Over the past 25 some-odd years, Ford has tried desperately to make their Mustang look and perform like the original '60s fastbacks. If I only had a penny for every time Ford used the word "retro" or "nostalgic" to describe one of its new Mustangs. Although Ford has once again used these words to describe their current gen. Mustang, this go-round Ford has succeeded at making the Mustang really look like a descendant of the original. The look of the new Mustang isn't the only thing that has changed; read on.

For the 2006 model year, the Mustang can be had with one of two engines; a SOHC V6 offering 210 ponies (standard for the base models) and a 24 valve SOHC 4.6 liter V8 producing 300 horsepower and 320lb-ft of torque (standard for the GT). Both the GT and Base Mustang can be had with the standard 5-speed manual gearbox or a 5-speed automatic transmission ($1,000). Body styles for the Mustang continue to be offered in either a coupe or convertible.

Driving Impressions:

During the early and mid 1990s the Mustang GT got quite a bit of criticism for not being as fast as other cars in its class, i.e. the Camaro Z28. In fact, between the years of 1994-1998, the Mustang GT was known to get trounced by cars with mere 4-cylinder engines, i.e. the Acura Integra GSR and Type R. When the Mustang received an increase in power for the 1999 model year, it finally got the horsepower it deserved, but sadly kept many of its faults, i.e. its dated chassis, cheap interior, etc.

While the increase in outright performance this year isn't nearly as noticeable as it was back in 1999, the '06 Mustang GT does offer better punch at a higher engine revs than the previous generation. At lower revs the Mustang isn't lacking by any means, but it does take a bit more coaxing from this new engine than, say, the older 5.0 engines or even the older 12 valve 4.6 to get into this engine's sweet spot. This type of higher RPM power is just fine with me as I would rather have my 300 horses spread out over a broad range versus having it tap out before I even have the chance to shift into 2nd gear.
The 5-speed manual in the new GT is still a bit notchy, but is a huge improvement over the previous generation’s manual transmissions. Ford has made the shift lever a tiny aluminum nub (usually indicative of a short throw shifter), but the throws of the new shifter are a bit longer than what I typically expect from a sporty car. Still, Ford has shortened the throws considerably over the '04 models, making for quicker and easier shifting.


Cruising through town or on the freeway is where the '06 Mustang has succeeded all my expectations. All those rattles and odd noises that seemed to come as standard equipment on those previous generations are gone. Other than the burbly sound from the engine with even the slightest throttle pressure, the Mustang GT is fairly smooth at freeway speeds; especially when you set the cruise control anywhere between 65-75 MPH.

The new Mustang GT offers great top-gear passing power as well. Stomp on the throttle at, say 65 MPH, and the GT moves with the prowess equal to those V8 powered Mustangs from the 1960s. This excellent power in top gear is also beneficial for extreme hill climbing. The '06 GT was able to accomplish every hill I put it up against with absolutely no need to downshift the transmission. As I have mentioned, engine and exhaust noise are definitely a factor anytime you dip into the GT's throttle (even in top gear), but if you are on the market for a Mustang GT you probably wouldn't want to have it any other way.

The Mustang GT has never been known for being particularly good at tackling twisty roads. I recall my first Mustang; a 69 fastback, being almost scary to drive on demanding roads. On the flip side, my newer '98 Mustang GT simply felt dead when taking it through the twisities. While the '06 Mustang GT is no handling champ by any stretch of the imagination, it's a enormous improvement over the last generation. With its standard 17" Z rated tired (18" wheels are optional at 900 dollars) and the all-new suspension, the 2006 Mustang feels nimble on turns. Body roll and understeer are still an issue, but nowhere near as bad as they were with the SN95 Stangs. Braking is also good. The standard 4-wheel disc brakes with 4-wheel ABS do a wonderful job stopping this 3,500lb car from high speeds.

