In this class of car, horsepower and acceleration at a reasonable priceare what move the sales needle, and the Mustang 4.6-liter V8 has plenty
of needle-moving potential. While the new modular V8 engine doesn't have
the loud and lumpy idle quality and ferocious intake roar of the old 5.0-liter
overhead-valve V8, it has almost exactly the same power and torque characteristics
and accelerates at almost exactly the same pace with a great deal more
smoothness and much greater rpm capability.
Where the old car was out of steam at about 5000 rpm, the new engine
will pull happily and smoothly to 6000 rpm, making the driving experience
that much more fun, even if it is a tick or so slower to 60 mph. And while
the four-speed automatic would be a better choice for those who have to
deal with commute traffic, with very little performance loss, the new Borg-Warner
T-56 five-speed manual is much more fun to drive--flexible, smooth-shifting
and strong enough to take high-rpm shifts for the life of the car.
What's underneath the swoopy Mustang is essentially what was underneath
the Mustang in 1979, with a lot of clever bracing and refinforcing to make