Anywhere I go, I always avoid riding buses. Perhaps it’s my experience with the local ones that cause this prejudice, or perhaps it’s because our Greyhound Bus driver looks like Edward James Olmos, but in any case I know something is going to go terribly wrong. And terribly wrong they did. In what was supposed to be spring break (drunken girls in bikinis always come to mind), a final blizzard storm set in. Beside me, sharing the comfort of the thinly padded chairs, is a nerdish teenager who sported bear paw mittens. Great. This is one ride I’m never going to forget. Call it reversal of fortune, karma, bad luck or a combination of all, but I guess this is God’s way of spreading the wealth; the price I paid for driving a retina-burning Mustard Yellow-Orange Ford Mustang GT a day earlier. Maybe if I imagine myself back behind the wheel, this bus ride’s going to feel quicker.
For the not-so familiar with American car history, the Ford Mustang is the last “true” muscle car. During Detroit’s heyday, the Mustang started the entire pony car genre and now, 40 years later, it’s the only one left. The reasons behind the Mustang’s cult following is its bold style, rear-wheel drive performance and affordable price. The 2007 model is no different. Starting at just a whisker under US$19,000 for the V6 version, the Mustang is already nicely equipped with 16-inch alloys, stereo/CD player, anti-lock brakes, and so on. Real men though would skip the entry-level models altogether and go straight for the GT, like the one I drove. Priced at just a tad over US$24,300, the GT is the performance bargain of the line. The piece de resistance is undoubtedly the 4.6-liter V8 with 300 horsepower. Announcing the eight cylinder’s presence under the hood are 17-inch performance tires, dual free-flowing exhausts, deluxe leather seats, unique ‘GT’ badges and a 500-watt “Shaker” 6-disc/MP3 system. With a list of standard features as impressive as this, there’s no wondering why the Mustang is considered the blue-collared champion of America.
I remember walking around the Mustang for the first time, admiring it from every angle. Nothing shouts modernity better than the new design. The long hood and short rear deck profile are design trademarks dating 40 years, but this one’s been cleaned up showing off a lot of strong angularity in its design. There are some classic cues put in including the C-scoops in the sides, the three-element tail lamps, the galloping horse badge and the shark-like nose. I’m not a huge fan of retro, but the sheer vulgarity of the Mustang, especially in this color, make it a winner in my book.
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.
Despite catering mainly to the driver, the passengers will have little to complain about the Mustang’s interior. Though items such as satellite navigation and hands-free phone are no where on the options list, at least the low-rent plastics of past Fords are gone. Well, almost; the only exception being the audio/climate controls which look bare and dull next to the myriad of shinny metallic trim that run through the entire cabin.
Waking up to the screeching worn out brakes of the Greyhound, I just arrived after what was a four and a half hour journey. And since I was dreaming about my experience behind the Mustang GT, I never felt the travel. I woke up refreshed and ready to do more traveling. Ford may be in the red, but like me, it’s experiences like driving, or perhaps in their case, building and selling the Mustang that makes you forget all your problems. Nothing else says modern American sports car than this new Mustang. Its combination of high style and performance at a very reasonable price is this car’s greatest appeal. It’s the perfect balance of these three elements that make the Ford Mustang the last muscle car standing—a title it will surely hold for decades to come.
By Ulysses Ang | Photos by Ulysses Ang
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