ROAD TEST – 2010 FORD MUSTANG GT

Dec - 18 | By: RPM Canada | no comments.

Filed under : 2010 Reviews, 6. September 2009

Review and photo by Russell Purcell

When Ford rolled out the fifth-generation Mustang for model year 2005, its retro good looks and huge improvements with regards to both fit and finish had customers lining up to leave deposits. Fast forward to 2009, and most of the lustre was gone from the Blue Oval’s fabled muscle car. Dodge dealers now had the menacing-looking Challenger on the lot, and Chevrolet’s reborn (and much hyped) Camaro was entering production channels and hogging the spotlight. Something had to be done, and in short order, so Ford quickly revised the 2010 Mustang to ensure it would be able to maintain its hard-won share of the ‘sporty’ car market.

The most notable changes for 2010 are on the outside, as the car’s exterior styling has been tweaked to give it a more aggressive presence. The hood juts forward over the plexi-covered headlamps and wide egg-crate grill, and a pronounced “Powerdome” gives the car a track-ready look while delivering more cool air to the car’s engine bay. The rear of the car transforms from the previous model’s almost flat-back design to a wind tunnel-sculpted shape featuring sharply angled bodywork housing compact taillights, and a simple spoiler replaces the GT’s old wing design. The end result is a very slippery body to help improve fuel economy, and an increase in downforce to keep the tail in check at speed.

Sliding behind the wheel of this new steed, I was immediately impressed with the amount of room I had in the cockpit. Visibility is excellent when compared to its rivals the Camaro and Challenger, but there is a definite blind-spot created by the B-pillar. Fit-and-finish has been improved to the point that Ford vehicles in general are among the best in this department. The leather-clad seating in my test vehicle was taut and supple, and both front seats did an exceptional job of holding passengers in place during hard cornering manoeuvres. The rear seating area in vehicles of this type is a novelty, but would suffice for children or short adults with small feet.

My test vehicle benefited from optional 19-inch alloys wrapped in sticky Pirelli performance tires and the addition of a body-stiffening front strut tower brace. The “Track Package” was also on the build sheet, adding high-performance dual-piston brake calipers and uprated pads, recalibration of the stability control system, and a performance-oriented 3.73 rear axle ratio and limited slip differential.

Ride quality is comfortable enough to leave you refreshed after a long commute, but when you hammer the throttle the roar of the engine and rumble of the exhaust quickly awaken the enthusiast within. The car will sprint to 100 km/h in just a tick under six seconds. As you row through its 5-speed manual, you will recognize the positive feedback of both the gearbox and clutch pedal. The 4.6-litre SOHC V8 is now rated at 315 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque; both numbers represent a slight bump over those of the outgoing car, and gains were largely made with the addition of a new cold air induction system.

Despite its solid rear axle and relatively soft springs, the Mustang GT tracked very precisely and hustled out of corners with very little tail wagging. Under hard braking, the nose would tend to plough a little more than I expected, but distances were short and the process drama free.

Ford has done an excellent job of maintaining its retro styling cues throughout the vehicle. The attention to detail extends to facets as small as the shape of the numbers on the faces of the large speedometer and tachometer. Modern elements include trendy blue ambient lighting throughout the cabin and a built-in USB port, as well as 12-volt and auxiliary ports for all your electronic gear. A long list of optional luxury goodies are now available including touch-screen navigation with an integrated rear camera, Microsoft’s cool Sync audio and communications system, a 10-gigabyte music hard drive, and a fixed glass sunroof that stretches from one corner to the other.

MSRP pricing is similar to that of the 2009 model and seems reasonable when you consider the quality and performance of the car, but with Chevrolet’s ultra-aggressive pricing structure for the new Camaro, there may be some room to move should you wish to put a new pony in the corral.

Leaner and Meaner

Review and photo by Russell Purcell

Mustang GT Sliding behind the wheel of this new steed, I was immediately impressed with the amount of room I had in the cockpit. Visibility is excellent when compared to its rivals the Camaro and Challenger, but there is a definite blind-spot created by the B-pillar. Fit-and-finish has been improved to the point that Ford vehicles in general are among the best in this department. The leather-clad seating in my test vehicle was taut and supple, and both front seats did an exceptional job of holding passengers in place during hard cornering manoeuvres. The rear seating area in vehicles of this type is a novelty, but would suffice for children or short adults with small feet.