Our test car was the high-volume GT V8 with a manual transmission, acar that starts out a mere $18,525, including Ford's $525 destination and
delivery charge, making it one of the performance bargains of the year.
The V6 versions that don't say 4.6 GT on the front fenders are substantially
less than that (from $15,880), and the Cobra, with its power, tire and
suspension upgrades, makes no apologies for a base price of $24,510.
The Mustang is a small car, barely 15 feet long, with a wheelbase just
over 100 inches. While this factor makes it easy to maneuver and easy to
park, for the performance-minded buyer it also means the Mustang is a sporty
platform, relatively light, quick to change direction and stable while
doing so.
This is an old platform, and given a short and narrow package to work
with, Ford's designers have a done a good job of masking the car's size
with generous sweeps of front sheetmetal and really good design on the
sides and rear end. It's short, but it manages not to look stumpy or abbreivated.