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2011 Ford Mustang: What's It Like to Live With?

Read the latest updates in our long-term road test of the 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 as our editors live with this car for a year.

Ford Mustang 2011

What do you want to know about?

Introduction

"Mike, wait just a second. Sit down." The meeting with a key executive was going well until this. "One more question." Uh oh. Those are words you never want to hear. "We've got some budget to burn. What should we get: a 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0, or a [generic family hauler *redacted*]?"

The generic family hauler would certainly sell more units than the 412-horsepower V8-powered Mustang GT, and so the reply was carefully calculated. "I want the Mustang, but the GFH sure does have a lot going for it. It'll sell well and is crucial for that brand. But that new 5.0-liter engine is cool. And we did just give up our 2010 Chevy Camaro. And we don't have a muscle car right now...."

"And we haven't had a Mustang since 2005. That was before the blog," he replied.

A few days later, the search was on for a 2011 Ford Mustang GT for a 12-month/20,000-mile road test.

What We Bought
The 2011 Ford Mustang GT Premium starts out at $32,845. And for that you get some serious performance by way of a 412-hp DOHC V8 connected to a slick-shifting six-speed manual transmission. And with a curb weight some 200 pounds lighter than a Chevy Camaro, 412 hp is more than sufficient. A six-speed automatic is optional, but really, no thanks.

Apart from a manual trans and a V8 we had three more rules for our long-term Mustang: 1) It couldn't be a stupid color; 2) 3.73 rear end; 3) keep the price as low as possible. This is a Mustang; it's supposed to be cheap fun.

We managed two out of three.

Early in the shopping process we realized that a GT would be harder to find than a GT Premium. The Premium gets you Bluetooth, iPod integration, satellite radio, leather seats, a power driver seat, leather-wrapped steering wheel and color-adjustable gauges. It also adds $3,200 to the price. Rule 3 was already looking difficult.

The first Mustang we found was yellow and the second was Kona Blue. See Rule 1 for why those wouldn't work. And then came a spate of fully loaded navigation-equipped cars with dealer-installed wheels. No, no and no.

So when a black 6MT showed up with the requisite 3.73 gearing ($395), and the Brembo brake package ($1,695), we jumped on it despite some extras.

We could certainly do without the $1,295 1,000-watt Shaker audio system that has two trunk-mounted subwoofers. The rear video camera ($385) is nice, but unnecessary. HIDs are $525 and the Rapid Spec 401A package is $395 and gets us contrasting leather and a cool ball shifter, which the aforementioned executive really digs.

Altogether, our 2011 Ford Mustang rocks the register to the tune of $38,780. That price, however, was before the negotiation began. We were offered the Ford Executive Plan, which got us the car for just about $200 over invoice. There were also $1,500 in incentives on the hood so our price was $34,717.61, or, $38,850.94 out the door including all tax/title/license fees.

It's a lot of car for $34,717.61.

Why We Bought It
Life with a 2010 Chevy Camaro SS didn't end the way we expected. The limited visibility and Martian ergonomics meant that unless you had a need for speed, you passed on the Camaro. Despite 426 horses, it was often the last car out of the garage at night. In comparison, another muscle car, the 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T came in as a lame duck — low on power, big on flashy looks — but won us over in the end with its real-world livability and addictive soundtrack.

The Mustang seems to split the difference. It looks just wild enough to be cool and has just enough power to make you grin. The test remains, though, whether this "just right" blending of style and function works in the real world, 365 days in a row for 20,000 miles.

There is accommodation to be found in the middle ground, but rarely greatness. The Chevy Camaro outsold the Ford Mustang in 2010 without a convertible and without owners being able to see out of it. Still, our long-term Camaro lost us somewhere during the test, and the Challenger won us over. Will the Mustang cruise along in mediocrity, rise to the top choice in the fleet or simply fade away and make us wish we'd chosen that generic family hauler?

Twelve months and 20,000 miles will help us decide. Follow along on our long-term road test blog for a year of living with a brand-new 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0.

Current Odometer: 1,573
Best Fuel Economy: 21.5 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 13.0 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 17.2 mpg

Edmunds purchased this vehicle for the purpose of evaluation.

Follow the long-term road test blog for updates about our 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0.

Born to Burnout

January 13, 2011

If there's any doubt that our new 5.0 is a burnout machine, just look at the traction control button. The only way Ford could have made this button cooler is by actually labeling it "burnout."

I have plenty more to say about our new 5.0, mostly good things, but I'll leave it at that for now.

Ed Hellwig, Editor, Edmunds.com

TSB in AZ, Part 1

January 14, 2011

With only a couple hundred miles showing on the Mustang GT's odometer, some serious break-in miles were required before we could take the car to the test track. So I set a course for Phoenix, hoping for a quick 800-mile weekend roundtrip to help the Mustang's bits get used to one another.

I made it to Phoenix, but had to make the last 30 miles in the cab of a tow truck.

The first sign of trouble came in Riverside. One moment the fuel gauge shows a half tank remaining and I'm figuring to make a fuel stop near Palm Springs as usual. The next moment, the fuel gauge plummets to almost zero and the distance-to-empty indicator shows only a handful of miles.

With 281.8 miles showing on the Mustang's odometer and 135.5 miles on the tripmeter, we're able to get only 7.883 gallons go into the Mustang's tank. Looks like some electronic gremlins have come along for a ride. Maybe it's the fuel sender? Was the tank actually full when I picked up the car from the parking garage in Santa Monica? A vast majority of new vehicles are typically delivered with some kind of problem, so I don't panic. A car is still a miracle of production quality compared to anything electronic, not to mention something like a new house (apparently we've learned more in 100 years of making automobiles than we've learned in 200 years of making balloon-frame houses).

So with the fuel gauge once again indicating full, I continue to Phoenix.

And then when I reach the Arizona border, the fuel gauge is registering a half tank again when it crashes to zero and the DTE indicator warns of limited range. Just to be safe, I stop for gas again right there on the other side of the Colorado River. With 451.2 miles showing on the Mustang's odometer and 169.4 miles on the tripmeter, I'm able to get only 4.959 gallons into the Mustang's tank, and I have to trigger the pump a little bit at a time during the whole refill in order to make the tank swallow the fuel. Finally the tank burps a little gas out of the capless fuel filler and onto the Mustang's fender so I reckon the tank is brimming.

Clearly seems like a fuel gauge issue to me, so I figure that I'll keep driving the Mustang on the tripmeter just the way I used to ride my Yamaha RD400F. My destination in Phoenix is less than 200 miles away, so I reckon to make it easy without a gas stop.

The fuel gauge crashes again as it hits the half-tank mark in Litchfield on the western side of Phoenix, but with the knowledge that there's plenty of fuel on board, I just kept going. And then in the fast lane of the wide, wide array of lanes on Interstate 10 heading toward the freeway interchange in downtown Phoenix, the Mustang runs out of gas. I know the feeling from past history in endurance racing, so I wriggle the car back and forth to slosh the remaining fuel toward the pickup, but no dice. I'm lucky to get across the traffic to a wide gravel area on an exit ramp.

No worries, this is what your AAA card is for, right? A guy in a service truck shows up within 30 minutes, then I hand over some cash to pay for the fuel, and he goes around to the gas cap filler to pour it in.

Except the AAA guy can't get the spout of his plastic gas can into the Mustang's capless fuel-filler neck. A metal flap within an inch or so of the Mustang's filler opening won't swing aside to admit the spout. The AAA guy looks at me and I look at him and then we both scratch our heads. Maybe we're doing something wrong? This capless fuel-filler thing is relatively new, after all. He replies that his service truck is a Ford F-250 with a capless filler. We walk over to his truck and find that the flapper in the truck's fuel-filler neck swings out of the way free and easy.

Well, maybe the Mustang thinks it's upside-down and has shut down the fuel pump and closed up the fuel system. The owner's manual tells us that you can reset the fuel-pump cutout by just switching on the ignition. We try it. Engine runs but no luck with fuel filler.

The next call goes out to Ford Roadside Assistance, which tracks down the source of our cell phone call and dispatches a tow truck. It's a free tow to the nearest Ford Dealership. The tow truck guys are smart and ask what kind of Mustang I'm driving, since they're concerned about the car's ground clearance with their dolley-type tow rig, so they end up sending a flat bed just in case.

Really, it all seemed like a good idea at the time. We'll continue with the second installment next week.

Michael Jordan, Executive Editor, Edmunds.com @ 591 miles

Nineteens

January 18, 2011

When Edmunds Consumer Advice Associate Ron Montoya informed me that we bought a Mustang GT, the first thing I asked him was "Did we get the Nineteens?"When he confirmed that, I responded, "Yesssss." So we did get the 19-inch wheels fitted with 255/40 ZR19 PZeros (all part of the $1695 Brembo brake package.)

We ended up with 18s on our dearly departed Dodge Challenger R/T, and I hated them. That vehicle was huge, and from the back it looked like it rode on bicycle tires.

I'm happier with the Mustang GT and love the look of the 19s; they really improve the stance.

And the ride quality is just fine too.

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ 1,945 miles

TSB in AZ, Part 2

January 18, 2011

It was like one of those refugee flights, as if the helicopter had lifted off the rooftop just as everything went bad on the ground.

That's how you feel when you abandon a car and fly away on an airplane. The last time it happened with me was in La Paz, when we parked a bunch of cars in a trailer park near the airport because the roads north to the U.S. had been flooded.

At least this time we didn't hit a steer, throw a dented hood into the bushes and drown an engine in a flooded ravine. Instead the 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 was parked safely in the service bay of Earnhardt Ford in Chandler, Arizona. When the proper part arrived, it would be on the road again, but that would be days from now and I couldn't be waiting around.

As you remember, I arrived in Phoenix on a flatbed tow truck after running the Mustang out of gas. The Mustang tried to warn me, but there was a certain failure to communicate on behalf of both parties. And when I did try to give it some gas, the capless fuel filler thwarted me.

Ford Roadside Assistance tow the car for free to Earnhardt Ford, but naturally you won't find any friendly service people waiting for you on a Saturday night. I check by telephone with the service department first thing on Monday morning and then show up in person to describe the circumstances of our breakdown. (Good thing I had someone with whom to stay and a car to borrow besides.) To me, things look promising for a quick repair, since this is a holiday week and there are few other cars in for service.

Three hours later the service writer from Earnhardt Ford calls with the diagnosis. As always, there is good news and bad news. The good news is, the replacement of the fuel pump module would solve the problem and the service could be completed in about an hour. But the bad news is, the part has to be shipped from the nearest Ford parts depot and even emergency service can't get it here until Thursday.

Right away, I start checking the flight schedules to Los Angeles.

Once I escaped from Phoenix on Southwest Airlines, Earnhardt Ford kept me on top of the situation, much to its credit. It emailed me a copy of the paperwork acknowledging the car's entry into the service department. It promised me that the car would be cleaned and readied whenever I was prepared to pick it up. And most important, it forwarded me a copy of the work order, which is how I learned of TSB 10-21-3.

This technical service bulletin (TSB) distributed by Ford to its dealers warns of an issue in both Ford Mustang V6 and V8 models in which the fuel gauge indicator drops from approximately half-full to empty. The TSB precisely describes the behavior that we experienced in our Mustang GT 5.0. The fuel gauge dropping from half or a quarter full. The inability to get more than 7 to 10 gallons into the 15-gallon tank.

As the TSB notes, the Mustang has a saddle-bag-style fuel tank that straddles the driveshaft. There is an electric fuel pump and a fuel-level sensor on the driver side of the fuel tank. There is a fuel pick-up and fuel-level sensor on the passenger side of the tank. The system picks up fuel first from the passenger side and then from the driver side. The fuel level sensors read the fuel levels on both sides and the two values are averaged for display. When the system reads a large difference between the fuel-level sensors, the fuel level indicator goes to empty and the on-board message center wars of limited range.

In the electrical confusion, the pick-up system fails to switch from the passenger side of the tank to the driver side of the tank. As result, the darn thing runs out of gas.

The 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 pulled through and did live again. It's in the Edmunds garage in Santa Monica right now. But there are a few things that we'll be pursuing. What kind of fault frequency must be found before a TSB becomes a recall? Is Ford's policy in this regard different from that of other manufacturers? This TSB 10-21-3 was posted by Ford on October 19, 2010. Should we have been aware of this issue? Should our dealership have been aware of this before we took delivery of the car? And what about the whole capless fuel filler thing?

Ah, questions, questions.

Michael Jordan, Executive Editor, Edmunds.com @ 591 miles

Has Brembos, SINGLE Piston Sliding Rear Calipers

January 19, 2011

This is a screencap from the Ford website. It says the same thing on our window sticker and it says the same thing in every press kit and vehicle specifications page we've seen. The Brembo Brake Package ($1,695) gets you 19-by-9.0 Dark Stainless wheels, Unique ESC tuning and a Brembo Brake Package. This includes 14"Brembo rotors with four-piston fixed calipers and 11.8"rotors with two piston calipers in back.

Trouble is....this Mustang GT (just like the Convertible we tested earlier ) with the Brembo package has single piston rear calipers.

Reader cz_75 called us out on our Ford Mustang GT 5.0 Convertible Track Tested saying, "The rear brakes do have sliding calipers, but they have TWO pistons, not one."Sure enough, the specs say two, but our data sheet, which we compile ourselves, said one.

I scolded the guy who made the sheet and changed the data to reflect the spec chart. When we got our long-term Mustang GT in, I supervised the brake inspection.

"How many pistons."

"One."came the muffled response from under the car.

"how many?"

"One."

"Try again. How many?"

"One. Go look."

Hmm

So a couple of got dirty to check it out. Sure enough, the spec chart was wrong and our car, like the 2011 Ford Mustang GT500, has single piston sliders.

(sorry for the photo, we'll get wheel-off shots soon. Below is one from the GT500 which has the Brembos. )

We called Ford from the track to find out what was going on. Told them we'd bought the car off a lot and that it was not a press vehicle or any other sort of pre-production / tuner vehicle.

A few hours (an eternity for a response from a PR rep) we got a call back that the 2011 Ford Mustang GT with the Brembo package does have SINGLE piston sliding rear calipers and not the two-piston ones as advertised.

Media and consumer information is set to be changed as soon as is possible. Expect some pissed off Mustang owners.

Mike Magrath, Associate Editor Edmunds.com

Rear Repeaters

January 19, 2011

Yes, our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 is alive and kicking. I drove it over the long MLK weekend and had no problems at all.

There are some stylish details on the Mustang, including the rear turn signals.
The 3-section repeaters strobe from inboard to outboard when activated.

Very nice.

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ 1,950 miles

TSB in AZ, Part 3

January 19, 2011

"JDP, how would you like to take an all-expenses paid trip to Phoenix?" Seeing that I was already in sunny SoCal, I was a bit suspect at Executive Editor Michael Jordan's question. (I didn't yet know about the Mustang GT saga). He clarified: "Our new Mustang GT is at a Ford dealer over there and needs to be picked up."

It would be a quick, one-day deal. Fly in, take a taxi to the Ford dealer, hop into the new 'stang and aim it west for 400 miles. Well, we were talking about the new GT 5.0. The pick up could've been in Hades and I would've jumped on it.

As you've already read, MJ had logged only about 600 miles on the odo when the new pony lost its giddyup. A faulty fuel pump system was to blame, and our new GT was taken to Earnhardt Ford (no relation to the racers) where the TSB for this glitch was tended to. When I arrived at the dealership the friendly service advisor told me the car was all set.

Five minutes later I was outta there. I fueled up right before hitting the 10 Interstate — love the capless fuel filler. After turning right onto the vacant on-ramp, I leaned on it, taking it to about 4500 rpm on each of the 1-2, 2-3 and 3-4 upshifts, windows halfway down so I could enjoy the crisp, urgent bellow of the exhaust. No, I didn't light 'em up at the mouth of the on-ramp nor chirp the tires on the subsequent upshifts. The 5.0 had less than 700 miles on it and even though there's no official break-in procedure, I don't believe in driving a car hard (hence the non-redline upshifts) until the engine's components have gotten to know each other a bit better.

I soon had a companion for the trip — rain, which stayed with me nearly all the way to L.A. But apart from 8 miles of stop-and-go traffic just outside Phoenix where the 10 went from two lanes to one, it was easy cruising. A fairly quiet cabin, supportive seats, satellite radio and a Bluetooth connection helped pass the miles — all that was missing were heated seats (though they're optional).

All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable trip, despite the rain.

John DiPietro, Automotive Editor @ around 1,100 miles.

That Didn't Take Long

January 20, 2011

Seems like just yesterday we got our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT, probably because it was just a couple weeks ago and the Ford still has that new-car smell and sheen.

But the odometer passed the big 2-0-0-0 yesterday, proof of how easy this 412-horsepower performance coupe is to live with. I still haven't decided what I like best: the throaty exhaust roar, the properly-weighted steering, the comfortable seats or the rapid acceleration.

Another 2,000 miles might help narrow it down.

Karl Brauer, Edmunds.com Editor at Large @ 2,000 miles

And That's Why You Buy a 5.0 Mustang

January 24, 2011

This car rules.

Scott Oldham, Editor in Chief

*sigh*

January 25, 2011

So I guess this is part four.

Never mind how I came to drive our 2011 Mustang GT home, just know that while I was on my way to work I saw the above message about fifteen minutes into my trip. Seeing the message, I paused. I turned the radio off, steadied the throttle and listened for a hiccup. A car can have a lot of problems that can go undetected for a few minutes, miles or months but an issue with fuel will get your attention immediately.

As I wasn't sputtering to a stop or bursting in to flames, I reached for the RESET button located to the left of the steering wheel and cleared the message from the display. When the message failed to reappear after 30 seconds, I whacked the throttle to the floor and tached it out through two gears.

I continued on my way to work.

Not more than ten minutes after I arrived at work, not the least bit on fire, Dan Edmunds was downstairs with a scan gauge in hand, ready to diagnose the Mustang.

Yeah, that's frustrating. While I tried to convince Dan that perhaps the fuel filler just needed a good kick, he began thumbing through the owner's manual. And wouldn't you know it, there's a section in the manual for situations just like this one. To my surprise, it mentioned nothing of hammers, cursing or kicking any part of the ECU. Instead, it instructed us to go to the truck, lift up the mat and retrieve a small plastic funnel.

The funnel, the manual stated, was to be used to clear any debris from the filler area and/or reset the little filler flap (see below) to it's closed position.

The manner in which Dan had to um, manipulate the filler door, bordered on pornographic. Naturally, I took a picture.

After a flurry of funnel thrusting, and way too much laughing, Dan noted that according to the manual, the car would have to remain off for at least four hours and then have to be driven, perhaps multiple times, for the message to clear from the system. Since I was expendable familiar with the problem, I was charged with driving the car home and back again the next day, you know, just to be sure.

So I drove the piss out of it.

The next morning, there was no message. Even after I refilled the tank and drove it around some more, nothing. Had it not already had a TSB performed on a fuel related issue, I would chalk this up to this just being one of those things. But with the car's recent history, it left me a little wary.

I'm a little sad knowing perhaps the only time I'll ever spend with this car (it will never get to the bottom of the 'take-home' list again) was spent wondering if it would get me home. But I'll make no bones about it, I love this car.

Kurt Niebuhr, Photo Editor

The Perfect Knob, But ...

January 28, 2011

It was my first drive in our Mustang 5.0 last night and even though I could tell it was bitchin' before even leaving the parking lot, I was still permanently caged in by traffic. It was like being handed a bunch of porn in church. So my full driving impressions will have to wait for another day.

Until then, let's discuss the Mustang's cue-ball shift knob. In terms of size and shape, it is absolutely perfect. It couldn't be simpler, yet this is what should be in every single car. It fits in my hand perfectly regardless of which grip I use. I love it.

BUT, there is a problem.

Its metal finish gets rather cold after sitting outside in the morning; in a winter climate, it would be like keeping your hand on a snowball. If you lived in Phoenix, I imagine it would become common to end up with a shift pattern branded into your palm. Remember Harry from Home Alone? Keeping some sort of glove (driving, batting, winter, Michael Jackson sequin) in the glovebox wouldn't be a bad idea.

There is a quick solution, though. The GT500 has an actual cue-ball like finish that is more temperature resistant (pictured below). They should make that available on the 5.0.

James Riswick, Automotive Editor @ 2,008 miles

Audio Review

January 28, 2011

The 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0, the latest American muscle car to grace our long-term fleet, has a heritage of fast fun spanning almost 50 years. It's the kind of vehicle that's synonymous with the joy of driving, whether weekend street cruising, canyon carving or even everyday commuting. And if it doesn't put a smile on your face, you're either probably in need of therapy or have a hang-up about Ford.

If you want more of a musical soundtrack than the rumble of the car's 412-horsepower V8 and the throaty dual-exhaust note, you can upgrade to the Shaker 1000 audio option. We did and it added a hefty $1,295 to the sticker, and a big 'ol bass box in the trunk holding two 10-inch subwoofers. Is it worth it? It depends on how much boom you want and how much you want to spend on a new 'Stang.

The Setup
The Shaker 1000 system in our 2011 Mustang GT 5.0 consists of 10 speakers powered by 640 watts. The speakers include a two-way 5x7-inch coaxial in each door with a mid-woofer and tweeter, an 8-inch dual-voice-coil (DVC) subwoofer also in each door, two 5x7-inch full-range speakers in the rear deck and two 10-inch DVC subs in a "Shaker"box in the trunk. The door and rear-deck 5x7s each get 20 watts, the door subs see 110 watts each and the two 10s in the trunk receive a whopping 170 watts each.

The Sound
As with every system we put through our audio-evaluation process, I listened to a dozen different musical tracks on the Mustang's Shaker 1000 system to test clarity/lack of distortion, tonal balance, timbre, tonal accuracy, soundstaging, imaging and dynamics. I also used several non-musical tracks to further gauge soundstaging and imaging, as well as check linearity and absence of noise. For more details on the testing process and the tracks used, click over to the Edmunds.com article Sound Advice.

The Shaker 1000 system is obviously designed to be bass heavy, and if you like to roll with big-time boom you won't be disappointed. But it's also a pretty sweet sounding system — once you shut off the Shaker sub box. I listened to my test tracks with the Shaker box on and off, and with the EQ set to Driver (instead of All Seats).

It only took a few tracks to discover that I much preferred the sound with the 10-inchers silenced, which, fortunately, the system allows you to do. The only exception is a track I use to test for bass extension, Outkast's "Ain't No Thang."The 10s added considerably more oomph to the song's bombastic bass, although it wasn't very musical — if you can even say such a thing about a rap track. Plus, the 8-inch subs in the doors provided plenty of low-end even with the 10s muted, and without so much bass coming from the rear the system was also better balanced.

With the big subs shut off, the Shaker 1000 system had the typical midbass thickness, over-emphasized highs, compressed dynamics and slight distortion of most middling OEM audio systems. But overall the system was fairly refined for such a simple, bass-heavy setup — and in a brawny muscle car to boot.

While tonal balance was skewed towards the low-end and timbre and tonal accuracy were far from perfect, the system had a generally pleasing sound, with suitable separation. It also brought out a surprising amount of detail on even the most complex tracks, and didn't get tripped up by the cuts I refer to as my midbass torture tests, such as Luka Boom's "Cold Comfort"and the Red House Painters "Cabezon,"which feature intensely resonant acoustic guitars that many systems grossly distort.

And for a system that lacks a center channel — or even dash-mounted speakers — the soundstaging and imaging were impressive. The soundstage was wide and deep, and imaging was so remarkable I kept looking for a center-channel speaker. With staging and imaging, I cross-reference what I hear with music by using two test tracks: one with voices mixed so that they should appear left, center and right, and one with seven drum beats that are supposed to span across the soundstage at precise intervals.

With the vocal track, the imaging was so close to spot-on I scribbled in my notes, "Nailed it ... and w/o a center channel!"The difference between the Driver and All Seats settings made a significant difference. With the Driver setting, the soundstage was narrower from left to right but imaging was more precise; with All Seats on the soundstage was wider but imaging was pulled down towards the door speakers.

In the linearity test, which measures how well the sound holds together at low- and mid-volume levels, the Shaker 1000 system scored fair and good, respectively. It easily passed a zero-bits/absence-of-noise test, although most cars usually do. But with ambient noise from the engine and exhaust in this car, even while sitting still, the point of this test is almost moot.

The Sources
The Mustang GT 5.0 comes with a single CD player with AM, FM and Sirius satellite radio. It also has Ford's Sync system so iPod and other portable media player integration is pretty much a piece of cake. But good luck getting Sync's voice-activation feature to hear you while ripping along in this car — and if you do, maybe you're driving too slow and should buy a different car. The system also has Bluetooth audio, which you'll discover right away if you have a compatible smartphone since it's the default audio setting for Sync — and can confuse the heck out of you if you're not familiar with the feature.

What We Say
The 2011 Mustang GT 5.0 is the kind of vehicle that begs for a bangin' system when being driven at speed. But, even packing 640 watts, the Shaker 1000 system doesn't quite match the muscle of the car itself. And more than half of that power is somewhat wasted on the two 10-inch subwoofers in the trunk, which only serve to add a bunch of boom — and take up quite a bit of precious trunk room.

At $1,295 for the Shaker 1000 system, you're better off going with the Shaker 500 system that comes standard with this car — and is an identical setup, sans the 10-inch subs. And if you want bass, save some dough and add an aftermarket subwoofer instead.

The Scores
Sound: B-
Source Selection: A
iPod Integration: A
Cost: D

Doug Newcomb, Senior Editor, Technology

Go...Bucks?

January 31, 2011

(Man, that tach-sweep shot is hard.)

When you first hop into our Long Term 2011 Ford Mustang GT, there are a lot of cool details to take in. The rad metal-ball shifter is first and then, once you start 'er up, you notice the gauges. Now, they're nothing special — the numbers are big and the needle is easy to read but small enough to be precise — until someone goes and messes with the color adjustable gauges that come on the premium pack. Like someone here did who is a big fan of the Milwaukee Bucks and their green and purple color scheme.

Follow the jump for a video of the colors for both the gauge, trim ring and ambient lighting. (Note: my camera wasn't thrilled with these colors... they are truer to the color listed than they actually appear.)

Bonus information: The 2011 Ford Mustang GT500 can be programmed to do a red, white and blue color scheme with the speedo in red, center info in white and the tach in blue.

Mike Magrath, Associate Editor @ 2,637 miles

Non-Muscle-Car Guy Approved

February 01, 2011

I actually got to drive the Mustang last night, and although I've begun calling it the Jokermobile, I must say that it's absolutely awesome.

Now, I'm not a muscle car guy by any means. I prioritize sharp handling over straight-line brute force. I like a nice interior over one featuring sheets of hard plastic nailed together. I don't find burnouts to be pornographic. Growing up in the 90s, the Mustangs, Camaros and Firebirds of the day had absolutely ZERO appeal. The ones of yore were (and are) but a mild curiosity.

And yet, I love our new Mustang.

It may look like a muscle car, it may go like a muscle car, but it also feels like a sports car that's great to drive in directions other than a straight line. The electric steering (shockingly) is very good; the shifter is one of the best I've ever used; the clutch is easy in traffic or when hauling ass; the body is controlled through corners and over most bumps. Unlike the Camaro and Challenger, it doesn't feel enormous when behind the wheel; unlike the Camaro, its wheel and shifter are shaped for a human being.

I also appreciate that its interior doesn't need to fall back on the tired excuse of "yeah, but it goes from zero to 60 in X.X seconds and therefore all other criticisms or irrelevant."Oh, there are still a few cheap pieces here and there, but sitting in a Mustang no longer feels like you're being penalized.

Come to think of it, I loved our Challenger too, but for completely opposite dynamic reasons. It looked like a muscle car, it went like a muscle car, but it also felt like a grand American touring coupe that was spacious and comfortable enough to also serve as a daily driver or road trip companion. It too had a nice interior.

Since they're so different, it's hard to pick which I like better. I do know I'd be happy to own either one, but that still doesn't make me a muscle car guy.

James Riswick, Automotive Editor @ 2,660 miles

No Heated Seats...but it's OK

February 02, 2011

I had a whole rant ready to go about our Long Term 2011 Ford Mustang GT not having heated seats for these "cold" Los Angeles mornings...but decided that probably isn't something I should complain about right now.

All U.S. residents located north and east of St. George, Utah...never mind.

Karl Brauer, Edmunds Editor at Large

Boom-Boom Radio Not Required

February 03, 2011

First off: this is a killer engine. Killer.

Our longterm 2011 Ford Mustang GT's V8 is super tractable, pulls with authority and sounds great.

The honkus you see above doesn't do a thing at all for the first two items. But it does help with the latter bit.

The honkus is the corrugated tube that's teed off of the snorkus.

This guy is plumbed around the engine bay and under the tower brace, where it is then connected to a drum-looking resonator whozit before terminating at the firewall. The whole purpose of this assemblage is to transmit certain intake frequencies to the cabin. It's purely for sound, and nothing else. We've seen a similar device on other cars like the GTI.

I have to say, the intake note in this car sounds great, and this tube is surely helping to create that impression. Ford clearly valued a good-sounding engine enough to spend the little bit of extra time and money to develop and produce the honkus, and I like that too. I'd personally like it better if they instead put those resources toward an independent rear end, but that's a subject for another day.

Mustangs of 2010 vintage also came equipped with a sound tube like this, and I've noticed that it's somewhat common for owners to remove it. For looks, or to save the pound or two, I guess. Me, I'd leave it in there. Sounds too good to mess with.

What about you, fair reader — would you keep the honkus, or pitch it?

Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor

Outlet Placement Win

February 03, 2011

Sure, the giant cord to my V1 falls over some of the buttons in this shot, but if the Mustang were mine, I'd ditch the giant curley thing in favor of a shorty foot-long power cable.

With most cars, you've got to run this, or the flat cable, through, over and around everything to get it plugged in and out of the way, manual trans = more routing. ( For some cars flat cable up over the sun visor, down the molding on the A-pillar and then around the panel gap for the glove box is the most convenient, out of the way place.)

But not here. Someone at Ford was thinking ahead for dash (there's a sunken area on the dash for a little more clearance dead-center) mounted electronics. Thank ya, Ford.

In unrelated news: MAN is this car fast. It's pretty quick on paper, but on the road it feels light and fast and like a sports car, not a Pony Car.

Mike Magrath, Associate Editor, Edmunds.com.

Why Didn't Anybody Fix This?

February 04, 2011

I took my first drive in our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0, and this car is as great as everybody has been saying. The 5.0 V8 has a totally different personality than the 6.2-liter LS3 V8 in the Camaro convertible I drove recently. I'm not sure I'd call it better (not this soon, and I'm not trying draw lines in the sand with this post), but it's an exciting engine for sure. Also, have others have written, the seating position in the Mustang is ridiculously good compared to the Camaro — the beltline feels low, I can see out of the car and, if I'm having a dumb-driver day, our long-termer has a back-up camera.

It's such a nice cockpit that I simply can't understand why nobody addressed this center console — specifically those raised corners at the front edge of the console lid. They've been bugging me since 2005.

