IS THE 2011 FORD “COYOTE” V8 A DOHC?

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Since the first photos leaked in January 2009 of the 2011 Mustang “Coyote” V8, internet speculation has been rampant about whether the “new 5.0" is an OHV, an OHC or a DOHC.

The valve covers tell the tale.

The coil-on-plug ignition starts well aft of the front of the valve covers, indicating overhead cams. OHV engines have no technical need for the valve covers to extend so far ahead of the front spark plugs.

The plugs run down the center of the valve covers, indicating twin cams per bank -- unlike the early photos of the Boss/Hurricane SOHC V8 drag tested by Roush and available in the upcoming SVT Raptor high-performance off-road pickup.

The valve covers are similar (but not identical) to the pattern of the 3.5-liter “Cyclone” Duratec V6. This suggests that the Coyote has similar direct-acting mechanical bucket tappets instead of the rockers used on the Modular.

This photo also shows a couple of curious electrical connections at the front of the passenger-side bank, possibly related to the cam gear phasing or cam position sensors.

Thus, the “Coyote” engine in the internet “spy” photos appears to be a DOHC four-valves-per-cylinder engine, hopefully with wider bore centers than the DOHC 4V 4.6/5.4.

The only real defect in the Modular DOHC design is that the bore centers were set far too narrow in order to accommodate FWD applications that never really materialized (save the forgotten FWD Lincoln Continental).

A wide-bore-center DOHC 4V engine should produce greater power density than the comparatively low-tech 3G Chrysler Hemi and the GM LS. 80-85 horsepower-per-liter (naturally aspirated) should be easily achievable with a DOHC 4V V8.

In comparison, the ultimate “all motor” LS engine (the expensive 2V 7-liter Z06) yields a paltry 72 horsepower-per-liter in emission-legal trim. The stock SRT-8 Hemi even fails to break the 70 horsepower-per-liter barrier.

More power with less displacement promises the possibility of improved part-throttle efficiency because of reduced pumping losses, albeit at the cost of some low-end torque (which could be easily replaced -- and surpassed -- with on-demand forced induction).

Given Ford’s reluctance to build high-horsepower naturally-aspirated Modulars (the best unblown OEM Modulars were in the low 70 horsepower-per-liter range due to Ford’s reluctance to add variable cam timing and other torque-broadening technology), a 400-horsepower 5.0 “Coyote” would be a significant milestone in Ford's proud V8 tradition.

The “Coyote” code name is also historically interesting. When A.J. Foyt took over development of Ford’s 1960s DOHC Indy V8 (which was based upon the pushrod Fairlane/Challenger/Windsor V8) after Henry Ford II’s disastrous retreat from racing in November 1970, Foyt’s cars were “Coyotes.”

Thus, based on the “spy” photos now available, “Truth With Speedzzter” predicts that the 2011 "Coyote" V8 is a DOHC.

Now if Ford would just start work on a EcoBoost Coyote V8 . . .

2010 TAURUS SHO PROVES THAT FORD LEARNED LITTLE FROM THE MARAUDER DEBACLE

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At the Chicago Auto Show, Ford Motor Company announced the return of the Taurus SHO (tm) in 2010.

For TWELVE THOUSAND DOLLARS more than a pedestrian Taurus, the new SHO will feature a 365-horsepower Eco-Boost (tm) twin-turbo V6 and all-wheel-drive.

No manual transmission . . .

No Eco-Boost V8. . . .

No symphony of high performance V8 sounds . . . .

According to Automotive News, Ford’s Jim Farley, V.P. of marketing and communications claims that "The car has better performance and much better gas mileage than a BMW 550i, which uses a 4.8-liter V-8."

That, of course, remains to be seen.

The early photos of the car suggest an almost-sleeper profile, with only big tires and a rear spoiler distinguishing the new SHO from the Tauri that Ford may end up peddling to fleets and rental car houses (like Dearborn’s new friend Dollar Thrifty – just when you thought the Glass House Gang was FINALLY kicking the addiction to residual/reliability score-killing “program car” sales . . . .)

While the new SHO isn’t approaching the market as down on power as the 2003-04 Mercury Marauder and will have the traction advantage of all-wheel drive, the price point ought to give some cause for concern.

Will enough Taurus buyers pay a one-third premium for a V6 turbo car with no particular competition heritage or image?

