Technical
Two engines are offered. The first is a 4.0L V6 that puts out 210 hp at 5 300 rpm and 240 lb/ft of torque at 5 000 rpm. The kicker in the GT is a 4.6L V8 that develops 300 hp at 5 400 rpm and 320 lb/ft
of torque at 5 400 rpm. Both engines have the choice between a 5-speed manual and a 5-speed automatic transmission. The Mustang is rightfully so a RWD vehicle, has 4-wheel disc brakes and retains the old school live axle suspension in the rear and an independent setup in the front. As far as mechanical aspects go, the Mustang remains as simple and as functional as it has always been.
On the road
Turning the key awakes the big V8 with a massive roar. Obviously, putting the gas pedal to the floor will leave long patches of rubber every time; it goes like stink. The beauty of the 4.6L is that it delivers all this power in a very linear fashion. After having driven the Coupe and Convertible GT back to back, I immediately noticed that the drop-top felt slower because of the added weight. Natural Resources Canada notes that the average fuel consumption should be around 12L per 100 km. In the real World, it is almost impossible to expect not to want to punch it after every street light. I averaged 15.5L per 100 km and this, with a fair amount of highway cruising. In the pocket-book World, I would probably drive a little easier.
The V6 was
a nice surprise thanks to its 240 lbs of torque. Unfortunately for it, after putting the V8 through its paces, the Six had no chance. For day to day driving, the 4.0L will always be able to satisfy. If not, you canalways dream of having a GT just by closing your eyes as the V6 sounds pretty worthy.
The shifter has short and tight throws but should not be rushed through the cogs; it tends to catch between 2nd and 3rd. The clutch pedal is heavy however it would only pose as a problem in heavy, bumper to bumper traffic. The brakes work very well but I would have preferred more feedback from the pedal.
The ride is actually comfortable for a sporty coupe without losing its proper handling abilities. The Mustang does feel a little heavy though. The car will have a tendency to float over repeated undulations. Steering is light and easy in city-bound manoeuvres. It weighs up nicely once on the highway. The convertible's extra pounds do not affect the drive although there are many shakes and rattles common for a convertible. In some of the worst instances, it felt like the roof was going one way and the chassis, the other way.
Safety
The Mustang has standard dual front air bags, optional side air bags, available ABS brakes and traction control (standard with GT) and seatbelt pre-tensionners. The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) awarded the car 5 out of 5 stars (a perfect result) for both front passengers in a frontal impact. The IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) has not yet crash tested the Ford Mustang.
Two engines are offered. The first is a 4.0L V6 that puts out 210 hp at 5 300 rpm and 240 lb/ft of torque at 5 000 rpm. The kicker in the GT is a 4.6L V8 that develops 300 hp at 5 400 rpm and 320 lb/ft
of torque at 5 400 rpm. Both engines have the choice between a 5-speed manual and a 5-speed automatic transmission. The Mustang is rightfully so a RWD vehicle, has 4-wheel disc brakes and retains the old school live axle suspension in the rear and an independent setup in the front. As far as mechanical aspects go, the Mustang remains as simple and as functional as it has always been.On the road
Turning the key awakes the big V8 with a massive roar. Obviously, putting the gas pedal to the floor will leave long patches of rubber every time; it goes like stink. The beauty of the 4.6L is that it delivers all this power in a very linear fashion. After having driven the Coupe and Convertible GT back to back, I immediately noticed that the drop-top felt slower because of the added weight. Natural Resources Canada notes that the average fuel consumption should be around 12L per 100 km. In the real World, it is almost impossible to expect not to want to punch it after every street light. I averaged 15.5L per 100 km and this, with a fair amount of highway cruising. In the pocket-book World, I would probably drive a little easier.
The V6 was
a nice surprise thanks to its 240 lbs of torque. Unfortunately for it, after putting the V8 through its paces, the Six had no chance. For day to day driving, the 4.0L will always be able to satisfy. If not, you canalways dream of having a GT just by closing your eyes as the V6 sounds pretty worthy. The shifter has short and tight throws but should not be rushed through the cogs; it tends to catch between 2nd and 3rd. The clutch pedal is heavy however it would only pose as a problem in heavy, bumper to bumper traffic. The brakes work very well but I would have preferred more feedback from the pedal.
The ride is actually comfortable for a sporty coupe without losing its proper handling abilities. The Mustang does feel a little heavy though. The car will have a tendency to float over repeated undulations. Steering is light and easy in city-bound manoeuvres. It weighs up nicely once on the highway. The convertible's extra pounds do not affect the drive although there are many shakes and rattles common for a convertible. In some of the worst instances, it felt like the roof was going one way and the chassis, the other way.
Safety
The Mustang has standard dual front air bags, optional side air bags, available ABS brakes and traction control (standard with GT) and seatbelt pre-tensionners. The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) awarded the car 5 out of 5 stars (a perfect result) for both front passengers in a frontal impact. The IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) has not yet crash tested the Ford Mustang.