Despite a gain of 40 horsepower, an extra 18lb-ft of torque, and a weight gain of almost 200 pounds over the '04 models, the 2006 GT doesn’t consume any extra fuel. The 2006 GT is rated by the EPA at 17/25, which gives it about the same rating as most of the V8 powered Mustangs produced from the late 70s through the late 90s. The 2006 GT continues to only require regular fuel; many small V8s with this much power require premium. With gas prices nearing $3.50 per gallon, this is good news for those who don't want to spend another $4.00 per tank just for premium petrol. The new GT also got a larger gas tank in 2005 (16 gallons), so fill ups should be a little less frequent than the 1994-04 GTs.

Interior:

In the past, the Mustang GT has always sported an interior with the cheapest materials in Ford's workshop. Although Ford has made a conscious effort to improve the quality of the Mustang’s interior, it still falls short of offering the craftsmanship of many comparably priced Japanese sport coupes on the market. That said, there is still plenty of room for improvement. But I digress, this is by far the most solid Mustang Ford has ever built.

The styling of the Mustang’s interior is still a mixed bag. My GT came with interior upgrade package #1 ($450). With this package Ford has attempted to make the new Mustang's interior look even more “old school”. If the new oversized instrument gauges were not obtrusive enough, Ford has made them a bright simulated titanium. Ford has also used this titanium theme for virtually the entire dash fascia; there is a huge swatch of simulated titanium plastic that stretches from one end the dash to the other. Yes, this theme does make the interior look retro, but this theme clashes with the Mustang's modern center stack and its modern HVAC controls. Overall, the retro theme just looks too forced with the #1 package. On a side note, I got to peer inside a base Mustang V6. This base interior, while more drab, looked more appealing without all the titanium accents.

Interior room in the Mustang continues to be about average for a car in this class. The Mustang GT offers plenty of head and legroom up front, even for large adults, however the backseat remains a very tight fit. Being only 5'6" I felt cramped in the Mustangs backseat. I imagine taller rear passengers will just have to end up tilting their necks down or forward; at least if they don't want their heads going through the rear glass.

Ergonomics in the new GT are excellent; all the gadgetry in the '06 GT is logically placed and easy to operate. The leather seats are made of high quality, but the thigh bolsters are still too far apart to for aggressive driving. The driver and front passenger seats offer manual adjustments (8-way driver, 4-way passenger). The driving position has also improved, Ford has seriously given the new Mustang GT some thought when it comes to accommodating the driver. Everything finally feels like it's placed where it's supposed to be.

The 2006 GT is not loaded to the brim with embellishments, but it does come with plenty of standard amenities for most. Some standard amenities on the GT "Premium" Coupe include dual front air bags, dual side air bags, a good sounding 500 watt 6-disc in-dash CD system with 8 speakers (a 1,000 watt system is available at $1,300), AC, power door locks, windows, 1 cup holder, two 12 volt power outlets, cruise control, etc. With the #1 interior package, Ford offers a more informative instrument cluster with multiple gauge color setting, a leather wrapped steering wheel, and an aluminum shifter. For more info on standard and optional equipment you can visit Ford.com.

Price/Warranty:

There is one thing about the new GT Coupe that you can count on; a decent price tag. The GT Coupe starts out at around 25k (only a few hundred bucks more than the '04 models) and tops in the low 30K range. With only the #1 interior package, my GT came to just over $27,000; not bad for a sports car boasting a V8 with 300 ponies. If anything goes wrong with your new Mustang GT, Ford continues to offer one of the worst standard warranties on the market; a 3 year 36,000 mile bumper-bumper warranty. You would think that with all the bad press Ford has received over the past 2 years, they would have upped this warranty to at least 50,0000/5 years. Note: An extended warranty can be purchased at an extra cost.

Final Thoughts:

The 2006 Mustang GT is still far from perfect, though Ford has finally taken the advice of their customers and has produced the best Mustang yet. The GT Coupe is fun to drive, offers civilized yet exhilarating performance, and finally the refinement that the Mustang has been lacking for the past 40 plus years. If you are looking for a 2+2 sports coupe that is fun to drive and easy on the pocket book, I definitely recommend taking the '06 Mustang GT for spin.

Looking for a more refined sports coupe? Check out My review on the RSX


Thanks for reading...