Mustang
Secondhand Gems: $40,000 Four Seat Convertables
Once upon a time, topless cars came in all shapes and sizes, and by that we mean all sizes. At 4500 pounds and sporting a wheelbase of 130 inches, the gloriously finned 1959 Cadillac Eldorado convertible was just a few inches behind a modern full size pickup truck in size. Its convertible top used enough canvas to cover a mobile home, and four people could fit comfortably in the back seat alone, never mind the wide bench up front and the endless trunk space out back. That was a convertible—drop the top, load up the family, the dog, the neighbors, and your in-laws, and head out for a day of windburns and suntans.
First Look: 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302
Ford has announced that it will be producing a limited run of the 2012 Mustang Boss 302. In honor of the original 1969 Boss, the Mustang engineers and designers have produced an upgraded version of the Mustang GT that is factory-built and race-inspired.
Ford Reveals Powertrain Options For 2011 F-150
Ford has announced the engine options for the 2011 F-150, and what a lineup it is. Three engines will be available at launch, the base 3.7-liter V-6 and a 5.0-liter V-8 that are both shared with the Mustang (both are detuned a bit for the pickup), and the 6.2-liter V-8 that is the base motor on the F-250 Super Duty. The 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 from the Taurus SHO will be available in early 2011.
I Want To Go Racing: Getting Started
Racing is something that people tend to think is expensive or only for professionals. Well, truth be told, it’s not. For interested beginners, all that’s really needed is the entrance fee to your local motorsports venue in your pocket and your daily driver. You don’t need any kind of racing experience for many events and you don’t need a sports car (although having one can make events so much more fun).
2011 Mustang GT Gets RTR Package, Inspired By Formula Drift
If you want a Mustang that stands out from the crowd, but are afraid or unwilling to dive into the aftermarket, Vaughn Gittin Jr., from the Formula Drift Series might have an answer for you.
List: Top Ten Best Power-To-Weight Ratios Under $40,000
Here, we offer the top ten new cars with the best power-to-weight ratio available for less than $40,000.
List: Top Ten Performance Bargains
In this list, we detail ten cars that really get you the most bang for your buck. Some of these aren’t the most wallet-friendly of cars, but when it comes down to what class they compete in, you’d be hard pressed to find something just as good for the same price.
List: Our Top Ten Favorite Fast Fords
Since just after Henry went racing in 1901, Ford Motor Company has had a long and rich history of building some pretty fast machines. What’s more (and better), many of these Fast Fords have been well within the reach of the common man, meaning a lot more driving fun for everyone.
Ford Mustang GT To Serve As Official Pace Car For Daytona 500
Today, ford announced that the 2011 Mustang GT will be the official pace car for the Daytona 500 next month, Nascar’s season opener. The car will be auctioned off prior to the race, on January 23, in order to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
First Look: 2011 Ford Mustang GT Gets 5.0-Liter V-8 Power
The Mustang GT has always been one of our favorite sports cars, and there’s more to love for the 2011 model year — the Mustang GT gets an all-new 5.0-liter V-8 engine, producing 412 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque.
First Look: 2011 Ford Racing Boss 302R
Today, Ford Racing unveiled the all-new Boss 302R based on the 2011 Mustang GT. The 302R is a factory-built, race-ready machine poised to compete in Grand-Am, SCCA, and NASA classes, as well as individual track days.
Embargo? What Embargo? Details Leak Out About Mustang GT’s New 5.0-Liter V-8
The details about Ford’s new 5.0-liter Mustang GT were supposed to be kept under wraps until closer to the official announcement at this year’s Detroit Auto Show, but reports have leaked out confirming that the Pony Car will be getting an all-new 412-horsepower V-8 for the 2011 model year.
List: Ten Cars That Are All Bark And No Bite
In automotive terms, a “sleeper” is a car that doesn’t look like it’ll do much damage, but once it hits the road, it’s a real performance dream. Think of the Mazdaspeed3 or BMW 335d—two cars that don’t look all that vicious but are really stunning machines to steer. These cars, however, are just the opposite.
