The
2007 Ford Mustang GT coupe is one of the top performance bargains out there and is a good investment because demand for used Mustangs long has been strong.
New for 2007 is the Shelby GT500 Mustang, developed with help from legendary racer/hot car builder Carroll Shelby. But the GT500 is a specialized 500-horsepower supercharged Mustang that starts at $40,930 and is different enough to be the subject of a separate article.
Most Mustang buyers will opt for the $19,250-$25,000 V-6 coupe and convertible with a 4-liter, 210-horsepower V-6 -- or the $25,275-$31,280 GT coupe or convertible with its 4.6-liter 300-horsepower V-8.
Even the base V-6 coupe is fairly well-equipped, with items including air conditioning, cruise control, AM/FM/CD player with MP3 player input jack -- and power mirrors, windows and door locks with remote keyless entry.
The GT adds standard anti-lock brakes and traction control, optional for base models. Convertibles have a fabric power top with a heated glass window.
Front side air bags cost $380.
The 2007 Mustang V-6 and GT models are little changed from 2006 because the Mustang got new 1960s retro styling and more power and features for 2005. It had to be good because it was the first new Mustang since 1979.
The overhead-camshaft V-6 provides good acceleration, unlike the wheezing, underpowered old Mustang V-6s. And it delivers an estimated 19 mpg in the city and 28 on highways with its standard five-speed manual transmission and 19 and 25 with an optional five-speed automatic.
The overhead-camshaft GT V-8 version provides ferocious acceleration, doing 0-60 mph in 5 seconds and hitting 100 mph in 12.5 seconds. Fast merges and quick passes on highways are a breeze.
The V-8 doesn't score as highly as the V-6 in the fuel economy department. It provides 25 on highways with the manual and 23 with the automatic -- and 17 mpg in the city with either transmission. Only 87-octane fuel is required for either engine.
The Mustang GT coupe I tested ran as well as it looked, although I could have done without the retro "Grabber Orange" paint that called unwanted attention to the car.
The Mustang has been a rear-drive auto since its introduction in mid-1964 as a 1965 model. It's always had a tight, uncomfortable rear seat best suited to children, although I've spent many miles in that seat over the years because friends have owned new or used Mustangs.
Awkward moves are needed to get in or out of the rear, but entering or leaving the front is easy, thanks to long doors with large handles. Front seats provide good lateral support to help hold occupants in place when zipping through curves, but front seat belts are difficult to reach when it's time to fasten them.
Main gauges are large, but auxiliary gauges for such things as the fuel level are small. Sound-system and climate controls are decently sized and easily reached -- especially the power window controls on the upper left windshield post.
The doors have shallow storage pockets and the console has nicely placed dual cupholders. Four large, adjustable "eyeball" dashboard vents allow good air flow. And the power windows can be easily stopped in any position you want when moving up or down. Large outside mirrors provide good rear visibility. However, the interior lacks the refinement and overall quality of some rival sporty foreign models.
My test GT's steering was quick, but had a slightly springy feeling that might have been caused by its 55-series, 17-inch tires. The GT can make quick, sure moves and has a firm-but-supple ride. The brakes work well during routine stops, with good pedal feel.
The engine's exhaust system emits an All-American V-8 rumble. My test car had the manual gearbox, which has a nice shifter. It works with a clutch that is light, but has an overly long throw.
Unless you like shifting, opt for the $995 automatic transmission with the GT because its power and torque make the manual unnecessary. On the other hand, with all that torque on hand, a driver who feels lazy can "short shift" from first or second gear directly to third gear in town, where that gear is best for quick moves.
Sixth is an overdrive gear that doesn't allow brisk highway passing, but does let the engine loaf at 2,000 rpm at 70 mph.
The coupe's trunk is fairly large for cars in the Mustang class, and its lid works smoothly on struts. The heavy hood calls for a prop rod to hold it up, but Mustang owners will spend far more time opening the trunk lid than the hood.
Chevrolet didn't introduce its first Camaro -- the Mustang's top rival -- until several years after the first Mustang arrived. It dropped the Camaro after 2002, but is bringing it back with a retro design in the first quarter of 2009.
That gives the new-generation Mustang even more of a head start over the Camaro than the first Mustang had.
2007 FORD MUSTANG GT
PRICE: $19,250-$31,280
LIKES: Fast. Nice styling. Sharp handling.
DISLIKES: Marginal city fuel economy. Tight back seat. Long doors.