Competition
Our Mustang GT convertible has a base price of $37,899 and includes several options: the interior upgrade package ($650), 18-inch wheels with P235/50ZR18 tires ($900), the leather seats ($900), the fabric top ($300), the metallic fuel filler door ($120) and the navigation system ($2,300), for a total of $43,069.

This great stallion is in a class of its own... for now.

As for direct competition, the Mustang doesn't really have any for now, but next year it will with the Chevy Camaro and the Dodge Challenger. However, among $40,000 sport convertibles, we could also look at:

Mazda MX-5 GT PRHT with Performance package, $37,745
MINI Cooper S Cabriolet, $36,600
Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder GT-P, $37,298
Pontiac Solstice GXP, $35,105
Saturn SKY Red Line, $38,175
Volkswagen Eos 2.0T, $36,900

Not one of these has as much horsepower as the Mustang GT. But they especially lack the legacy and the presence of the Ford.

Conclusion
The Mustang has a serious refinement issue, and one would ask himself how a car can assembled like this in 2007. But it largely compensates with character and charisma. Cars with as much charm as the Mustang as very rare these days, and that's why so many are bought.

So, if you like cars that are quiet, refined, frugal and discreet, the Mustang is clearly not for you. However, those who miss their musclecars of yesteryear will fall in love with this extroverted beast; besides the airbags and navigation, it's a near-exact transposition of the brutes in the '60s and '70s. With the Mustang, it's easy to forgive its shortcomings when we stomp on the gas pedal.


Throaty V8 engine
Gobs of character and charisma
Beautiful retro lines



Full-throttle fuel consumption
Cockpit rattles and squeaks



Obvious lack of refinement


Photo Credit : Philippe Champoux, Ford