel Injection