One of the great things about being a car reviewer is that you get to satisfy your midlife crisis just about every week.
And there’s nothing better to satisfy that automotive sweet tooth than a muscle car. I saddled up for a few days in the actual 10,000,000th Ford Mustang produced, and this 5.0 GT convertible is no one-trick pony. In fact, the V-8 cranks out 460 horsepower of them, and each one is more exhilarating than the last.
Slide into the cockpit and grab hold of the venerable three-spoked deep-dish steering wheel that frames a classic two-gauge cluster and push the start button. Oh, yeah — the neighbors will know it’s you, by the way. The V-8 roars to life before settling into a throat-clearing rumble. Pop it into gear, and away you go. This Mustang needs no kick to get it really going and burbles along happily at city speeds, too.
But get it out on the open road, get on the accelerator and wow — that power plant spins through the 10-speed automatic gearbox, settling into a powerful purr while still able to dig deeper for passing speeds instantly. Toggle through the several driving modes available such as Sport plus, Track and — yes — Drag Strip to maximize all the energy this ‘Stang has — but certainly keep an eye on the speedometer. Believe it or not the Normal mode delivers excellent performance on its own.
The handsome — and very classic — lines of the Mustang are enhanced by the convertible top. Subtle vents accent the double-creased hood that drop to a honeycombed blacked-out grille. The LED headlamps sit over cat-like fog lamps and are folded into the front fenders and hood. Soak in the glories of summer with the ragtop open and the Bang and Olufsen stereo turned up. The sun warming the cross-stitched bolstered leather buckets too much? Crank up the seat coolers to take the edge off.
Our optioned-up GT tips the sales price at $59,040 and included the premier trim package that added cross-traffic alerts, the Ford Connect voice-activated 12-inch touch screen and interior accent trim. The faux-carbon fiber dash hosts the two-gauge cluster with electronic information display. The gauge display changes, providing pertinent information depending on the selected drive mode. The prominent gear-shifter has an old-school feel to it.
A surprisingly easy driver, the Mustang pulls nicely into corners, not plowing through them, with the Magne-ride Damping system sending good response to the driver. The 19-inch Michelin Sport plus tires mounted on nickel-plated five-spoke rims felt nice and tacky, particularly on the hot days I drove the car. Powerful Brembo front brakes bring this Mustang to a quick halt.
The ageless Mustang remains an American automotive icon — live long, Mustang.
Ford Mustang 5.0 GT
MRSP: $44, 850
As Tested: $59,090
MPG: 15 city, 24 highway
