Like the original Mustang, the 2007 model has a less than sporty heritage. Whereas the iconic ’64 rode on a modified Fairlane (Fox platform), the newest one rides on the Lincoln LS/Ford Thunderbird one. Ford modified the platform to remove the independent rear suspension (IRS) and instead slapped in a solid rear axle. Engineers reckon it’s because the solid axle is ideal for recreational racing (i.e. drag racing), but I personally believe it’s a victim of cost. But before passing judgment on the Mustang’s road manners, a 300 mile drive should sort everything out.
Firing up the engine requires depressing the brake. Once that’s done and the engine’s cranked, you’ll be surrounded by the bellows of the free-flowing V8 engine. Like a dragon waking from its sleep, the crackling exhaust note is addicting to say the least, and will scare any and every car with less than 8 cylinders under the hood. This is one engine that refuses to purr like a kitten—it’s a lion that roars at a muted volume on idle and yelps out at maximum volume at full throttle. The manual gearbox paired with the V8 may only have five forward gears, but it’s well suited to the low redline, fat torque band character of the engine. Ninety percent of the time, the transmission’s quite adept at doing its job, the short throw action and light clutch action making everything at cinch. The only weakness sets in when the Mustang joins the freeway, where an additional gear would help both fuel economy and driving comfort.
The Mustang looks deceptively tall in photos, but in person, it’s long slung—just like any proper sports car. But driving it is actually much more straightforward than getting in or out of it. The cabin’s straight-forward—very driver oriented—with its low mounted seats, large dual pod gauge cluster, thick three-spoke steering wheel, short throw aluminum shifter and pedals. The gauges is a peculiar feature since you can actually change its hue (125 colors to choose from) to suit your driving mood. I find the default red one just fine. All-around visibility is excellent thanks primarily to the large side mirrors. Thanks to this, the Mustang is very chuckable in tight situations. The longer wheelbase, lighter weight suspension and stiffer body compared to its predecessors equate to a much smoother time behind the wheel. The Mustang feels solid, stable and comfortable even when going over the worse broken concrete. What’s more, despite the low ride height, this is one car that never scrapes its belly getting out of elevated parking ramps.
According to Ford, the Mustang GT is roughly 70 kilograms heavier than a V6 model with most of the weight ending up on the front wheels. Though this makes the handling leaning towards understeer, there’s still sizeable amounts of grip and little body roll to merit calling the Mustang a “sports car”. The brakes have been upped too to take on the additional weight burden. The large brakes do their job of halting the car quite well, and in combination with the anti-lock brakes, they have proven their worth during freak snow storms. Cars equipped with anti-lock brakes also come with traction control, which also have proven their merit in more than one occasion.
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| Retro-looking gauges and pony logos scattered throughout the cabin make for instant appeal. Gauges can be color-changeable, but we left it alone in red. |
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| Short-throw 5-speed manual has precise action, but it's no Japanese. We'd wish for an extra-gear too, especially when you hit the freeways. |
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| Rear seats surprising useable. It even split-folds 50/50. |