See, they're not soft, forgiving corners. They're pointy. And the one nearest the driver seat sometimes catches my right elbow on 3-4 upshifts and 4-5 downshifts. I don't rest my arm on this console ordinarily, but the top of it is rubbery and grippy, and it's at just the right height to intercept my arm during said shifts and ensure that my elbow rams into the corner.

Obviously, any redesign of a car involves careful allocation of resources, and it's obvious Ford has put money into the chassis and drivetrain for the 2010 and 2011 Mustangs. So maybe there wasn't room in the budget for a new console container top that fits more flushly with the console. But had I been running the project, I would have insisted on this change. Then again, had I been running the project, the Mustang would be a hatchback with big smiley grille.

Erin Riches, Senior Editor @ 2,981 miles

I Like Where I Sit

February 07, 2011

I closed out last week whining about jamming my elbow against our 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0's console lid during downshifts. But that is really the only thing I don't like about this cockpit.

After a weekend in our long-term Mustang, I can say that the seating position is what makes this car for me. There are some other V8s in this class, maybe none that sound as good as this 5.0 Coyote V8, but others that are competitive in the torque department. But none of the others are mounted in a coupe that I can really and truly see out of — and in the daily grind, the fact that I can easily look out over the Mustang's hood makes a huge difference.

It's not easy to tell in this photo, but there's a low-beltline feel in this car, too, such that it doesn't feel like the doortops are nuzzling up to your chin (as it can in the Camaro). I love this about the Mustang. It increases my confidence and makes me enjoy driving the car more.

No, the cabin design hasn't radically changed from the 2005-2009 Mustangs, but certain details have been revised to improve the seating position. The driver seat itself is better shaped, and the steering wheel is better to hold and 9-and-3. I don't know why the wheel still doesn't telescope in a car that stickered at almost $39K, but it's not bothersome for the way I sit. Moreover, the reach to the steering wheel, shifter and pedals is just about ideal — at least for this 5-foot-10 adult.

Erin Riches, Senior Editor @ 3,023 miles

A Live One

February 09, 2011

It probably happened around the time when our longterm 2011 Ford Mustang GT was heading down the assembly line in Flat Rock. A new or revised Mustang is introduced to the media, and the subsequent reports from a half-dozen hacks inevitably gush "you can't even tell it has a live axle!"

Those journalists need to have their asses recalibrated.

The subject of the Mustang's live axle ignites heated arguments among enthusiasts nearly as effectively as do pushrods. Ford's justification for the live axle in modern times has been that their customers that drag race demand it, and, well, it's cheap. Fair enough. Mustang enthusiasts point to the car's impressive handling numbers. Also a fair point. But don't be fooled into concluding that a live axle out-points an independent layout on every pole of the spider graph.

Live axles have loads of unsprung mass, far more than that of an independent suspension. This is the technical description you've heard before, and the way unsprung mass manifests itself in the real world is a busy up-and-down action originating from the rear of the car. It's not really ride harshness per se, it's more of an exaggerated bobbling motion, and it's obvious. You notice it even when cruising down a freeway if that freeway is not completely smooth, a description that includes nearly every metropolitan-area freeway.

On smooth surfaces like racetracks, unsprung mass is far less of a liability (unless the best lines on the track are those that entail driving over berms...). A live-axle'd tire has no camber change due to body roll (i.e. it runs perpendicular to the track surface), an aspect that is no bad thing for grip and traction and is part of the reason drag racers like 'em. Of course, unlike live axles, independent layouts can have the luxury of toe and camber adjustments, allowing the user to take advantage of camber thrust for additional grip.

Roads in the real world are bumpy. When driving on said bumpy roads that also decide to turn, unsprung mass re-enters the equation and the Mustang bucks uncouth-ly. It's like some large, invisible hand is yanking the back of the car to and fro. Ford engineers have gone to some lengths in tuning the rear damper forces in attempt to manage this inherent behavior, and in doing so have extended the effective life of the stick axle layout.

But then you drive a car like the current Camaro over the same section of road and realize just how much less ass-end-derived drama and nonsense there can be (note: I'm not referring to oversteer, which is the kind of ass-end nonsense I can get behind). The difference in chassis control and composure is real.

This is one of the few areas in which I prefer the Camaro over the Mustang.

Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor

Time Machine

February 09, 2011

Fair warning, I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Mustang fanboy. Having a black GT parked in my backyard last night instantly had me waxing poetic about the pony cars of my past. I've owned two Mustangs — the first was a 1995 GT followed immediately by a 1998 SVT Cobra. Both were black and convertibles. How does our new 5.0 stack up?

Well, it kills my old Mustangs. This new 5.0 would feast on my old pushrod 302 as well as the 4.6-liter 32-valve Cobra. But the feeling remains the same. I found myself driving just as I did back then — windows down to hear the big burly V8, revving the engine instead of using the horn, romping on the throttle whenever I could. Yes, I was in heaven.

I went back over some of the coverage my Cobra received while I was working for some enthusiast magazines and realized how much fun I had trying to squeeze out as much performance as I could. I was in the beginning stages of open-wheel racing and the poor Cobra endured a lot of punishment. The suspension was pretty much shot after two years, so I convinced my bosses to use my car as a test mule.

We had Hotchkis Suspension perform a complete suspension swap. I lunched the rear end with countless powerslides and replaced it with a 3.73 Torsen unit. Then I slapped a set of Kumho VictoRacer DOT-legal slicks on it. Up until I sold the Cobra to buy my Elise, it won me a few trophies in local club races and autocrosses. It also taught me that racing is exponentially harder on cars than spirited commuting. Broken engine mounts, a short-block replacement, several brake rotors and countless tires can attest to that. When I put it up for sale, it needed a new transmission, and yes, I let the buyer know that, but he just had to have the car.

I'm guessing our 5.0 will be much less of a cash vampire, especially since we won't be racing it. My Cobra had a real problem with boiling the brakes and warping rotors, but our new GT's Brembos will likely address this problem. The seats are also significantly better than my old 'Stangs, though I feel like I'm sitting a bit too high and upright. I'd also like to hear more of the engine, perhaps there's a mod available for the induction sound tube (or snorkus, if you prefer). As for tires, I have a feeling that we'll be going through them quite frequently.

With as many Mustangs produced and sold over the decades, there's probably one in your past, too.

What's your Mustang story?

Mark Takahashi, Associate Editor

Stolen From General Motors

February 11, 2011

Initially, I thought I just sucked at shifting our longterm 2011 Ford Mustang GT. Twice it went into 4th gear when I changed up from 1st gear while driving around on city streets.

It turns out that for 2011, Ford equipped the Mustang GT with a 1-4 skip-shift, uh, feature just like that found on so many V8-equipped GM cars.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, I found no mention of this system anywhere in Ford's press materials, their website, nowhere.

The idea behind the skip-shift is to plump up the city fuel economy number on the window sticker.

It's a false economy since most/all owners of cars thusly equipped either:

a. defeat the skip-shift entirely, by adding a resistor to the system, or;

b. learn to drive around the skip-shift, thereby erasing any fuel consumption benefit it would have provided.

In the Mustang, the skip-shift is slightly less obnoxious/obtrusive than in those GM cars, owing to the Ford's closer gear spacing. Still, this is too large of a ratio jump to successfully pull off, even with the torquey V8 behind it. The car bogs way down.

Proponents of the skip-shift system argue that if the system helps to reduce the gas-guzzler tax, then it's cool since it saves the customer some cash. However, the Mustang isn't even close to the gas guzzler tax threshold — which is based on "unadjusted"mpg values rather than the window sticker mpg — and probably still wouldn't be subject to the tax even in the absence of the skip-shift.

I can only conclude that the purpose of the skip-shift in the Mustang is that it helps alleviate Ford's CAFE requirement, and nothing more.

Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor

Of Halos and Horns

February 14, 2011

The gauges in our Mustang are pretty cool, but certainly not perfect. See that reflection in the top left corner of the windshield? At night, those semicircles of light can become rather distracting. It's less of a problem in the heart of the city, where you're surrounded by brightly lit buildings, but when you're out in the canyons, they become far too noticeable. But points go to Ford for giving us the option to turn off the gauge halo lights off.

I like the layout of the gauges in general, but the condensed typeface on the speedometer is hard to read at a glance. While I understand the retro style, there's something to be said for usability. Most GM cars that have come through our test lot have the ability to display the speed in the digital readout between their gauges. I think our Mustang would benefit from this setup as well.

Otherwise, my love-fest for the five-OMG continues. I can't get enough of this car. Sure, it feels a bit heavy and springy, but darned near everything else about this car brings a demonic grin to my face. What I wouldn't do to get this car on a gymkhana course.

Mark Takahashi, Associate Editor @ 3,258 miles

Skip-Shift Criteria

February 18, 2011

You, the faithful Edmunds.com reader, wanted to know exactly what conditions trigger the 2011 Ford Mustang GT's skip-shift function.

Same here, actually. Prior to posting my previous entry regarding the skip-shift, I'd pinged the fine folks at Ford asking that very question.

The Mustang's engineering manager is a busy man, but he did get back to me with the information that I've since laboriously, painstakingly repixellized (I might have made up that word) after the jump.

Skip shift enablement criteria:

Warm engine (greater than 170 degrees F coolant)
Start from a dead stop (approx 1 to 2 secs to stabilize idle)
Vehicle speed between 15 and 19 mph
Throttle pedal less than 25% open (but not closed pedal)
Engine speed greater than 1200 rpm
1st gear validated

So there you have it. Food for your inner geek.

Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor

Throttle Pedal Footrest/Stop? Bad Idea.

February 18, 2011

This thing bothers me. Turns out, I'm particular about where I put my heel when I'm driving. I like to bury it under the pedal and use ankle articulation to control the throttle. And now, with complete indifference for those who drive this way, Ford has decided that's not possible.

I'm blaming the lawyers. And here's why.

Normally my heel would be buried against the firewall with the throttle in the wide-open position, as pictured above. Here, however, it's forced to be further away from the firewall, which works against 25 years of muscle memory. I have less control.

Peel back the carpeting and it becomes obvious that this is intentional. And it forces me to use a completely different angle of attack to manage the throttle. Worse, because I heel/toe from the same position, it changes every element of my foot/pedal interface with both the throttle and the brake. Screws me up completely.

The pictured foam insert rests under the carpet loosely and could be removed. But it proves Ford was doing something on purpose down here. I'd wager it's an effort to head off liability. It's ironic, then, that in my case, it creates just that.

Josh Jacquot, Senior editor

No More Stubby Levers

February 21, 2011

That's it, let's call a halt to the race to make shift levers totally stubby.

Apparently someone wants every shift lever to look and feel like it comes from a Mazda MX-5 Miata, except this Mustang's shift lever is a poster child for everything that's wrong with the whole idea.

It's a fine thing to have a short lever and a short-throw shift linkage, but only if you're dealing with a fairly wispy amount of torque, like from an Austin-Healey Sprite or something. (Actually the Miata's shift action was patterned after that of a Sprite.)

When there's a lot of torque – like the 390 lb-ft here — then the gears have to be pretty robust to withstand the forces involved as they mesh. And a short throw linkage simply makes the gears come together a little more rapidly that they might like and puts a lot of stress on the synchros besides. A short-throw linkage also inspires the unimaginative to rip the shift from first to second, and sometimes even second to third. The transmission is pretty much the most complex sub-assembly in a car, and the consequences of abuse involve digits with at least three zeroes behind them.

I'm also not a fan of a short shift lever like this because you have to move the shift lever with your hand on top of the knob, a kind of dexterity test that challenges your ability to find the next shift gate. And when I try to drop down my hand to grasp the lever from the rear, my elbow fouls the center console.

This short shift lever and short-throw shift linkage for this Getrag MT-82 transmission might seem like a good deal, but I'd rather have the shift lever and linkage of the Tremec 6060 gearbox of our former Camaro long-term test car. (Which is the only thing about the Camaro that I like better than this Mustang.)

Perhaps I've known too many racers from the 1950s, who have all told me that the transmission is the last place where you try to find lap time in a car. Carroll Shelby says he won lots of races in the crappy old Cad-Allard of his early days because he was smart enough to keep from abusing the Jaguar transmission.

Dan Gurney and his Riverside buddy Skip Hudson used their Ford hot rods to work out that you could take a car out of gear as fast as you wanted, but then you had to be deliberate while engaging the next gear. Gurney says that Ferrari racing cars of the late 1950s were a revelation because you could shift them as quick as you wanted, as they had been engineered to be the most robust part of the car (a reaction to the terrible reliability problems of early Ferrari transmissions).

And Bob Bondurant still teaches his students to be easy on the transmission, a lesson he learned in his early days as a Corvette racer, even though those Borg-Warner T-10s were apparently pretty good.

Every time I drive the Mustang, I think about how long the transmission is going to last.

Michael Jordan, Executive Editor, Edmunbds.com

Startup Video X2

February 21, 2011

Here's a little Monday morning wake up for you. Our Mustang GT makes some good sounds.

Another video after the jump.

And here's a closer version with some higher engine speed. Honestly, it sounds better under load from inside the car. I'll have to get more creative to capture that.

Josh Jacquot, Senior editor

Giddyup

February 24, 2011

I loves me a good V8. Except the 5.0 in this 'Stang isn't very good; it's awesome. And not just because of the intoxicating music coming from the intake and exhaust.

No, the real reason you want to keep whacking open the throttle is because of what happens when you whack open the throttle: Smooth, luscious, throbbing power. Everywhere on the tach. Regardless of gear.

Yep, the 5.0 is back. And the people rejoiced.

Mike Monticello, Road Test Editor @ 3,641.9 miles

It's A Live!

February 25, 2011

Much has been said about the fact that Ford still uses a live rear axle on the Mustang GT, as opposed to some totally newfangled contraption, I believe it's called independent rear suspension, or something like that.

We usually attribute this to Ford cheaping out.

But maybe it's not about being cheap, but is in fact a totally intentional aspect of the car. How so?

Because a live axle makes the Mustang GT more exciting to drive. Hit a big bump while in the slightest bit of a turn on the highway and you're in for a good bounce. Even better, accelerate hard as you hit that bump and suddenly you're ridin' a buckin' bronc, as the rear just can't cope. Yee-haw!

Sure, the Mustang would be easier to drive and more refined, especially on rough roads, with an independent rear. But it would be less of that Mustang experience.

Mike Monticello, Road Test Editor @ 3,773 miles

Rain Is A Good Thing

February 28, 2011

Or so says Luke Bryan, in his song of the same name. For him, "Rain makes corn, corn makes whiskey. Whiskey makes my baby feel a little frisky."

Those who are lucky enough to have wives/girlfriends/life partners, etc. who don't need the booze to get their motor running, so to speak, appreciate rain for other reasons:

Here in usually weather-less southern California, rain early in the weekend meant snow on the smaller mountains (those peaks in the background are at about 5,500 feet; you'd be able to see the snow if this photo were at all legible). And rain helps turn at least some parts of our dry and sunburned landscape into an extremely rare shade of green. Nice.

How does any of this pertain to the Mustang GT? Well, rain means near-guilt-free burnouts and powerslides, as the wet roads are much easier on those rear tires. Not that the Mustang GT needs any help breaking the tires loose. And not that I would ever partake in such hooligan antics, of course...

Mike Monticello, Road Test Editor @ 3,905.1 miles

I Want The V6 Wheels

March 03, 2011

Our 2011 long-term Ford Mustang GT 5.0 is a terrific all-around muscle car. And as good as the V6 version is, the GT is better...because it has a 5.0 V8!

So why in the world would anyone want the V6? For the wheels, of course. (Yes, I am completely dismissing fuel economy, torque, and cost from this discussion.)

I loves the wheels on the V6 Mustang (pictured above.) To me they are the best looking factory wheels (on any car!) I can remember. And they come in 19"diameter with the same 255/40R19 sized tires as on our long-term GT.

I checked the Ford website and order guide. Apparently you can't get the V6 wheels on the GT 5.0, so you would have to do a dealer swap, or order a separare set.

Too bad.

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ ~4,000 miles (Mustang V6 photo by Kurt Niebuhr)

What's Next?

March 03, 2011

As of Tuesday, I've driven every model in the 2011 Mustang lineup. From top to bottom, they're as good as musclecars get. I'd gladly take the V6, but I still lust after the GT500. As I reveled in the afterglow of some of the best internal combustion engines ever built, I was overcome with a feeling of dread...

With the world being what it is at the moment, with unrest in oil-producing countries and the shift to cleaner means of transportation, I'm wondering what's next for the Mustang. When the gas crunch hit in the 1970s, it plunged us into what I called the Automotive Dark Ages. Are we headed for something similar? Or worse?

Would a Mustang powered by anything but a V8 (or the current V6) still be a Mustang? Part of the allure is the sound of a big honkin engine roaring down the road. Is that going to be replaced by the high-pitched whine of an electric motor?

If it does, I think Ford should respectfully retire the Mustang name. At least until some viable alternative comes along. Chevy put the Camaro on hiatus, so did Dodge with the Challenger. I'd rather see it go into hiding than see it neutered into some weak "sporty"car that doesn't deserve the Mustang badge. That day may be further off than I think, or at least, I hope it is. But face it, it's out there. As a self-proclaimed Mustang whisperer, I can't seem to shake that thought.

What do you think the future holds for our beloved Mustang?

Mark Takahashi, Associate Editor

Straight A Student

March 04, 2011

Not long after I'd gotten my license, I got my Dad to agree to help me buy an '89 Mustang GT 5.0 convertible. But there was a catch: I'd have to maintain a solid 4.0 GPA throughout my junior year. Pops being a sensible fella — realizing that no 17-year-old boy should be piloting a 5.0 on public roads, but willing to give me a chance to prove myself — was sweatin' a little when I hit the target through first semester. I ripped a center spread advertisement from a car mag and stuck it on the wall next to my desk for motivation.

But then came Calculus and a cute little South American baton twirler in the marching band. My second semester performance was derailed and Dad breathed a little easier. I felt a little dejected come summer. No 5.0 droptop. But it was all good in the end. My old Escort GT ran fine and allowed me to show my new friend the beaches of southern California.

Now and then, I still think about the one that got away. The car, I mean. To all my Mustang-desirin' teenage friends…study hard.

Dan Frio, Automotive Editor

How to Stall the Minivan Conversation

March 07, 2011

A sunny and mild Saturday afternoon seemed like reason enough to test the Mustang's family values and I persuaded the Kid and the Missus to take a ride down to Laguna Beach. Had a minor wrestle finessing the child seat in back, but no problems finding and anchoring to the LATCH hooks. There wasn't a ton of room for the Kid's knees, but fortunately the Missus is short and could slide the passenger seat forward.

Setting out south on Pacific Coast Highway, the Mustang lets loose the sounds that draw men to machines.

Crystalline intake whistle. Perfect midbass rumble. Clearly some acoustic engineers spent time ensuring that the thick fullness of 5.0 exhaust pulses make it into the cabin. There's something primal, and not gender-specific, about the synthesis of these sounds. The Kid was an immediate fan of the noise, her mother not so much.

Laguna Beach is full of hills, a small coastal village nearly pushed into the sea by plate tectonics. It's also full of tourists, which makes for a fun crawl through town, dodging jaywalkers and killing time at signals on sharp inclines. The 5.0's clutch uptake is terrific. Apply the throttle, ease out the clutch pedal, and almost immediately the transmission engages and surges the car forward. No unease about rolling back.

Laguna Beach is also full of the wealthy folks who live there. And yet despite regular sightings of new Ferraris, Bentleys, the occasional Aston Martin and all manner of Porsches, one does not feel poor or class-conscious in a black Mustang 5.0. Among automotive royalty, the 5.0 holds its own. It's like the guy who's always broke, yet always makes it to the good parties, tells great stories, and never lacks attention from the fairer sex. Sometimes it's all just attitude.

After a nice afternoon, I figured I'd throw it out there. Just to see. I started by stacking my deck.

"What did ya think, sweetie?"I asked my daughter. "Did you like the fast, loud Horse car?"

Yes, she did. Emphatically.

"Whaddya think, babe?"I asked the Missus. "Beats an Odyssey, right?"

Dan Frio, Automotive Editor @ 4,100 miles

So This Happened ...

March 10, 2011

...but if you were following us on Twitter ( http://twitter.com/insideline_com ) you'd already know that.

More later....

Mike Magrath, Associate Editor, Edmunds.com

More Video From Willow Springs

March 14, 2011
Scott Oldham, Editor in Chief

Dodging a...Probe

March 14, 2011

I was driving into work today when I saw a very clean, shiny and overall attractive Ford Probe. I looked at the car and thought, "You know, that last generation Ford Probe looked pretty good. Clean lines. Nice proportions. And while flip-up headlights have been dubbed passe by the automotive design community I still like them."

Then I remembered I was driving our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT, with 412 horsepower, a superb exhaust note and the correct wheels moving it around.

Suddenly the thought of the Ford Mustang ever evolving into a rebadged, front-drive Mazda made me shudder, and that red Probe didn't look so good anymore.

Even with gas creeping past $4-a-gallon I remain convinced — Ford dodged a bullet on that one.

Karl Brauer, Edmunds.com Editor at Large @ 4,480 miles

Lugnut Disaster

March 15, 2011

Some things just don't play well together. Cats and dogs. Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote. And as our 2011 Ford Mustang GT found out, impact wrenches and wheel lock keys. Want to see why?

Our story began harmless enough. We caught a nail with the front tire of our Mustang. It was a slow leaker near the center of the tread, an easy repair. But easy turned complicated when I handed the keys over to the tire shop guy. I forgot the Mustang had wheel locks.

Those mangled shards on the left used to be our wheel lock key. Yes, that is a piece of shrapnel lodged in the lugnut on the right. When this happens you resort to hammers, wedging tools and that specially designated "I screwed up"socket to remove the remaining locks.

After some love taps and an eye full of sweat you end up with four useless wheel locks. Needless to say, we didn't pay for anything. And the shop offered to buy us replacements.

We all learned a lesson that day. Keep the impact wrench away from your wheel locks.

Mike Schmidt, Vehicle Testing Manager @ 4,351 miles

Overdue for a Real Drive

March 21, 2011

As daylight faded on Saturday, I realized how screwed up my priorities were: I hadn't carved out 2 hours to take our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT on some mountain roads. A few hours later, the monsoon began, and I can only hope my favorite roads will be dried out by next weekend.

The reason I care is because our 2011 Mustang GT is one of those cars that manages to be fun in any driving situation. For me, it's a bit like the Mazdaspeed 3 in its character.

Of course, the 5.0-liter Coyote V8 in the Mustang has a far more interesting soundtrack than the Mazda's powerful but soulless, turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder, but that's only part of the Ford's appeal.

The new Getrag six-speed manual gearbox is far more satisfying to shift than the Tremec you usually get in an American muscle car. The clutch takeup actually has some feel to it, with a natural, predictable engagement point. As you've likely figured out by this point, shifting is far more than a necessity to me in a three-pedal car — it's something I really look forward to and this 2011 GT finally makes it a pleasure.

Another surprise is the electric-assisted power steering, which, at least in normal driving, feels pretty good in our Mustang GT. It doesn't strike me as artificially light nor unnecessarily heavy, and the ratio feels pretty quick.

Turn-in feel is also quick — when you put a little something extra on a left turn or a trip down a tight freeway exit ramp. There's definitely the sensation here that the chassis engineers dug deep when tuning the 2011 Mustang to make it feel a little sportier, a little more special than in previous years. I can't wait to try it on Glendora Mountain Road, gem of Southern California's San Gabriel Mountains, when the weather clears.

Erin Riches, Senior Editor @ 4,717 miles

An Engine That Looks Like an Engine

March 22, 2011

People around the office have mentioned this to me, so last night I popped the hood on the Mustang to take a look at its engine.

Sure enough, the new 5.0 looks like an actual engine. There are intake runners, cylinder heads and an awesomely detailed strut tower brace. It's like someone at Ford actually cared.

Ed Hellwig, Editor, Edmunds.com

The Soundtrack

March 23, 2011

Last night was the first time in a while that I rolled in our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0. And yes, I did enjoy it. I've been driving quite a few utiliarian test cars recently. Some of them are boring, but almost all of them sound boring.

I usually get in a test car and immediately crank the radio. But last night, I skipped the Sirus and listened to the 5.0 intake and exhaust sounds instead.

And although it's not as good as the soundtrack from "Bullitt,"our Mustang GT's soundtrack sounds just fine from the driver's seat.

(There has been a lot of discussion as to whether those engine and exhaust sounds from Bullitt are actual or were done in post-production. Muscle car fans: please weigh in on this.)

(Bonus: Exhaust note and "Bullitt"pursuit on the jump.)

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ 4,730 miles

Artistic License

March 24, 2011

Some of you may wonder why there's a picture of the Mustang's visor mirror cover here. Others will pick up on what inspired the guy in the design studio tasked with making these normally nondescript slabs of plastic visually interesting.

John DiPietro, Automotive Editor @ 4,750 miles

My Inner Monologue

March 25, 2011

It's Thursday night. It's raining. Traffic sucks. I'm in the Mustang GT, but at this pace, I'd be getting just as much enjoyment from our Outlander Sport. Man, that thing's slow. Geez, what should I blog about tomorrow? There's the seating position or Sync not including a podcast menu. That Mustang logo on the door trim's kinda cool. Screw that, I don't want to nitpick this thing, I want to drive it. How come we can't move the office to somewhere with 11 million fewer people? I hear people dig Provo — we could do well there.

Yeah, traffic's opening up. Hey, third gear! Oh man this thing sounds awesome. The shifter is fantastic — so tightly spaced. Fourth gear. Crap on a cracker, highway's stopping again. Yes Los Angeles, this light drizzle sure is terrifying. Really best to slow to 3 mph just to be on the safe side. Jerks.

This thing needs a telescoping steering wheel ... nope, not going to nitpick. Hmm, would I take this instead of the Challenger? I liked the Dodge better in traffic — comfier, clutch is a tad easier to drive, didn't constantly remind you of how awesome it is and thus depressing you whilst stuck in traffic. I think I'd just get one of each. What, it's my inner monologue, I can't be a rich bastard in my inner monologue?

James Riswick, Automotive Editor @ 4,769 miles

Mustang To Monterey

March 27, 2011

I'm so happy I could do a burnout. Oh, wait, done that.

Anyway, when I suggested the poll that you silly kids would get to pick what I drove to Monterey, I'd expected to take the Outlander, Regal or Mazda 2 (I know James, Ed, Erin and SO tried to make me take something without USB — my addiction), but overwhelming the vote went to the 2011 Ford Mustang GT....

Wooo! Thanks guys! I leave tomorrow.

Mike Magrath, Associate Editor, Inside Line

At Global Rallycross

March 29, 2011

This weekend I rolled over to Global Rallycross at Irwindale Speedway in our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0, the first time for me to drive it for an extended distance.

The Mustang has a good highway ride, but it can get a bit busy over bumps. That 5.0 engine is quite flexible on the highway: 4th, 5th, 6th, how loud do you want the exhaust? And it will pull in 6th too, although I didn't try any I-15 Vegas-to-LA style grades. A reader also asked about heel-and-toe shifts: the pedal layout is decent enough for that.

As you would expect, the parking lot at the racetrack was full of Subaru STIs.
But myself, I'd take a Mustang GT 5.0 over those, anyday.

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ 4,900 miles

Photos by Rex Tokeshi-Torres

Easy Fuel

March 31, 2011

Our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 has Ford's Easy Fuel system. As most of you know, Easy Fuel is a capless fuel-filler system that instead has an integrated spring-loaded flapper door — no screw cap is required. Easy Fuel automatically seals after the fuel nozzle is removed. Ford claims Easy Fuel emits fewer evaporative emissions into the environment, perhaps because it's quicker to close up.

What I do know is that it's fast and convenient. And that it's simple and inexpensive idea that adds value for me.

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ 4,950 miles

Milestone

April 01, 2011

Sorry for the late milestone picture, but I was in a construction zone and couldn't pull over.

Anyway, just two and a half months after we introduced our long term 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0, here we are celebrating its 5,000th mile. Awww. They grow up so fast. Especially when some 30 of its miles are running around the Streets of Willow.

Doing some quick maths, we're on pace to hit 24,000 miles with this one. Though that should be eclipsed as you'll no doubt remember, our 'Stang was out of commission for a bit dealing with some annoying fueling issues.

Mike Magrath, Associate Editor Edmunds.com @ 5,003.3 miles

4,951cc of Antidepressant. STAT.

April 02, 2011

I don't have any data to back this up, and I'm certainly no doctor, but after putting 939.7 miles on our LT Mustang, I'm pretty convinced that nobody who owns or drives a 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 with the six-speed manual and 3.73 gears can possibly be depressed.

First there's the start-up. After the key-twist, there's a rev and a rumble that sort of says, "let's go!"It's not even moving and there's a sense of urgency from the new 5.0. And then once you get moving --- Yeee HAW! When rolling along in first gear between 10-20 MPH, treating the gas pedal like a spider on linoleum results in tire spin, a terrific noise and best of all — the traction control lets it all happen! Of course, if it goes too far off course, the orange light flashes and intervenes, but having some proper Mustang fun is possible even without turning off the nannies. Plus, drive it right and it'll chirp the tires into third. Love that. My Porsche-driving passenger at the time was shocked cars could do that. Welcome to 'Merica, friend.

And things don't get worse if you want to drive it like a grown up....

As we've seen in our recent Mustang v. Mustang v. Mustang v. Mustang comparison, the stock Mustang GT aint too shabby on a racetrack. Yes, there have been some changes to the track (most notably a re-paved hump that allows for more speed down the back), but the last time we lapped an STI there, it did 1:32. The GT? 1:28.2. The steering is good, the brakes are good and there's enough visibility to comfortably haul some ass.

But for the majority of those 939.7 miles, there was no ass hauling or powersliding or burnouts or hooning of any sorts. There was just smooth, speed-limit driving (21 cops on the 101 from the time I started counting) that conluded with a sub-speed limit slog down PCH with the windows down on an abnormally warm 85 degree day. Sure, I was a gear — or two — too low, but that V8 rumble and the cool sea air sent me right quick to that happy place all car guys strive for. It's the place where nothing else matters or exists; it's just you, the car and the open road. It's a beautiful, rejuvinating place and the Mustang gets me there better than any other car in our fleet.

Mike Magrath, Associate Editor, Edmunds.com @ 5,715.2 miles

Monterey Trip Fuel Economy and Notes From the Road

April 03, 2011

The EPA rates the 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 at 17 mpg city and 26 mpg highway. With its 16 gallon fuel tank, that gives a max range of 416 miles. And as all the long term readers will know, I'm not a fan of early fills.

Unfortunately, thanks to sub-EPA fuel economy numbers and a gauge and warning light prone to hysterics, the furthers I managed on one tank of gas was....

...a pathetic 276.3 miles. Lame! And then, despite the annoying light and panicked range, the thing only took 12.475 gallons. Disappointing.

The trip took me across 939.7 miles of California and I had to fill up — including one to top it off to deliver it to the boss full — 5 times. My best MPG was on the sub-speed limit crawl down the 101 which resulted in a 22.1 mpg rating. Well below the EPA estimates. I blame gearing. And my use of second to pass.

Overall MPG was 18.4 with the low tank being my cruise into LA traffic via Rt 1. The whole trip used up 51 gallons of fuel.

