Looking back, it’s hard now to appreciate the impact the Mustang had on car buyers when it debuted in 1964. As an affordable, compact sports car, the Mustang was an immediate sensation and has remained in production ever since.
Originally launched as a two door, rear-wheel-drive hardtop or convertible, the Mustang has never strayed far from its roots. A fastback (a body style in which the roofline slopes continuously down at the back) was introduced in ’65, and this design has supplanted the more staid hardtop, but the convertible continues.
As befits a sports car, the emphasis has always been on "Go" rather than "Show," but the Mustang remains an attractively proportioned car. For 2012, four different engines are offered across the two body styles, providing performance that ranges from quick to light speed.
The base Mustang comes with a 3.7-liter V6, but never say it’s “only” a V6. This all-aluminum engine employs four camshafts with independent intake and exhaust timing to generate 305 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. Pleasing driving enthusiasts everywhere, a 6-speed manual transmission is standard, although an automatic is also available. The EPA gas mileage numbers for the manual V6 are 19 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway, (the automatic manages 31 on the highway) and pricing starts at a little over $22,000. A convertible adds around $5,000 to the price.
Moving up, there’s the Mustang GT. With a 5.0-liter V8 producing 412 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque, this has more muscle than the V6, though MacPherson struts at the front coupled with a 3-link design rear suspension provides more than enough grip for winding public roads. The GT is a little thirstier than the V6, producing 17 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway on the EPA test cycle. GT pricing starts at a shade under $30,000, with the convertible again $5,000 more.
For a little something extra, the GT and V6 coupe and convertible can be ordered in Premium trim. This upgrades the wheels and audio system, and makes the interior more plush. Selecting Premium also opens the door to a number of other options and upgrades. Premium adds $4,000 to the price of the V6 and GT.
For those who find the GT a little tame, (hard to imagine though that is), there’s the Boss 302. With a modified 5-liter V8 yielding a blacktop-peeling 444 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque, this Mustang will give any hardcore sports car a run for its money.
The Boss 302, starting at just over $40,000, is available only as a coupe. It can be ordered with the $7,000 Laguna Seca package. This ups the ante with competition tires on red 19-inch wheels, upgraded rear springs and stabilizer bar, a front air splitter and Recaro seats. It also results in the removal of the rear seat, substituting cross bracing for increased stiffness.
Topping the Mustang range is the brutal Shelby GT500. With a 5.4-liter supercharged V8 delivering an unbelievable 550 horsepower and 510 pound-feet torque, the GT500 is more than quick enough to shame many a so-called "supercar." Pricing starts at just under $49,000, rising to around $55,000 for the convertible. Racing stripes, Brembo front rotors and calipers, and a Tremec 6-speed transmission are standard.
The original Mustang set out to be an affordable, compact sports car, and nowadays, you could definitely say the Mustang has become an American icon.