Road Test: 2010 Ford Mustang GT

[svgallery name="10_Ford_Mustang_GT"] Story and photos by John LeBlanc It seems the only car that fans of American muscle can talk about this year is Chevrolet's resurrected Camaro. Last year, it was the reborn Dodge Challenger. After absences of seven and 34 years each, it's understandable the subsequent returns of this pair of retro coupes – hearkening back to the "glory days" of the late-1960s and early-1970s muscle-car era – have hogged media headlines and enthusiasts' attention. For 2010, however, Ford has quietly upgraded its 40-something Mustang coupe and convertible – a car that's been sold continuously since the Beatles crossed the Atlantic. But are an upgraded interior, tweaked sheet metal, revised suspension and a bump in horsepower enough to make you choose a 2010 Mustang over its born-again rivals? If you want the "show," but don't need the "go," you can get into a '10 Mustang coupe for $24,499. A convertible is $5,700 more. But both come with a wheezy V6 and not-very-sporting suspension. Thankfully our tester was the more appropriately kitted-out '10 Mustang GT coupe. With a V8 engine and five-speed transmission, its $36,999 base price was in line with V8 models of the new Camaro and Challenger. Where the new Mustang GT does stray from its American muscle competition is on its inside. The new 'Stang's cockpit finally looks and feels like what a $40,000-plus car should compared to the economy-car plastics and design in the Camaro and Challenger. The tan "saddle" leather in our GT model certainly upped the car's image. And instead of brittle plastics and gaping fit lines that made the last Mustang rattle when cold, interior pieces feel soft, look rich and fit tight. If not as roomy in the back seat as the full-size, five-seat Dodge, those in the 2+2 Ford's front seats have plenty of room. And we were able to wear a toque in the Mustang without rubbing its headliner – unlike the Chevy with its chopped roof. Yadda, yadda. Interior, shminterior. How does the new Mustang GT stack up at the stoplight grand prix? Considering the Ford's V8 is down 111 and 57 hp to the Chevy and Dodge respectively, actually, not that bad at all. For 2010, Ford took all the good bits from perhaps the best iteration of the last model – the special edition Bullitt Mustang – and then shaved a couple of grand off the price. That means the Mustang GT's venerable 4.6-litre power is up from 300 to 315 horsepower, and torque grows a modest five lb.-ft. to 325. Combined with the fact that the Ford weighs (208 and 290 kg) less than the Chevy and Dodge, it scoots from zero to 100 km/h in just 5.1 seconds; a couple of 10ths faster than the Challenger R/T and only 0.1 of a second slower than the Camaro SS. Drivers will appreciate the Mustang GT's overall tidier dimensions away from the drag strip. It feels much more nimble and easier to toss around compared to the full-size Camaro and Challenger. The GT comes standard with 18-inch wheels (up from last year's 17s), with Mustang-specific 235/50ZR Pirelli P Zero Nero all-season rubber. Our tester had a $500 package that upgrades to 245/45ZR-19s (that improve road grip) bundled with (of all things) heated seats. And for the first time (hallelujah!) the rear-drive Mustang offers stability control. Ford makes it standard kit. The system lets you hang the GT's tail out substantially before the electronic nannies kick in. A second sport setting is even more lenient for all you Steve McQueen wannabes. Okay, there's still that truck suspension out back in the Ford coupe, while the Chevy and Dodge sport 20th-century independent rear set-ups. But the GT now rolls much less when cornering hard than the less buttoned-down 2004-09 version by adding the Bullitt's rear springs and recalibrated shocks (more compression damping and stiffer rebound damping). But maybe the best part of the GT is its refined ride. It's a huge improvement over last year's Mustang GT but you still can't really feel what's going on at road level through the Ford's steering rack. It's no Genesis Coupe, in that regard. At least it has good weighting, is fast, and is largely accurate. If only the Ford had upgraded the Mustang's front buckets as well. They're particularly flat, offering little lateral support. I'd pass on the $2,300 navigation system and $2,200 glass roof. Instead, go for the $2,100 GT Track Package II (stiffer springs, shocks and anti-roll bars; summer tires; quicker limited-slip rear end; stability control system "off" button) and make the car ready for the occasional day at the track (see accompanying story). Feel free to take Ford to task for not doing a more thorough upgrade to a car whose last big redo was more than five years ago – especially as it knew what the competition was up to. But it has carefully addressed most of the flaws that the 2004-2009 Mustang was born with. And by keeping the car tight and light, it's competitive with its newer rivals not only in a straight line, but also when the road gets curvy. In a suddenly crowded American muscle-car segment, the 2010 Mustang GT is arguably the choice for those who love to drive.

A real race car experience

The Ford Mustang has seen its fair share of checkered flags and podium champagne ever since race car driver and Texas chicken farmer Carroll Shelby got hold of the very first sporty coupe in 1964.

If you want to recreate some of that Mustang magic on a race track, Calabogie Motorpsorts Park, about an hour west of Ottawa, offers its Mustang Driving Experience. The five-level graduated program starts with a $299 two-hour session that includes one-on-one instruction, on-track orientation, driving theory and 30 minutes of lapping following a pace car.

Work your way through all the levels, and for $1,699 you can book the car for a full day at the track.

Bruce Gregory, who runs the Mustang Driving Experience, will even feed you for the day and provide you with a proper racing helmet. And the modified 2009 Mustang GTs deliver a real race car experience.

Each of the program's cars has been tweaked for safety and added performance. Each features a full roll cage, racing seats and six-point race harness; a cold air intake and ECU boosts the GT's V8 to 350 and 340 lb.-ft. of torque and upgrades to the transmission, suspension, brakes wheels and tires kit, and aerodynamics ensure the Mustang Driving Experience cars are track-ready.

In practice, the race-prepped Mustang GTs are easy to drive. The torquey V8 means there's less shifting. Gregory can do orientation laps entirely in fourth gear.

And despite the lack of an independent rear suspension, handling is as predicable as mosquitoes on a summer night here at the track.

2010 Ford Mustang GT

PRICE: base/as tested $36,999/$43,629

ENGINE: 4.6 L V8

POWER/TORQUE: 315 hp/325 lb.-ft.

FUEL consumption: City 11.7 L/100 km (24 mpg), highway 7.6 L (37 mpg)

COMPETITION: Chevy Camaro SS, Dodge Challenger R/T

WHAT'S BEST: Performance, handling, highway ride, interior

WHAT'S WORST: Flat seats

WHAT'S INTERESTING: New Mustang styling inspired by muscle car-era 1967-68 models

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