The 2005 is a disappointment but I think it is a base for Ford and others to build off of. Has anybody seen the Roush and Saleen? Ford is also going to be puttin out several models between the GT and the Cobra. Bullitt and an Elanore version are said to be hot.

 

Ok...
This is my (completely biased) reasoning.

The original Mustang started the "Pony car" phenomenon.
A pony car to me is one that is relatively light and small, with a 6 cylinder engine, and small block V8 option.
It is easily manouverable, it is not a muscle car, nor is it a vain attempt to be different.
It is a nice looking car that the everyday man/woman can afford.

The Mustang IMO lost its way, in style and purpose completely by 71.
I will accept a Big Block Mustang from previous 71 - but only just.
A Torino is a muscle car. A Mustang is not.
71's lost the manouverability. Yes techinically and performance wise they may have been superior to the original, but they weren't true to the originals design.

The original Mustang was so brilliant in its concept, and design, a sports 2 door car for the working man/woman. - and this was reflected in the sales and hype surrounding it.

Now, for the '87 on...
The original Mustang exuded a sense of class, it was a rich mans vehicle that a poor man could afford.
There are many reasons why I don't like the '87 vehicles (and it has more to do with them being average vehicles, not that similar to the original Mustang in concept). Ok, lets start:
Build quality
Ergonomics
Looks - they happened to throw whatever automotive accessory that was in fashion on the car (spoilers, faux air vents, 3 spoke wheels etc.). A Mustang creates fashion, it does not follow it.
Handling - The original Mustang was quite good handling for an American vehicle at the time. Anything pre 04 was not.
Scuttle shake - ever driven a pre 04 Mustang convertible over e bumpy road?
Steering.

You could acuse me (and prehaps quite rightly) of being harsh, but the original Mustang was nothing short of brilliant for its time.
To see anything less than a brilliant car wear its name plate is sacraligious in my humble opinion.

 

So a 05 V6 mustang is more of a mustang than a 03 Cobra? You'll have to explain "more of a mustang", I dont really understand it that much. The only thing I can come up with is the looks of an 05 looks more like a mustang of the 60's than any mustang from 71-04, which is true.

 

For a long time I felt the same way about V8's, but my opinion has changed over the past 10 years or so. As mentioned, most of the sixes today can outperform the V8s of yesteryear, and that (performance) is the bottom line. If someone told me back in the 80's that today I'd have 10-year old FWD 4-door sedan with a V6 as my "fun" car, I would have laughed at them. But then again, not too many people back then were thinking about things like double overhead camshafts, variable intake manifold runners, advanced computer control, etc. which eventually allowed engineers to extract 220 HP out of a mere 3 litres of displacement. Throw in a 5-speed manual tranny and "viola" you have a pretty darn fast car that's a lot of fun to drive.

And speaking of performance, let's not forget all the other ways in which the new Mustang shines. Without even driving one yet, based on just what I know and read, I would bet big that it out-handles it's predecessor(s) by leaps and bounds, with superior ride comfort to boot.

 

Schmid, see my post above yours.
03 Cobra's were pretty good cars in thier own right (but not great IMO), but even the Cobra failed to grab the essence of what is "A Mustang".

In 2001, Ford's chief designer, J Mays became convinced that he proclaimed,

 

My bad, I didnt even see that post!

 

Ah yes, the venerable Taurus SHO...an excellent example of what can be done with a V6. I happen be in the market for one right now.
Don't get me wrong, I do love a V6 under certain hoods. My two current daily drivers are both V6 powered- the Ranger with a 2.9, and an '88 Bull with the 3.0 which is a blast to drive. I can only imagine that car with the 220hp Yamahahaha engine in it (Stumbled across a '92 in the wrecking yard last week...I'm thinkin' about it!) And, I'm swapping a 2.8 into one of my Alpines.

But the Mustang is a different matter to me. I had an '88 GT Convertible, and yes, I lived on a pretty rough road. I didn't feel any more noticable cowl shake on that car than on anything else I drove over that road. My next Mustang will be a V8, no matter what. It may not have been designed as a true muscle car, but it's the closest thing to it left in Ford's line-up here in the States today as far as I'm concerned.

 

I've never driven any other stang then my sisters 99 GT coupe. I've always wanted a 94-95 GT coupe but never got one. I can see why you say what you say, I couldn't argue with you over it cuz I can't say your wrong but I just don't feel the same way. Your definition of pony car is one I agree with, but I still feel the newer stangs uphold that. I had a lot more typed out then this but I lost it and am too lazy to re-type it. ha

 

I read it before you lost it...

We only recieved the 01 Cobra's - and believe me, I knew about thier introduction.
Check your PM's...

My opinion on Mustangs are real biased...

 

I had a whole freakin' page written out and I lost it. What you saw was what made me start sayin WTH it's not there!

 

I just hate it when that happens! (Which is all too often for me!)

 

It's kind of interesting... you can dissect this "V8 mystique" thing down to a bunch of levels. What if they put a 3.9L V8 from the Lincoln/Tbird in the Mustang instead of the 4.6? What if it was a high-revving 3.0L V8? Would it still be superior to the 6?

My mom and dad have an '00 V6 5 speed that they got new and after having been around it, I would say that the Mustang heritage -or whatever kind of BS sanctity you want to apply to it- is there. It's got big twin-piston calipers on the front and discs in the rear, tight handling, excellent acceleration, and was an excellent value when purchased. You get rear-wheel drive, lots of options, and yes, a little chrome horse on the grille.

People who are willing to dismiss good cars just because they don't match up with some kind of heritage concept... it seems like those people are missing out on a lot in life.

But I'm just a kid.

 

What if they put a 3.9L V8 from the Lincoln/Tbird in the Mustang instead of the 4.6?
I would still permit it, providing it was torquey, sounded good, and could rev out cleanly.
What if it was a high-revving 3.0L V8? Would it still be superior to the 6?
Ahhhh... Nooo... The nature of a Mustang is that is a relaxed sports car, a cross between a sports can and a grand tourer. A high revving V8 would go completely against the grain.
My mom and dad's V6 Mustang's got... tight handling
Hmm... Here I have to disagree. A LOT.
For some of the cars that were released at a similar time onto the American market it might have reasonable handling at best, on a global scale, pre 05 Mustang's were used as an example of how not to setup a cars suspension.
I had a 01 Cobra doing 115mph, and I was quite bluntly scared.
Check this International review:
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/driven/...8910&x=103&y=8
I am sure you (and your parents) are happy with thier Mustang, which is great. However, I personally would not touch a Mustang between the years of 71-04 with a 40ft pole.

People who are willing to dismiss good cars just because they don't match up with some kind of heritage concept...
The only reason of this, is Ford put out such a cracker of a car to begin with in 64.
If Ford brought out a new Aspire (or even a Pinto), people would expect it to be a poor car, because the original car bearing that nameplate was below average.

The original Mustang is one of the few cars that is universaly accepted as one of the great automotive icons.
Unfortunately, if a manufacturer releases such a brilliant car, they are expected to maintain that standard with that model. Cars like the Porsche 911 etc. Are revered as nameplates because they kept true to the original.

Yes, it is silly, but in the days of the economy sedan which can out-run and handle a sports car, stupid things like heritage and mystique mean something.
Some of us want to own something "special".

 

Thats cool.

 

The guy who tuned my Bullitt has a 2000 V6 Mustang with a slush-o-matic. He ran a 10.99 @ 128 about 3 months back. Stock, untouched engine with a couple of hair dryers on it