Thoughts from the road:

Sync without a nav screen ( iPod or USB drive — yes, the drive is faster and easier, no I'm not replacing my iPhone or iPod with one) is annoying. Let's say you're listening to an audiobook with the title being something along the lines of "Book Title Chapter Title Chapter Number," here's what you see "Book Titl." Same goes for podcasts. That is not enough information. Sure, there's a way to scroll it, but that's annoying. So is voice. Getting the nav screen is an addition $2,300 on top of the premium pack. Is it worth it? I listen to a LOT of audiobooks / podcasts; getting more information would be worth it. Plus, nav in case I needed it.

The seat recline should be powered. Sure, this is cheaper, but there's no detent where I need it to be and the handle is in an annoying spot.

Kavanagh likes the honkus / snorkus sound. I don't. At steady throttle you just hear it suck and at WOT there's a whine instead of a roar. I'd rip it off.

And, uhm, that's kind of it. This wasn't the longest road trip ever, but the Mustang made it easy and fun. Guess the Pirelli P-Zeros are a little loud. Great car. Thanks for voting for it!

Mike Magrath, Associate Editor

Service Due

April 03, 2011

There's nothing to bring you back to reality from a long drive like an oil change reminder. This one happened at just about the halfway point on the way back from Monterey. Damn. It was such a relaxing drive. Oil level was fine, so driving it back home wasn't an immediate issue.

This reminder pops up on each start-up and requires multiple button presses to disable. At least then you've got no excuse for forgetting.

Mike Magrath, Associate Editor, Edmunds.com

Tron Shoes!

April 03, 2011

I'm not going to take up a ton of time here as we've determined that the interior accent lights on the 2011 Ford Mustang GT are one of those things people, generally, don't care about. That said, as soon as it got dark on my drive back from Monterey, the white portions of my black Oakley race shoes (NFPA 2112 certified but I wear them daily because they're freaking comfy — and no, this isn't an Oakley ad, but with their shop being in the SL caption contest and my collection of O products I don't know what they're waiting for...hint) looked like they were glowing Tron style. It was so cool I kept looking down instead of ahead.

It's the simple things, right?

Mike Magrath, Associate Editor, Edmunds.com

Dyno-Tested

April 04, 2011

Yup, it happened — we've dyno-tested our longterm 2011 Ford Mustang GT. And it produced some unexpected results compared to the pre-production one we dyno-tested a year ago.

Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor

Brakes Work Well, Feel a Bit Soft

April 04, 2011

Don't get me wrong, our Mustang stops short as well as anything in its class. But the pedal? It's not exactly what I would call firm.

In most situations there's adequate heft and it's reasonably precise. Get on it with any sort of conviction, though, and it goes from pleasantly firm to all sloppy and hard to read. <

It's been that way with Mustangs for years, so I wasn't exactly surprised. Still, when I see Brembo calipers up front I expect something more. They certainly deliver the power, just not the precision.

Ed Hellwig, Editor, Edmunds.com

First Service

April 05, 2011

As you'll remember, on my way back from my trip to Monterey our 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 flashed that it needed an oil change, and now.

Well, that change came as soon as I was back in LA. I dropped the 'Stang off at Santa Monica Ford (without an appointment) and two hours later I got a call saying the car was full of all vital and non-vital fluids — and washed.

$29.31 in labor, $4.39 in parts, $15.40 worth of oil and 0.45 to the tax man and we were out $49.95. Not cheap, but not outrageous. Plus, they don't try to up sell or otherwise con you into crazy services. I like this place.

Also, while I was there, I found something I want...we totally should've bought that color.

Mike Magrath, Associate Editor, Edmunds.com @ 5,713 miles

Somedays ...

April 05, 2011

Two days Fiat 500 — fun, but zero to 60 in "eventually."

Three days Toyota Sienna — SE model sure, but still a living room on wheels.

Three days Toyota Prius rental car — do I need to explain this one?

Somedays you just need a Mustang GT. Aaaaah, that's better.

James Riswick, Automotive Editor

Dealer Oil Underfill?

April 06, 2011

Our 2011 Ford Mustang GT went in for routine maintenance yesterday. Shortly thereafter we read a reply to the post warning, "Be sure to check your dipstick as it has been pretty common for dealerships to underfill the 5.0, which requires 8 quarts of oil. Apparently, they're used to the 6 quarts the 4.6 required."

We were a little concerned, so we popped the hood.

A quick check of the dipstick showed the level just a shade below the full mark. I'd say that shows the dealer didn't short us on oil. And a second look at the repair order notes 7 quarts added. Thanks to cantdrive92 for the heads up. Looks like everything is ok this time.

Mike Schmidt, Vehicle Testing Manager @ 5,715 miles

Golfer Alert

April 11, 2011

If you're a golfer, no doubt you watched South African Charl Schwartzel come out of nowhere to shoot a 66 on Sunday to win an exciting Masters golf tournament. But if you're a golfer that's also interested in a Mustang GT 5.0, you need to be aware.

Our 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 is equipped with the optional Shaker 1000 audio system ($1295) which bumps out an impressive 1000W (must be peak power.) The Shaker 1000 has two door-mounted subwoofers and two additional 500W subs in the trunk.

But forget about fitting two sets of golf bags in there if you check off the Shaker 1000 option box: only one regular stand carry-bag will fit.

I need to be able to carry at least two golf bags in my car; it's a Go/No Go criterion for me.

And you? Is there something that must fit in your daily driver? (Yeah, I know: with Monticello it's the bike.)

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ 6,100 miles

Mustang Meet-Up

April 12, 2011

Edsel Ford II was scheduled to speak today at the L.A.-based Motor Press Guild's monthly lunch meeting. Rumor was Parnelli Jones would also be in the house, and possibly Carroll Shelby.

We took our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT to meet these lengendary heroes. Unfortuantely, this was as close as our car could get.

See a couple of the Mustangs from the Ford display after the jump.

Behind the modern-day Boss 302, the yellow-orange car is the color of the Bud Moore-prepared race car that Parnelli Jones drove to the 1970 SCCA Trans-Am championship.

The new Boss 302 has the graphics of the 1969 Carroll Shelby-prepared Mustang Boss 302 for the 1969 SCCA Trans-Am series.

Kelly Toepke, News Editor

Its Evil Brother (Video)

April 12, 2011

OK, so this isn't our Mustang. But it's still a Mustang. It's still black (well, partly). It still has a 5.0-liter V8.

But, the Boss 302 also has two keys: one black, the other red. Watch the video after the jump to answer, which one will you choose? I suddenly feel like Laurence Fishburne.

James Riswick, Automotive Editor

Why I Love It

April 13, 2011

Video after the jump.

Mark Takahashi, Associate Editor

Our Favorite Caption

April 15, 2011

Thanks to questionlp for this week's favorite caption.

Our award-winning blog went haywire today. Sorry you had so much trouble commenting.

Here are the others that had us laughing:

Steamed in 60 Seconds (ergsum)
Mustang GT 5.0: a lot of mussel for not a lot of clam. (ergsum)
Don't be shellfish, there is mussel enough here for everyone. (technetium99)
Shucks! (altimadude05)
Mussel bound. (ergsum)
No need to feel clammy, heated seats are an option! (altimadude05)
This looks fishy; who's horsing around with the road signs. (mnorm1)
It could be worse; if we were in the Camaro we would need a mullet inspection... (roadburner)
Approved by Inspector 5.0. (seth111976)
SEA HORSE. (vt8919)
When asked about any mussel-enhancing drugs, Magrath clammed up. (teampenske3)

What was your favorite?

To the winner:
You can select one of these three prizes:

- Hankook shirt (XL) and hat
- Top Gear Season 15 DVD or Blu-ray
- Top Gear puzzle book (not for kids)

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

You Write the Caption

April 15, 2011

Sorry I didn't post a caption contest photo last week. Scott and I were in New York collecting an award for you.

I'm sure this one was worth the wait. Associate Editor Mike Magrath sent me this photo of our Ford mussel car.

What is your caption?

We'll post our favorite this afternoon.

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

Runaway Shopping Cart

April 18, 2011

I went to Costco last week in our Ford Mustang GT. It was a windy night and there were several unattended shopping carts in the parking lot. After loading my groceries in the car, I noticed a runaway shopping cart headed straight towards the pristine, four-month-old car.

I frantically tried to put the car in reverse, but by the time I was in gear, my wife was halfway out of the car, hoping to head off the cart. I couldn't move the car — if I had reversed, my wife would've been hit by the door. She wasn't able to reach the cart in time and I cringed as the oversized Costco cart (above photo was a re-creation) hit the passenger side front fender.

The dent is roughly the size of a half dollar and did not scratch the paint. This may be a good candidate for the paintless dent remover we interviewed a while back. We'll keep you posted on how this turns out.

Ron Montoya, Consumer Advice Associate @ 6,284.8 miles

Blindspots

April 20, 2011

Check out the rear view from the driver seat of the 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0. Its pretty awful. But there is a solution.

Fold the rear headrests down and visibility is just fine.

When folded the headrests stick out significantly. So it's a trade off. You either get rear passengers, or rear visibiltiy. If you want both, then invest $385 for the rearview camera. By no means is the size of the camera ideal, but for the price it certainly helps.

Mike Schmidt, Vehicle Testin Manager @ 6,315 miles

Crime Fighting Machines

April 22, 2011

All I need now is a black motorcycle and a Bat Cave. Should be a fun weekend.

Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor

Crossing Jordan

April 22, 2011

This is my friend's son Jordan, who is 6 and is pictured about to head out to his baseball game. I visited his parents a few weeks ago and asked him to check out our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0.

He said it was Nice and sounded Cool. What he didn't mention was that the Mustang GT's ride is choppy over bumpy freeway sections. And that you can get the rear end to step out a bit going around corners even without defeating the traction control.

It's too bad he probably won't get a chance to buy a new V8 Mustang when he's older. With the New World Order, I don't see how the affordable V8 muscle car can survive. It's the end of the road after this gen of the Mustang, Challenger, and Camaro.

Is there a hybrid I4 Mustang in Jordan's future? Perhaps. But I'll bet he won't find that Cool.

"No more Mustang V8s?!"

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ ~6,400 miles

Better Than

April 25, 2011

Driving this Mustang makes me realize that I've actually been driving cars like it for a very long, long time.

And this made me think about them all and where the Mustang fits in on my list of favorites.

Unfortunately it's a long, long list.

The Mustang GT 5.0 is better than the 1967 Pontiac Firebird 400 that belonged to Skip Robidart's dad and which we drove down to Laguna Seca with Mary Stuart and Ann Scholey to see the races. (And way better than the 1964 MG Midget that Robidart and I had driven down there to the races six months before.)

The Mustang GT 5.0 is better than the 1967 Firebird 326 H.O. which belonged to Analissa Anastasia's boyfriend that I drove after we swam that race on the Russian River. (Wonder if he ever found out?)

Better than that 1969 Mustang Boss 302 that belonged to the Marine helicopter pilot at El Toro. (It had all the trick stuff, too.)

Maybe not better than that 1977 Firebird Trans Am with the black-and-gold package, designer John Schinella's screaming chicken decal on the hood, snowflake wheels, four-speed manual transmission and clanking Detroit-locker limited slip. (Drove it cross-country about a week after the release of Smokey and the Bandit and never could figure out why all those truckers kept hailing me on the CB.)

Better than the 1982 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 (The only one of the Fox-platform Mustangs that I can remember even being close to good.)

Better than the 1982 Chevrolet Camaro Z28. (Though it's a close thing, as this Fred Schaafsma-developed car was a breakthrough, a 1,000 percent better than the car that preceded it.)

Better than the 1993 Chevrolet Camaro. (Stiffer structure than before, but soggier engine.)

Better than 1993 Firebird Firehawk SLP. (No grip from those trick tires.)

Better than 1994 Mustang. (Fox-4 platform was cheap at least and engine went for hp.)

Better than 1999 Mustang. (Then they made it ugly and engine went for lb-ft.)

Better than 1999 Firebird Trans Am 30th Anniversary. (Speaking of ugly.)

Better than 2001 Mustang Bullitt. (Great Steve McQueen TV commercial, though.)

Better than 2004 Pontiac GTO. (Well, actually, it's not better, but it certainly matches up at a more affordable price.)

Better than 2005 Mustang. (Almost there, but still missing the lightning in a bottle that has been captured by the new V8.)

Better than 2009 Dodge Challenger. (Nice car, but the size of a school bus.)

Better than 2010 Chevrolet Camaro. (A mess in too many ways to list.)

So that seems to make the 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 pretty good, doesn't it? (Wait, do I have to include all those Mustangs from McLaren, Roush and Saleen? What about those cars that wished they were the Mustang, like the Ferrari 550 Maranello and Porsche 928?)

Michael Jordan (Executive Editor, Edmunds.com)

Sunday Drive

April 25, 2011

It was Easter afternoon. Family obligations were done, and there wasn't much going on at my house. I probably should have done some chores like a good little suburbanite home owner (mow the grass! Fix the squeaky door!) but instead decided to take the Mustang out for a drive. I needed it. And the Mustang needed it, having prior done little more than mindless errands all weekend. In the end, I think we were both much better for it.

I didn't really have a plan to go anywhere other than to drive around on some country roads in Central California I hadn't been on before. Anytime you find yourself with a car that you want to drive for no other reason but to drive, you've got a winner on your hands. Our Mustang is such a car.

What surprised me most was how complete the Mustang has become. I don't have the exhaustive experience that Michael Jordan has with older cars, as my Mustang driving lineage only goes back by about 10 years. But in the past decade, the Mustang was always down on power (relative to its nemesis, the Camaro) or down on interior refinement (relative to everything except the Camaro). Now, both of those issues are gone. The 2011 Mustang is a no-excuses car.

I didn't encounter any curvy road on my drive, just lots of empty, straight two-lane roads and farmland scenery. But that was just fine. All I had to do was power down the windows, power up the V8 and enjoy Americana. It was a perfect Sunday afternoon.

Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor @ 6,716 miles

Baby Delivery Vehicle

April 29, 2011

Alright, so I have to apologize for the blurry photo. It was taken at a hospital emergency parking lot about 4 a.m. on Tuesday. That's my very pregnant wife in the photo. After I saw it came out so poorly, I tried taking another, but at that point my wife said: "Wait, you're taking a picture for work?! Come on already!"I guess she was a bit annoyed seeing as how she was having contractions and ready to give birth, and I was screwing around trying to take another picture.

Read on for a couple mildly amusing anecdotes about using our long-term Mustang as a baby delivery vehicle.

[Precursor: my wife was very much preggers, with a due date of last Sunday.]

So on Tuesday morning around 3:15, she woke me up to tell me it was time to go to the hospital. Her contractions had started about an hour before. The interesting thing about baby delivery experience — if you haven't gone through it before, that is — is that it's nothing like what you see on TV. Unless there's an emergency, there's really no need to frantically drive to the hospital at 140 mph with a police escort and your wife screaming in the passenger seat. OK, yeah, that would have been a pretty awesome story to tell here. But the reality is that once contractions start, you've typically still got plenty of time.

As I was getting my stuff together, she asked me what vehicle we were taking to the hospital. Umm… I hadn't really thought about it. Taking the Mustang seemed more appealing than her SUV. Besides my wife, I had to take a small suitcase and a rear-facing child safety seat. No problem, I thought.

Well, I thought wrong. The suitcase was no problem going into the trunk. But then I realized that there was no way I was going to get the safety seat installed. The Mustang's rear seat cushion is so heavily bolstered that the seat's base wouldn't fit, and to make room for the actual child seat it I'd have to move the front passenger seat so far forward there'd be no room for my wife. But I didn't want to go back to the SUV, so I just threw it in the back of the Mustang, figuring I'd worry about it later.

I knew I made the right choice as soon as I fired up the Mustang and heard the rumbling 5.0-liter V8. As a car enthusiast, it just seemed right going to the hospital for the delivery of my son in a Mustang. My wife seemed to be mostly agreeable to the Mustang, too. I kept to about 70 mph. But about half way in on the 25-minute freeway drive to the hospital, her contractions quickened from a 5-minute interval to a more serious 1- or 2-minute interval. Even knowing we had time, I suddenly thought: “What if her water breaks while in the car?” That's one clean-up I wouldn't want to have to explain. Consequently, I kicked up the Mustang's speed a bit after that.

Thankfully, we made it just fine to the hospital and the delivery went great. I ended up having to go back to our house by myself later on, and eventually I just switched out the Mustang for my wife's SUV. That was a bummer, but there just wasn't a way to get the three of us comfortable and safe. All in all, though, I'm glad I had our long-term Mustang on that memorable morning.

Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor

The Downside To Black Paint

April 29, 2011

I washed the Mustang yesterday and already its paint looks like this. Admittedly, I left the car outside overnight and it's been very windy and dusty where I live. Even so, black is just the worst for showing dust and dirt.

Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor

The Best Affordable GT Car?

May 02, 2011

In prior years, I wouldn't have given much thought to the Mustang GT being a "grand tourer." The GT badge had about as much relevance as "heavy duty" applies to heavy-duty batteries. But thanks to 2010's interior and suspension improvements and this year's new 5.0-liter V8 (plus additional suspension fine tuning), the Mustang GT finally lives up to the meaning. So much so, in fact, that it could be the best grand touring car for $30,000.

In my mind, the term "muscle car" or "pony car" means a focus on performance, with refinement taking a back seat. Yet our Mustang just doesn't drive like a traditional muscle car. Ford dialed in a very nice balance between ride comfort and handling, which suits a grand tourer's dual-purpose role. The interior isn't anything special, but it's put together well and doesn't seem cheap. Even the V8 doesn't seem like it's a muscle-car V8 — it's so smooth and linear in its delivery that it might as well come out of our departed Audi S5.

So what's the best grand touring coupe for $30,000? Of course that all hinges on what "best" entails and even how strict you want to be with the GT definition. But I asked myself the following question: "What $30,000 new "grand touring" car would I want to drive cross country and hit everything America's roads have to offer, from eight-lane super slab to curving canyon roads?" I thought about it and figured the Mustang would be at the top of my list. It's more livable than the Camaro, sportier than the Challenger and more easily fits into the traditional GT mold than cars like the VW GTI.

Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor @ 6,870 miles

Familiar Look

May 04, 2011

As much as I enjoy driving our Mustang, I do see a reason to buy a Camaro or Challenger instead: current-generation Mustangs are everywhere. I guess you could say the Mustang is a victim of its own success - it had a monopoly on the muscle car segment for about seven years.

Considering how good the 2011 Mustang is, it really deserves more attention. Yet our long-termer barely registers with other motorists. I attribute this to the fact that look that the 2005-and-up Mustang styling is very familiar and commonplace. In contrast, our Camaro and Challenger long-term cars received a lot more head-turning. I even catch myself noticing new Camaros and Challengers on the road a lot more than Mustangs.

While "look at me!"isn't much of a reason for me to buy a Camaro, it could be for other people. Or maybe they just like the Camaro's styling better. Either way, I suspect it ties into the Camaro's sales dominance. In the latest sales figures through April of this year, Chevy has sold 10,872 Camaros compared to Ford's 8,180 Mustangs.

Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor

Bring Back the Bullitt

May 06, 2011

I've always thought the two iterations of the Mustang Bullitt (2001 and 2008-2009) were super cool. If Ford were to offer one based on the latest model, I'd be very tempted to buy one should fortunes ever allow. The way our long-termer is equipped comes close to what I think a new Bullitt should get. Actually, a Boss 302 but without all the visual extravagance would make a great Bullitt.

But here's my official list of what I'd want: the Boss 302's 444-hp engine; slightly firmer suspension tuning; the Brembo brakes; Torq-Thrust style wheels; the shorter rear-end gearing with the limited-slip; the Recaro front seats; and the Bullitt specific de-badging and Dark Highland Green paint.

Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor

Hot Car

May 10, 2011

Swapped another car with Brent Romans out in the Valley and got the Mustang GT back. And it reminded me why you usually see wood or plastic knobs on the shift levers of racing cars.

And that’s because the Mustang’s snappy aluminum knob was about a million degrees after the car sat in the sun-soaked parking lot at Denny’s for 45 minutes while we had lemonade and fries.

We’re going to have to pack a rag to shade the shift knob from the sun this summer. At least we don’t have to also worry so much about hot gear oil warming up the shift lever and knob like you do in a race car.

Maybe a retro-style cue ball knob might be the answer for the summer. Or asbestos gloves.

Michael Jordan, Executive Editor, Edmunds.com @ 7,466 miles.

Maximum Density

May 12, 2011

Ford quotes the volume of the Mustang's trunk at 13.4 cubic feet, but I doubt that accounts for the sub woofer that must eat up another 2 cu-ft. So, what you see here is practically everything our track-test day requires: weather station tripod, four scale pads and ramps, scale receiving unit, torque wrench, socket set, tool kit, tire pressure gauge, air compressor, two walkie-talkies, a 200-foot tape measure, jumper cables, four quarts of oil, two sets of optical timers, two VBox cases, fire extinguisher, ten "shortie"slalom cones, and a clip board. Not pictured because they wouldn't fit: the weather station housed in a mega Pelican case and the six tall cones.

Who said the Mustang's trunk is small? Not me.

Chief Road Test Editor, Chris Walton @ 7,777 miles

Badass

May 13, 2011

"Badass"would not be an apt descriptor for one James Riswick. And yet, there are fleeting moments when driving our black-on-black Mustang GT in all its menacing, V8-roaring glory when it makes me feel like one. Somehow, I think that's the car's point. If a high-performance car can't make you feel a little badass, I don't think it's doing its job.

James Riswick, Not Badass @ 7,794 miles

Formula Ford

May 17, 2011

Rain is a rare occurrence in L.A. — rarer still in the middle of the month of May. Imagine my joy when I signed out our long-term Mustang GT last night. On my way into the office I stopped by a secret location of mine — a place I lovingly refer to as an automotive Slip 'n' Slide.

It's a concrete parking lot with a painted surface. When it rains, it's like driving on ice. That means low-speed sliding 90s, and drifting at 5 mph. Great fun. I don't know what the contractor or architect was thinking, but I thank them whole heartedly. Sorry, no photos or videos, I don't want like-minded drivers shutting down my fun.

Mark Takahashi, Associate Editor

Wants for Nothing

May 18, 2011

Reunited, and it does feel good. Had gone a long spell without driving the 5.0. Not since I'd found a member of its clan in a Newport parking lot. Resident Mustang expert Giovanni DiPietro says it's a '67. Classic, meet Instant Classic.

Here's what I find most remarkable about the 5.0: it's totally indifferent to class conventions.

Sure we all daydream about the Italian, German and old Detroit metal we'd fill our 10-car garages with. But goose the Mustang throttle in fourth gear for an open lane blast, and you're pretty much impervious to badge envy.

That guy in the 335i might scoff. Might even hang on your tail a little bit. But deep inside, he knows he paid too much for a pretty shell, a lusty keyfob and probably more car than he can handle. While your 5.0 never looks out of sorts at a gooch sushi-ya or steakhouse, his car just can't get comfortable parked in front of a rock club on Sunset Boulevard.

The guy in the CR-V meanwhile, he'll give you a haughty glare. He's responsibly trying to lessen his impact, but there you go lumbering past him with your loud V8, flouting the new reality. You may as well go do some donuts in a strawberry patch and slalom through a litter of kittens.

And that old fella there, driving the S65 with the 11-99 Foundation plate frames? Yep, he makes more money than you. Wants you to know it, too. But don't mind him; he's just bitterstones because you're having the fun of the unwashed and your girlfriend does things his wife won't.

Yep, one day I'd love to house a 911, a 356 and almost anything from Maranello in my garage. And like I imagine those machines also do, the 5.0 never leaves you wanting.

Dan Frio, Automotive Editor

Love Bites

May 19, 2011

We've flogged it at the track, and we've forced it to stand still and spin its wheels. We've driven it through coastal, central and high desert California. We've hooned it up in painted parking lots and rescued it in Arizona during its first days with us. We've driven our kids in it, and nearly delivered one in it.

We love our Mustang. And at 8,000 miles, our Pirellis are just startin' to show it.

Dan Frio, Automotive Editor

Family Focus Group

May 23, 2011

Well, fuel economy probably ranks low when considering a 5.0 GT. But 17.4 average mpg isn't too shabby for mixed driving and laying into it on open roadway. Slightly better than the 16.8 month-long average we recorded in March. We managed to leg out 280 miles on this tank before stopping for 12 gallons that cost us $54.

Loaded up the wife and kid for a trip to the grandparents over the weekend. Kid's car seat went in easy like last time, although the rear lip of the base wouldn't sit flush. Yanking the latch straps to the point of mercy kept it tight and immovable, though. Unfortunately, the Missus had to sit a little more bolt upright and forward than she'd have liked. She suffered well.

"Loud, bumpy, and I'm not comfortable,"she grumbled.

"But this is a classic American muscle car,"I said. "All your heroes used to drive them"(she being quite taken with American metal bands, fronted by tattooed guys named Vince and Sebastian, as a wayward Japanese teenager). The Kid didn't need swaying, though. She raised a thumb in the rearview mirror.

Took my Dad for a quick run up and down the freeway. Pops used to have a '70 Mach 1 with the 351 Cleveland, orange with black striping. He's a fan of the new 5.0, particularly impressed with the refined engine noise and power delivery. Says the passenger lumbar support is a little too aggressive, though.

I've waxed too long on this car, so you know where I stand. There's not a car in the fleet I like better right now, although this is pending an overdue drive in the 911. I'm prepared to go weak-kneed for the 911 like everyone else; Pops also had a 911SC for awhile, and I remember as a grommet the thrill of riding shotgun in that car.

But if I needed a daily driver and worked 10-15 miles from home, the 5.0 would rank near the top of my list.

It's not perfect. Don't dig the SYNC interface. The menu logic is pretty batty. And I gotta check with Newcomb on this one, but the sat-radio quality is pretty awful. Sounds like MP3s burned at 96kbps, full of warble and artifacts. Have noticed this a couple of times recently in different cars, hoping it's not sat-radio cheaping out on its bandwidth.

Sound quality is also pretty mediocre; muddy and ill-defined bass and midrange, further swamped by the dual Shaker subwoofers. You can turn off the subs, but then the bottom end disappears.

If you're thinking about a 5.0, skip the audio system and have your local autosound place install new speakers and a single 10"on plenty of power instead.

Readers here and elsewhere have alluded to catastrophic transmission failure, but no problems with ours after 8,000 miles. It's still slick and greasy, with quick engagement and light action. We haven't exactly been soft on the gearbox, either.

Dig this car. You should get one.

Dan Frio, Automotive Editor

An Even Bigger Bang

May 24, 2011

My colleague, Miss Pardilla, spotted this Mustang GT convertible and was asking me about it relative to our long term GT. So I figured y'all may be interested in what we chatted about.

This version of the Mustang was produced from 1987 to 1993. Yes, the first "Fox body"Mustang debuted for 1979, but I'm talking about these later versions with the flush headlights, lower body skirting and of course the 225-hp version of the 5.0-liter V8. These 5.0 Mustangs were known for their high "bang for the buck"performance...well, straight line performance anyway as the Camaro and Firebird out-handled them. This one has been lightly modified with a different two-tone paint scheme (the lower portion was not available in white), a pair of stripes on the hood, clear turn signal lenses and what appear to be SVT Cobra wheels.

And today's Mustang GT still holds the bang for the buck title. Even more so, actually. If you convert $18,000 of 1991 money — that's what a well equipped, brand new 1991 GT hatchback went for — into today's dollars you get about $29,000. A 2011 Mustang GT starts at around $30 grand. So despite the massive advances the Mustang GT has made in terms of performance, safety, build quality and style over the last two decades, it's price hasn't effectively increased.

John DiPietro, Automotive Editor @ 8,419 miles

A Macro Look at Interior Materials

May 25, 2011

Not sure if you guys actually care about the interior materials over the performance of our 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 but here are some macro* shots of its cabin details anyway. I do like the blue contrast stitching as well as the blue stripes on the seats.

* "Macro"is photography lingo for "close-up."

Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor @ 8,433.8 miles

The People Have Spoken, So...

May 27, 2011

In our latest Long-Term Road Test blog poll, the 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 was the overwhelming readers' choice for "best car for a holiday weekend."

I already had our 5.0 Mustang signed out for the weekend when the poll went up. And when it won, I realized I better do something a little more special than simply park our long-termer at Dodger Stadium and go watch a game.

So on Saturday afternoon, the Mustang and I and a couple friends will be driving Glendora Mountain Road in Glendora, California. If you're in the area and think you might want to join us, drop me an email (eriches (@) edmunds.com) and I'll send you details.

Erin Riches, Senior Editor

Memorial Day Weekend on GMR

May 31, 2011

GMR. Glendora Mountain Road. It's The Place to go driving if you live anywhere close to Southern California's San Gabriel Valley and own a car with halfway decent handling and a little bit of torque. If you don't, well then skip right over this blog entry and read about one of our crossover SUVs.

On Saturday afternoon, our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 and I met up with six readers and their cars here, and we went driving. Joe (mptlptr) came with 2007 Corvette Z06, Daniel (silverstang1) brought his 2011 Mustang GT with the Vortech supercharger kit, Dario (ms3fun) drove a black Mazdaspeed 3 (bless his heart), John (trek96) had a MkII BMW X5 (like our old long-termer, but with optional 20-inch meats), Louis (louiswei) arrived with his Lexus IS 350 and our good pal Loren (subytrojan) showed up in his ageless 2004 WRX. Oh, and Magrath turned up in a 1 Series M.

You'll find videos and commentary on the Mustang (from me) after the jump. Keep in mind that it was a busy afternoon on GMR with cyclists and families in minivans. As such, we left quite a bit on the table with our pace — if you want to see the heat cranked up a few dozen notches, watch Jacquot and Monticello run it in the LFA, or look back at our GT-R vs. the World test when we had the road closed (temporarily) by the CHP.

So how did I like our five-oh Mustang? Well, it was unquestionably the best Mustang I've ever drive on this road. It offers pretty good balance and grip (well, it would offer good grip if the stock tires were a little newer) through the turns, and the steering effort feels about right and the ratio is sufficiently quick... no need to shuffle really at all. The stock brakes also held up well during a southbound run down the mountain. And torque. There's so much torque. You'll see me shifting gratutiously if you watch the videos, but you could run the whole road in 3rd gear and never come up short.

Dislikes? Well, for some reason, I'm growing tired of the 5.0's intake soundtrack (which is a shame given the effort someone put into the snorkus) but still digging on the exhaust note. Also, I'd like more steering feel and better ride control over bumps. My real issue with the Mustang, though, is that it's just a little too big for this road, and I really would have preferred to be in Dario's MS3 or Loren's WRX. Or, really, I should have taken that Motorsport 1er from Magrath.

And right about now, Daniel's realizing that I don't have a shred of credibility left... No matter, our long-term Mustang is still plenty fun and capable on this road, and I wouldn't hesitate to do this drive again. Of all the cars that came on the drive, which would you choose for a hypothetial run up GMR?

These videos were shot with our GoPro camera, but I'm a newbie at using it and mounted the camera on the inside of the rear glass, which baffled its auto exposure compensation. Next time, it's going on the passenger-side window.

Erin Riches, Senior Editor @ 8,715 miles

Rubber? Check.

