2003 Ford Mustang Review

Specifications

Unrefined, Uninhibited and Devastatingly Quick

I was a kid in the 60s and a teenager in the 70s, so the Mustang has long been on my dream car list - excepting the forgettable Mustang II series. Powerful V8 fastbacks with names like Mach 1 and Shelby won over my impressionably young heart, forever creating the desire to one day own an example of the fabled steed.

While Ive since had the pleasure of driving a variety of early pony cars, my favorite being a 1968 Shelby Mustang GT 500 KR, nothing has offered the total package of blistering acceleration and nimble handling as completely as the new SVT Mustang Cobra.

But 0 to 60 aside that doesnt mean much, you say? Its true that Mustangs have never been particularly agile around the corners when compared to more sophisticated imports sporting fully independent suspension systems, and also more or less true that the new model still features mostly the same dated chassis architecture that Ford introduced when the Mustang II replacement hit the scene over a quarter of a century ago, albeit much improved over the years. But all that goes out the window with the new SVT Cobra.

Say what? I know I was somewhat harsh on the same car in convertible guise in a previous review, but the coupe is an entirely different animal. Both lose the solid rear axle setup, replaced with an all-new independent multi-link rear suspension. Ride and handling is much better in convertible and coupe form, but the latter, with its higher structural rigidity, shows the most improvement.

I took a sunny afternoon to speed up a snake-like stretch of highway not far from my home, an excellent test bed capable of pulling the best and worst out of any car. The SVT Mustang Cobra coupe is tight, tracking well at high speed and quite predictable through the really sharp corners. I didnt feel as confident at its extreme limits as I would in say, Infinitis G35 Sport Coupe, but then again nothing this side of a Porsche 911 fits my driving style quite as well.

Just the same, Fords top-tier pony surprised me. Its Bilstein monotube nitrogen-gas dampers did a good job controlling jounce and rebound, while its 600 pound-per-square-inch springs front and rear, aggressive shock valving and beefy 1.14 in front, 1.02 in rear tubular stabilizer bars kept it level to the road surface even under intense lateral Gs. The Goodyear Eagle F1 275/40ZR17s surrounding 9 x 17-inch cast aluminum rims - that incidentally come standard with a regular aluminum finish or can be ordered in chrome for an additional $695 (the only SVT Cobra coupe option other than the $1,000 gas guzzler tax) - kept the Mustang in complete control.

I never thought Id ever say that. Despite my initial love affair with early Mustangs, Ive turned into a bit of an import snob. Im sure you know the type, annoying references to domestic cars with poor driving dynamics, questionable reliability and shoddy perceived quality.

This latter part of the equation, perceived quality, would still get in the way of me purchasing a Mustang personally. While the general styling of the interior is good, the seats are excellent and 6-disc in dash CD changer equipped Mach 1 audio system impressive, the 1-inch plus gap where the dash meets the door surround appears kit-car-ish and the heating and ventilation controls seem as though purchased out of an aftermarket catalog.

To be fair Ford is on a monumental interior quality drive, improving its new 2004 F-150 pickup to a level never seen before in the category, and its 2004 Freestar minivan so that it can compete directly with Chryslers class leader and the best of the Japanese vans.

But as much as the next generation Mustang will no doubt stifle negative remarks about workmanship, similar criticisms must be noted for the exterior of the current model, especially where the eyes wont initially notice. For instance, open the trunk and sloppy welds are immediately apparent. More so, what looked like porous body filler (a cheap fix for repairing dents) coated the trunk surround of my test car. It was painted over but hardly represented the quality associated with a car approaching $35,000. Comparatively at roughly the same price, the Infiniti G35 Coupes metalwork is flawless.

But any self respecting muscle car fan will quote me the SVT Cobras 390-hp Eaton supercharged engine specs and the argument regarding refinement is over. And theyll have a point. As much as I love the Infiniti, theres nothing that can compensate for in-your-face horsepower off the line. The SVT Cobra is so quick, at just under 5-seconds to 60 mph, 11.1 seconds to 100 mph, eventually hitting maximum velocity at a speed limited 155 mph, that it caused goose bumps to form on my arm - really.

My brother, in town recently to celebrate (if you can call it that) my 40th birthday, decided that the coffee he so much wanted wasnt necessary after a single adrenaline inducing run up the highway. There are few cars that can keep up. I fell back into a teenage state of mind when pulling up beside a tuned Camaro with two young guys in the front seat. I looked over and smiled, they gunned it when the light turned green and I caught on a second or two later - my reflexes arent quite as quick anymore. I immediately, out of instinct, swept by them without effort. Quickly getting on the brakes so as not to break any laws I rolled up to the next stoplight, the two guys in the Camaro creeping up beside me about 20 seconds later with mouths hanging open. Two thumbs up told me they approved of getting dusted by an SVT Cobra.

During my test week I found it hard keeping my only somewhat responsible mind from causing an over enthusiastic right foot to pull back on the throttle. The 6-speed shifter is quite decent too, making me want to shift up and down through the gears for no reason - as if there is one when 390 lb-ft of torque is force fed through to the rear wheels. For an experiment I tried accelerating from standstill in 3rd, 4th and even 5th gear without using the gas pedal - no problem. It just idles forward. Im sure it would even do it in 6th.

I put a lot of super grade fuel in Fords supercar, filling it up two and a half times compared to the average cars single tank full. While that had something to do with the fact that I drove it every moment I could - and wouldnt you - and that I hardly idled around town or cruised all that often in 6th gear at 55 mph, it also reflects a rather thirsty supercharged V8.

If you want to know about convenience features check out my article on the SVT Mustang Cobra Convertible in this web site and get all the details.

But details arent what this car is all about. Its raw, uninhibited and devastatingly quick. Few cars will get you as much respect on the road and fewer still will have drivers dumb enough to want to race you - street racing being just all round dumb as it is.

Final conclusion: This drivetrain in the next generation Mustang and I just might leave my import snobbery for a new muscle car.