The back seats will do fine for short trips, but do not expect your passengers to be enchanted by the experience.

The top of the dash formed a thick black leather shelf with white stitching, while the dash itself and console were trimmed with brushed aluminum.

Cupholders, found on the console behind the shifter, were slightly annoying since one was deeper than the other and on more than one occasion, swallowed my medium Java (cream, no sugar) making it nigh impossible to lift out one-handed, without slopping coffee all over the console.

The thick, leather-wrapped steering wheel had a nice heft to it, and steering was on the heavy side which didn't bother me at all. The wide aluminum slat spokes I found a bit garish and awkward - the simple drilled-metal spokes of the Shelby years would have been more appropriate. But the galloping pony at the hub was a nice touch.

There were a few blind spots, most obviously the distinctive c-pillar with signature tiny windows. And, because I'm a driver of somewhat smaller stature, I had to raise the seat to avoid feeling as though I was sitting in a tub and peering over the sides.

A thousand watt wall of sound
No muscle-car cruiser worth its weight in chrome is complete without a good sound system.

My tester came with the 10-speaker "Shaker 1,000" a Ford developed system named for its 1,000 watt output which actually shakes and vibrates the seats, the wheel in your hands and the pedals beneath your feet.

And if cruisin' along with a mobile version of Magic Fingers doesn't tickle your... fancy, the vibration factor is optional and easily switched off.

Driving impressions
Under that long hood, a 4.6 litre V8 with lightweight aluminum block, puts out 300 hp - earning the Mustang the right to consider itself a modern muscle car.

(The base-model V6 gets a 4.0-liter engine putting out 210 horsepower and 240 lb-ft of torque, which comes close to the output of those 60s-era V8s. )

A stubby, short shifter hooked to a standard five-speed manual gearbox made slick work of gear changes. I liked its short throws and although there are those that would bemoan the lack of notchiness, I found it butter-smooth and never missed a shift. The clutch was firm, but not heavy.

Certainly, despite its prodigious power and being rear-wheel driven, the 'Stang wasn't particularly tail-happy even when pushed hard. There was some display of bump-steer, as the wide front wheels tended to grab onto road imperfections - but nothing overly squirrelly. A rigid unibody chassis includes a safety cage around the passenger compartment and helped contribute to the overall stiffness and lack of body roll.

The back end of the Mustang staid put, thanks to traction control.