June 01, 2011

We've got some plans for what's remaining of the rubber on our Mustang so I thought I'd give you a good "before"look. Make the jump for a close-up.

So that's a wear bar. Right now we're barely in safe zone. I'm going to go out on a limb and say we won't be for much longer. You'll know why soon enough, but let's just say this endeavor involves an ugly green hat, some high-octane energy drink and a bad attitude.

And, by the way, this seems like a reasonable amount of wear given the multiple tests (inlcuding some road course running) this car has seen. Today the Mustang has 8,775 miles on the clock.

Josh Jacquot, Senior editor

Less Rubber? Check.

June 02, 2011

I told you yesterday that we had some plans for the remaining rubber on our Mustang's rear tires. And last night we executed those plans, which meant losing some rubber. Fortunately, we were able to find most of it.

But the odds of recovering it seem quite low.

Here's the close up:

Now that was satisfying.

Josh Jacquot, Senior editor

It's National Doughnut Day

June 03, 2011

But we didn't have any videos of doughnuts, so here's our long term Ford Mustang GT 5.0 drifting around the skidpad.

This might be slightly related to Josh's earlier post.

Mike Magrath, Associate Editor, Edmunds.com

New Rear Headrests

June 03, 2011

The Ford Mustang got actual headrests in the backseat for 2011, which is a nice feature to be sure. It didn't have them before, the Challenger has the quasi-extenda-cushion kind and the Camaro doesn't have anything since heads can't actually fit back there to the point of requiring a rest.

Yet, adding such large headrests pretty much obliterates rear visibility. To counter this, pressing a button on each headrest folds it forward as if bowing to an incoming Japanese dignitary. Or readying to meet its end at the Place du Carrousel. Either way, it folds away out of sight until the rare opportunity when someone finds their way back there (which reminds me, I really must do a "Does Riswick fit?"post about the Mustang).

Now, would it be better if they folded backwards like in a Mercedes-Benz? Or if they could be dropped at the press of a dash button like a Benz or Volvo? Sure, but this is a much cheaper car and kudos to Ford for adding safety and comfort without screwing up something else along the way.

James Riswick, Automotive Editor

Nannies

June 06, 2011

I'm not a fan of electronic driving nannies. Traction control, stability control and skip shift are usually the bane of my existence. But in our Mustang, I'm not that opposed to them because I think Ford got it right.

There's a left turn I take every morning and from time to time, I'll goose the throttle to kick the rear out just a bit. This morning, though, I forgot to disable traction control. I was pleasantly surprised at how effective yet non-intrusive it was. It didn't shut down the throttle completely, instead, it felt more like some wheels were receiving selective braking. The rear wheels were slipping ever so slightly (this wasn't a crazy powerslide, after all) and the Mustang tracked right through the turn at a very acute slip angle. Impressive.

Then there's skip shift. In our Corvette Z06, I was contemplating calling it dangerous, because when I actually NEEDED power, it wasn't there. Some evasive maneuvers, after all, require throttle instead of brakes. In fairness to the Z06, the Mustang does benefit from nine years of development. When our GT engages skip shift, it drops smoothly into fourth from first. The Corvette's skip shift felt like you missed the gate and was more of an impediment. Furthermore, the Mustang didn't bog down in fourth gear. Perhaps this could attributed to our optional 3.55 rear gear. In any case, it works.

Yup, my love affair with our Mustang continues.

Mark Takahashi, Associate Editor

Don't Hate 5.0 Owners, They Can't Help It

June 07, 2011

That is my public service announcement for the day. I felt compelled to write it after driving the GT home last light. You see, I wasn't more than a few feet our of our parking garage before I felt the urge to wind up our GT and lay some rubber. It does that to you, it is inescapable.

So next time you see a 5.0 all twisted up and smoking from the rear, don't look down upon the driver. They are probably a responsible driver just like you. It's the car that's the problem.

If you're prone to such antics, best to steer clear of the 5.0. If you don't, you'll be racking up exhibition of speed tickets faster than you can say "traction control off."

Ed Hellwig, Editor, Edmunds.com

School of 'Stang

June 08, 2011

I had a really great English and speech teacher when I was in high school. We'll call her Miss D for reasons that will be clear in a moment. She was a proponent of tough academic love. She introduced me to "The Elements of Style,"which I still use. She quite rightly critiqued me for hanging over the lectern "like a fishwife"during a campaign speech for student body VP. She staged a pre-prom dinner at her house, complete with menus and faux French service, for my friend and I me and our dates. She knew those pimply boys were too broke to afford anything but the dance tickets.

And she drove an absolutely bitchin' 1968 Ford Mustang in the rich shade that I now know is Royal Maroon. God, but she loved it. I think it was her first new car, bought right after she graduated from college. It conveyed her sense of independence and joie de vivre. And when you're 24 years old, teaching freshman English at a school where nuns dominate the faculty, you need all the joie you can get.

I thought about Miss D immediately when I got into our 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 for the first time last night. I don't know what engine her car had. Given what she was getting paid in those days, I'm going to guess she went with the standard 120-horsepower, 200-cubic-inch V6 inline 6 — a far cry from what's under the hood in our car.

I don't need to tell you that our car rocks. I will tell you that I had sweaty palms before I started it up. I'm not a power-hungry girl (when it comes to cars), and I had visions of the Mustang going bat-out-of-hell with me metaphorically dangling from the bumper. But the car was well-mannered when it needed to be and a beast when it had the chance. I think Miss D would really, really appreciate this Mustang's power and speed. In fact, I know she would.

I spent some time on Google yesterday, trying to see where Miss D might be these days. Well, it turns out she's been in court recently, sorting out the minor matter of a speeding ticket. I'm not sure what she's driving now, but I'll put out the question. Hey, Miss D: Want to race?

Carroll Lachnit, Features Editor @9,313

What Tires Should We Get Now?

June 09, 2011

Our 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 currently wears Pirelli P-Zeros sized P255/40R19. But, as you know, they're a little tired and the car is just a little looser (read: more fun) than it used to be. So new tires are in our future, what should we get?

Bridgestone Potenza RE050?
Continental ContiSportContact 2?
Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT?
Goodyear Eagle F1?
Eagle F1 GS-D3?
Pilot Sport PS2? (My vote here.)
More Pirellis?
A set of Sumitomo HTRZ IIIs like on our old M3?

Something else? No promises, but make your case in the comments and we'll consider.

Mike Magrath, Associate Editor, Edmunds.com

Gross

June 09, 2011

Somebody on staff set the instrument panel colors to this pukey combo of green gauge and blue halo: eeww. I reset it to white/green, which only seems right given the retro font.

Chief Road Test Editor, Chris Walton @ 9,338 miles

Sick Burnout Video and 3D

June 14, 2011

Burnouts are sick in 3D.

Video after the jump.

Scott Oldham, Editor in Chief

Too Many Burnouts

June 16, 2011

Too many burnouts.

Mike Schmidt, Vehicle Testing Manager @ 9,680 miles

A Quart Low

June 17, 2011

We checked the oil level on our 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 this morning. It read a full quart low. So we topped it off. This is the first time it's shown any evidence of oil consumption.

Mike Schmidt, Vehicle Testing Manager @ 9,878 miles

First 10,000 Miles

June 21, 2011

We made it to 10,000 miles without blowing up our 2011 Ford Mustang GT. Regular maintenance and a topoff quart of oil were the only wallet shrinking items of note this far. And together they set us back less than $75. That's affordable fun. Well, technically we haven't paid for those new tires yet.

Mike Schmidt, Vehicle Testing Manager @ 10,000 miles

One of Four(?)

June 23, 2011

Backing into a parking stall this morning and seeing a distant relative in the reverse camera got me thinking: Besides the Ford Mustang--now in its 47th year of continuous production — what other car(s) have remained in continuous production for nearly 50 years? Off the top of my head, I came up with Chevrolet Camaro (44 years), Chevrolet Corvette (58 years), and the Porsche 911 (47 years). Am I missing any? This also got me thinking that there are likely 50th-Anniversary Editions of the 2014 M.Y. Mustang and 911 already in the works. Can't wait.

Chief Road Test Editor, Chris Walton @ 10,128 miles

SYNC + USB

June 23, 2011

I know I'm in the minority when I say that I'm not completely smitten with Ford's SYNC, but I'm willing to play along. This morning, I tried out the USB port with a flash-memory stick and got mixed results. I tried to use the voice-activated menu to access the "SYNC USB"audio input, but it said that it was not available. Not one to give up, I started pushing buttons (Menu), turning knobs (Tuning/OK), and voila, I was able to find the USB source and play my music. Pressing the "TEXT"button also allowed me to read the Album, Genre, and Track Numbers among other things. I have to admit, however, that navigating folders, albums, and specific tracks was pretty clunky compared to other systems with larger displays and more intuitive navigation.

Chief Road Test Editor, Chris Walton @ 10,178 miles

Burnout Super Test Part 4

June 28, 2011

Our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 leads a charmed life. For example, recently, while many Mustangs out there in the world were sitting around in crowded supermarket parking lots or being signed out at Hertz counters, our Mustang was competing in the Edmunds.com Burnout Super Test Part 4, taking on the new 2011 BMW 1M and the 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8.

Make sure you watch the video.

The bad news is that our 5.0 came in third, with a best run of 89 feet, 1 inch. But the good news is that our car out burned the Mustang 5.0 we used in the original Burnout Super Test, which could only muster 72 feet, 5.5 inches of stripe.

Scott Oldham, Editor in Chief

Needs New Earl

June 28, 2011

Yesterday "Engine Oil Change Soon"appeared on the Mustang's instrument panel. So we will. Probably this week. By the way, it has been about 5,000 miles since the 5.0's first oil change.

Scott Oldham, Editor in Chief @ 10,444 miles

Only Get the Rearview Camera...

June 29, 2011

...if you also get the navigation system. Otherwise, the display is rather small, integrated as it is within the rearview mirror rather than being shown on the optional nav system's big screen.

I'll admit it — I love rear park assist as it removes some daily stress when you're faced with crowded city curbside parking on a daily basis.. The audible sensor types are enough for me. But the ones with a rearview camera are even better as they show your back bumper and its precise proximity to whatever you're backing towards.

As you can see, our GT has the optional rearview camera but not the nav system, hence the small display. For $385 it seems rather pricey. I'd skip it unless I was also getting navi and would go with an aftermarket audible system which would probably run about $220 or so installed.

John DiPietro, Automotive Editor

Michelin Pilot Sport PS2s FTW

June 30, 2011

When we asked you what tires we should get for our Long Term 2011 Ford Mustang GT, we took your responses to heart. After some 10,000 miles of, uh...spirited, driving, our Pirellis are getting a little weak in the grip department and as we own this one, we have no obligation to stick with OEM tires. We did, however, want to stick with OEM fitment and that, sadly, meant no Pilot Super Sport.

We also seriously considered the Goodyear Eagle F1, the Continental ExtremeContact and the Sumitomo HTR Z IIIs. But something brought us back to the PS2s every time. Maybe it was test-driver Chris Walton in our ear going "ps2! ps2! ps2!"They were some of the most expensive of the bunch running $1,572 for the set from Tire Rack, but they are, as one commenter asked, the tires we'd buy for our own car. Decision made.

They've yet to be installed. We're still trying to figure out a proper sendoff for the old ones. Ideas?

Mike Magrath, Associate Editor, Edmunds.com

Sacrilegious Soundtrack?

July 02, 2011

I was headed to a gig at the legendary LA music club The Troubadour one night this week. It was a private "showcase"performance by actor Jeff Bridges to celebrate the release of his upcoming record, and British speaker company (and Jaguar branded audio supplier) Bowers & Wilkins was one of the sponsors. Hence my invite. And, yes, Bridges talks just like The Dude. And it doesn't sound at all like he's acting.

I had the choice between taking the Mustang 5.0 or the Odyssey. So it was a no-brainer considering I was heading solo to West Hollywood to rub elbows with the rich and famous. Plus, I could take the windy part of Sunset Boulevard on the way home.

The Troub is one of my all-time favorite music venues and I've caught lots of acts there before they moved on to much bigger rooms: Wilco, Kings of Leon, Ryan Adams, to name a few. I was reminiscing about those great gigs as I drove along with my iPhone connected to the Stang's Sync system and pressed the voice-activation button and said "Play artist Kings of Leon."

Pictured above is the song that popped up, a track from the Followill boys' 2007 album Because of the Times. I mused whether this would be considered a sacrilegious soundtrack by hardcore Mustang owners. Then cranked it up and soaked in the combination of the car's V8 growl and the song's siren-like guitar riffs. But with the Shaker sub turned off.

Accurate Voice Activation

July 04, 2011

Ford has taken some serious flack lately for its in-cabin technology, and part of it is the inevitable backlash that has followed the automaker's phenomenal success with Sync. Say what you want about MyFord Touch and whether or not Ford is starting to slip on the car tech front, but for my money the voice activation portion of Sync is still one of the best available in an automobile.

Case in point: I synced my iPhone with the system one night last week while heading to a music gig in West Hollywood and needed to call my Israeli friend Uzi. I don't even know the proper way to pronounce his last name, and I'm sure I mangled it when I pushed the Mustang's steering-wheel button.

But still the Sync system asked me if I wanted to call Uzi at work, at home or on his cell. And it worked the first time.

Timely Transfusion

July 04, 2011

When the Mustang GT let us know to that its oil should be changed soon, we didn't make it wait. Ford of Santa Monica had a special that included an oil change, tire rotation and brake inspection for $48. As we are replacing the tires very soon — we have them and just have to get them installed — we told them to skip the tire rotation. As S.M. Ford is down the street from the office, we dropped off the car at 2:00 and picked it up at 5:00 (though it was ready before that).

The brakes checked out fine and, big surprise, they recommended that we get new tires. Overall, we were happy with the service as they were courteous and didn't try to sell us some kind of "dealer recommended service" rip when we dropped the car off. And am sure the 'stang is happy too with fresh oil coursing through its mighty, thundering 412-horsepower V8.

John DiPietro, Automotive Editor @ 10,970 miles

The Road Ahead Part Two

July 06, 2011

June was a good month for the Mustang, as sales figures show that it outsold the Chevy Camaro by about 350 units. And that's just fine in my book, since I'd much rather have a badass Mustang in my driveway than a bitchin' Camaro. But what's next?

Late 2014 marks the Mustang's 50th anniversary. You've got to expect that a new model is being developed as we speak. Personally, I'd like to see a more modern interpretation that has just a hint of some heritage styling cues. I'm not that thrilled with retro themes, especially when it comes at the expense of usability and function.

That said, I think I'd still want a solid rear axle. To me, that's part of the essence of the Mustang. But what about the engines? Eco-friendliness is obviously going to be a factor, but to eliminate a V8 option would be sacrilegious. What to do? Forced induction? Probably. Hybrid powertrain? Probably not.

Once my schedule clears, I'll start working on some 2014.5 concepts in Photoshop. I encourage you to do the same. I'm assuming that Ford already has a solid contender in clay by now, so this is really just for our enjoyment. In the meantime, let's ponder the engine and transmission choices. Alright? Discuss.

Mark Takahashi, Associate Editor

Still Going.

July 07, 2011

Perhaps you remember the little bet commentor bodyblue and I have going about the durability of our long-term Mustang. He says either its clutch or transmission will die before 20,000 miles thanks to all our burnouts.

I say they will not.

Although I can't seem to find the exact post where this wager was leveled (I'm sure you'll help me), I've vowed to eat my words publicly, in this blog, if proven wrong. But if I'm right, old bodyblue will surrender his right to be the fun police on any burnout post.

At least those are the terms as I remember them, but that's not the point of this post. Rather, the point of this post, is to gloat that at more than 11,000 miles, the Mustang's powertrain bits are holding up just fine.

Josh "Just Here to Gloat" Jacquot, Senior editor

Skimpy Stowage

July 07, 2011

I'll admit it — I love this car and despite being a long-time F-body enthusiast ('69 Firebird convertible, '79 Trans Am, '89 GTA) I'd buy a new Mustang GT in a heartbeat were I in the market. Still, although it wouldn't be a deal breaker for me, there's one thing that bugs me — the lack of storage compartments in the cabin. There are the shallow door pockets, the cupholders and the covered center bin. That's it. No handy open cubbies around the console or built into the lower dash.

The small door pockets are good for a pack of Trident and maybe a Clif Bar each, this meant I usually stashed the cell phone and wallet in the cupholders. Well, except when they were being used. If you plan on using them and your 'stang has a manual gearbox, you best stay with the small sizes. Go "Grande" and you'll be elbowing the Starbucks like Kareem crashing the boards almost every time you grab a gear.

So even though it is located rather rearward, the console's deep, covered bin is the best place to put things. It seems as if the interior designers knew this — unlike most of these compartments, the lid flips back far enough to remain open and thus keeps the contents easy to access.

John DiPietro, Automotive Editor @ 11,099 miles

Whoa

July 08, 2011

A Southern California freeway at evening rush hour is no place for a high-powered pony to show its stuff. Stop. Go. Wait. Sigh. The Mustang was champing and raring — with nowhere to go.

After 15 or so miles at a crawl, there was an opening enough for a little bit of speed. But it was a short run. Suddenly, it was red lights lighting, me downshifting and a romp-stopping halt to the fun. The Brembos did their thing nicely, delivering braking that was "straight, short and highly fade resistant,"as our track test notes put it.

Speed is good. Stopping with confidence is good, too.

Carroll Lachnit, Features Editor @11,156 miles

I Couldn't Own It

July 11, 2011

It's really a shame I couldn't own the 2011 Ford Mustang GT because, well, I really like it. (Rex, the car wrangler, said I'm a weird guy because it's either Volt or Mustang with me lately. ::shrug::) The trouble is that I really like driving it. And the Mustang really likes being driven hard.

This means that the Mustang gets me into two types of trouble: First is fuel economy. You see 13.1 mpg up there? Yeah, that's because the guy before me had it on a bit of a road trip. I managed 11.3. I know that living in the city means more terrible mileage than normal, but this V8 begs for revs and revs beg for fuel. It's the price you pay for fun, though, so I'm okay with that.

The second thing, and the one that would keep me away from the Mustang is the simple nature of the beast. I can control myself with the Dodge Challenger and with the Chevy Camaro. I can be a good boy in a 1-series or a 370Z. But, like the BMW M3, I can't drive this thing like a normal person. I powerslid the Mustang out of my driveway EVERY TIME I left it this weekend. Who does that? I've rarely been happier.

We all have that one friend, usually from college, who makes you do stupid things. The Mustang is the vehicle equivalent of that for me. I can't be trusted with it or around it. Not for long periods of time without adult supervision at least.

Mike Magrath, Associate Editor, Edmunds.com @ 11,307.8 miles

Sounds Good Too!

July 14, 2011

Sure, the engine of our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 looks good with its massive air intake and big shock tower brace. But like our long-term Ford Raptor, it sounds good too.

Hit the jump for the shaky video with the windows down.

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ 11,450 miles

Brief Encounter

July 15, 2011

A while back I parked to do some grocery shopping and saw this eighth-generation Mustang GT. Figuring it might make an interesting photo, I made a point to park next to it. I also took a quick look; five-speed, aftermarket exhaust and lowered, but otherwise seemingly stock. The lack of a front badge was a nice touch, I thought.

Later on as I was about to leave, the owner came up to his car. He was a young guy, still in college, and had actually just bought his car the day before. He was pretty impressed with our Mustang, though when he asked how much it was ($32,845), he was a bit taken aback. He had paid $5,000 for his.

Mustangs are so common that it's hard to feel much of an affinity to other owners. If you tried to do "the wave"like Corvette owners do, you'd be waving every other minute. Still, in a smaller setting like this, it was nice to have a brief chat with a fellow owner and Mustang GT enthusiast.

Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor

Telescoping Wheel Please

July 19, 2011

We bitched for a good year about our long-term Ford Flex and its tilt-only steering wheel. It was one of the cars few flaws. Then in our second year with the Flex, we stopped aformentioned bitching when Ford made the wheel a tilting and telescoping column. Wonderful, bravo, flaw corrected.

To a lesser extent, our Ford Raptor doesn't have a telescoping wheel. It was less of a problem, but nevertheless, a recent drive in a 2011 Ford F-150 EcoBoost revealed — ta da! — a telescoping wheel.

Well, in this spirit ...

Dear Ford,

The Mustang needs a telescoping steering wheel. The driving position isn't bad, but it's not great either, and verges on the weird side for a tall gent like me. In order to clear enough room for my knees, I end up with the wheel canted all the way up bus style. It's difficult for me to drive in a manner conducive to this car's hooligan tendencies.

So, please work on that and I'll buy you a cupcake, deal?

Cheers.

James Riswick, Automotive Editor @ 11,544.4 miles

Hunger Pings

July 20, 2011

Our Mustang never fails to impress me with its ridiculously wide powerband. Every time I get on the freeway, I wind out a gear or two just to feel the 5.0's smooth delivery.

Last night, I performed my usual ritual and got a minor surprise — pinging. Heard it in the background as the tach was nearing redline. Wasn't the worse pinging I've ever heard, but it was more than just a single detonation. Since any pinging is bad pinging we'll definitely keep an eye on the 5.0 to make sure this was an isolated event.

Ed Hellwig, Editor, Edmunds.com

Lively Valvetrain

July 20, 2011

Ed's post regarding what he describes at detonation reminded me of a different characteristic of our longterm 2011 Ford Mustang GT's 5.0-liter engine. When cold, it'll make a muted but distinct quasi-rattle-y noise during light part-throttle conditions between 2600 and 3000 rpm. It's done it since day one. Sounds to my ears like variable cam phasers that need a little heat in order for the internal bits to expand slightly and take up slack. Once warm, it goes away.

It doesn't sound malignant to my ears, which is why I've not been prompted to get too excited about it.

Also, this engine kicks ass.

Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor

Installing the PS2s

July 21, 2011

Our 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 is much happier now. Yesterday we finally got around to installing those Michelin Pilot Sport PS2s we picked up the other week. So what took us so long? A Mustang with worn rear tires is fun. We were enjoying ourselves.

The real challenge was persuading 4 tires to fit into the Mustang. Take a look...

Thanks to the woofer, only one tire fits in the trunk.

Two on the back seat.

We probably could have moved the front seat completely forward and fit this tire behind it, but this was easier. The drive to Stokes Tire Pros was less than 2 miles so the last tire rode shotgun.

We spent $140 for the installation. And we retained the old tires to be smoked up at a future date. Next step, off to the test track with the PS2s.

Mike Schmidt, Vehicle Testing Manager @ 11,622 miles

Inspiration for My First Mustang

July 21, 2011

In the great Camaro/Firebird versus Mustang civil war, I've always leaned towards the F-body camp. That's not to say I don't appreciate (or would've loved to own) a '66 hi-po 289 convertible, a '69 Boss 302 or a '70 Mach 1. It's just that as it turns out I have never owned a Mustang but have owned three F-bodys: '69 Firebird convertible, '79 Trans Am, '89 GTA. But the more recent generations of Mustangs, with their more sensible sightlines, trimmer bodies and fantastic powertrains made me reconsider my next car purchase. And our impressive long-term GT had me considering another, older 'stang with a deep-breathing, 32-valve V8...

Around the mid-'90s, the Mustang started to catch my attention, starting with the 1996 SVT Cobra that sported a special 32-valve, 4-cam V8. There's just something about a sweet, high-revving V8 that gets to me. Having had a string of bad luck with my '89 Trans Am GTA that just ended up collecting dust in the garage, I recently decided to sell it and check out other weekend toy options.

My tastes are all over the map — I considered everything from Miatas and second-gen MR2s to Corvettes, with F-bodies and Mustangs in between. This generation ('94 - '98) of the Mustang hits a sweet spot for me, as I was never a fan of the original Fox, or more accurately, "Box" body '79 - '93 nor the bloated '99 - '04. The '96 to '98 Cobra, specifically, is my pick here for that 4-cam V8. After a few months of perusing Craigslist, eBay and Autotrader, I came across this really nice, no stories, 27,000-mile '98 SVT Cobra on Craigs. At $9,000, it was way too tempting to pass up...

John DiPietro, Automotive Editor

Kulinary Mille

July 25, 2011

I love food and wine. I love cars. Put the two together (not the drinking and driving part, obviously) and I'm a happy happy man. Imagine my delight when I was given the green light to attend the Kulinary Mille, a road rally spanning three days with food stops that should put any gourmet in full drool mode.

I'll be covering the first day of the Mille in our Mustang GT. If our Porsche 911 had air conditioning, I probably would've opted for that. According to one of the organizers, I'm in store for an incredible night of fine dining, amazing wines, cigars and, oh yeah, Playboy bunnies! As expected, there will also be an impressive lineup of classic and exotic cars. Yup, this will be right up my alley.

The event kicks off Thursday morning at Dodger Stadium. Look for pictures and my recap either on Friday afternoon or Monday morning.

Mark Takahashi, Automotive Editor

Wheel Wobble

July 25, 2011

I was cruising along on the 101 this weekend after a sunny Malibu beach picnic when I noted that for perhaps the first time ever, I was doing freeway speeds on the 101 on a weekend. It was kind of shocking, actually. There was traffic, of course, but it was moving at or ever-so-slightly above the posted speed limit. It was the most refreshing thing since carmageddon cleared the streets of wussy drivers.

But then a Plymouth Neon decided that freeway speeds were as unacceptable as his lane choice so, without a blinker and with only one brake light, he quickly swerved into my lane and reduced his speed to less than 20 mph. Good times. The Mustang's got brakes so I didn't panic, I just pressed very, very firmly and very quickly while I reached my right hand down for the hazards. (Hitting the hazards when you're going to come to a random, pointless stop on a highway is a solid idea.) Just as I hit the button, and got deep into the pedal, the wheel started shaking and wobbling like I'd lost a tire.

Stopping distance wasn't a problem (as this post isn't about how I rear-ended a Plymouth) and sub-emergency braking is as good as ever, but this will be investigated.

Mike Magrath, Features Editor @ 11,900 miles

Peaks and Valleys

July 26, 2011

Sometimes the requirements of the job are as simple as shuttling a car from the office to location X. Last week I was asked to do such a mission. It just happened that the shuttle mission early the next morning was with our Mustang. A vehicle I hadn't driven yet. I picked the keys after a very long day and all I pretty much cared about up to that point was getting back home.

But this time would be different. I didn't want to "just get home" and relax. Thankfully my chariot had a 5.0.The Mustang was an espresso shot for my night time commute.

My mom used to own a Mustang convertible back in the late 80's with the 5.0. I loved that thing for obvious teenage reasons. Hearing the beast under the hood gurgle brought back a lot of silly high school memories. So I thought, why not honor those times and lay a small patch from the stop light.

The streets were empty at 11pm. I'm no driver by any means. I've learned this fact by being around people who can drive. But a small blaze from a stop light is pretty easy for me. Revs up, light turns green and I let this thing go. There were no smoke trails and but I made a bunch of noise. That was all the satisfaction I need.

Sometimes the hours can be a real grind, but the perks more than make up for it.

Scott Jacobs, Sr Mgr, Photography

Kulinary Mille, Part One

August 01, 2011

Last week, I participated in the inaugural Kulinary Mille, a celebration of gasoline and gastronomy, as the organizers put it. I knew going in that our beloved Mustang 5.0 would be outclassed by the serious exotic machinery in attendance, but what was surprising was the quality of the cars that participated.

The Kulinary Mille start point was Dodger Stadium. Seeing the other cars roll in was, I admit, a bit intimidating. Among the 20 or so participants, there were a few Ferrari 458 Italias, a Porsche 911 Cabriolet, a Mercedes CLK63 AMG Black, a Bentley Continental Supersports and a twin-turbo Nissan GT-R. That sinking feeling in my gut intensified when one of the Mille's sponsors, Midway Car Rental, tossed in a Corvette ZR-1. Somehow, the Mustang's 412 horsepower seemed inadequate.

Then there was this.

There are some cars that have that mystical aura about them. One of those rides that you just don't believe exists until you see it in person. And there it was. A Ferrari SA Aperta. Only 80 examples of this drop-top 599 exist, and it was going to run the same insane roads. There's something to be said for someone who buys such a car and actually drives it.

Stay tuned to see how the 5.0 Mustang stacked up against the rest.

Mark Takahashi, Associate Editor @ 12,450 miles

Kulinary Mille, Part Two

August 02, 2011

Santa Maria is a small city just about 150 miles north of Los Angeles. Our route from Dodger stadium would double that distance, making use of some of the most challenging roads in this region. As I noted in the last Kulinary Mille post, I was feeling that our long-term Mustang might come up short against the many exotic cars that assembled in the morning. As it turns out, my fears were unfounded.

The Mustang was a champ, as were the new Michelin Pilot Sports we just had installed. As a precaution, I took the tail-end position of the multi-million dollar train as we headed north on the Golden State Freeway. The first driving section was on a serpentine strip of pavement called Lake Hughes Road, but some of the other drivers exited the freeway one offramp too early and the group I was with seemed unsure of where to go.

I know this road quite well, as it's the fun way to get to Willow Springs Raceway, so I took the lead. We kept speeds on the straights to sane levels, but still managed to have a helluva time in the curves. My mirrors were filled with a silver Bentley Continental Supersports the whole time, but the Corvette ZR-1 and a few 458 Italias seemed to be trailing further back.

The pavement on Lake Hughes Road was pretty choppy, as was the case on Highway N2. This certainly kept the Mustang from truly stretching its legs because that solid rear axle had the tail shaking and shimmying the whole time. While I was battling with the wheel, the Bentley driver looked as though he was on a leisurely drive – all-wheel-drive, a ton of torque and independent suspension for the win. I gave him a point-by whenever it seemed safe but he never took it.

We continued back to the Golden State Freeway, took it to highway 166, a long straightaway through farmland and then stopped for fuel in Maricopa. I tracked down the Bentley driver and apologized to him, hoping I wasn't holding him up. He laughed and told me he and his passenger were having a good time watching me toss the Mustang around and that my pace was plenty fast. Whew.

We all then hit Highway 33 (another long straightaway) until we headed west on Highway 58. Wow! What a road! The twists and turns on the early section were truly awe-inspiring, and once again, the Mustang held its own against the pricier machinery. After miles of very technical turns, it straightened out once again for a straight shot to Interstate 101. We finally rolled into the Santa Maria Inn for the night.

And that kicked off the Kulinary part of the Mille. Oh my.

Master chefs and Kulinary Mille organizers Keith Previte and Erik Kelley put together a decadent assemblage of Wagyu tri-tips and Maine lobsters that were prepared with a creative slant on the traditional Santa Maria BBQ. They also brought up the bartenders from Nic's Martini Lounge in Beverly Hills to handle the cocktails. Cigars and other beverages closed out the night. To say I was in heaven would be a blatant understatement. Let's just say I slept well.

Mark Takahashi, Automotive Editor

Nice Grip

August 03, 2011

It doesn't take much to design a great steering wheel. Keep it relatively simple, make the rim a reasonable diameter and thickness, add some nice trim and it's done.

Our Mustang GT's setup is a good example of this. Simple three spoke design, not overly big or small, feels substantial in your hands and doesn't have too many buttons. And check out that blue stitching. Nice.

