2005 Ford Mustang Review

Specifications

Didnt You Know? Girls Love Muscle

What a beauty - and Im not talking about myself! The completely redesigned, on the inside and out, 2005 Ford Mustang is a head-turner. Its amalgamation of classic 60s and modern-day styling make it unique, yet timeless. While Ive heard mixed opinions about its nipped and tucked appearance, I dig it. Its a mean, but not very lean, muscle machine and it is oh-so-cool.

Driving the Stang is a hoot, or should I say a neigh! Anyway, its a blast. Its engineering improvements include an all-new, fully modern body structure and chassis system featuring advanced MacPherson struts and a three-link live axle with Panhard rod, making it handle eons better than it used to. Its chassis is 31 percent more rigid than its predecessors, making it much more stable. While it is not necessarily the best handling car in its class, it sure is awesome to gallop around in.

What really got my engine going was the five-speed manual gearbox attached to the 4.6L, 24-valve, SOHC V8. With my transmission of choice plus 300 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque (the base engine is a 4.0L, SOHC, V6 with 210 hp and 235 lb-ft of torque), its hard for life to get much better. For those who prefer the non-manual route, a five-speed automatic transmission is available, but in my opinion, it is probably way less fun.

Having the five-speed manual transmission enabled me to let the good times roar, especially through the twin exhausts which made the most melodic, deep and throaty purr. If the Legend Lime exterior wasnt catching the eyes of passers by, the grumbling grunt of the V8 definitely caught their attention. Whether idling at a traffic light or revving while accelerating, the Mustangs melodic sound, or noise as my mom likes to call it, really adds to the American Muscle experience.

Acceleration also added to that experience, considering the ponycars impressive 0 to 60 mph time of 4.8 seconds (5.0 seconds with the automatic). Peak power is achieved at 5,400 rpm, but due to the variable valve timing technology, there was plenty of available power at all rpm ranges. Besides, theres nothing better than hearing the roar of the V8 at its peak. Its just great.

Whats also great are the beefy P235/55ZR17 BSW performance tires coupled with the 17-inch bright machined cast aluminum rims. The performance tires sure gripped the pavement in tight turns and slippery situations. Linked to the performance tires is a set of performance brakes, four-wheel discs with Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) and four-channel ABS. At city speed, highway speed, or Mustang speed (we all know what that means), the brakes stop the rear-wheel drive coupe in a flash.

On a flashy note, the redesigned interior comes with a feature exclusive to the Mustang, a color-configurable instrument panel. I love it. Some days I felt like blue, some days pink, others green, yellow or red. In total, there are 125 different color settings to suit whatever mood I am in. Unfortunately, only the instrument gauge cluster changed colors, and not all of the cabins buttons.

Other highlights of the cabin included the optional leather seating surfaces, which were plush and very comfortable. While I would have liked heated seats along with the leather, the car is hot enough by itself! In addition, the Mustang houses an amazing, throaty stereo system, aptly called the Shaker, which features an AM/FM 6-disc in-dash CD/MP3 changer with not one, but two 250-watt subwoofers. Talk about a party in the cabin.

One afternoon I had my temporary kids in the car and also had the stereo system cranked. Both kids in the back are die-hard music lovers and were quite enticed by the rear seat vibration due to the heavy bass. Now thats a system - it literally shakes the car. And while other premium systems with subwoofers dont always capture the essence of the bass line when the volume is turned up, this system surpassed them all.

Although the Mustangs new interior and exterior are mostly very impressive, there were a few minor details that could have been done better. One, the driver-side door handle did not line up properly when released, leaving it sticking out about a quarter of an inch. Furthermore, the plastic cover that shrouds the taillights inside the trunk was detached from its fasteners. Lastly, interior plastics could have been of a much better grade. Perfecting the small details, especially in such an important vehicle, is essential.

After all, the Mustang is the car that helped Ford reach an entirely new generation of buyers when it debuted in the 60s, a pattern that the company is following today. The only way the car will fulfill its main purpose, which is to drive new customers to Ford, is to give those customers a good ownership experience. The bottom line? Some of the minor details Ive pointed out need work. If the entry-level Ford Focus is now a quality product, the muscled-up Mustang should be too.

At the end of the week, I was a little sad to see Mustang Sally depart from my arms. I miss the roar of her engine, the attention I received in her presence, the rip-roaring fun I had in her and most of all, the color-changing instrument cluster. But aside from the minor details which could have been better, this American muscle car has muscled its way into my heart.