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 Nostalgia ain’t what it used to be. Once upon a time, enthusiasts would worship older cars knowing that the machines were less reliable than a Burmese train, guzzled gas, handled like pigs and had dozens of hard edges just waiting to jump out and kill you. When mainstream manufacturers began reaching back into the past to find inspiration for their current products, they screwed-up the whole deal. Cars like the Ford Mustang GT look old, but they drive new. So is the GT the best of both worlds or a hopeless compromise of an illustrious heritage?  

 Who the Hell knows? The last time Ford made a Mustang worth getting excited about was more than forty years ago. Anyone who owned one is at least sixty years old; they’ve either forgotten what it was like or deleted all the bad memories of ownership from their diminishing grey matter. What’s more, the current guardians of these ancient muscle cars are far too emotionally involved to provide any kind of objective analysis. So despite the GT’s rearwards-facing demeanor, Ford’s new Mustang is still a leap into the unknown.  

 One thing is for sure: the GT is a cool looking car. To the old fogies, it’s a greatest hits compilation that offers all the hooks that made the Mustang famous, without the faintest echo of the car’s many B-side turkeys. To everyone else, the GT offers an ideal blend of menace and composure, aggression and approachability. All credit to the GT’s muscle car minimalism; it evokes power and beauty without resorting to a single cliché (like a hood scoop or side air intake). From its shark-like grill, to the subtle yet forceful hood creases, the GT makes a succinct but definitive mission statement: fun.  

 In case you missed the point, jump inside and crank ‘er up. The previous generation Mustang’s 4.6-liter V8 was no dog (even if it lived in a kennel), but the new, more highly-valved unit is a real animal. Although there’s nary a quiver when the powerplant clocks in for duty, the rumble is intense-- letting anyone within a fifty yards know that 300 horses are stabled nearby. If you don’t immediately appreciate the fact that this Mustang is the real deal, you’re either deaf or stupid.  

 While you’re playing with the go pedal, you might not want to look too closely at your surroundings. Unlike the GT’s perfectly judged exterior, the cabin is a badly-executed blend of retro and rental. The faux metal rimming the dials and slathering the dash is a perfect example; it’s a less convincing chrome surrogate than freshly-laid aluminum foil. The center stack is unrelentingly cheap and cheerless, as are the flimsy whimsy also known as eyeball air vents. While the speedo and tachometer are a welcome nod to the past, the typeface and tiny needles make them as hard to read as War and Peace-- on a roller coaster.  

 Yes, there is that. The Ford Mustang GT is a seriously swift automobile, capable of generating major league G-forces. Zero to sixty mph takes just 5.2 seconds. The standing quarter mile flashes by in 13.8 seconds, at 102 mph. For the numerically challenged, the Mustang GT has enough oomph to make speed-aversive passengers reach for non-existent grab handles and begin desperate negotiations for their immediate release.  

 To achieve maximum momentum, you’ve got to thrash this beast to the top of the rev range-- and it’s a rough neighborhood above 4000rpms. Thankfully, the six-speed gearbox is a willing partner in crime, giving instant all-areas access to the GT’s lofty power band. Saying that, you might want to choose your cog carefully when negotiating a tightly twisting road. The GT leans precipitously in the bends and the solid rear axle is easily flummoxed by mid-corner lumps and bumps. Throw yourself in a corner with reckless abandon and the GT might just throw you straight back out.  

 But c’mon, what do you expect for 30 large? (That’s 20 cents in 1960’s money.) No other car delivers so much bang-for-the-buck, or so much subtle yet sexy style. The Mustang GT is also a direct link to a simpler time, when equally gluttonous gas guzzlers roamed free, searching for high cholesterol food and some kind of shot at first base. Who cares if that past only exists in our collective imagination? As Walt Disney knew, the real past sucks. The Mustang GT is a superbly realized re-imagining of a glorious heritage, proving that properly-crafted nostalgia will always have a future.  

Hi there...Robert, couldn't resist replying to your sales pitch about the Mustang GT...I know how the heart starts beating!!!  My Dad come home with a 1958 MGA that he tinkered with and I got to drive it some, then he sold it & got a 1960 MGA that I proudly drove to high school but after a while, I wanted roll-up windows!  He found on the Ford dealership's used lot a 1965 Mustang GT 4-speed & I'll never forget the tires, instead of white walled, they were red walled...honestly have never seen since.  Anyway, loved that yellow Mustang GT, but was my misfortune to let my boyfriend drive and we were in head-on collision which bent the frame.  My Dad had repaired but was never the same, no more fog-lights and was noticeable it didn't sit straight anymore.  Sold it and drove the family car.  Married and drove his 1969 442.  Friend had 1969 MGB & it had Roll-Up windows!!! Then came another one--1969 MGB without over-drive like my friend's.  Had lots of fun, Ford dealer had the 1971 Mach 1 Mustangs lined up, I'll just sit in it...got to crank it up..and that sound hooked me again.  Sold MGB bought the Mustang.  
You know when you have that thing for cars, now that I'm older, it never goes away!!!!! To make a long story short, today I own a 1986 Mustang GT Convertible, that sits years at a time, recently re-newed license & inspection cause I just like that low-end POWER to get my heart beating.  I'm wanting my son to hurry and learn more, and he really wants to learn to be a mechanic...MY MECHANIC, as good as the Mustang runs it really could use an over-haul...time does it and alot of flying thru the gears.  
Been thinkin alot about the Saleen Mustangs!
Thanks  

Thanks for the feedback.  The personal connection with these Mustang things is amazing.  As above, I think the new model justifies and stimulates the emotional investent.

 

The new ford mustangs look good. I have a 1995 Mustang Gt 5.0 My only issue with the car is that the cornering stinks expecially in the rain
wish it had better handling other then that I love the car  

Anyone see the Chip Foose Mustang he did for Overhaulin?  It was for a parlyzed young guy with an old 'stang he was restoring.  
 That was so much nicer looking than this new FORD version.  Gotta see that car!