Ed Hellwig, Editor, Edmunds.com

Super Big Big Wheel

August 03, 2011

My love with cars started with a Big Wheel and the sweet drifts I would pull on our cement patio as a kid. It moved up beyond the dumb Huffy bikes I had to my Dad's 1985 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 Convertible. It cranked out 210 hp of high school stupidity. I've had a soft spot in my heart for Mustangs ever since.

When I saw this video I thought here is a kid who that now hooked on the car bug. He's got a big head start with a Mustang and a young lady riding shotgun. What was the first car that got you hooked?

Scott Jacobs, Sr. Mgr, Photographry

No Gizmos

August 04, 2011

This is a picture of the Mustang's dash and gauge cluster. What's it missing? It's missing a dynamic MPG meter. It's missing a graphic display that tells me how much battery power I'm using relative to how much gasoline I'm consuming. It's missing trees and bushes that I should be growing while driving.

Nope. All it has is a speedo, tach and some vital systems monitoring. After having been in a hybrid that shall remain nameless - a decent enough car as hybrids go - with its multicolor and multifunction displays and its eco games and icons and distractions, I realized the Mustang was missing all of those. And that's just fine.

Look, piling on hybrids is easy and unoriginal. Hybrids, EVs, fuel cells (maybe) are all important steps in the evolution of transportation and motoring. But the lengths they'll go towards convincing you that you're not driving a real car is what drives me nuts. Maybe that's the point; to change our core ideas about what a car is and could, should or will be.

If I could look up at the dash of most hybrids and see what I see in the Mustang, I'd go more willingly.

Dan Frio, Automotive Editor

Lighted Rocker Panel

August 05, 2011

One of the styling features on our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 is the lighted rocker panels. And you can also change the color of the Mustang name just as you can change the interior ambient lighting.

It's a nice detail that you can appreciate every time you enter your Mustang.

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ 12,600 miles

Possible Recall

August 08, 2011

(Photo by Kurt Niebuhr)

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is looking into consumer complaints alleging an inability to shift into gear on some 2011-2012 Ford Mustangs equipped with manual transmisisons. The investigation involves an estimated 26,000 Mustangs.

We have not experienced this issue with our vehicle.

Mike Schmidt, Vehicle Testing Manager

Welcome to the Club

August 08, 2011

Man, do I like our 2011 5.0 Mustang's exhaust note under full (or even moderate) throttle. It always makes up for the car's still awkward seating position (for me), ho-hum steering (for me) and silly interior lighting (for me). Which I guess is as it should be. If the 5.0-liter Coyote V8 wasn't the best thing about this car, something would be wrong.

I also think the new engine restores a level of coolness to the Ford Mustang that has been missing for years. Maybe our car is just another Mustang to ordinary people, but for people who know this car, the 2011 (and up) model is really something special.

Case in point, I returned to our black 5.0 after seeing the Smurfs (in 3D... funnier movie than expected. Turns out the 1982 version of myself had good taste) to find that somebody else had a moment with our long-term car. Lots of other places this fellow motorist could have parked his/her black 5.0 Mustang at the AMC 10-plex, but they decided to hang with us. Nice. Of course, if the editor is spacey/dumb, then maybe she doesn't know the difference between a 2010 and a 2011.

Erin Riches, Senior Editor @ 11,862 miles

Fender Bender

August 10, 2011

I walked past our 2011 Ford Mustang in the garage this morning and this is what I saw. Yep, it's a big dent in the passenger front fender, just above the wheel opening. I usually like to give people the benefit of the doubt. But sometimes they just suck.

Grocery cart? Does it matter? Time to get it fixed.

Mike Schmidt, Vehicle Testing Manager

Bouncy

August 15, 2011

I logged around 300 miles on our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 this past weekend, with many of those miles on SoCal freeways. And although several styling and performance properties of our Mustang are great, one thing that's not so great is the highway ride over bumpy surfaces. And by not so great, I mean horrible.

On smooth surfaces, the ride is fine. But on choppy pavement (common on America's freeways), the chassis is bouncing like it's on a pogo stick. Delicate types can get seasick in this thing.

This not only happens on freeway stretches, but also on surfaces streets if you're going above around 40mph.

Is the crappy ride a dealbreaker? No. The Mustang GT is still tremendously fun to drive. But this is certainly an area of opportunity for the next-gen Mustang.

I wonder how much the solid rear axle contrbutes to this.

Let's discuss. (Hit the jump for nausea-inducing vid.)

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ 12,950 miles

Deceptively Composed

August 17, 2011

Yesterday I got to drive the Mustang down to our track in Fontana, some 50 or so miles from my apartment. It's a great drive at that time of the morning, since traffic is going in the opposite direction and the freeway is nice and clear.

The Mustang was free as air, gliding down the road with infectious confidence. Then traffic thickened a bit and I had to tap the brakes. At that point it felt like the car was barely crawling and I worried that the slowdown would make me late to the track.

Then I glanced down at the speedometer and realized that the "slowdown"wasn't nearly as slow as I'd thought — I was doing 60 mph.

This car goes fast and it feels like it's barely moving. High speed has zero effect on its composure — you feel safe and secure as a baby in a cradle, with the lullaby being the low warble of that engine. What a joy to experience.

Warren Clarke, Automotive Content Editor @ 13,156 miles

Good Pedal Placement

August 18, 2011

The pedals on our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 are not bad: metal finish, rubber inserts, and smooth action through the strokes. The big surprise here is the proximity of the brake relative to the accelerator — you can actually heel-and-toe this thing.

Although the placement is not as good as some BMWs like our dearly departed 135 (perfect!), it's a lot better than some dedicated sports cars like the Nissan 370Z (awful) we had.

And who wouldn't like the sound of that 5.0L V8 zinging up on the shift? Probably some Chevy guy.

Chevy guys will also note how unfinished the carpet looks with that exposed insulation. Ugly.

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ ~13,000 miles

How Far We've Come

August 23, 2011

(Thank Takahashi for this nightmare. ::shudder:: )

No idea how, but somehow the 1978 Mustang King Cobra was unknown to me until just a few days ago. For those of you like me, this is for you.

In 1978, Ford was getting its ass kicked by the Pontiac Trans-Am. Maybe not in sales, but in the hearts and minds of the American Car guy. The Mustang II just didn't stack up. The Mustang was in Charlie's Angels, the Trans-Am was in Smokey and the Bandit. 'Nuff said.

So, in a desperate bid for attention, Ford went ahead and created the 1978 Ford Mustang King Cobra. It had 139 horsepower from a 5.0-liter V8 and had a four-speed automatic manual.

It had a shaker hood with 5.0 badges instead of T/A6.6 (or 6.6-liter). It had reddish-orange trim instead of gold. And the wheels, too were touched with red instead of gold. Oh, and the most egregious knockoff? Some sort of psychedelic Octopus (it may be a snake) instead of the Screaming Chicken. Also, T-Tops.

And just think....some of you thought that Grabber Blue was a bad idea.

Want to read more about the 1978 King Cobra? Hemmings has you covered.

Mike Magrath, Features Editor, Edmunds.com

Some Things Never Change

August 23, 2011

Actually, in this case they do. I'm no Mustang expert, so I thought this logo on the door panel of our GT was relatively unchanged. Then I looked into it and realized that it's been "modernized" over the years. Yes, the Ford guys couldn't help themselves, so they tweaked it to make the horse more muscular. Can you tell? Yeah, me neither.

Ed Hellwig, Editor, Edmunds.com

Prepare To Lose.

August 24, 2011

It's been about six weeks since I got out my gloat stick and beat old Bodyblue senseless with it.

Today is the day.

Perhaps you remember the comments from this post, which got the whole thing started. Bodyblue said our 'Stang will eat its clutch or transmission before 20,000 miles because of our wheel-spinning antics. I say it will not. If he wins, I eat my words publicly in a blog post proclaiming that he was right. If I win, well, he surrenders his fun police license and can no longer complain that burnouts are stupid.

Just letting everyone know that we're north of 13,000 miles and the Mustang shows no signs of drivetrain problems. Twenty thousand here we come.

Josh Jacquot, Senior editor

Stubborn Fogging

August 24, 2011

Our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 experienced some fogging of the windshield yesterday. I've noticed this several times recently, but last night was the worst condition, so far. It was hot and unusually humid in SoCal yesterday, but cooled down quickly in the evening. The car's display said the ambient temp was 68F, but it felt at least 5 deg cooler as we were close to the ocean.

Anyway, I tried the front defroster with both A/C on and off, fan low and high, cabin temp setting at hot and cold, and of course I had the window open. But that fog patch stubbornly refused to go away. With almost every car I've driven, if I just crank the defroster with the A/C, the fogging quickly disappears.

It didn't block my view, so I didn't worry about it, although again this morning there was a small, light patch of fogging. I thought that there must be a dead area in the defrost registers, but I put my hand up there and felt the air blowing out. Huh.

Any suggestions?

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ 13,300 miles

Overhead Console

August 25, 2011

Our long-term Ford Mustang GT 5.0 has many great performance and styling attributes. Ford did a good job styling the interior while keeping the cost down. Of course there are some slip-ups, like the short carpet under the pedals. Here are two more.

The overhead console is bland and super cheap. It looks like an afterthought, as if they used a piece of plastic that was lying around on the shop floor. And behind it is the wiring for the inner mirror. Is that electrical tape? No, but it sure looks like it.

Ford, please take care of these items the next time around. Fortunately, that 5.0 V8 and the reasonable list price more than make up for these shortcomings.

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ 13,300 miles

Spotted on the Freeway

August 26, 2011

Check out this dinosaur. It's amazing that 1) this gas-guzzler is still around, what with gas prices being what they are and 2) it's in remarkable shape. Not a dent on it, shiny chrome bits and look at those wheels. Can't help but wonder what the driver's story is with this car. Is it inherited? What do they use it for? Do they only drive it once in awhile since it's probably so expensive to gas up?

In case you wondered, there was a really tiny 50-something woman behind its wheel. Or at least she looked really tiny in this car.

Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor

Weekend Drive

August 29, 2011

Some people sleep in on Sunday mornings. Others work in the yard or start some other project around the house. Me? I'd rather scrub off some tire rubber and burn a few gallons of premium unleaded. I've been riding and driving the same 50-mile route for over a decade. It has a wide variety of turns, plenty of elevation changes and many different pavement surfaces. It's the standard to which I judge all cars and motorcycles.

The last time I hit my loop in the 911, I had my baseball coach, Mr. Riswick in tow. This time, it was Jay Kavanagh and Caroline Pardilla in a short-term Evo X. Because of my familiarity with the route, I pretty much know where every mid-corner bump is, as well as where water and rocks tend to accumulate and where the local speed enforcers like to hide (though really, we weren't driving all that fast). I took the lead.

The Mustang is a hoot on these roads, even though it feels a little big when things get tight and technical. It's a bit like whittling with a long-handle ax — it's possible, but certainly not the best tool for the job. There's torque everywhere in the powerband, which allowed me to stay mostly in third gear. The hairpin turns had me blipping down into second, and that's when I started to get better feel of the new tires.

The rears release from adhesion very progressively. There's no snap from grip like the Goodyear supercar tires that are on the Shelby GT500. The Michelin's on our GT give you plenty of warning and allow you to hold a wide range of slip angles with some gentle prodding of the throttle. That, to me, is the essence of driving confidence.

The drive itself was hit-and-miss. The heatwave hitting L.A. drove the bicyclists out into the canyons earlier than usual. That meant a lot more caution heading into blind turns and slowing down until I could find a safe place to pass them. We also got held up by a Lotus Elise driving 5 mph UNDER the speed limit and a pack of Mustang owners who must've really liked the smell of their own brake pads. C'mon people, downshift and give it some gas.

In the end, I was left wondering which current long-term vehicle is my favorite; the Mustang or the Porsche.

What would you pick?

Mark Takahashi, Automotive Editor

Knobs

August 29, 2011

One of may favorite features of our Mustang, besides the powerful rubber roasting engine, is the shifter. It's simple, slick, and elegant. It's a great nod to the old Hurst hot rod design, except this one features a metal ball.

As an added, this great stick is matched to a wonderfully positive notchy shifter. I might just be cruising down a road, but feeling it click into gears as the engine growls slightly lets me know I'm in control of a mean machine. I feel cool driving our Mustang. And feeling cool, in my opinion, is a major component of any muscle car mojo.

Scott Jacobs, Sr. Mgr, Photography

Who's Better, Who's Best?

August 30, 2011

For a long time, I felt the interior design of our Mustang was one of the best for the domestic "Muscle Car"group. With the Camaro entering the ring once again, Ford responded by redesigned the Mustang and upped the ante quite a bit with a great interior.

But now I think they've fallen out of the segments top ranking.

I think the Mustang has dropped off the design mountain top so to speak because of the resurgent Dodge. The Dodge Charger we drove recently blew me away. Granted the redesigned Charger is the newest kid on the block so it has a leg up in my opinion, but newest doesn't always mean best. Keep in mind that just recently the Charger had an interior that "sucked"according to many. Hard, cheap looking plastics formed into a forgettable design.

I pose the question to you to decide, who's got the best interiors? Mustang, Camaro, or Charger?

Scott Jacobs, Sr. Mgr, Photography

Vehicle Health Report?

September 01, 2011

While pairing my phone, I discovered a SYNC feature I hadn't seen before: Vehicle Health Report. Make the jump to see the underwhelming conclusion.

Run Report? Yes, please... I was really curious how this report would be delivered/displayed.

Would it appear in the display?

Oh boy, getting closer.

Will the report appear on my phone?

Would it pop out of the dash?

Rejected! What a let down. I tried again in the morning, thinking the line was busy or something. It turns out we need to register online before we can use this feature. The report would be available on our personal account page — if we had one.

Chief Road Test Editor, Chris Walton @ 13,671 miles

Aftermarket Solution

September 06, 2011

When I was complaining yesterday about how hot the Mustang can be on a sultry summer day, I neglected to mention the other major heat-related problem with the car. Its metal shifter could brand your hand. You'd end up looking like the villain in "Raiders of the Lost Ark."

After the jump, you can see my ingenious solution.

Yes, it's a crocheted shifter cozy. (For the record, I did not crochet it. Not that handy.)

You could store it here:

Carroll Lachnit, Features Editor

Frying Time

September 06, 2011

Labor Day weekend was good time for a last-days-of-summer drive down Pacific Coast Highway through the beach towns and surf spots of Southern California: Seal Beach, Surfside, Sunset Beach, Bolsa Chica, Huntington Beach and finally, Newport Beach.

Newport is the home of big boats, extravagant cars and a spot called Balboa Island, where 3,000 people live on 0.2 square miles and where the asking price of a 1,700-square-foot home is $2.3 million, according to a local real estate agent. Needless to say, I will not be settling down there.

But it's fun to visit. Balboa Island is so rich that it can afford to look quaint, and its form of "mass"transit is the Balboa Island Ferry, which carries cyclists, pedestrians and three cars at a time between the island and the neighboring Balboa Peninsula. By luck, the Mustang got the first spot on the ferry. It was a little weird to see ocean in the windshield and to float, rather than drive, to our destination. The view was lovely and the Mustang was blessedly cool — without the benefit of cranked AC and the fan set to "hurricane."

What I mean is that our Mustang looks like a great summer car, but in reality, it's not. It's blacker than a thousand midnights inside and out. The sun really bakes the leather seats. Without a sunroof, it can feel, frankly, a little oppressive inside on a hot day. And unless you're floating on a ferry, you'd better have the AC on full throttle. Without it, you'll fry like a corn dog.

What do you think? Are the good looks of a black-on-black car worth the comfort trade-offs in hot weather?

Carroll Lachnit, Features Editor @13,837 miles

A Four-Cylinder Option

September 07, 2011

We're hearing that the Ford guys are ginning up a 300-hp, 2.3-liter Ecoboost turbo four-cylinder for the Mustang. Now, this engine is slated to replace the V6, not the V8, so those needing their proper dose of crossplane bent-eight gurgle and snort need not despair. I, in fact, may have overdosed a smidge on my way to the office this morning in our longterm 2011 Ford Mustang GT. Booyeah.

There are many unanswered questions surrounding the four-cylinder engine's particulars. Nevertheless, I'll go out on a limb and say that the turbo-four will match the peak torque of the V6 (280 lb-ft), best the V6's fuel economy and weigh a scant few pounds less but not enough to really matter. That, and the MSRP will be basically unchanged.

Unknowns aside, what are your initial thoughts on this development?

a. major bummer / what are they thinking?

b. meh. an extra mpg or two isn't really worth it

c. my cat's breath smells like cat food

d. it's the base engine, so any fuel economy advantage makes it worthwhile

e. the tuning potential of a turbo four has me salivating / V6s are for pansies

f. I've been waiting my entire life for a latter-day SVO Mustang

Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor

The Barbie Mustang

September 09, 2011

What do we have here? I ran into this future classic earlier today. I christened it: the Barbie Mustang. And all of us know a Barbie, am I right?! (imagine Barney Stinson here.)

Well this particular Mustang (that mimics the GT500) is promoting a website for some sort of modeling agency. Go ahead and check it out — on your home computer.

Perhaps some people will favor this Barbie Mustang over our long-term 2011 Mustang GT 5.0 — some people like my male colleagues who preferred the Odyssey to the Suburban.

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ ~14,000 miles

Shift Cover, Take 2

September 12, 2011

This weekend I enjoyed two of my favorite things — the Mustang GT and tennis. Well, sort of. I didn't play tennis due to a leg injury but watched some of the U.S. Open. But when I went to drive the 'stang on Saturday I was greeted with the hot shifter. Not really feeling the crocheted thing, I came up with this solution obviously inspired by one of my favorite sports.

Yes, it actually worked quite well. I was worried it might move around, but it didn't as it fit snug enough and the rubber inside the tennis ball helped. On the downside, the shifter's size now approached that of an '80s Camaro, which approximated a baseball. Not a problem for me, however, so I'll keep it in my gym bag for those hot days. Or for when I need inspiration before playing a few sets.

John DiPietro, Automotive Editor @ 14,015 miles

The Only Thing...

September 14, 2011

I want out of the 2012 Mustang is a telescoping steering wheel.

Ok, so this has been covered before, but James is about 6'4" which makes him a complete freak. Either that, or he's secretly Dutch.

Anyway, being about 6'1", and with my seat adjusted so my arms are at a distance I find comfortable, my right knee, as you can see from the above picture, is just a little too close to the bottom of the dashboard for my liking. True, the part of the dash right in front of my knee is padded, but I'd rather not hit anything at all, you know?

We suffered a similar want with our Ford Flex, but Ford listened to us (They did. Really.) and rectified the situation for the next model year. Let's make it two in a row, shall we Ford?

Kurt Niebuhr, Photo Editor @ 14,251 miles

The Style/Function Balance

September 20, 2011

With a Human Factors background, I certainly appreciate function in a vehicle's instruments. But this should be balanced with styling, particularly in emotive cars like our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0.

The Mustang has some nice meters. The styling and font used in the speedo and tach evoke memories of Mustangs from the 60's and 70's. These type of styling details are what make the Mustang desirable — besides that 5.0L V8, of course.

And these meters are also somewhat easy to read. Some people will slam them because they're not as legible as those on, say, our long-term 2011 Kia Optima.

So what? This isn't an Optima or Camry.

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ 14,470 miles

A Quart Low

September 21, 2011

This morning I checked the oil level in our 5.0 Mustang. It was down a quart. The car has been driven 3,505 miles since its last oil change.

So I added a quart of 5W-20. It cost me $4.98 at the local 76 Station.

Scott Oldham, Editor in Chief @ 14,475 miles

The Other Numbers

September 23, 2011

In an earlier post, I asked what you guys thought the result would be after I combined our Mustang's 3.73 gears with my right foot and two days of commuting.

After I crunched the numbers I was surprised to see that it wasn't as bad as I thought, even though I got lower mileage than I did during my last track day.

Click through for the failure/success.

87.0 miles driven. 6.267 gallons used. 13.88 miles per gallon.

I think I just heard some of you gasp. And while we let those people run out to their cars to tape up their grilles and cover the seams on their hood, you guys should realize this is not one of those cars you buy and then spend your days short shifting to save fuel, worrying about the mileage.

In reality, considering how many times I tached it out and how much rubber I smeared over parts of LA, I'd say it wasn't that bad at all.

Kurt Niebuhr, Photo Editor @ 14,470 miles

Three Seventy Three

September 23, 2011

Never have $395 dollars been worth so much as when they've been spent on the 3.73 gear option for a 2011 Mustang GT. And since the 5.0 liter V8 in the Mustang likes to rev, it has a 7,000(!) rpm redline, it doesn't mind staying on the boil - which is exactly what these short gears allow it to do.

Couple those gears to one of the highest spinning, not to mention one of the best sounding, V8's on the market and you've got the perfect recipe for bringing out my inner jackass/bad ass/dumb ass.

Stay tuned to see what those gears did to my fuel economy over two days of commuting. Any guesses?

Kurt Niebuhr, Photo Editor @ 14,451 miles

If it Was Mine

September 26, 2011

There's little to fault our Mustang for. I felt the same way about my 1998 SVT Cobra. That was until I started racing it. In some fortunate alignment of the planets and stars, I had the opportunity to have a full suspension upgrade; courtesy of a magazine I used to work on. And while I think our 5.0 is a vast improvement over Mustangs past, I think it can still benefit from a little tuning.

If it was my Mustang, I'd give it the same treatment, which consisted of a Hotchkis TVS kit and Koni adjustable shocks. The progressive springs had just enough initial compliance to make it livable on a daily basis, yet stiff enough to dial out that sloppy body roll. Our Mustang can benefit from a little tidying up in the suspension department.

The kit costs $2,633, and that's without the shocks. Then there's installation. The masterminds at Hotchkis installed it for free and even though they're pros and know the kit backwards and forwards, it still took a whole day. I can't imagine how much it would cost at a less experienced shop.

Would you do it?

Mark Takahashi, Automotive Editor

It Can't Out-Drive a Chrysler 300?

September 27, 2011

The movie Drive has a 93 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. So clearly a lot of people like it. And I saw it over the weekend. But from the car enthusiast stand point, I'd just like to note one thing: I've driven our long-term Mustang GT. It's stonk fast. So I'm a bit baffled as to how the 5.0 GT in the movie suddenly can't outrun a Chrysler 300(*) that's chasing it, particularly when the Mustang is being driven by the Hollywood stunt driver main character.

I know it's just a movie and everything is for dramatic effect. But it would have been nice if the director had paid some extra attention on car selection and helped along "suspension of disbelief." Maybe make the chase-scene bad-guy car a BMW M5 for something more plausible. And along the same line, the opening scene in the movie with a rental-grade Chevrolet Impala and overlaid soundtrack of a manual-equipped V8 doesn't really work, either.

(*When I saw the movie, I thought it was just a 300C, but having watched the trailer, it could very well be an SRT8. It's hard to tell. But my basic argument still stands.)

Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor

Monster Garage

September 29, 2011

You know what I like? Coming down in the morning to find a really bitchin car sitting in my garage. Or coming home and turning back three or four times to admire said bitchin car I just parked. Maybe I even lament the fact I'm no longer in it. It makes me a happy guy.

You don't get that with an Accord. Practicality be damned.

James Riswick, Automotive Editor @ 14,776 miles

I Just Wanted A Beer

September 30, 2011

So, I want to go walk to liquor store and grab a beer, but I don't want to go out the front door.

Easy.

I'll just walk out to the garage, open the side door and walk over to our Long Term 2011 Mustang, which I have been lucky enough to drive home, yet again, and reach in to grab the garage door opener. Since the windows are down, even though I locked the doors, I'll just reach in and grab the garage door opener off the sun visor and...

BEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, SH!(*^&. FU)(C&*^(&^ DAMNIRWWQE(&^@!!!!!

So apparently, our Mustang came equipped with a motion sensor as part of it's security system. See that picture at the top? What I assumed were light sensors and decoration are apparently motion sensors.

That would have been nice to know before I reached in, set off the alarm and nearly p!ssed myself.

Ford's website mentions nothing of the specifics of the motion sensitive alarm, and unless you read up on the nitty gritty of your new Mustang, I doubt you would have known either. Don't get me wrong, I'm not mad at Ford for offering the system, I appreciate the fact it's there, but perhaps if they pointed it out more clearly in the literature, believe me, I looked after this incident, I wouldn' have just reached into the armed Mustang to grab a garage door opener.

To calm my nerves, I wound up buying two beers. Not that it was the end of the world...

Kurt Niebuhr, Photo Editor @ 14,785 miles

15,000 Miles and Counting

October 03, 2011

Our Mustang cleared 15,000 miles over the weekend. It would seem that we're right on track for getting around 20,000 miles. I also went back and looked at all of our prior posts. Nothing's broken or needed repair. Though we did have an early fuel issue, all we've had to do since that is bring it in for two schedule maintenance appointments (total cost: $97.45) and replace the tires. Also, Josh's bet on the transmission surviving 20,000 miles continues to stay in his favor.

(Thanks to everybody kindly reminding me about that first incident. I humbly stand corrected.)

Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor @ 15,072 miles

Street Viewed!

October 04, 2011

It seems Google is updating its Street View images with reasonably high-resolution photos. Last time I checked out my house, the fuzzy images showed the previous homeowner's white F-150 parked out front. I just looked this weekend, and here's an image with our very own Mustang 5.0 in my driveway about a month ago. I can tell because that palm tree sapling/sprout in the middle of the bushes has been since removed.

Chief Road Test Editor, Chris Walton @ anybody's guess miles

Thoughts On Long-Distance Driving

October 05, 2011

We've already used our Mustang for a few trips, most recently Mark's Kulinary Mille. I've also notched up some long drives in the Mustang as well. I figured I'd put a few thoughts together; following are observations on how well our Mustang serves for long-distance trips.

The shark: I'll get the cool part out of the way first. Our Mustang is one of the few cars we've had in the fleet over the years that fits into my category of "shark." This is just my own little description, but I totally dig cars that strike me as predators of the highway. You're the top of the chain, and other motorists are just minnows. Cars like this make it seem like you're not to be messed with. It's more than just power, though that's certainly a requirement. It's also throttle response (the ability to quickly cut through the minnows), styling/color (sinister helps), headlight design (distinctive when viewed by others) and high-speed stability.

Decent seats: Our Mustang's front seats are just OK in my opinion. They are decently supportive, but there are two things that can limit comfort. One is the head restraint design. It's a common Ford thing, but the restraint sticks forward quite a bit (to help minimize whiplash), and that can be annoying for some people. The other aspect isn't the seat so much as the lack of a telescoping steering wheel. I can still get a decent driving position, but for longer distances I'm not really happy with either my leg or arm positioning.

Noise: Our Mustang is respectably quiet in terms of wind and road noise. Based on our instrumented 70-mph cruise test, it's pretty much the same as our long-term 2009 Dodge Challenger for a decibel rating. The only thing that I find distracting is a subtle gear whine that's present when you're cruising with steady-state throttle. If you back off the throttle, it goes away. It's hard to hear, but I made a short video of driving on the highway with me breathing on and off the throttle every few seconds.

Storage: Nope, there's not a whole lot space to put your stuff. But not many performance cars do.

Cruising Speed: With the Mustang, it's hard to stick to the speed limit. Should you find yourself above it (not that I'd know anything about that), the Mustang is turning a still quite agreeable 2,500 rpm at 80 mph.

Fuel Economy: For my most recent long-distance drive (all highway, not driving with fuel economy in mind) I averaged 20.9 mpg.

Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor

Added Another Quart

October 06, 2011

I checked our Mustang's oil yesterday and noticed it was slightly below the bottom fill line on the dipstick. I went ahead and added about three-quarters of a quart of 5W-20 to bring it up. Oddly, this was just a couple weeks after Scott added a previous quart of oil. It seems unlikely that it dropped down again so suddenly. So I asked Scott about it and he said it was hard to read the dipstick and he wanted to make sure he didn't overfill it. I agree on that point as the location of the front suspension brace makes it a little tricky to get the stick out and read it. So maybe the oil level was down even more from before.

Anyway, we should be good, though the timing is a bit ironic as just today the Mustang's in-car oil notification popped up; we're due for an oil change. So we'll be hitting up the dealership shortly.

Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor

Has Lived Up To The Hype

October 07, 2011

It was last December that news on the 2011 Ford Mustang officially broke. At the time, I remember being pretty excited about it. And that's saying something given my normally cynical journalistic veneer. Return of the 5-point-oh? New 305-horsepower V6? Six-speed transmissions? Available short-ratio gearing? Brembo brakes? Getouttahere! I even remember perusing my local magazine rack and taking a look at the breathless multi-page cover story of 5.0 Mustang magazine. Those guys were probably the happiest dudes on Earth when they learned the 5.0 was back.

So here we are almost a year later. And I'm completely smitten with our long-term GT. It's silly fast and sounds awesome. The interior is comfortable respectable in terms of quality. It fares well on long-distance drives as well as curvy roads. It looks cool. And it's completely useable as a daily driver.

I still like the Camaro and Challenger. The Camaro is still the best looking and the Challenger is just neat in the way it recreates the old-school muscle car vibe. But if I had to pick one to own for myself, I'd go with the Mustang.

Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor

Oil Change and Tire Rotation

October 11, 2011

I had our Mustang serviced yesterday at Lithia Ford in Fresno, Calif. (where I live). Since the Mustang's service intervals are primarily based on the car's oil life monitor, the owner's manual lists maintenance items by the number of times you've had the car in for service. This was our Mustang's third oil change, and for this interval it was still just an oil change and tire rotation.

I debated a little on the tire rotation since we just recently put the new Michelin Pilot PS2s on. But in the end I figured it'd be best just to get the rotation matched to the normal schedule. The experience was generally pleasant, and the final cost was $55.53.

Also, as a public service announcement, remember that Edmunds still has Dealer Rating and Reviews. This is where you can write or read reviews about your sales and repair experiences at the dealerships in your area.

Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor @ 15,635 miles

This Is Not A Mustang

October 12, 2011

Seriously, this is not a Mustang. It's not even a Ford.

That's because it's a Mazda Miata. Don't believe me? Hit the jump.

Yes, this nightmare is a Mazda Miata. A 1994-1997 Mazda Miata, to be approximate. Spotted in the Bay Area a while back.

I have to admit, from a distance it's a fairly convincing doppelganger for an early '60s Mustang. But something about the proportions just didn't sit right. It was the windshield that tipped off to its origins before I saw the cabin.

It's got an autotragic transmission, to boot.

I'm sorta baffled here. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor

Video: Engine and Exhaust Sound

October 12, 2011

Mark had an earlier in-car video post of our Mustang, but I thought you might find it interesting to hear our Mustang on the same route that I used previously to video our departed Corvette Z06. The Mustang video and the Vette one follow after the jump. Sorry for the shaky-cam quality; I really need to get a better mount setup.

Just as a preemptive note: I wasn't fully on the Mustang's throttle until the 12-second mark. So, no, it's not VTEC, even though it kind of sounds that way.

(Original Corvette post here. Note that on this video I also included my Corvette as well.)

Of course, they all sound great. But if I had to chose, I'd say the Mustang sounds the best of the three. What do you think?

Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor

The 5.0 Still Rules

October 14, 2011

Sad to say, but I'm old enough to remember when the 5.0 ruled the streets the first time around, so seeing this badge is a bit of a nostalgia trip. Normally I'm not big on the nostalgia thing, but I get over it the minute I let the clutch out.

Even after all these months, this 5.0 still impresses. It sounds good, spins smooth and absolutely tries to annihilate the tires with every shift. It is everything a pony car V8 should be and more. I'm sure someday they'll figure out how to make it get 40mpg, too, but until then I'm completely satisfied with this engine as it is.

Ed Hellwig, Editor, Edmunds.com

Foldable Rear Headrests

October 17, 2011

Here's a neat, simple, and not-so-sexy feature on our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0: foldable rear headrests. Just press that button on the inner surface and they fall. They snap right up if you're carrying rear passengers.

When folded they improve rearward visibility (check it on the jump) and they're more convenient than yanking them out and tossing them in the trunk like on some other vehicles.

Simple, convenient, cheap. Like much of the Mustang GT 5.0.

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ 16,000 miles

What's next?

October 21, 2011

The Mustang's 50th anniversary is soon approaching. Anytime a new mustang comes out, I hold my breath. Deep down inside, I'm hoping that they don't screw it up. When the 2010 showed up, I was more than satisfied, both in terms of driving dynamics and styling. We're still at least a year out before we start seeing the next generation, but I like what I'm hearing so far.

Ford design chief J Mays says the next Mustang won't be a retro-themed car. It won't be an evolution of the current car. Personally, I think the retro thing has run its course and it's time to act like we live in the 21st century. I'm hoping for a smaller and lighter mustang, with aggressive styling and performance to match. As good as the V6 is now, I think it'd be a crime not to offer a V8. Sure, sure, sure, offer a turbo four, but don't kill off my beloved V8.

And as much as I embrace the future, I still like the solid rear axle. If they offered an independent rear end as an option for the few drivers that really want it, I'd be OK with that. I'd expect to see a dual-clutch transmission option, too, but a manual six-speed should also be available.

In any case, my fingers are crossed. Hopefully, I'll be cooking up a few PhotoChops in the coming months. Stay tuned.

What do you want to see from the next Mustang?

Mark Takahashi, Automotive Editor

Colorforms for Big Kids

October 31, 2011

Remember Colorforms? No, it's not a video game. It's a little kids' toy that featured vinyl stick-on shapes of various colors that you could use to create pictures of whatever you wanted. Animals, cars, planes, houses, the brat next door. And Colorforms is still going strong at 60.

Turns out Ford has something of a modern version for Mustang buffs. It allows you to customize a Mustang with different grilles, hoods, rear spoilers, wheels, etc. It's a lot of fun for car geeks and you can even battle your friends to see whose custom 'stang proves more popular. I'm thinking the shaker hood and white or silver stripes would look good on ours...

John DiPietro, Automotive Editor @ 16,706 miles

Mirror-Mounted Displays Are Best?

November 04, 2011

(Photo credit: Mike Schmidt)

I've always disliked rear-view cameras embedded into the rear-view mirror. 1) They're tiny. 2) I know what I'm used to seeing when I look in the rear-view mirror and it's not the view out of the middle of the bumper. 3) Getting a view of two vantage points in one small area gets confusing...especially if things are moving. 4) Did I mention how tiny they are?

Well it turns out that I'm wrong and the people who shoved it into our 2011 Ford Mustang GT are right. A research study by automotive supplier Gentex Corp. (a company that makes mirror-mounted displays for back-up cameras, nav and more) concluded that "by placing the rear-camera display in the mirror, you can increase display usage, improve driver scan patterns, enhance productive gaze durations and minimize reaction times."

Yeah, and you can also sell more mirror displays that way. I like rear-view cameras, but I want to keep them separate from the mirror. I'll decided when I want which bit of information thank-you-very-much.

Mike Magrath, Features Editor, Edmunds.com

2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 vs 2013 Ford Mustang GT

November 04, 2011

Eagle-eyed readers will notice quite quickly that the image here is not of our 2011 Ford Mustang GT. The headlights are wrong. The badge is wrong. The lip spoiler is wrong. Oh, and it's covered in black-and-white camo.

Most of that is due to this car being a spy photo of the 2013 Ford Mustang.

I miss the big foglights already.

Mike Magrath, Features Editor, Edmunds.com

Rain + 412 Horsepower + RWD =

November 07, 2011

It rained in L.A. this weekend and I was lucky enough to have our Mustang. Weeeeeee! In the rain, this car with PS2s is super fun, super easy to drive with the tires spinning and even allows the driver to enjoy the benefits of throttle with traction control left on.

If I lived in the Pacific Northwest, I'd be broke. This was the average after about 100, mostly city, miles.

Mike Magrath, Features Editor, Edmunds.com @ 16,909.4 miles

Get a Grip

November 09, 2011

Here's something else I like about the Mustang GT that shows someone at Ford did a little extra thinking outside the box. Notice how the stitching for the steering wheel's leather wrapping moves away towards the back of the wheel? Based on my hands-on testing, it's so that the main area where your thumbs grip is smoother and more comfortable.

John DiPietro, Automotive Editor @ 16,967 miles

Want to See the 2013 Mustang in L.A.?

November 14, 2011

As of this Wednesday, our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT will officially look a bit like yesterday's news. That's because Ford will roll out the refreshed 2013 Mustang at the 2011 L.A. Auto Show, and if you're local, maybe you'd like a free ticket to go see it on the public days...

Interested? All you have to do is tell us which vehicle you're burning to see at the L.A. Auto Show, whether it's the Mustang or something else. Not here, though. Tweet it to us on our Twitter (http://twitter.com/insideline_com) by 12 noon PST tomorrow (November 15, 2011) and we just might give you a ticket to the show valid from Nov. 18 to Nov. 27.

Erin Riches, Senior Editor

Will The Bike Fit?

November 14, 2011

Senior Editor Josh Jacquot called me late one night this past weekend: "Want to go riding tomorrow?"he asked. I was obviously a last-minute replacement for someone else who must've bailed. "Sure, why not,"I said, wondering right after I hung up if my mountain bike would actually fit into the Mustang GT.

I decided I'd wait until the morning to find out. Why do tonight what I can put off until tomorrow, right? I mean, the Mustang's rear seats fold down, so how hard could it be?

Hmm...forgot about the Shaker 10,000 subwoofer, which takes up like a quarter of the trunk space. Crap, this could be harder than I thought. But I'm all about just stuffing it in, so let's see what happens.

Well that don't work. Damn subwoofer. Solution?

Remove the rear seat and post. I couldn't lower the seat enough to squeeze by, so I had to remove the whole thing. The Mustang's pass-through is pretty small, so it still wasn't easy, but not really a big deal. A minor price to pay to drive the 'Stang 5.0. And, I didn't have to remove the rear wheel, which is nice. Now if it weren't for that Shaker sub, the bike probably would've gone right in, only having to take off the front wheel.

Mike Monticello, Road Test Editor @ 17,192 miles.

Brake For AdvanceTrac

November 15, 2011

I get a huge kick out of driving the Mustang GT 5.0 on the rare occasions that it's actually available for the night (or even better, for the whole weekend). Love that engine, both the power and sound, and this 'Stang actually handles pretty well. Could do without the occasional axle hop.

I am bothered, though, that the Mustang GT is one of those cars that won't let you turn off its stability control (in Ford's case, called AdvanceTrac) once you've started moving. You can turn off traction control once you're on the road, by just hitting the AdvanceTrac button once, allowing for big burnouts.

But if you want to be free of stability control nannies through turns and to powerslide the car, you have to hold the button for about 5 seconds with the brakes applied before you get moving.

And don't think you can get around having to be at a stop to do this by driving with the throttle and brake overlapping while pressing the button. It won't turn the system off if you have the throttle applied at all.

So, yeah, I find that annoying. Because if I want to light the rear tires up exiting a turn, I don't want to have to pull over and wait five seconds first.

Won't stop me from driving it though. I just need to remember to turn everything off upon startup.

Mike Monticello, Road Test Editor @ 17,375 miles.

The End Is Near, Bodyblue

November 15, 2011

It's time once again to update the masses on the 'Stang's durability and do some good old-fashioned gloating at the same time.

If you don't remember the bet you should revisit the comments from this post where I indulged Bodyblue's offer of a little wager about the Mustang's transmission and/or clutch not surviving our test.

Here's the deal as I put it in the comments: "If the Stang's trans or clutch fails before 20,000 miles, I'll eat my words publicly in a blog proclaiming your prophesy as truth. If, however, the Stang's powertrain lives to 20K, you're not allowed to be the fun police on this blog ever again."

The Mustang is still going strong. Victory is near. Let the burnouts continue.

Josh Jacquot, Senior editor

Lifter

November 16, 2011

I don't like to do posts like this, but this 'deficiency' kinda caught me off guard.

Above, you can see my garage door opener, which if you happen to have an electric garage door opener, yours probably bears a close resemblance the one I have.

So where do you you usually put your garage door opener? Unless you're like most people, in which case you'll be escorted to a pleasant island near the Azores, you'll stick it to the driver's side sun visor, just like I did.

Good idea? Click through to find out.

Yeah, not so much.

Under any kind of brisk acceleration, which you are mandated to do if you buy a Mustang GT, your garage door opener will fly off the sun visor and hit you in the face. And getting hit with something in the face when you're taching past 6500 rpm is not what I'd consider a 'feature'.

Now I thought sun visors were manufactured to a basic specification; as a manufacturer, you can pick the color and the features, but all of them are roughly the same size and thickness. Wrongo. As you can see from the picture below, there is no tension on the fabric of the vsior.

It seems like a fairly minor oversight, but not being able to hold a standard garage door opener? Really? I know I'm not the only one who has a garage.

And for what it's worth, my garage door opener clamps on to the sun visor of every other car I've ever driven... ever. Weird.

Kurt Niebuhr, Photo Editor @ 17,390 miles

Got Kids? Maybe You'll Want a Camaro Instead

November 17, 2011

A co-worker emailed me this morning. He said he was thinking of buying a new Mustang as his next car. But then he watched the IIHS' crash test video and changed his mind. Specifically, he was concerned about head protection of rear-seat occupants as he has a young daughter. The Mustang does not have rear airbags of any kind.

NHSTA and IIHS crash test videos follow after the jump for both the Mustang and Camaro. Specifically, you'll want to watch the slow-motion cameras for the rear passenger's head impacting the side of the car.

2012 Ford Mustang, IIHS side test

2010 Ford Mustang, NHTSA side test

2012 Chevrolet Camaro, NHTSA side test

Officially, the Mustang has a four-star side-impact NHTSA rating overall and an "Acceptable"side-impact IIHS rating. It's when you dig deeper do you find the worse ratings for the rear passenger's head protection. The Camaro has a five-star NHTSA side-impact rating.

So what do you think? Would this deter you at all from buying a Mustang if you had kids or were frequently taking along rear passengers?

Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor

Too Much is Almost Enough

November 18, 2011

Admittedly, I've been completely corrupted by power. Our long-term Mustang is incredibly satisfying to drive, with its gobs of torque and glorious V8 growl. My first mustang (a 1995 GT Convertible) was my first taste. When I traded it in for a 1998 SVT Cobra, I was positively hooked. Now, with our 2011 GT, and a Shelby GT500 I tested last year, I find myself wanting even more.

Of course, this leads into the bonkers 2013 Shelby GT500 that churns out 650 hp. And yes, I want one. Who wouldn't, really? I'm curious how drivable it will be, but it likely won't dissuade my curiosity.

But this makes me wonder about the 5.0 downstairs. It wouldn't be hard to crank up the power output on our Mustang to ludicrous levels. A part of me wishes we would hold onto this car for another year, so I could get it into prime shape to conquer Willow Springs Raceway.

In my fantasy, I'd start with the tires. Some DOT slicks would do it. Then I'd get a fully-adjustable suspension (Hotchkiss, probably). Inside, front race seats and mild roll cage; nothing too difficult to scramble over, but something we could mount shoulder belts to. Finally, the engine: an intercooled supercharger, race pan, lightweight flywheel and driveshaft, racing clutch and exhaust.

These are the things that keep me up at night. I'd love to buy our Mustang when we're done with it and let you all follow along as I chip away at lap times between each upgrade. I'd also try to do as much of the work myself, enlisting the help of my fellow editors and friends.

Then again, a new Mustang will probably be here for the 50th anniversary. Maybe I should wait until then. In the meantime, I'll be working on a personal project that involves a Suzuki Hayabusa and the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Mark Takahashi, Automotive Editor

What If You Had To?

November 21, 2011

OK, so it's not likely that anyone buys a Mustang thinking it'll be their main kids-in-baby-seats car, but what if, one day in the future, your significant other needed the kid car for something important and you were stuck shuttling two kids in car seats (or car seat and booster, in this case) in the coupe. For three days. In intermittent rain.

Could you live through it?

Well, yes. You can live through it, but it is brutal. I don't recommend it.

The installation of the seat wasn't bad, actually. It was the extreme yoga required to twist and hoist the 25-pound one-year-old into and out of his rear-facing seat (while I was sitting in the 5-year-old's Recaro booster, mind you, because it was raining. Thank heavens for my boyish hips.) each time we had to go somewhere, which was a lot.

On Friday alone, I got the baby in and out six times before 3pm. I actually cancelled a fun outing for all three of us because it meant I would have to get them in and out two more times.

I wish I had in-car video of my feats of gymnastics, but if I did, it would mean my husband was there to help, which would mean I wouldn't have had to take the kids in the Mustang. Just use your imagination.

One baby seat would be a whole lot easier because you can sit in the other rear seat and have more room to maneuver the little guy in his seat. A front-facing baby — even with another kid in a booster — would make a big difference, too, because the back-wrenching heft-and-twist would be less extreme.

As for life with a rear-facing child safety seat behind the front passenger, I didn't have a front passenger (see video note above), but I did try it out, just to see. I'm 5'8"and the seating position required was nowhere near ideal for me but it wasn't impossible. To keep my shins from touching the glovebox door, I had to keep a lot of space between my knees.

When I wasn't getting the kids in and out, though, it was super fun to drive, at least.

Bryn MacKinnon, Senior Editor, Edmunds.com @ 17,563 miles

2013 Looks Like The Shelby

November 22, 2011

The 2013 Ford Mustang just had its debut at the 2011 LA Auto Show. And for 2013, all Mustangs now have the previously unique Shelby GT500 snout. I like it, especially on the Boss 302 shown in the top pic. (GT and V6 pics on the jump.)

What do you think? Do you like the new snout or does it dilute the aura of the Shelby?

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ 17,600 miles

I Love This

November 25, 2011

It's a nice touch. There's one inside each door. I caught a glimpse of the one on the driver side as soon as I sat down, and it just felt right. Like the heritage of all the Mustangs' past there at my elbow, smiling at me and saying, "Let's ride."

Bryn MacKinnon, Senior Editor, Edmunds.com

A Case for Side Exhaust

November 28, 2011

The last time I posted on our long-term Mustang, I was contemplating what sorts of upgrades I'd give it if we held onto it after its year is up. I'd like to take this opportunity to rescind that last post after spending four-and-a-half days with the Boss 302.

Let's ignore the suspension upgrades the Boss has over our long-termer, along with the brakes, trim and alcantara steering wheel. I'm sold on the side exhaust alone. As much as I love the "regular"5.0's roar, there's no contest. Here's an audio clip that I recorded this morning:

The audio recording abilities of my iPhone simply don't do it justice. It's a thundering snarling beast that had me driving with the windows down, regardless of the outside temperature. Our Mustang GT rang in just under $39,000, but the Boss 302 starts at just over $40,000. To me, that's a no-brainer. If I were in the market for a new Mustang, and the nutty new Shelby GT500 is out of reach, the Boss is my pick.

Mark Takahashi, Automotive Editor

Gauge Colors

November 30, 2011

In grandma Riches blog post about hating color in her life, long time reader Hybris said, "I don't think I have seen any pics of the Mustangs cluster being any thing but white. Care to give us some pics of the various options maybe?"

I can do one better, Hybris...I can recycle a post I made back in January when we first got the Mustang GT and recycle the video I made showing all of the gauge and halo light colors!

Oh, and for the record, it's me that Erin hates. The second I get in our Mustang, immediately after I start it and think "why is there so much intake noise and not enough exhaust noise?"I reset all the gauges to the craziest color combination possible. Because I can.

Mike Magrath, Features Editor, Edmunds.com

The Routine

November 30, 2011

Here's how I know I'm becoming you-kids-get-off-my-yard old — I go through this routine every time I drive our long-term Ford Mustang GT.

Honestly, I cannot understand why this is even a feature in a 412-hp muscle car. I have tried all the various color options for the gauges, and I dislike them all. These white gauge faces are not great, but I dislike them the least.

Worse, with all these color options, they're always getting reset to zany colors and I dread getting into this car like I dreaded sitting down in my high school PC lab when all the backgrounds would be set to hot pink and all the text would be set to red.

I just want to get in our Mustang and think about driving — shifting, steering, the way the engine sounds. And so if I owned this car, I would never lend it out — not because I'd fear my friends would do burnouts and dump the clutch (that's a given), but because I couldn't risk they would reset my lighting preferences.

Erin Riches, Senior Control Freak

Big Camera, Small Picture

December 01, 2011

When I was going to put my laptop bag in the trunk of our 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 this morning, I wouldn't help but notice the backup camera mounted on the trunk lid. I mean, look at it. You can't miss it. It's bigger than the camera in my iPhone.

So it surprised me when I got inside and put the car in reverse and saw how tiny the backup camera display was.

As editor John DiPietro mentioned in a previous post, this is because we didn't opt for the navigation system which would have moved the display in the screen.

The most I could use this view for is to make sure I don't kiss bumpers with the car behind me or run over ill-placed garbage cans. Unlike the backup cameras of other cars where you can actually use the lines in the display to parallel-park without curbing your wheels.

Eh, but then again maybe I just need a new prescription for my contacts. Well at least the picture looks really crisp.

Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor @ 17,870 miles

Anniversary

December 07, 2011

On this day, thirty years ago, I got my driver's license. I took the driving test in my mother's '78 Olds Cutlass Calais Coupe (brown metallic, beige landau roof, natch). "Nailed it,"but that car was not a very auspicious beginning to this career path. What car did you take your test in?

Chief Road Test Editor, Chris Walton @ 18,095 miles

That SYNCing Feeling

December 07, 2011

SYNC is not perfect. I plugged my iPhone in this morning and tried to find it in the audio source menu on the head unit. I found AM/FM, Satellite, Disc, and finally SYNC Line In, but no music issued from the system. I double checked where my device was sending my music (tired both SYNC and Dock Connector), and still nothing. Disconnect/reconnect and nothing. Finally I tried talking to the nice SYNC lady and asked her to connect to both SYNC Line in and Dock to no avail. Finally, I said, "USB"and voila; music! It's not a huge deal, but why isn't "USB"in the source menu on the head unit?

Chief Road Test Editor, Chris Walton @ 18,095 miles

Muscle Car Sales War

December 15, 2011

Most of us here love our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0. A lot of other people also love it, including many enthusiasts and auto journalists.

On the other hand, we loved our long-term 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS for its awesome 426 hp 6.2L V8. But we felt that many other aspects of the car left plenty of room for improvement...ahem.

But what do we know? The buying public has spoken, and from nearly year-long data prepared by the crack Pricing and Analysis team at Edmunds.com, you can see that the Camaro outsold the Mustang by a wide margin.

Interestingly, the average transaction price of the three main muscle cars — Camaro, Mustang, and Challenger — are about the same. It's particularly surprising to me that the Challenger's average transaction price is so low. I had thought that many Challenger sales were the more expensive R/T and SRT8 models.

So what do you think?

Why does the Camaro kill the Mustang in sales when many "enthusiasts"prefer the Mustang?

And why does the Challenger, my favorite and the baddest of them all, sell so poorly?

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ 18,470 miles

Yep, We're Still Doing Burnouts

December 16, 2011

We love burnouts.

The Mustang GT does burnouts.

Follow the jump if you like burnouts.

Mike Monticello, Road Test Editor @ 18,354 miles at time of burnout.

Hey Bodyblue, You Ready?

December 16, 2011

Because our bet is nearing its end. This picture was taken last weekend before Mike's epic burnout, which didn't faze the 'Stang. Check that second gear!

And in case you don't remember the bet, check the comments on this post.

Stay tuned. Only about 1,600 miles until bodyblue surrenders his fun police license.

Josh Jacquot, Senior editor

Good Times

December 17, 2011

You know life is good when you end up with the Mustang GT 5.0 two weekends in a row. I don't know how it happened, but I'm certainly not complaining about it. I love driving this car.

I think it has to do with that 412-horsepower V8. And the six-speed manual. Oh, and rear-wheel drive, fairly stiff suspension, Michelin Pilot Sport PS2s and Brembo brakes.

And, of course, the 5.0 sounds fantastic anytime you get hard into the throttle.

This car makes even mundane drives/errands, well, a whole lot less mundane and errand-like.

Yep, life is good when you're driving a 2011 Mustang GT 5.0.

Mike Monticello, Road Test Editor @ 18,535 miles.

Even Better Times

December 19, 2011

The previous weekend I highlighted the Mustang GT 5.0's ability to do fun things in a straight line.

This past weekend I decided to see what the Mustang is like when turning left and right in anger. Or at least mildly agitated.

So I was off, in search of twisty back roads.

First up was the Ortega Highway (74), a smooth two-lane ribbon of asphalt comprised mostly of high-speed sweepers. When I wasn't stuck behind slower cars, the Mustang performed admirably, cornering pretty flat, those Michelin Pilot Sport PS2s providing plenty of grip, nice effort from the steering with good precision.

Of course when you open the 'Stang 5.0 up on a straightaway, it just rips. Sweet music.

Next up, and my real destination, was Palomar Mountain Road. I headed up the tight side, which is made up of largely second-gear corners. This was a much better test of the tires yet they still gave plenty of adhesion. Certainly more than I'm used to in a Mustang, that's for sure.

The brakes have a spongy feel that's unbecoming of Brembos. It's not horrible or anything, but the pedal should be firmer.

Since Palomar sits at about 5,500 feet, there was a bit of slush/snow/water here and there toward the top. Slush and summer tires aren't a great mix. So I slowed down.

Heading back down the less-tight side of Palomar, and away from the slush and onto clean and dry pavement, I picked the pace back up. Again, I was very impressed that the Mustang was perfectly happy being driven in attack-the-corners-mode of a sports car. And it gets to that next bend like right now.

Even though the brakes never experienced real fade, the run up and down Palomar (along with the aforementioned Ortega jaunt) did do a number on the rear pads. Ahh, the familiar scraping sound when I got home. Not that surprising: This car has been driven hard, and has even been on the race track. We'll get those rear pads replaced and check on the fronts while we're at it.

All in all, a fun day in the Mustang. And proof that this car can do much more than just go fast in a straight line.

Mike Monticello, Road Test Editor @ 18,804 miles.

NHTSA Ends Safety Probe

December 20, 2011

That's our Mustang, speeding away from the the threat of a possible recall.

Or so says the Federal Government who suspended its safety probe into the reported transmission issue.

Kelly Toepke, News Editor

New Rear Brakes

December 22, 2011

As suspected, our Mustang GT's rear brake pads were completely shot after some editor's vigorous run on Palomar Mountain Road. The right rears were down to the metal. Of note, I never really noticed before just how tiny the rear rotors/calipers look inside the 19-inch wheels.

Santa Monica Ford replaced the rear pads and resurfaced the rotors. They checked out the front pads, but there's still a good 50-60 percent left, they said.

The cost was $87.30 in parts and $115 for labor, totaling $210.38 with tax.

Mike Monticello, Road Test Editor @ 18,812 miles.

A (Belated) Burnout Christmas

December 27, 2011

I would've posted this on Sunday, but then my computer and Edmunds blog tool didn't get along. Consider this the T-shirt your Uncle Larry gives you two days after Christmas because it's cheaper to do his shopping on Boxing Day.

Any who, I was supposed to drive the TSX this weekend, but a switch with Takahashi left me with the Mustang. Oh what a shame. I made it from the middle of Los Angeles to westernmost Thousand Oaks in 40 minutes on Christmas morning — a journey that would normally take anywhere between an hour and three years because of LA traffic. Not so on Christmas morning in a Mustang.

Sadly, my Christmas gift bag didn't include new rear tires for the Mustang. It could use them.

James Riswick, Automotive Editor @ 18,656 miles

A Journey Not By Number

January 03, 2012

It just seemed like something I had to do. I had the time, I had the girl and most importantly (sorry girl) I definitely had the car. Spending another two days loafing about the house just seemed so wrong.

So on Thursday, we threw a pair of overnight bags into the 2011 Ford Mustang GT and set course up the coast for someplace called Atascadero. It's just a wee bit south of Paso Robles wine country, the hotel I got a screaming deal on looked lovely and it was the right distance away for an overnight trip. Besides, one of my favorite past times is just dropping myself someplace random and exploring.

Truth be told, this was the first time I'd really driven the Mustang anywhere, which is a pity since it'll be hitting the 20,000 goodbye mark in about 450 miles. A car like this just makes every journey just that much more special. Our Volvo S60 would've been more comfortable, it would've been a lot quieter and I wouldn't have needed to bring a map along, but with all due respect to the Swede I oh-so-nearly selected for the Chrismas/NewYear Super-Long Weekend, it's just not an event car.

The Mustang quite simply has character. The epic thrust of the V8, the way that little metal cue ball shifter fits perfectly in my hand, the wonderfully sorted steering (EPS does NOT have to suck), the gauges that glow in whatever manner I choose, the blue stripes down the seats, the little Mustang logos on the doors ... oh, and it looks awesome. It just makes me happy every time I walk up and reaffirm that's what I'm driving. It's not exactly a unique car, either, and yet I notice men enviously eyeing it in parking lots. Hell, my mother anxiously asked me if she could sit in it.

After two or three hours on the road, some of that character wears off in favor of old fashioned practicality, though. Are the seats and driving position good enough? Yes, but it could be perfect if the wheel telescoped just a bit. Is the ride too rough for comfort? No, but that rear axle definitely produces more jiggles than a certain Dodge competitor. Does last-legs tires, rear drive, 5.0 V8 and aforementioned rear axle make things rather, um, interesting on rutted, winding, uphill dirt winery road? Sure does Captain. Can Ford Sync understand the voice command "Play Artist ZZ Top?"No, apparently it can't.

How's the fuel economy and range? Well, let's pause this travelogue for a little eco geekdom. On my second tank I tried to use skip shift, cruise control and sixth gear as much as possible with the result being a best-ever (JR FTW!!!) tank average of 22.7 mpg. The overall trip average was 22.1 mpg, which compares to the EPA estimate of 26 mpg highway. Of course, that doesn't really apply to our Mustang with the 3.55 axle ratio. The range could definitely be better (the farthest someone has gone is only 276), although the trip computer fuel warning and DTE gauge are very conservative. Both times I filled up with about 40 listed on the DTE, but with only about 12 gallons put into a 16 gallon tank ... well, you do the math.

Math, oh god, I actually used that word. See, a trip like this is specifically why I hate how cars get boiled down so easily into numbers. "This car is better than that car because this spreadsheet of track data and dimensions tells me it to be so."It's similar to my hatred of fantasy sports. Numbers just suck all the joy, nuance, passion and interaction out of it. They cannot quantify those various aspects of the Mustang's character that makes me happy, just as they can't quantify why Reed Johnson was my favorite baseball player of the last 10 years.

This could've simply been a story of my wife and I traveling to a little town in central California and staying at the beautiful Carlton Hotel oddly surrounded by absolutely nothing to do. It could've been a description of us going to Firestone-Walker Brewery (we took a tour!) or the Eagle Castle Winery (she did a tasting!). Instead, this was one of those "it's about the journey"journeys. It made me rethink the car I would buy if I were to be in the market. As much as I love the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the Volkswagen GTI, they just wouldn't make such random place adventures as memorable. Practical yes, character not so much.

Recently, I tried out the Edmunds My Car Match tool and was informed by the enhanced algorithm of whatever that the two cars best-suited for me were the Ford Mustang and the Dodge Challenger. Hmm, who am I to argue with numbers?

James Riswick, Automotive Editor @ 19,555 miles

My Favorite Gauge Colors

January 05, 2012

This would be my preferred gauge color scheme: white number arc with a blue halo. Again, not really surprising. Of course, using the halo at all means you have to deal with the reflections off the windshield. Maybe I'd get tired of them if I lived with it longer than a week, but for now, I'm liking how cool they look.

The fact that you have such a ridiculous selection of color scheme choices at all is pretty cool.

James Riswick, Automotive Editor @ 19,555 miles

Backup Camera on a Muscle Car?

January 06, 2012

Seems a bit counter intuitive doesn't it? I mean, come on, it has a six-speed manual hooked to a 412 horsepower V8 and it helps you parallel park? Welcome to the modern muscle car.

Truth is, it's quite helpful. Our Mustang isn't the easiest car to see out of, so anything that helps shed a little light on the situation can't be all bad. I squeezed into a space last night that barely left six inches on either end. Could have done it without the camera but I might has left a few marks in the clear coat on the bumpers.

Ed Hellwig, Editor, Edmunds.com

Maybe Pigs Don't...

January 09, 2012

...but this horse certainly does. It'd been a while since I'd been in the saddle and I'd almost forgotten how damn quick our Mustang GT is.

My personal car is a '98 Mustang Cobra, which is fairly quick (5.5 to 60 and 13.9 in the quarter, according to road tests of the day). But it almost feels slow in comparison to the new GT. Well duh, there's a lot more power here, not to mention six gears to work with versus five. But it's the GT's hefty low-end torque that kicks you in the seat of the pants when you crack the whip — there's serious grunt here under 2,000 rpm. Prod the throttle at lower rpm and the GT hustles and continues to pull strong to redline, whereas my old Cobra comes alive when the tach's needle sweeps past three grand. Amazing what 15 years of development can do.

I said it once (okay, more than once) and I'll say it again: I'd buy this car in a heartbeat (sorry, Chevy) were I in the market for a performance car in the $30-35k range.

John DiPietro, Automotive Editor @ 19,808 miles

Still Cool, Even in Beverly Hills

January 11, 2012

While my colleagues were living the life in beautiful Detroit (pronounced Day-Twaaa), I was forced to slum it in the Hills — Beverly Hills, that is. It was the grand opening gala for the McLaren showroom and I was torn as to what car I should bring.

NSX or Porsche 911? Nah, I wouldn't trust the valets with either. Cinquecento for the sheer irony?

I chose the Mustang. No, it wasn't to impress anyone except for myself. I don't care what the elite uber-wealthy think, the Mustang's cool. The decision came down to W.W.S.mQ.D? What would Steve McQueen do?

In the lineup of white Porsche Cayennes, black Phantoms, pearlescent Aventadors and murdered-out DBSs, the Mustang still had an undeniable presence. The burble and roar as it rounded the corner from Wilshire Blvd. announced its arrival. As I opened the door to let my girlfriend in, I heard over my shoulder, "Five-oh. Right on." It was probably a fellow journalist.

The Mustang represented. End of story.