(That much markup stinks of price gouging – and that’s before Ford’s dealers kill off initial demand with greedy “additional dealer markups” and other add-ons).

Is Ford prepared to move enough SHOs to prevent the “sales constipation” borne of dealer greed that killed initial demand for the Marauder and hurts GT500 sales to this day?

Are there enough buyers who want an American-sized WRX/EVO (sans all of the entertaining boy-racer wings, scoops, flaps and body kit) or more likely what will be seen as an Americanized Audi?

Will the SHO be compared favorably in the market to the simpler, cheaper V8-powered offerings of Dodge (Charger) and Pontiac (G8)?

Will it get killed on the street and the drag strip by 415-horse G8 GXPs and 425-horse Hemi SRT-8s?


Is 365 horsepower enough for the last blast of the Second Supercar Era?

Does the SHO sap all of the excitement (if any) for the paltry 315-horse Mustang GT?

There are a lot of questions that the new SHO has to answer.

Certainly many will celebrate the SHO, even as they lament the huge price markup that prevents many of them from purchasing it. And perhaps it’s enough of a halo model to make people forget twenty years of neglect and damage to the Taurus/SHO franchise.

But is it too little, too late (and for too much money)?

CUT IN FLEET SALES LEADS FOMOCO LOWER IN JANUARY 2009

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Ford, Lincoln and Mercury car sales dropped 35.1% to 28,707. Total trucks fell 40.5% to 61,889 with the flagship F-Series pickup down 38.6%.

Ford said fleet sales, primarily to rental car companies, plunged 65%. The retail business slipped 27%, though Ford pointed out that it gained retail market share for the fourth consecutive month, a streak that hasn't happened since 1995.

Ford Motor Company's pull-back from rental car sales is painful but necessary. While rental fleet units keep factories humming at a predictable level (and yield some economies-of-scale profit potential), they drive down the residual values and brand reliability scores.

Moreover, with the a few exceptions, such as the limited-production Hertz Shelby GT Mustang, fleet cars are equipped as bland commodity vehicles. These vehicles tend to give potential customers the wrong impression of model features and flagship technologies.

Some fleet sales are useful, such as FoMoCo's taxi and police business. Fleet sales can also be used to highlight a halo or niche model that might otherwise be ignored in the crowded marketplace (Speedzzter wonders if Mercury might have had more success with the somewhat understated, underpowered, and overpriced 2003-2004 Marauder if it had featured it as a fleet model in place of the pedestrian Grand Marquis).

However, as Ford rebuilds its image among skeptical, import-biased consumers, reduction in fleet sales should have a long-term positive effect on brand perceptions, even if it causes some short-term "pain" through reduced sales.

RWD DODGE CHARGER AND PONTIAC G8 GONE IN 2011?

The current issue of Road and Track features a Battle-of-the-American-Pushrods shoot-out between the 425-horsepower SRT-8 Charger and the 415-horsepower Pontiac G8 GXP. The end of the story encourages potential buyers not to wait in their purchases.

Good advice.

Notwithstanding the precarious conditions of GM and Chrysler, the R&T story notes that the huge increases in Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards coming from the Obama Administration (not to mention even stricter state standards that will be rammed through by California and the nearly one-quarter of U.S. states that will follow in lockstep) will likely mean the death of rear wheel drive and high-performance V8s in the redesigned Charger and G8 by 2011.

Ford, of course, will completely miss out on this last round of RWD V8 super sedans. Its 2010 Taurus is still on the ill-proportioned, V8-adverse Volvo D3 platform. Although much of the bland, orthopedic-shoe styling will be gone in the next Taurus, Ford will enter the "last dance" for "American Muscle" with nothing more than a 350-horsepower EcoBoost V6.

That's a sad legacy.

However, one could argue that the die was cast when Ford failed to develop world-class RWD V8 sport sedans in the 1980s. Most certainly, Ford's failures to (a) recognize the resurgence of RWD in this decade and/or (b) make sure that the FWD-ready modular V8 would fit into its mass market AWD sedans were missed opportunities.

Hopefully at some point Ford will tap into its long heritage of popularly-priced V8 leadership with a "right-sized" DOHC Eco-Boost V8, featuring variable valve timing and lift, cylinder deactiviation, variable-geometry intake manifolding and other high-efficiency technologies. Sadly, that day -- if it ever comes -- will be after fuel efficiency standards have killed off the traditional RWD V8 sedan for years to come.