2014 Ford Mustang to have IRS?

If there ever was a gripe about the venerable Mustang since the SN95 platform was introduced back in 1994, it's that it still has a solid rear axle and no IRS, not even as an option. The argument has always been that an independent rear suspension would add too much to the cost of the car, which is supposed to be an affordable American muscle car.

Now it appears that Ford may finally be changing it's mind, as Motor Trend is reporting. Rumor is IRS will make it's full time debut in the Mustang in time for it's 50th anniversary in 2014. MT thinks that the most likely option is a much revised chassis.

One thing that isn't likely, however, is the Mustang sharing it's platform with any other car. And the rumors of V8 power going away altogether are pretty moot at this point as well, as Ford just rolled out it's new 5.0 V8 to much fanfare. One things for sure, they've got plenty of time to think about it.

Sunday tidbits: Chevy can't keep up with Camaro demand, Mustang could have had independent suspension for $100?

File this one under not surprising: Bloomberg is saying that the demand for GM's reborn Camaro is far exceeding supply, resulting in cars selling for over their sticker price. While this is great news for an automaker wallowing in bankruptcy, it's tough news for fans of the car that have been clamoring at the bit to get one.

Dealers have already taken 25,000 orders for the new Camaro, and have delivered around half of them. Analysts told Bloomberg that the cars are going for around $500 over sticker on average, and at least one dealer is saying that he won't have one on his lot for sale in at least a year.

In other irritating news coming out of Detroit, Motor Trend's Angus MacKenzie is saying that the S197 Mustang almost got an independent suspension, and at a lower cost than you would possibly imagine.

According to MacKenzie, the 2005 Mustang was all set to get the independent suspension that it would have shared with the BA-series Falcon sedan built in Australia. Even when it was decided that the two cars would use different platforms, Ford designers set about designing an independent suspension specific to the Mustang.

So why did it still end up with a solid rear axle? According to MacKenzie, product development executive Phil Martens convinced Bill Ford Jr. that they could save $100 per car if they dropped the IRS and went with the solid axle. MacKenzie's sources say that the cost of sorting out the current Mustang's suspension actually cost $98 more per car than the IRS that could have gone in the car.