Mark Takahashi, Automotive Editor

The Fun Police Are Going Away Soon

January 13, 2012

And by "soon"I mean this weekend. In only 118.8 miles bodyblue will be surrendering his Fun Police license which will preclude him from ever again criticizing our enjoyment of long-term cars through gratuitous burnouts.

In case you've forgotten, the comments on this post explain the terms of our agreement. Here are the basics: When the 'Stang rolls through 20,000 miles with its clutch and transmission in tact, I will officially win the wager.

The Mustang is in my driveway right now. I have plans this afternoon to knock off the remaining mileage. Check back next Tuesday for the victory post, which, if I had to guess, will contain a most creative burnout. See you then.

Josh Jacquot, Senior editor

It Is Finished. And So Are The Fun Police

January 17, 2012

It's interesting how tunes change (see the comments) when someone loses a bet.

Well, Bodyblue, my boy, you have officially lost. The Mustang rolled through 20K without any fanfare at all this weekend. It's still breaking its tires loose at every opportunity and doesn't give two rips about the way it's been driven over the last 20K miles. It's a durable machine, but probably no more so than most any modern car. Its tranny and clutch are fine — they feel just as stout as they did on day one and I've experienced none (Zero. Nada. Zilch.) of the noise reported by some.

Tomorrow we'll have a little fun with all this, don't worry. Meanwhile, since I'm certain Bodyblue is a man of his word, I'll be awaiting his resignation from the Fun Police. And we expect to hear no more criticism of burnouts from him. Ever. Again.

Josh Jacquot, Senior editor @ 20,000 miles.

More Fun With Burnouts — Video Proof

January 18, 2012

So we've arrived at 20,000 miles and our good man bodyblue will be surrendering his Fun Police license at any moment. Meanwhile, let's enjoy a proper tire-smoking send off for this most wonderful automobile.

After we cracked the 20,000-mile barrier with the 'Stang's drivetrain intact it only seemed appropriate to celebrate with a little gloating. We find gloating accompanied by tire smoke even more satisfying.

Coming tomorrow: Interior video to demonstrate tranny noise. Or lack thereof.

(The fine print: professional driver, closed course, do not attempt.)

Josh Jacquot, Senior editor @ somewhere north of 20,000 miles

Tranny Noise — Video Proof

January 19, 2012

Some of you wanted further evidence of the GT's tranny noise in daily use. Given the life this car has led it should be chewing up synchros and spitting out shift forks every time we key the ignition.

See for yourselves after the jump.

Too loud? You decide.

Josh Jacquot, Senior Burnout editor

Best Gas Station in California

January 20, 2012

This is a bit of a leftover, I admit. However, when on my Mustang to Paso Robles journey I encountered the best gas station in California. Yeah, that's right, The Best. It's at highway 46 on the east side of the 101 just south of Paso Robles, where you could get off to go to Hearst Castle or the Firestone-Walker Brewery.

Why is it so good? Well, because they provide these long-handle squeegees, that's why. I may have longer arms than most, but this is a brilliant addition to a service station that can be enjoyed by all. No need to do one side of the windshield, then walk around to the other side to do that mostly ineffective arcing deal to finish it off. And get this, this Chevron station actually put soap in the squeegee reservoir! Soap! Amazing!

Sure, anything like that here in LA would result in vagabonds swarming on the long squeegees like locusts within 2 minutes and the soap being quickly diluted by old Mountain Dew and/or possibly urine. Nevertheless, I'll go out of my way to fill up at This Chevron in the future. So well done, you're The Best.

James Riswick, Rural Gas Station Evaluator

Yup, Still The Same

January 23, 2012

To be doubly certain that my esteemed colleague, Dr. Joshua Arnold Jacquot III Jr., Esq., PhD didn't have gloat-induced selective hearing, I took our longterm 2011 Ford Mustang GT for a good long listen.

The verdict? It sounds exactly the same now as it did the last time I drove it a long time and many, many burnouts ago. The muted gear whine characteristic (I think the sound has been likened to a far-away supercharger) that it exhibited when new is unchanged today. Same far-off intensity and pitch as it was a dozen thousand or so miles ago.

Never doubt the Jacquot.

Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor

Is there a Hi-Po EcoBoost on the way?

January 26, 2012

With the new year, we learned the 5.0L V8 in the 2013 Mustang GT will be rated at 420 hp (from 412 hp in the current model). For track-day regulars, a new Track Pack package for manual-transmission GT models will include an engine oil cooler, an upgraded radiator, a 3.73 rear axle ratio, performance brake pads, and the same limited-slip differential now found on the Boss 302 model. That's just 24 horses shy of the Boss (assuming the 2013 model doesn't also receive some performance upgrades) with a lot of the same bits. This news kind of puts a great big target on the trunk of the Boss. Considering how close our long-term 5.0 already is to the last Boss we tested, what is Ford going to do?

It's been confirmed that there will be some sort of EcoBoost version of the Mustang, but exactly what that means is still a mystery. Do you think Ford is going for CAFE numbers and will offer some sort of frugal 4-cylinder turbo in the range of 270 hp like the Buick Regal? Or do you think it'll be something like the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 from the Lincoln MKS in the neighborhood of 355 hp? Finally, and here's the plea: How about shoe-horning something between the current Boss 302's 444-hp naturally aspirated V8 and the 2013 GT500's 600-hp supercharged V8? Is there a chance of a turbocharged V8 making something around 500 hp. If so, what should Ford call it? Will they resurrect the Mach 1 again?

Chief Road Test Editor, Chris Walton

A Look Underneath

February 01, 2012

Earlier this week we put our long-term Mustang GT 5.0 up on our 2-post Rotary Lift for a look at its under wares.

More pictures after the jump.

Scott Oldham, Editor in Chief

Wet Dog or Litter Box?

February 01, 2012

The weather's been weird here in SoCal lately. On Saturday, it was 80 degrees. Yesterday, it was in the mid-60s during the day, dropping into the 40s at night. So to get comfy, I had to play around with the temperature settings in the Mustang on the drive home last night.

I don't know what I did (if anything), but the smell of a not-quite-clean litter box began to waft through cabin. A few fiddles with the temp/vent settings seemed to fix it.

But a couple hours later, as my husband and I set off on an errand, he sniffed in distaste. "Smells like a wet dog in here,"he said.

"Litter box,"I replied. (Describing a stink of unknown origin is a little like finding words for a fine wine: The comparisons are all in the nose of the beholder.)

More fiddling with the temperature/vent/fan settings put things right and I didn’t smell anything odd this morning. What's your theory on what's up with our Mustank?

(Hat tip to Caribousmom.com for the wet-dog photo.)

Carroll Lachnit, Features Editor @ 20,504 miles

Are the Brembos Worth It?

February 03, 2012

Our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 is equipped with Brembo brakes. They're part of the $1695 Brembo Brake Package that includes 14-inch Brembo ventilated discs with four-piston fixed calipers on the front, and 11.8-inch Brembo ventilated discs with single-piston sliding calipers in the back. Included are 19 x 9 inch wheels (with a design I don't care for) mounted with 19-inch tires.

When we tested our long-term 5.0, we got braking distances for 30-0 mph of 27 feet and for 60-0, 109 ft. Within a week we also tested a Mustang GT with the California Special Package. This car was not equipped with Brembos (13.2 inch front and 11.8 rear discs) and produced 30-0 braking distances of 30 ft and 60-0 of 117 ft.

So we got 27 vs. 30 ft for 30-0 and 109 vs. 117 ft for 60-0, from our GT and the C/S, respectively. The Brembos must be the difference, right?

Hold up.

(Photo by Kurt Niebuhr)

There was a confounding variable in our somewhat-scientific experiment: the tires.

Our long-term Mustang was fitted at the time of the test with Pirelli PZero 255/40R19 Summer tires. The Mustang C/S we tested had slightly narrower P245/45R19 M+S PZero Nero tires.

I discussed with our test driver and he thinks the tires are a greater factor in those longer braking distances than the Brembos.

So what do you think? Are the Brembos worth it?

They do look cool though...

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ 20,520 miles

Plain As Day

February 06, 2012

With an alert like this one from our longterm 2011 Ford Mustang GT, there's no "not knowing"when to change the oil. It lit up over the weekend and would only go away if you press the reset button. Smart design, and we'll get right on it.

On an unrelated note, I find the old school skinny font on the gauges a hoary retro touch that's too much on the cutesy side.

Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor @ 20,549 miles.

Decisions, Decisions

February 07, 2012

Random Mustang trivia of the day - the word "Mustang"does not show up anywhere on the outside of the car, and the sill plate(s) is the only place on our longterm 2011 Ford Mustang GT where I could find it on static display.

Anyway, reader mail time. Comment "christople"asks:

So after 20k miles, between this and the 370z you guys had new which of the two would you want in your garage?

Hmm. In my garage? Hit the jump.

The surprise here is that, despite their morphological differences, these cars are more alike than you might expect. In particular, the 370Z drives chunkier than it ought to, and the Mustang offers real-deal performance. Both are very fast. They may be apples and oranges, but its a citrusy apple and a crunchy tangerine.

I prefer the Nissan's size. And its more buttoned-down chassis. I'm not crazy about its clunky gearchange and the fact that the VQ engine makes me wince when I wind it out — too coarse. Really, though, the part I least like about the Z is that it its pure sports car promise is undermined by mass and packaging. It feels dense and claustrophobic. Thick. Nuance and reward which should be present in spades is curiously absent.

The Mustang could hardly be described as nuanced, but it's a bit more honest. And its V8 hits all the right notes, both auditory and propuslive. But the Mustang drives like I'm playing frisbee in pants that are a few sizes too big. There's plenty of freedom to go like hell, but there's this extra slack to contend with. To me this stems from the need for its chassis engineers to accommodate the dynamic implications of the live axle. Given how far Ford has evolved this layout, I'd be curious to see what they could do when free of its constraints.

So, in short, neither is my cuppa, but the Z comes closer. However, a 500Z — a Z with the Mustang's 5.0-liter V8 stuffed inside — would address some of my whinging about the Z's powertrain, if not the nuance thing.

Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor

The California Special

February 07, 2012

Last week I asked our dear readers about the Brembos on our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0. In that piece, I mentioned the California Special edition which piqued the interest of at least a few of you.

If you are interested in the California Special edition Mustang, first you have to order the Mustang GT Premium (same as our test car) which includes Sync, the Shaker 500 audio system, and Sirius sat radio, among other items.

Then you order Equipment Group 402A, and this is what you get...

The $2000 402A Value Package includes the Premium GT standard features, plus these items:

• Black billet grille with a body-color surround and a tri-bar Pony badge
• Lower fascia with fog lamps
• Side scoops
• Rear pedestal decklid spoiler
• Unique decklid badge with name in faux gas cap
• Rear lower fascia insert
• Custom decklid tape appliqué between the taillamps
• 19-inch argent-painted machined aluminum wheels
• Aluminum instrument panel with Carbon-style finish
• Carbon-style door panel inserts
• Leather-trimmed seats with Carbon inserts and contrast stitching
• Premium carpeted front floor mats with an embroidered California Special logo

The big difference is the wheels and the grilles. You can see the grilles in these pics. (I got the CS pic from the Ford media site and for some reason the red bled into the grille. It's supposed to be black.)

(Photo by Kurt Niebuhr)

On the Ford website using the Build Your Mustang tool, I tried putting in various ZIP codes across the country and it still allowed me to spec the California Special package, so this may be available where you are too.

I like this package as it sets this car apart from the billions of Mustangs on the road. Maybe if I were to pick up a Mustang GT I'd pop for the California Special instead of the Brembo package.

What do you think — you like it?

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ 20,570 miles

Oldham Oil Change

February 09, 2012

Yes, that's fearless leader Scott Oldham standing under our 2011 Ford Mustang GT with a wrench in his hand. Our Rotary lift and the prospect of not havng to roll around on the concrete and mess up one of his "meeting"shirts was enough to lure him out of the office for a little DIY routine maintenance.

Draining the oil was easy enough thanks to our new elevated drain pan with its own tank and wheels. But such fancy tools are not required. There's nothing particularly difficult about the Mustang from a basic driveway maintenance standpoint.

Except maybe for this: The oil filter is concealed behind a panel that's held in place by three bolts that are easy to reach even if you're using a floor jack and jack stands. In case you're wondering, the other large object up in there is the electronic power steering unit.

Thing is, the flip-down panel seems to form a barrier that makes it impossible to orient a drain pan beneath the drain plug and oil filter at the same time. But that's not really the issue because you'd still have this problem if the panel was gone. In the end, the filter and drain plug are simply too far apart for the span of one pan.

So there's nothing for it but to drain the oil, catch up on some e-mail or play a couple levels of Angry Birds while it dribbles out, re-insert and re-tighten the drain plug, and then reposition the drain pan under the oil filter. The Mustang 5.0 oil change is a sock-shoe, sock-shoe operation, is all.

The new 5.0 is thirsty in a way you might not expect. It takes eight quarts of 5W-20 synthetic blend or full synthetic to replenish the sump. At $4.99 each that's 40 bucks in oil alone — even more if you go the full synthetic route.

The oil life monitor is easy to reset using the information center buttons to the left of the steering wheel. Done and done.>

Dan Edmunds, Director of Vehicle Testing @ 20,704 miles

Sound Off

February 10, 2012

It's Friday, so let's have some fun with a Sound Off.

The engine and exhaust noises of our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 are quite nice. Those sounds are perhaps the best in InsideLine's long-term fleet.

Only one other car we have can even come close.

That's right. Our 1991 Acura NSX sounds glorious as well. Let's compare the two test cars.

OK. What do you think? Which of these two sounds the best?

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ 20,710 miles

Mark's Ford Touch

February 14, 2012

My drive into the office gives me plenty of time to daydream. A lot of times, that's when I come up with something to blog about. This morning, I was pondering out long-term Mustang's center stack.

I think it's a bit of a mess. Without the touchscreen navigation, the whole thing looks a bit dated and cheap. I also think there are too many buttons and their placement is far from intuitive. We've already determined that MyFord Touch isn't quite ready for prime time, so instead of adding to the chorus of displeasure, I thought I'd give it a spin.

How about we replace the whole thing with a big touchscreen?

The screen would be sectioned into three segments. The top would be navigation, with audio in the middle and climate on the bottom. But wait, there's more. Like an iPhone/iPad, you can swipe each section to reveal another screen. Let's say you want to switch from the map to a phone screen. A quick swipe to the left and, voila! Swipe the audio section, and maybe you get to options or search functions for your iPod.

Yes, I know this would probably be expensive, but would it be any more pricey than a premium audio option? I think the usability would be well worth it, and think of the possibilities. Perhaps advanced users could customize the look and function to their liking. Think of it as a Crestron control pad for a home theatre. Sure, it's not perfect, but with a screen this big, you eliminate the clutter that MyFord Touch is plagued with.

What do you think? Is this a viable concept, or should I delete Photoshop from my laptop?

Mark Takahashi, Automotive Editor @ 20,845 miles

Still Burning It Up at 20K

February 15, 2012

Our Mustang GT remains one of my favorite cars in the fleet after nearly a year of service. I really look forward to driving it every time I score the keys. There aren't many cars that can do that regardless of the price, so the fact that the Mustang sill holds my interest after all this time is indicative of its performance.

I'm also reminded of the fact that even though it has over 20,000 miles on the clock, our GT doesn't feel like a car that has been beat on. The interior is still tight and rattle free, the clutch take up is still very progressive and easy to modulate and even the suspension still feels fresh.

This is the most grown up, refined pony car I've ever driven. And it lays great rubber into second. What more do you need?

Ed Hellwig, Editor, Edmunds.com @ 20,781 miles

Bass, not Big Berthas

February 16, 2012

As you probably know by now, our Mustang GT has the optional 1,000-watt Shaker audio upgrade that includes a massive double subwoofer box in the trunk. It takes up a fair amount of trunk space, and effectively limits the width of the trunk by about 14 inches.

For the golfers out there, the Shaker means that you can't just plop your bag in in a space-efficient, straight width-wise fashion as the longer clubs won't clear the boom box. Although I could've just angled the bag in, I wanted to illustrate the point.

And if that Shaker option added to the listening experience, the compromised cargo space might be worth it for some folks. But we're not too impressed with the system as we've noted a few times...

John DiPietro, Automotive Editor @ 20,955 miles

DIY Cabin Air Filter Swap

February 16, 2012

Looking for a simple DIY car project for this coming President's Day weekend? Maybe you should change your cabin air filter. It's easy, in most cases, and cheap.

I popped into my local Autozone and grabbed one for our 2011 Ford Mustang GT when I bought the oil and filter for Scott's oil change. I don't remember what I paid, but I think it was $9.99; that's their online price, in any case. Prices vary from car to car, but it's usually never much.

Before you go anywhere you need to find out if your car has a cabin air filter in the first place. Your owner's manual will clear this up, and the maintenance schedule will spell out the service interval.

Once you're at the store the how-to instructions should be in the box. Ask the guy or gal at the counter to let you peek inside to see what you're in for before you buy.

Here's why: My 2003 Honda Odyssey's first cabin air filter (CAF) change required some cutting of metal because the dash assembly apparently needed extra beef to survive the handling and transportation phase before vehicle assembly at the plant. Once the van was built the extra bit of metal framework that spanned below the glove box no longer served any purpose but, being invisible, it was left in. But it blocked access to the cabin air filter because the air box was apparently installed before the dash.

I had to cut this surplus piece away with tin snips (pretty easy if you know what "lefts"and "rights"are and have some in your toolbox), but even this process was fully described in the instructions that came in the box with the new CAF I bought at Pep Boys. All of this happened behind the glove box door, which I first had to remove with two screws. Subsequent changes will never again require this metal cutting step, though.

But that's rare. That's close to the upper limit of difficulty. The CAF in our Ford Mustang is mud simple. All I needed was your basic Phillips screw driver and a couple minutes. Scott Jacobs barely had time to take these pictures; it was over that fast.

Here is how the process goes for a 2011 Ford Mustang GT. Your mileage may vary.

Step One (above): Open the hood and remove the two plastic expando-screws, or whatever they call them, found at the base of the cowl on the passenger side. Unscrew and remove the screw, squeeze the base from below and pull it out as well.

Step Two: Lift the edge of the plastic cowl you just loosened with your left hand, then pop the filter frame forward with your right hand and pull the filter and its holder out as one piece. No tools are necessary for any of this.

Step Three: Unclip the old filter after first memorizing how the pleats nested into the molded lip of the holder. Insert ther new filter in the same orientation.

Step Four: A bit more care is called for when slipping the new filter back in because you don't want to damage the fresh pleats by dragging them across that unyielding metal edge that sits just behind the battery box. Also, make sure that up is up, left is left, etc.

Step Five: The bottom lip of the holder practically seats itself if you started with the right orientation, which is good because it's dark down there. From there the upper tab nests into a matching recess and clicks home.

Step Six: Lay the cowl back down, reinsert the base half of the expando-screws, then spin the srcrews home.

Finito.

Dan Edmunds, Director of Vehicle Testing @ 20,704 miles

A Die-Hard's Impressions

February 20, 2012

My neighbor is a Mustang guy through and through. He's on his fifth one now, a '99 GT coupe. Along the way, he's had a '77 ("the four-cylinder,"he offered, as though no more need be said), and '84 and '85 GT's. He'd fully dialed in the latter for autocross and general hoonage, and then one night the inevitable happened. The police eventually found the shell, but not much more.

"That one was my favorite,"he said, and you could tell it still stung.

He even survived a trip through the windshield of his Cobra, after getting cut off bending around a freeway transition. The back end got loose, hit a lightpole and the world spun. He woke up in the iceplant with a nurse kneeling over him, but a few dozen stitches later, he miraculously walked away.

I wanted to hear his thoughts on our 5.0, so I took him for a quick rip up and down the freeway and some nearby side streets. No surprise, he was impressed with how unlabored the new V8 feels getting up to speed. The new Coyote design lived up to all he'd heard and read about it, especially with its quiet, cruisy manners in sixth gear.

"I could get used to this,"he said, after a few more quick bursts and a couple of cloverleaf on-ramps. I think that about sums up most of our staff sentiment toward the Mustang.

I asked about the interior. "Looks good. A little plastic, but that seems to be the trend these days. I like that everything is close to the driver and easily falls to hand."

He even liked the intake whine, the faux supercharger whistle ported into the cabin from the engine bay. I thought a die-hard Mustang guy might think it was a gimmick, but he thought it added to the visceral thrill of acceleration. I can't argue. Gimmick or not, it's a cool trick.

Would you buy it for $40,000, I asked? Forty grand buys several very good cars these days, after all.

He just looked at me as if I'd asked a very silly question.

Dan Frio, Automotive Editor

If You Can't Find 'Em, Grind 'Em

February 21, 2012

In honor of Commander-in-Chiefs past and present, I decided to indulge in a little patriotic morning sentiment. The kid and I hopped in the Mustang, stopped at the bank for some presidential paper, then brought home a healthy breakfast from the Golden Arches. The only thing missing was a televised replay of 1980's Miracle on Ice.

The kid loves the Mustang. For that, I'm grateful. She remembers her first ride in it many months ago and was ready for another spin in the cool, black car. But now she's a little older and a lot more observant. Hence the question from the backseat: "Papa, why are you moving your hand and feet like that?"

I've got a quick checklist of openers for some of the trickier conversations in our future, but explaining a manual transmission is not among them.

I settled on "it's how you make the car go faster."

But Mama doesn't do that in her car, she countered.

Nope. Mama drives a 2005 Civic EX automatic. And no, she agreed, Mama's car isn't very fast. Not like this one.

Poor kid's getting cultural cognitive dissonance on the regular. One minute she's thumbing through iPhone and digi-cam menus, and suggesting Google search phrases, already a pro with today's tech. Meanwhile, I rant like a fool waving Petroleum Era relics like stick shifts and vinyl records.

I'm guessing that when the kid reaches driving age in the next decade, no major automaker will offer a manual transmission with a driver-operated clutch. Like the in-dash CD player, the manual will be a foggy memory shared with her friends, of times they observed their parents working the three-pedal contraption. Maybe they'll know someone in school with a 2001 M3.

In my small way, I'm trying to burn some impressions from the Dead Dino Era in her impressionable brain. Encourage her to shoot in black-and-white. Play vinyl around the house. Sit her in manual trans cars when they come around. Between this and the rotation of samurai TV dramas she and her mother fall into, she'll be a real old-school techno mutant.

This will backfire on me, of course. She will date boys who play in Guns 'N Roses cover bands, distill their own whiskey and drive six-speed manual Mustangs from the late 2000's. But I should be good: "Give me those keys, son. Let me show you how to do it without that awful screech."

Dan Frio, Automotive Editor, @ 21,187 miles.

Low Tolerance

February 24, 2012

Those spokes are not much more than a credit card-width away from scraping the sweet red Brembo logo from the caliper housings. Cool design, small margin for error. This car rules.

Dan Frio, Automotive Editor @ 21,112 miles.

Cherish It

February 25, 2012

Sometimes I'm an idiot and I don't know what I have until it's gone. And then it's too late. I've certainly made that mistake a few times in my life.

I'm not going to let that happen with our long-term Mustang GT.

The 'Stang's odometer has crossed over 20,000 miles, so it will soon be going away. When exactly, I don't know. Which means at any time I could walk down to the Edmunds parking garage only to find that it's gone forever.

So I'm going to do my best to make every last moment I have in this car count. It's been a fantastic machine and it still gives me huge thrills. I don't want to find myself saying, "If only I had one last good drive in that thing."

Mike Monticello, Road Test Editor @ 21,459 miles.

Intimidation Factor

February 28, 2012

In an apparent post-Daytona 500 celebration of some sort, a BMW tried to wreck me on the San Diego Freeway today. Fortunately I escaped.

The traffic was backed up in one lane, so the BMW driver decided to plunge into my lane of 60 mph traffic from a dead standstill. Like so many, he seems to have thought that the possession of a BMW key fob automatically makes him a smarter, more skilled driver – one protected by a little bubble of protective entitlement.

I wriggled past the broadside. (He made two attempts to wreck me, actually.) But it got me to thinking that part of the reason to drive a Mustang is to intimidate such drivers into refraining from similar stunts.

You’d never guess, but when the traffic gets really bad, you’re looking for a little visual intimidation factor just to create a little wiggle room for safety. Muscle cars, commercial-grade pickup trucks, fancy German grilles – that’s what you want. Indeed Walter da Silva brought the full-frame grille to German cars expressly to move slower drivers out of the fast lane on the autobahn. You’d figure the Mustang’s forbidding grille would make most drivers freeze into passive mode.

But apparently you can’t rely on this anymore, in L.A. traffic at least. Maybe we could get some visual attention by painting up the Mustang in the full Sam Bass-designed, package-goods-from-the-supermarket NASCAR style, only this doesn’t seem to protect the Cup drivers very well.

I’m not sure what the best automotive expression of intimidation happens to be at the moment. For now, I’ll just keep driving like I’m coming up through the pack. Wankers ahead, no one that you can trust in sight, and your spotter must be on a bathroom break because there’s no reassuring advice in your ear.

Hope some BMW driver doesn’t wreck me.

Michael Jordan, Executive Editor, Edmunds.com @ 21,704 miles

Storage Space

February 28, 2012

I'm a big fan of our long-term Mustang GT 5.0. Well, I'm a big fan of driving it, anyway.

I will admit to getting a bit bothered by the lack of interior storage space when I have the Mustang over a weekend, though. I've already covered the trunk hampered by the subwoofer. No need to discuss that any further.

It's things like the tiny, near-useless door pockets, which can barely fit a notebook or a wallet, that annoy me.

The center armrest bin at least has some capacity, but it's more deep than it is large, and it's situated fairly far back, making it a chore to dig through and find things once you've put them in there.

And, lastly, the glove box is pretty small.

Does it really change anything for me? Nah. The GT 5.0's driving experience more than makes up for the lack of thought that went into storage space.

Mike Monticello, Road Test Editor @ 21,636 miles.

Awesomecross Teaser

March 05, 2012

I don't know how this happened, but it did. I get an instant message from Magrath saying, "Do you want to go to a BFG event on Saturday at El Toro? There's some sort of night autocross thing."

I'm already super excited, but respond with a tepid, "I suppose."

Then he emails me the details.

"With the launch of its latest ultra-high performance tire, the g-Force Sport COMP-2, BFGoodrich Tires would like to invite you to participate in Aweseomecross - one of the most awesome driving experiences you'll ever have.

Awesomecross is a reactive night autocross course where the telemetry from the car and EKG in the helmets is expressed in real time on both the car and the course. With each lap, the course will broadcast and display the link between the latest tire technology and the driver's mood. Data is the catalyst, creating an enhanced reality for every participant. You will be one of only 25 enthusiasts to participate in this unique experience and you will be in good company with one of BFGoodrich's most famous enthusiasts on site - Shaun White. During your time with BFGoodrich Tires we would also like to offer you time to talk to BFGoodrich Tires executives as well as Shaun White about the Awesomecross experience."

Are

You

Kidding

Me?!?

I'm waiting for the photos and videos to be delivered to the office, but let me just say it was one of the coolest things I've ever done in a car. Once I get them and have an opportunity to edit them to portray me in a favorable light upload them, you'll see what this is all about.

In the meantime, enjoy those sweet, sweet tire stripes I laid down in the hangar.

Mark Takahashi, Automotive Editor @ 22,002 miles

Mirror Adjuster

March 06, 2012

I'm conflicted with regard to our 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0's mirror adjuster. It's quite visible: no bending over and looking around the left side of the steering wheel like on some cars. And it's very easy to use. Click the switch to the left or the right to control either mirror, then adjust the glass with the joystick. Simple.

But it doesn't feel robust, like it would break off in you hand after using it a hundred times or so. And it reminds me of another car I'm not fond of. The first time I saw this adjuster was in the new-at-the-time Ford 500. Not a fan.

I'm wondering, though, if this mirror adjust switch is so great, then why hasn't it been copied by any other major carmaker? That's what carmakers do: benchmark their competitors' features and copy the great ones.

What do you think about this mirror adjuster?

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ 22,030 miles

The Heat

March 07, 2012

Ah, Los Angeles. People here gripe about the traffic, high cost of living, population density, freeway shootings, etc. But you can't beat the weather here. I think that SoCal has, unequivocally, the best climate in the country. And perhaps, the world.

Having said that, after several days of the usual gorgeous weather here, last night was absolutely freezing. And by freezing, I mean 50 degrees. That's 50 degrees Fahrenheit, not Kelvin.

The frigid temps were no problem for me, though. Last night I rolled in our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT. The heater in this car warms up fast. And the heat is hot — so hot that when I run the heat, I never use the fan. I just dial down the temp after the quick warm-up. V8s seem to warm up quicker than an I4, due to the increased friction *and fuel burned. A good excuse to get a V8?

Does your car's heater warm up quickly? And where you live — what's all the nonsense you put up with in order to enjoy whatever that best reason is to live there?

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ 22,042 miles

Fancy Window Jump

March 08, 2012

Our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 has frameless windows. You know how those fancy pants Euro cars have that trick window that jumps up when you close the door to get a tight seal?

Well our working-class Mustang has got the same thing. Hit the jump to see it in action (please excuse the wind noise).

So skip that BMW or Audi coupe, and get the Mustang instead.

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ 22,100 miles

Perhaps You Should Wait

March 09, 2012

Considering buying a Mustang, are you? As much as I love our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0, if I were in the market, I would be inclined to wait for the 2013 Mustang.

I love the new tail lights with their LED accents. There's also new HID headlamps standard on all models. And the GT's 5.0L V8 will make 420 hp, 8 more hp than the current GT. Of course, we can't forget the new GT500-inspired snout, which I love.

I'm not sure if I like the 2013 GT California Special Edition (below pic). The body kit looks a little heavy.

What do you think? Will 2013 be your Mustang Year?

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ 22,100 miles

Mud

March 14, 2012

There's not much about our Mustang that sucks. Let me think for a second.

Thinking.

I'm at a loss.

Actually, the audio sucks. It's consistently the Mustang's only real disappointing trait, for me anyway. It's not unlistenable. But there's very little adjustment. You can't boost bass without elevating the more obnoxious bands of midrange, and when you do, the speakers simply reproduce a hollow, low-end buzz with minimal definition. And this is without the boom-boom Shaker box enabled.

Fortunately, the Mustang fix is easy. Skip the Shaker system, run something like a JL Audio CleanSweep OEM interface (taps off the factory head unit, SYNC, etc.), upgrade to decent coaxials and better door subs, and add a 10-inch sub and a small amp to power it in the trunk. Done.

The OEM interface boxes typically include an EQ scheme or presets, but they're stuck in the box and usually not customizable. Get crazy, live a little and spring for a multi-band EQ mounted in the glovebox or trunk.

The Mustang's faults are few. SYNC works OK, Bluetooth pairing is a pain (probably not an issue for a single owner/driver), and not everyone will tolerate the stiff ride. And even with the crap audio system, the 5.0 is one car that doesn't require a stereo to hear great music.

Dan Frio, Automotive Editor @ 22,600 miles.

Your Inner Mustang

March 19, 2012

Is it 2013 already? It is if you keep time via Mustangs. Ford's 2013 Mustang site is up where you can build and price yours. Ford also released the first 2013 Mustang commercial, where the theme is customization.

