Editors' Most Wanted Vehicles for 2001

Sports Car (RWD/AWD) Under $30,000

Winner: Ford Mustang GT

For less than 30 bills, the Mustang GT is tough to beat. Go easy on the options with a coupe and you can even get out the door for less than $25,000. The only real competitor is the Camaro, but problematic packaging issues are one reason that causes us to give the nod to Ford's pony car. Among other things, the Mustang is bigger on the inside and smaller on the outside than the Camaro/Firebird. For 2001, the Mustang is much the same as last year, which is a good thing. The Mustang's 4.6-liter, SOHC V8 runs super smooth and makes 260 horsepower. It also cranks out a healthy 302 foot-pounds of torque and responds well to aftermarket upgrades. The five-speed transmission shifts well and there's an automatic available if you have to sit in heavy traffic. As a practical daily-driven car, the Mustang works well, too. It has something approaching a real backseat, and gets decent mileage provided you don't play stoplight hero too often. Among some staffers here, the current Mustang GT is an all-time favorite, regardless of price.