San Francisco: The
Ford Mustang has more than four decades of heritage, and the newest
generation is among the most beautiful of all. It perfectly blends
modern design principles with the classic muscle-car shape that was born
in the 1960s and has an interior still looks snazzy.
There are a lot of
reasons to hate this car. It drives like a drunken pig. Its tiny back
seat is a sadistic torture chamber. Its rear suspension could have been
pulled straight from a medieval ox cart. And its dash feels like it's
made from the same plastic as a Slurpee lid.
But there's one very
compelling reason to love it. It's a Mustang and it’s like having Apple
pie with exhaust pipes.
There's an all-American
mystique about this car that nothing else can match, especially since
General Motors murdered the Camaro. Right after Old Glory, Uncle Sam and
the national anthem, nothing says, "God bless the U.S.A." like a Ford
Mustang. It's right up there with baseball and apple pie on the
Americana scale.
Driving a Mustang on a
sunny day with the windows rolled down and rock music blaring on the
radio is an experience that makes you glad to be alive, one of those
things that everyone should do before they die. And if you haven't done
it, you simply haven't lived.
The Mustang's
oh-so-cool feeling doesn't come because it's a good car, though.
Actually, it's a terrible one. It has stone-age technology that your
grandpa would consider old-fashioned. At a time when even the most
brutish SUVs come with an independent rear suspension, the Mustang still
has a live rear axle that makes the back tires slide around like they're
made of margarine. Its handling is awful, Just awful. But wait, there's
more.
Its flimsy dash would
be an embarrassment in any other car. The back seat is only good for
punishing your enemies. And it feels like Ford made it entirely out of
concrete and the same plate steel the Navy uses to armor its destroyers,
so its heavy weight makes it drive like a meth-fueled sumo wrestler.
Still, none of those
things change the fact that you want to take it on the open road with
the radio really loud. Part of America's irrational love affair with the
Mustang comes from the way it looks, its classic American muscle-car
stance, perfectly blended with the clean, clutter-free lines of modern
design.
It's a beautiful, sexy
car with a body that looks great from any angle. If it were a Super
Model, it would be on the cover of Sports Illustrated wearing a thong
bikini.
It's also plenty fast
if you opt for the V8 engine. While the base model V6 lets you get the
Mustang's cool look for around $19,000, the V8-powered Mustang GT
(around $25,000) gives you the power to back up the car's muscular
heritage. The 4.6-liter V8 makes 300 horsepower, and that’s enough to
let you spin the Land O' Lakes tires any time you want.
And that's what this
car is really about. Through its stunning style and howling engine, it
embodies the spirit and freedom of America. Especially with the freedom
to do a full power slide into your company office parking lot.
What was tested?
The 2007 Ford Mustang GT Premium Coupe with a base price of $26,455.
Options: Comfort group ($575), interior upgrade ($460), side airbags
($380), active anti-theft system ($328), wheel locking kit ($50). Price
as tested including a $745 destination charge: $28,993.
Why avoid it?
It's way too heavy, handles like a dizzy hippo and comes with a dash
that feels like it was assembled by preschoolers.
Why buy it? This
car embodies America. It's a powerful, loud and a gorgeous sports coupe
that's remarkably affordable. By Derek Price © AutoWire.Net -
San Francisco
Ford Home Page
Byline: Syndicated content provided by Tony
Leopardo © AutoWire.Net
olumn Name: The Ford Mustang has that
all-American feel
Topic: The 2007 Ford Mustang GT Premium Coupe
Word Count: 704
Photo Caption: The 2007 Ford Mustang GT Premium
Coupe
Photo Credits: Ford Mustang Internet Media
Series #: 2007 - 56
Download
the Microsoft Word version here:
2007 Mustang
GT
Download the Original Image File here:
2007 Mustang GT
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