First Look: 2011 Ford Mustang V-6
Destined to leave behind its historic and hated spot as the poser’s car of choice, Ford has pulled the wrapper off of its 2011 Mustang V-6 to reveal a truly competitive modern muscle car.
Keepers: Mustang SVT Cobra—Community
Mustang clubs are about as common as all-you-can-eat Chinese buffets. There are clubs for old Mustangs, new Mustangs, convertibles, specific models, specific colors (yes colors), and of course, clubs for the SVT faithful. The good news here is that yes, there is a Mustang club in your neck of the woods, wherever your woods happen to be. If, however, you want to associate only with the Cobra crowd, that may be a bit tougher unless you stick to internet chatting only. Most Mustang clubs—even the ones specializing in a particular Mustang genre—welcome all breeds of the horse, and that’s okay because Mustang fans generally love other Mustang fans, whether behind the wheel of a V-6, GT, or Cobra. There is a dark side however; drop an SVT badge on anything other than a bona-fide Cobra, and true Cobra owners will strike with great vengeance and furious anger. For these folks, the SVT badge is a sacred item, so if you’re thinking of sprucing up a V-6 or even a GT with Cobra badging, think again. At least if you want to be part of the Mustang crowd and have two working legs.
Keepers: Mustang SVT Cobra
When the concept of Keepers was bouncing around the NextAutos office, there was a tinge of trepidation about discussing Mustangs and Camaros. Aside from the fanatical, insanely-large following enjoyed by both cars, they’ve been covered, featured, mentioned, compared, discussed, reviewed, and otherwise overblown by just about every publication on the planet. As such, you’ll never likely never see a Mustang GT or Camaro Z28 in this neck of NextAutos cyberspace, but some of the specialty models do stand a chance, such as the 1999 and 2001 Mustang SVT Cobra.
Keepers: Thunderbird Turbo Coupe—Community
As one might expect with a lesser-known performance car, the Turbo Coupe community is a lesser-known group of individuals who not only love the Turbo Coupe, but all iterations of the Fox-Body based, “aero birds” that graced the FoMoCo lineup from 1983-1988. They also love and embrace the same-era Mercury Cougar, which mirrored the Turbo Coupe’s development through 1986 by offering the 2.3 turbo with a five-speed on the rare XR-7 model.
Keepers: Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe
Now that Ford is getting all excited about turbocharged engines, we thought it might be nice to revisit its original turbo effort from the 1980s. Long before Dearborn coined the term EcoBoost there was just plain boost, force-feeding Ford’s venerable 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine. Enthusiasts will recognize this engine as the force behind other Blue Oval 80s creations like the Mustang SVO and Merkur XR4Ti, but the unmistakably-aero appearance of the 1987-1988 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe holds a place in our enthusiast heart as having the best combination of performance, styling, sportiness, comfort, and gadgetry.
Driven: The Softer Side of Mustang
In generations past, the convertible versions of Ford’s Mustang have offered relatively cheap, fast, open top motoring, but not without paying a pretty big dynamic price. Despite Bill Ford’s proclaiming the Mustang convertible has his desert island vehicle of choice (see above for one of the nearly unforgettable “No Boundaries” commercials from earlier in the decade), driver’s interested in a real performance vehicle have always been forced to opt for the tin-top pony car. The convertible has always suffered from far too much chassis flex to make it serviceable as anything more serious than a quick, weekend tourer—sorry Bill.
Keepers: The Turbo Dodges
In the pursuit of finding cars worth keeping, there’s not always a clear connection between pedigree, price and performance. Sometimes, cars that people expect to be good turn out to be rubbish, despite their ancestry. And sometimes, you come across performance heroes in the most unlikely of places.
Driven: 2010 Chevrolet Camaro, Decisions Decisions…
The obvious comparisons surrounding the all-new 2010 Chevrolet Camaro pit the reconstituted pony car against the Mustang and Challenger. Well duh. We submit, however, that the obvious overlooks something right before your eyes; a Camaro versus Camaro face off.
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