Ford Mustang FAQs

It seems the same as it ever was, to borrow a phrase from the Talking Heads. Ford’s Mustang is a certified hit, and Chevy has announced its own version of the pony car will be on the way soon – something called a Camaro. If it weren’t for the fact that Ford just slashed production dramatically and GM is hemorrhaging jobs almost as fast as it’s losing market share, we could think we’re back in 1964, when the Mustang was first introduced as a 1965 model.

But we’re not. Back then, the Big Three could pretty much sell whatever they made. Now Toyota’s poised to become the world’s largest automaker. Back then we didn’t worry about gas prices. Now we turn our eyes away every time we pass the gas station. Back then, it was Dad doing the driving, and we were barely old enough to understand what a car was, much less how much fun one could be.

Growing up can be fun. Even though Barry Manilow’s hip replacement may signal the end of youth to some baby boomers, for us at the tail end of the boom, youth is still just an auto loan away. What better way to recapture the glory that was that youth than through the car that did so much to define it?

That’s why we were so concerned when Ford introduced the 2005 Mustang. We knew this was another retro model, evoking the 60s we were too young to remember, but we didn’t know if Ford got it right. Then the new Mustang came out, we drove it, and we found out it wasn’t just the styling Ford had nailed right on the head.

Ford couldn’t make enough Mustangs to meet demand, so, not surprisingly, there were few changes come the 2006 model. The most important change was for those buying the base V-6 models. The newly available “Pony Package” offers Mustang V-6 customers a GT-inspired suspension with larger wheels and tires, ABS and traction control, custom grille with fog lamps and Pony Emblems.

The Mustang comes in Standard, Deluxe and Premium packages (Deluxe and Premium only for GT models) in a choice of coupe or convertible with a V-6 or V-8 engine mated to a 5-speed manual or automatic transmission. Nearly one of every two sports cars sold in America last year was a Mustang, so each version must have its adherents. Today, we go to the top of the line of the regular production Mustangs, the 2006 Ford Mustang GT Premium coupe.

There’s no need to go over how it looks, is there? Won’t gorgeous do?

The Mustang styling cues are all there. The long, sloping hood and short rear deck, the C-scoops on the side, the three-element tail lamps and, of course, the fastest galloping horse not named Ferrari on the grille all tie the 2006 Mustang to its distinguished lineage, blotting out the sad memories of those awful days of the last gas crisis when the Mustang was little more than an econobox with pretend attitude.

This Mustang has real attitude, and it’s earned. The GT’s 4.6-liter aluminum V-8 pushes out 300 wild horses to the 18-inch wheels – 50 percent more power, Ford says, than the 289 cubic-inch V8 of the classic 1964 model.

That power’s governed by a Tremec 3650 gearbox. It’s almost a throwback for a high performance sports coupe in that it’s only a five-speed (only the 500-horsepower Shelby gets a six-speed shifter), but while that means there is by definition room for improvement, this shifter has nothing to apologize for.

Another seeming throwback involves the suspension. Up front, the GT uses Reverse-L independent MacPherson struts. In back, Ford uses what we will charitably call the tried and true approach, with a 3-link solid axle with coil springs, Panhard rod and a 20mm solid stabilizer bar. While this may not be state of the art, it works. This rear-wheel-driver corners with aplomb, and though I expected it to given the setup, the rear did not get all skittish on me as it was pushed on uneven pavement.

If you know muscle cars of old, then you know they sounded great, but were often a handful to drive in anything but a straight line. The Mustang GT took all the good stuff – that great sounding engine, the rumble of the exhaust, the power off the line – and made it civilized. Handling is very good, both when the car is being pushed and during a normal commute. Ride quality is surprisingly — sorry, but I must use this word again — civilized.

Sound deadening is excellent. The noise level in the cabin is lower than one usually finds in a powerful sports coupe such as this. The coupe is stiff, and you get road feel, but it is not jarring. The seats are OK, although the driver’s seat could use a tad more lateral support.

Maybe in a car that offered a bit less power, the seats would be fine, but the Mustang GT, while it restrains itself commendably in traffic, can’t wait to blow you away on the open road. The speed limit is a mere suggestion, one only grudgingly obeyed. The GT takes you from 0-60 in a mere 5.8 exhilarating seconds. Getting back to zero, which can be even more important, is almost as easy. The twin-piston 43-mm floating aluminum calipers clamp down on the big 12.4″ vented front discs faster than a linebacker on the Jets quarterback. As I mentioned, in between and around the curves, handling is true - quick, responsive and reliable.

The interior follows through on the retro theme. Chrome-ringed air vents are aligned vertically across the dash, precisely in line with the gauges, and the steering wheel has three spokes with a center hub marked by the horse and tricolor bars logo, echoing the design of the 1967 Mustang. The interior design reflects Ford’s new commitment to good-looking interiors, so while there is plastic, it avoids any hint of tackiness. The coupe, theoretically, seats four.

Fit and finish are very good. Gauges and instruments are well designed and easy-to-read. Ford’s nauseatingly cute touch is the color-configurable instrument panel. Mustang owners can mix and match lighting at the touch of a button to create more than 125 different color backgrounds to suit their personality, mood, outfit or whim.

Whatever.

The downside: There is no stability control available, nor is there a side curtain airbag. A navigation system and satellite radio should be available on the 2007 models.

The upside: All that power should come at a price, but the price of the 2006 Mustang GT is surprising reasonable in more ways than one. The first place is at the pump. The GT runs on regular, not premium fuel, and you get very decent EPA mileage numbers: 17 city/25 highway.

The price at the dealership is even more reasonable for all the performance and styling the Mustang GT offers. My well-equipped GT premium came in at a base $26,320. If you wanted the base V-6 model coupe, you’d be looking at $19,115 to start.

Options on my tester were the anti-theft system ($295), the wheel locking kit ($50) and interior upgrade ($450). The 18″ machined aluminum wheels ran me $825, front seat side airbags were $370, and if you hate your neighbors and want to wake them every time you drive by, the Shaker 1000 audio will do that for a mere $1,295.

All this, along with a destination charge of $695, added up to a bottom line of $30,300. That would be approximately $4,970 in 1964 dollars. A loaded Mustang then cost about $4,000, so that’s a relatively small premium for all the improvements since.

That’s a roundabout way of saying the 2006 Ford Mustang GT Premium coupe offers good value in a powerful package that’s as easy to commute in as it is to go racing with - pretty much the same as it did in 1964. Luckily for us aging boomers, that wasn’t just once in a lifetime.