STRENGTHS:
Classic pony-car styling; uncluttered interior design; ride; strong V8 performance value
VALUE:
The Mustang has always been one of the strongest performance values for the money. With a new 315-horsepower engine now standard on the GT model, plus a number of improvements that make the Mustang more comfortable and enjoyable to drive, it's a better value than ever. Meanwhile, the GT500 appeals to those who want a more exclusive performance Mustang because it adds additional exotic design cues, a high-power supercharged engine as well as numerous performance tweaks.
WHAT'S NEW:
The Mustang gets some very significant improvements that bring Ford's pony car a refreshed character. Changes include resculpted sheetmetal, a more powerful V8 engine in the GT model and a retuned suspension. The interior has also been upgraded extensively, with new materials and an all-new look for the instrument panel. The high-performance Shelby GT500 model inherits many of the same design changes as the standard Mustang, with the addition of the more powerful 540-hp engine that powered last year's GT500KR model.