Ford thinks there's an Inner Mustang in all of us. Is there one in you?

Hit the jump for the ad, Inner Mustang.

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ 22,400 miles

Radio Balance

March 20, 2012

I always check the radio settings in a test car because we here have different tastes. Bass, mid, treble: that's personal preference based on musical tastes. But the sound balance is a different matter.

It's not unusual in our test cars to find the sound Fader biased to the rear. I don't understand this at all, and discussed this with the only real audiophile here and he, too, didn't get it.

When I checked the stereo in our long-term 2011 Ford Mustand GT over the weekend, I found the sound Balance biased to the right. And not by a little, either. This was truly baffling. Even more confusing, the Fader was in the neutral position. But to extend this Fader illogic: if one were to always Fade the radio to the rear, then the Balance should also be biased to the right, right?

I suppose whoever does this doesn't understand that most, if not all, factory sound systems are tuned to the driver's position with all settings in neutral.

But whatever, that's the beauty of the modern car: driver customizable features and settings (including HVAC) can be tailored to the individual driver's tastes. Even if they don't make sense.

What's your stereo sound settings?

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ 22,400 miles

The Road Ahead

March 22, 2012

I spent a few days last week in a very rainy Portland, Oregon driving the 2013 Ford Flex, Taurus and Mustang. I wrote up a first drive for Edmunds.com here, and while that was my primary mission on the trip, my hidden agenda was to get information I could on the 2014 Mustang.

The middle of 2014 will mark the Mustang's 50th anniversary. The smart money says there will be an all-new Mustang to commemorate the milestone. Ford design chief Jay Mays has been hinting that it'll be a game changer.

I waited until Mustang chief engineer Dave Pericak had an adult beverage in hand, then stopped him at the dessert bar. As much as I tried to get ANYTHING out of him, all he gave up was a cryptic smile, as if to say, "oh man, you have no idea. It's THAT cool."I kept at it, though, looking for any tells when I would mention something specific. Nothing. I would not want to play poker against him.

Then he asked me, "Alright, what do YOU want to see in the next Mustang?"

Oh. I wasn't expecting that. I pondered this for a few seconds and replied with a short list of my must-haves.

It's gotta have a V8.

Maybe a turbo or supercharged V6 to support it.

A six-speed manual must be offered. For the rest, a dual-clutch paddle-shift unit.

I'm not sold on the idea of a turbo-four.

No retro styling. I think that ship has sailed, let's move on.

Let's class-up the interior. Less hard plastic and get rid of that awful center armrest.

Let's drop about 500 pounds of weight.

Keep the solid rearend. It's really good now, and most people who whine about it wouldn't consider the Mustang anyway.

As the self-appointed Mustang-whisperer on staff, my love for the Mustang is well documented. The big question for me is, "If you wanted a Mustang, do you get the improved 2013 or wait for the all-new 2014?"

What would you do?

Mark Takahashi, Automotive Editor @ 22,580 miles

Traction Control Defeat

March 22, 2012

Our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT's 5.0L V8 pumps out 412 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. So you had best know what you are doing if you decide to defeat the traction control. You can easily get the rear end to step out even with the traction control on. And last weekend it rained a ton in Los Angeles, so I didn't touch the traction control switch, of course.

What about you? Do you frequently (or ever) defeat the traction control?
During what conditions, and how does your car behave?

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ 22,450 miles

Dog and Pony Show

March 26, 2012

I nearly took the Camry this weekend because I knew I needed to take Maggie some place and she comes attached to a doggie seat for safety. Then I grew a pair and picked the Mustang.

Maggie's giant foam dog seat fit fine, but in this instance, it probably would've been just as safe if not safer to just strap her to the cinched shoulder belt. In retrospect, she seemed a little close to the front head restraint. With the seat, though, at least she could still see out.

And regardless, Maggie and Mya are safer than all those dogs who get killed or injured when their dumb owners let them ride on their laps in the driver seat.

More on Dog-Safe Driving from Edmunds.com

(And no, Mags wasn't so happy to be back in the car for this photo shoot. I let her play after serving time as blog model).

James Riswick, Automotive Editor @ 22,694 miles

Fox TV's Alcatraz to Recreate Bullitt Pursuit

March 26, 2012

Today over at InsideLine's Autonews, our colleague Lee Pray wrote a great piece on how the Fox TV show Alcatraz will re-create the spectacular San Francisco pursuit featured in the classic Steve McQueen movie, Bullitt. The exciting part is they updated the vehicles to the 2013 Ford Mustang GT and a late model Dodge Charger.

Albert Austria, Senior VE Engineer @ 22,700 miles
Images by David Moir/Foxnote, video courtesy Newscorp/Fox

Worn Pedal

March 26, 2012

Count this as another reason "sport"pedals are stupid. You know, besides the fact you get less grip when you should in fact want more. And you know, because it's an aesthetic choice in an area you can barely see.

The little rubber grippy things on our Mustang's clutch pedal are breaking apart and pulling away. When using the clutch Friday night my foot felt like it had stepped in something sticky. I checked my shoe and I hadn't. Instead, it was the adhesive from the pedal's rubber bits. This was when I discovered what the pedal actually looked like.

Oh well, at least it happened after 20,000 miles of enthusiastic driving rather than 5,000 of mundanity.

James Riswick, Automotive Editor @ 22,694 miles

Long Beach's $800 Pothole (or the return of The Great Potholio)

March 27, 2012

I neglected to tell you that on my way to Long Beach yesterday that I managed to find a ginormous pothole on the 710 freeway (highly traveled by trucks going to and from the Port of Los Angeles). After the "Bah-Boom,"I waited for that sinking feeling, a telltale pull to the left, a TPMS warning, or even a shudder, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I went to dinner and forgot about it. I drove home in the dark — still nothing unusual. Fast forward to this morning: I leave home in the dark as well, but when I parked the Five-O at work and glanced at the front tire... wait for it... Holy Guacamole!

Then my eyes drifted to the rear tire and...

GREAT GOOGLEYMOOGLY !!!

The last time we saw something this dreadful was when we encountered The Great Potholio (pictured below).

Double Drat. Well, there's a trip in my immediate future to the tire shop for two new PS2s. This set is only a few month old. We paid a little over $1,500 for a set of four shipped from Tire Rack in June, but our local shop that installed them in July just quoted us $820 for two.

Chief Road Test Editor, Chris Walton @ 22,810 miles

On a Race Track!

March 27, 2012

I had occasion to drive on a race track yesterday afternoon — in the wrong direction and three weeks before a race. I used to live in Long Beach and the Grand Prix coming to town always felt to me like the end of winter and the beginning of spring. A couple more on-track photos below including crossing the finish line.

Chief Road Test Editor, Chris Walton @ 22,734 miles

All Kinds of Trouble

March 27, 2012

I really haven't had a lot of opportunities to drive our long-term Mustang. I was certainly glad I had the keys for two night this past week.

I have a soft spot for 5.0 GT Mustangs. My folks had one when I was in high-school. Trouble, I mean all kinds of stupid trouble happened in that thing. 3am burnouts in front of friends houses, donuts in the Safeway parking lot, and many more reasons why not to give a teenager a car with more horsepower than his IQ points.

Same kind of low brow trouble came back that first night in our Mustang. I love, absolutely love the sound of the engine. I found myself purposely keeping the gear low to really get that roar going. After doing this a good distance down the 405, I took a look at the speedo and I was doing an easy 90. Surprised, I quickly let off the gas, shifted up to calm the roar, straightened my posture and wiped the drool from my chin.

I might be middle aged now, but this car lulled me back into those dangerous years without me being totally aware of it. I have to be more mindful of this Siren.

Scott Jacobs, Sr. Mgr, Photography

This Kind of Trouble

March 28, 2012

Like I said in my last post, the Mustang can be fun, but dangerous if you're not paying attention or just an idiot. In a two second search on YouTube I felt relieved I wasn't the only person who got into trouble.

When I was a teenager, you always had plausible deniability because nobody had cell phones with video cameras. Or YouTube for that matter. They only way people could blame you for the patch you left in the school parking lot was if a teacher saw you or you were busted by the cops. Thankfully today's idots not only have the technology, but share their misery with others.

A short presentation of trouble in the Mustang:

Scott Jacobs, Sr. Mgr, Photography

Waiting for PS2s

April 02, 2012

Our 2011 Ford Mustang is awfully lonely. She still sits, parked in our garage with blisters on the sidewalls of her Michelin Pilot Sport PS2s. We ordered up two replacement tires which have yet to arrive. The wait continues.

Mike Schmidt, Vehicle Testing Manager @ 22,810 miles

Awesomecross is Awesome

April 03, 2012

About a month ago, I got the opportunity to take part in the BF Goodrich Awesomecross, which showcased the company's latest high-performance tire, the g-Force Sport COMP-2. I posted a short teaser here, and some in-car video and behind-the-scenes shortly thereafter. Now, I can finally post the final video.

I would suggest watching the main Awesomecross video first. It'll set up the next video which was produced just for me. The production quality was pretty amazing. They even managed to portray me in a light that kept me from looking like the complete dork I am. At the end of the video, you can select any of the participants' videos, including mine, which is embedded below.

To say the event was a blast would be an understatement. Special thanks go out to the good people at BF Goodrich for producing such an amazing event and videos. Oh how I wish our Mustang wasn't parked, waiting for replacement tires to arrive, because I'm itchin' to drive right now.

Mark Takahashi, Automotive Editor @ 22,810 miles

Those Tires Show Up Yet?

April 24, 2012

The last time we saw our ailing 2011 Ford Mustang its blistered tires left the pony car stranded in our parking garage while we waited for new PS2s to arrive. There were three significant developments since the last update. The first was bad. The second was bad. Want to guess on the third?

The first is obvious by the picture above. Our sidewall bubbles finally ripened, spilling their contents into the atmosphere. If we ever considered nursing it to the tire shop in its frail condition with new tires in the trunk, that idea was out the window now. Time to dig out the floor jack.

The second setback had to do with shipping. There were wires, they were crossed and something was shipped someplace then back again. That's about all we knew until...

Finally, some good news. Our tires arrived. We jacked up the Mustang where it sat, yanked off its useless shoes and drove to the tire shop for mounting and balancing.

We were in and out of the shop in no time. And there was more good news. The tech did not find any signs of the wheel damage we feared. Back at the office we reinstalled the new tires and the Mustang is again ready for the road.

Mike Schmidt, Vehicle Testing Manager

It's The Little Things (Video)

April 26, 2012
Scott Oldham, Editor in Chief

What I Needed

April 26, 2012

I've been under some stress lately, and last night I got some therapy from our long-term Mustang GT.

I can't remember the last time I drove this car, as I often shy away from its impractical packaging when the weekend comes around (hard-to-access backseat, small trunk made smaller by the Shaker sub). But geez, the 5.0-liter V8 sounds wonderful, whether I'm rumbling up my driveway or making a move in freeway traffic.

I don't love the clutch takeup and shift feel you get with this Getrag six-speed manual gearbox, but somehow it's all well suited to the car's personality. There's a slight brutality and imprecision to the way gearchanges come together, as if the car's saying, "eh, close enough."

Heel-and-toe downshifts never feel as perfectly right as they do in something like the NSX, but they feel good nonetheless and sound even better. Most importantly, our Mustang's gearbox still feels just like it did when the car was new.

Erin Riches, Senior Editor @ 22,849 miles

Saturday Afternoon

April 30, 2012

Life is moving too fast and I haven't been taking nearly enough just-because drives lately. But on Saturday afternoon I found myself on Corral Canyon Road in Malibu in our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 anyway.

The southern section of this road is rough and not great for a Mustang, but I still had fun. The more I'm around this V8, the more I love the sound of it. On a public road, it's not so much about going fast — you have to enjoy the sensory experience, too. Almost none of the cars I've driven with forced-induction four- and six-cylinder engines check this box — powerful as they may be. With the Mustang's 5.0-liter V8, it's apparent that the engineers who made it sound good had just as loud a voice as the ones in charge of getting it over the 400-hp threshold.

Actually going around corners in our Mustang is fun, too. It's a heavy car, of course (well, not heavy compared to a Camaro or Genesis Coupe, but heavier than I'd prefer) and the visibility is lousy, but push those complaints to the back of your brain, and you've got a well-behaved car with surprisingly quick, precise steering and strong brakes with great pedal feel.

Can't ask for much more than that on a Saturday afternoon.

Erin Riches, Senior Editor @ 22,949 miles

Power Driver Seat Commentary (Updated)

May 01, 2012

Well, folks, it's a true face-palm moment. I'm the only editor on staff who did not realize our Mustang had two-way seat-bottom cushion tilt. I offer no excuse. So no, fordson1, we're not all sad, only yours truly.

Our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 has a six-way power driver seat, a standard item on the GT Premium trim level...

Six-way. That means you can adjust the seat forward on its track (1) and back on its track (2), and then lower the seat-bottom cushion (3) or raise the seat-bottom cushion (4), and finally, increase the lower-back lumbar support (5) or reduce lumbar oomph (6).

Not included is multi-way seat-bottom cushion tilt, i.e. the ability to raise the front half of the seat-bottom cushion separately from the rear part of the cushion. For me, this greatly improves comfort and the driving position, especially in a three-pedal car.

I'd totally give up all of the power seat adjustments (in favor of full manual adjustments) in our Mustang, if I could get two-way seat-bottom cushion tilt. Who's with me?

Erin Riches, Senior Editor @ 22,955 miles

Gotta Have It?

May 11, 2012

"Gotta Have It Green"is a new color for the 2013 Mustang.

Thumbs up or thumbs down?

It's a shifty sucker, that color. Personally, I think it's a great marketing hue, but not something I'd want to drive daily.

Also, when you catch a photographer in his natural environment, this happens:

Josh Jacquot, Senior editor

Tranny Update

May 17, 2012

Some of you might remember the little contest I had going several months ago with our long lost friend bodyblue. Well, I've been missing his hijinks lately so I'd like to dedicate this post to him.

Anyhow, he and I had a running bet for months that the Mustang wouldn't make it to 20,000 miles with its clutch and tranny intact. He argued that all our burnouts would render it shiftless before the 20K milestone. I called him on it.

He lost that bet in grand fashion as I celebrated with more burnouts.

After that, further controversy ensued...

Some of you contended that although the transmission wasn't broken, it was certainly too noisy to bear. I countered with this video.

Today we're at 23,104 miles. I just drove the Mustang for the first time in months and the tranny sounds the same as it did at day one and at 20,000 miles.

I think it's durable. To celebrate, I'll do a burnout.

Josh Jacquot, Senior editor

Accidental Center Console Release

May 18, 2012

I've got bony elbows. As a result, I find myself regularly opening the Mustang's center console unintentionally. It usually happens when I rest my elbow on the console lid, but I've also bumped the release when shifting from first to second or third to fourth.

The bony protrusion on the bottom of my elbow in combination with the placement of the release are the cuplrits. Happens nearly every time I drive the car. In fact, I quite often leave the lid open to avoid the hassle.

Does this happen to anyone else?

Josh Jacquot, Senior editor

Emboss Me

May 23, 2012

I know this isn't how it works, but thinking this way is unavoidable for me.

Every time I see the hard plastic Mustang logo on the center of our GT's steering wheel I wonder if I might find it inversely embossed in my forehead should the airbag deploy.

Also, you ever wonder what happens to those people you see riding along with their feet on the dashboard in such scenarios? Can't be good.

Josh Jacquot, Senior editor

The Burnout Face

May 23, 2012

You should see her when I do powerslides.

Josh Jacquot, Senior editor

Back In Black

June 04, 2012

Mustangs. I love 'em. My first Mustang was a black-on-black 1995 Convertible. After that, it was a 1998 SVT Cobra convertible; also black-on-black. Now, it's time to say goodbye to yet another black-on-black Mustang, and I'm once again left with a pony-shaped hole in my heart.

Like the Mustangs I've owned, I've had a lot of good memories with our long-term 5.0. Sure, the burnouts and powerslides were great, but it's important to note how comfortable and convenient this car is. This last weekend, I even used it to haul around some lumber, which reminded me of this time when I transported a seven-foot-tall Christmas tree home in my Cobra (the interior smelled pine-fresh for days).

All things considered, I'd probably opt for the Boss 302 if I were to get another Mustang. The tighter suspension eliminates a lot of the driveline lash that my girlfriend complains about. She said that this and our old Challenger were the only ones that got her queasy. But of course, I wouldn't consider it just for that reason. Then again, I'd probably wait to see what the next-gen Mustang looks like.

Got any Mustangs in your past?

Mark Takahashi, Automotive Editor @ 23,648 miles

Brawler

June 11, 2012

It's funny, living here in L.A. doing what I do for a living, I use a lot of the same locations as most production companies. Just about every commercial, movie and tv show that uses cars on location I know exactly where it was shot.

I took our Mustang to a location just north of L.A. to do a little hiking. When I got back, I watched the movie "Drive"for the first time. Holy crap! There it was, Templin Highway! I just drive down part of that road. I wasn't driving the way "Driver"did, nor was I being chased. But you do feel you can unleash that beast of a Mustang any time you wish.

Unlike Ryan Gosling, I only had one reverse gear. Must have been a special edition movie magic Mustang.

Scott Jacobs, Sr. Mgr, Photography

Lowballed

June 13, 2012

Our 2011 Ford Mustang has enjoyed an extended stay in our fleet (it's almost been a year and a half), but now it's time to go. It's our tradition to take our vehicles to Carmax, so we can establish a baseline price and determine our next course of action. For those of you who say we always get extraordinarily high offers from Carmax, here's the proof that we don't.

Carmax offered us $23,000. This is about a 34 percent depreciation from the $34,718 we paid for the Mustang some time ago. The appraiser personally was pretty high on the car. And aside from a minor dent in the fender (which she said would not impact the offer), it received "good condition" marks in every category. But I don't think Carmax considered all the options we have on our car — the Brembo brake package being the most notable omission. But there was no sense in my pleading the case at Carmax. These offers are no-haggle and non-negotiable.

I then called Trade-In Solutions, which says it can give a second opinion on a Carmax offer and will make an attempt to beat Carmax's price. The appraiser at Trade-In Solutions said that the market for used Mustangs is slow now. "People looking to buy a 2011 Mustang are more likely to lease a new one, since they can't afford to buy it outright," he said. He was able to top the Carmax offer by $400, but it was nowhere near where we wanted it to be. According to Edmunds trade-in TMV, the offer from Carmax should have been closer to $26,087.

This means we're going to have to sell this pony on our own. Even if we only manage to get $25,000 for the car, it would be a huge improvement over the Carmax price.

What do you think? Did Carmax offer us a fair price or lowball?

Ron Montoya, Consumer Advice Editor @ 23,668 miles.

For Sale

June 18, 2012

Our 2011 Ford Mustang GT is now up for sale, listed on Autotrader.com and eBay classifieds. The asking price is $27,500, or best offer. This is roughly in between the Edmunds trade-in TMV and private party TMV. I won't say what our "rock-bottom"price is just yet, but suffice to say that we want to improve on the Carmax price as much as possible.

Care to take a guess at what the final selling price will be?

Ron Montoya, Consumer Advice Editor @ 23,783 miles

One and Done

July 09, 2012

Where is the best new home for a thirsty V8 that averages about 16 miles per gallon? How about Saudi Arabia? That's right, our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT is going to a place where the gasoline is as cheap now as it was here some 35 years ago.

It took 21 days to sell our long-term 2011 Ford Mustang GT. We started the sale with the car priced at $27,500 and received zero calls in a week. Then I dropped the price to $26,500 and also received zero calls. I thought that $26,500 was a fair price (this was roughly $500 below TMV at the time), but the crickets chirping as I waited by the phone told me I needed another price drop.

On the third weekend, I dropped the price to $25,700. A day and a half later, I finally received a call. The man on the phone cut to the chase: "What's your best price on this car?" You can typically tell when the potential buyer is someone who wants to flip the car by his lack of probing questions. All a flipper wants to know is whether the car was in an accident and your rock bottom price. Of course, I wasn't going to reveal my hand over the phone. "I'd rather you take a look at the car first and then make me an offer," I replied.

We agreed to meet at a gas station in my neighborhood. The buyer, Belal and his friend pulled up in a late model Lexus GS.

Belal's friend asked if he could check the paint. I said that would be ok, and he pulled a small plastic device from his pocket and began pressing it against the car's body in multiple places. It turned out to be a paint thickness gauge that gave him a numerical readout after each press. "Anything above seven is not factory paint," he said. This was the first time I had seen something like that.

I mentioned that the car still had 12,000 miles on its warranty. "We don't care about the warranty," said Belal. "We will ship this car to Saudi Arabia."

As I suspected, Belal and his colleague were dealers. I typically avoid doing business with dealers because they tend to lowball you, but it was the only call I received on the car and it was worth pursuing on the off chance he made a decent offer.

After the paint checked out, they fired up the car and peeked under the hood. "OK, how much do you want for this car?" Belal said. The two didn't even test drive the car, yet they were prepared to make an offer.

I avoided giving my "best price" by saying I was looking for something close to my asking price, but if they wanted to make me an offer, I would let them know if it was in the ballpark. They made an offer of $24,000.

I countered with $25,000, saying it was a fair price that was well below Edmunds TMV. Belal said he had bought a Mustang similar to ours with navigation and fewer miles for $24,000. "That was a different car and a different owner," I said, but he held firm to his initial offer.

At this point I had to make a judgment call. There had been zero activity on this car in 15 days. This was a real offer, albeit one on the low end of what I was willing to take, and it was $1,000 more than the Carmax offer. If I passed on this, would it be another three weeks before I'd get another call? We didn't want the sale of this car to drag on for nearly two months — which is what we experienced with the Porsche 911. I decided to take his offer, but before I did, I countered with $24,500. Belal didn't budge.

The final price was $24,000. We shook hands and made it official. A week later, they brought a cashiers check and took delivery of the Mustang. As we hammered out the details, we started talking about other cars, as car guys tend to do. The V6 Mustang came up in conversation. Belal gave me a disapproving look. As far as he was concerned, the V8 was the only way to go. "But you'll get better fuel economy with the V6," I countered.

In Saudi Arabia, "gas is cheap," he said. I asked him how cheap it was, but he quoted the price in Saudi riyals per liter, which went right over my head. A quick Google search revealed just how cheap the gas can be there: about 61 cents per gallon for premium gas.

Perhaps our Mustang will end up in one of those Saudi car clubs you see on YouTube (See video below. You can even spot a black 5.0 Mustang at the 21 second mark). American cars seem to have a big following in the desert kingdom. And whoever buys it can drag race it to his heart's content, since the price of fuel isn't really an issue. It just might be where the Mustang belongs.

Ron Montoya, Consumer Advice Editor @ 24,077 miles

Wrap-Up

Check out our mega gallery of 275 photos of our 2011 Ford Mustang GT.

What We Got
The 2011 Ford Mustang GT wasn't a full redesign, but a heavy update over the 2010 model. The styling updates were subtle, but under the hood was a reborn 5.0-liter V8 that made it feel like an all-new car. This iteration of the legendary "5.0" now generated 412 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque. We needed little motivation beyond this gurgling grin-inducer to convince ourselves we needed a Mustang GT.

Mustang GT shopping, we found, was not easy on a budget if you want to keep the price under $35,000. The market was flooded with uplevel GT Premium trims, which ran $3,200 higher than our target price. It required some legwork, but ultimately we located a black Mustang GT we liked.

It had appealing options, like 3.73 gearing ($895) and a Brembo brake package ($1,295). There was also a list of equipment we could do without: Shaker audio system ($1,295), back-up camera ($385), HID headlights ($525) and the Rapid Spec 401A, a.k.a. cool shift knob package ($395). This was not our perfect Mustang; however, it was the closest we could find.

After negotiation its $34,718 price tag bordered precariously close to our budget cap. It was not until our ears reminded our brain of the glorious engine note the 5.0-liter produced during our test-drive that we woke up. We signed our check, grabbed the keys and laid two molten stripes down the dealership driveway. The next 12 months were going to be fun. Here's what we found.

Our Impressions

"If there's any doubt that our new 5.0 is a burnout machine, just look at the traction control button. The only way Ford could have made this button cooler was by actually labeling it 'burnout.'" — Ed Hellwig

"The 5.0-liter Mustang is the paradigm by which most burnout cars are assessed. As the only pony car still utilizing a solid rear axle, it's as if Ford knew this machine — even in 2011 — was destined to roast rubber." — Josh Jacquot

"We all have that one friend, usually from college, who makes you do stupid things. The Mustang is the vehicle equivalent of that for me. I can't be trusted with it or around it. Not for long periods of time without adult supervision, at least." — Mike Magrath

"I loves me a good V8. Except the 5.0 in this 'Stang isn't very good; it's awesome. And not just because of the intoxicating music coming from the intake and exhaust. No, the real reason you want to keep whacking open the throttle is because of what happens when you whack open the throttle: smooth, luscious, throbbing power. Everywhere on the tach. Regardless of gear." — Mike Monticello

"It still amazes me how much better the 2011 is above the 2010. In the slalom it has a crisp, trustworthy turn-in. It takes a set very well so long as throttle input is minute and smooth. There's some lift throttle rotation available. Too much throttle-out and the rear end gets very loose. Steering is precise and weighted just right for quick dabs of oppo." — Chris Walton

"After a weekend in our long-term Mustang, I can say that the seating position is what makes this car for me. There are some other V8s in this class...but none of the others are mounted in a coupe that I can really and truly see out of — and in the daily grind, the fact that I can easily look out over the Mustang's hood makes a huge difference." — Erin Riches

"Roads in the real world are bumpy. When driving on said bumpy roads that also decide to turn, unsprung mass re-enters the equation and the (live rear axle) Mustang bucks uncouth-ly.... But then you drive a car like the current (independent rear) Camaro over the same section of road and realize just how much less ass-end-derived drama and nonsense there can be (note: I'm not referring to oversteer, which is the kind of ass-end nonsense I can get behind). This is one of the few areas in which I prefer the Camaro over the Mustang." — Jason Kavanagh

"So how do I like our five-oh Mustang? Well, it was unquestionably the best Mustang I've ever driven on this road. It offers pretty good balance and grip through the turns, and the steering effort feels about right and the ratio is sufficiently quick...no need to shuffle really at all. The stock brakes also held up well during a southbound run down the mountain. And torque. There's so much torque.... Dislikes?... I'd like more steering feel and better ride control over the bumps." — Erin Riches

"It reminded me why you usually see wood or plastic knobs on the shift levers of racing cars. And that's because the Mustang's snappy aluminum knob was about a million degrees after the cars sat in the sun-soaked parking lot." — Michael Jordan

"What if her water breaks while we are in the car? That's one clean-up I wouldn't want to have to explain. Consequently, I kicked up the Mustang's speed a bit after that." — Brent Romans, on the way to the hospital with pregnant wife

"'Wait, you're taking a picture for work?! Come on already!' I guess she was a bit annoyed seeing as how she was having contractions and ready to give birth, and I was screwing around trying to take another picture." — Brent Romans' wife

"The funnel, the manual stated, was to be used to clear any debris from the filler area and/or reset the little filler flap to its closed position.... After a flurry of funnel thrusting and way too much laughing, Dan noted that according to the manual, the car would have to remain off for at least four hours...and then have to be driven, perhaps multiple times, for the message to clear the system." — Kurt Niebuhr

Maintenance & Repairs

Regular Maintenance: We maintained fresh oil in our Mustang as prescribed by Ford. Service visits were on the affordable end of the spectrum, averaging about $50. The dealer handled routine items at the recommended 5,000-, 10,000- and 15,000-mile junctures. At 20,000 miles we opted for the do-it-yourself approach, spending predictably less than Ford charged. Overall, we paid $219 for oil changes and tire rotations.

Additional maintenance was required. We replaced the rear brake pads and resurfaced the rotors for $210. Our decision to upgrade from Pirelli P Zero to Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tires paid off at the test track, but at the cost of nearly $400 per tire. Not to mention the two tires we replaced following the pothole double-tap incident. Still we could hardly count our decision for high-quality rubber against the Mustang budget. So they were not included in our cost-of-ownership calculations.

Service Campaigns: Less than 600 miles read on the odometer when, in a blink, the fuel gauge dropped from half a tank to empty and the engine died. Unfortunately for us, it occurred at 65 mph. A combination of kinetic energy and quick thinking piloted the lifeless Mustang safely to the shoulder of the highway. There we waited for a tow truck to shuttle us to the nearest Ford dealership, Earnhardt Ford of Chandler, Arizona.

Our Mustang parked at the dealer for four days awaiting parts. We did not, choosing to fly the 400 miles home and return when it was ready. As it turned out, three months earlier Ford had issued a TSB to address the issue we experienced. So the problem was known and the solution was a new fuel pump. To its credit, Earnhardt kept us well informed as to the nature of the problem and maintained regular communication during each step of the repair.

Fuel Economy and Resale Value

Observed Fuel Economy: It is uncommon for a 412-hp 5.0-liter V8s to burn fuel efficiently. Don't expect that our Mustang GT broke the mold in this category. We averaged 16 mpg over the course of our loan. The best single tank was just shy of 23 mpg, yet it carried us a mere 276 miles. GT used to stand for grand tourer. Go figure.

Resale and Depreciation: We purchased our 2011 Ford Mustang GT for $34,718. After an extended 19-month test and a tick below 24,000 miles it was no longer worth anywhere near that amount. Edmunds' TMV® Calculator valued the car at $27,102 based on a private-party sale. Based on the market in our area, that value did not hold. After two weeks of advertising, there was not one hit. We lowered the price until it ultimately sold for $24,000 to the only interested party we encountered.

A sales price of $24,000 meant significant depreciation of 31 percent for the Mustang. Under similar circumstances our long-term 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS depreciated 34 percent while our 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T lost 21 percent.

Summing Up

Pros: The 412-hp 5.0-liter V8 produces a siren song that lures even the most disciplined minds to rubber-melting mischief. Despite its sporty focus, the Mustang offers solid ergonomic comforts to front passengers.

Cons: The decision to utilize a solid axle rather than independent rear suspension remains a sticking point for some. At the time of this article, depreciation was considerable.

Bottom Line: The 2011 Ford Mustang GT is still a rough-around-the-edges muscle coupe that delivers huge performance for the money. It's not fuel-efficient, nor is it as precise as a sports car when the road turns twisty, but if you just want to have a little fun and look good doing it, the Mustang GT remains a bulletproof choice.

Total Body Repair Costs: None
Total Routine Maintenance Costs: $218.63 (over 19 months)
Additional Maintenance Costs: $210.38 for rear brake pads and rotor resurfacing
Warranty Repairs: Replace fuel pump module
Non-Warranty Repairs: Upgrade to Michelin Pilot Sport PS2s. Replace two pothole-damaged PS2s.
Scheduled Dealer Visits: 3
Unscheduled Dealer Visits: 1
Days Out of Service: 4
Breakdowns Stranding Driver: 1
   
Best Fuel Economy: 22.7 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 10.7 mpg
Average Fuel Economy: 16.4 mpg
   
True Market Value at service end: $27,102 (private-party sale)
What it Sold for: $24,000
Depreciation: $10,718 (or 31% of paid price)
Final Odometer Reading: 23,955 miles

Edmunds purchased this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.