2010 FORD MUSTANG GT PREMIUM REVIEW AND PHOTOS

Taking aniconic car like the Ford Mustang into the future while building upon its proud heritage is a job that Ford has been tackling with their legendary icon for 45 years. Over nine million Mustang owners have bought into the dream and become part of the legend that is Mustang. While the proven and successful formula of a rear-wheel-drive coupe remains the same, the collected knowledge and refinement gained in delivering the ride of choice for a young and vibrant America for over four decades is built into every 2010 Mustang.

The latest Mustang has evolved with the times while adhering to the sporty yet affordable equation that keeps the horse out in front, the driver at the reigns, and the view behind marked by the distance delivered in a way only a Mustang can. The 2010 Mustang takes the timeless formula of affordable performance from the past into the present and sets the bar high again for what will be a modern classic. The world has spoken as to what the icon that is Mustang is and should be to them. Ford has listened and has delivered a further refined and completely redesigned Mustang destined to become an instant classic.

Styling and Design
From its inception in 1964, the Mustang has been a purely American take on the world of sporting automobiles. The latest version in a proud line of pony cars pays homage to its heritage, yet incorporates modern styling touches that convey the essence of the Mustang formula without simply being a throwback. The all-new exterior styling begins out front. Changes to the headlamps and grille tie the redesigned front fenders together and move the eye onto the sculpted and powerdomed hood. The muscular look isn't just for show. The swept forward grille and domed hood are designed to enhance cooling airflow through the engine bay.

The sweeping beltline profile is punctuated by redesigned side view mirrors that accent the signature Mustang spear body detail. The fastback roofline flows down over the new rear fascia and sculpted decklid. The prominent rear center badge of the Mustang is punctuated by a set of sequential LED firing turn signals with vertical reverse lamps for a return to the classic three-lamp Mustang taillight design. This feature was first rolled out on Shelby Mustangs in the Sixties and has been reborn for the 2010 Mustang.

The redesigned front and rear fenders wrap skin tight around the new Mustang. Sculpted fender flares are a tribute to the Mustang's proud racing heritage, and serve as a perfect frame for a new lineup of larger diameter and wider aluminum wheels. Variations of the classic five-spoke theme of yesterday's muscle car wheels have been updated with modern design and manufacturing technology and lighter alloys. There are a total of seven new wheel choices for 2010, starting with 17x7-inch standard wheels for V6 Mustang, and moving up to a 18x8-inch for the V6 Pony Package and V8 GT. Optional bright machined aluminum or painted nickel aluminum 19x8.5-inch wheels are available on FORD Mustang GT Premium packages.

World Class Interior
The 2010 Ford Mustang interior folds the timeless muscle car design formula for success together with thoroughly modern manufacturing. The functional simplicity and beauty of a pair set of deep round gauges with distinctive chrome rings are the visual signature of the Mustang's all-new interior. Genuine brushed aluminum panels sit atop a seamless soft-touch thermoplastic olefin skin and lead out from the redesigned centerstack to precisely crafted dual vane air vents. The seats and armrests feature a softer material and improved stitching. Even what cannot be seen has brought improvement to the Mustang cabin experience. Sound deadening materials out of sight are integrated in such a way that road and wind noise are reduced, but the throaty growl of performance gets a chance to make its note more well heard.

Breathe In. Breathe Out.
This real music in the Mustang inspirational equation is produced by a 210-hp 4.0-liter V6 with 240 foot pounds of torque, or a 315-hp 4.6-liter V8 rated at 325 foot pounds of torque. Both engines are standard equipped with a five-speed manual, which includes an improved short-throw precision shifter for the V8, or an available five-speed automatic transmission. The V8 steps up in horsepower over previous version thanks to knowledge gained on the racetrack. A cold-air intake system adopted from Ford Racing Technology division helps ram more and denser air into the engine for in increase in power from a standstill right up until the 6,500 rpm redline. Engine management electronics of the award winning 4.6-liter, three-valve V8 have been recalibrated to take advantage of better breathing and bumped up redline. The Mustang also offers a dual-adaptive anti-knock system. While the 2010 Mustang engine will run great and kick out every bit of advertised horsepower on regular 87-octane gasoline, it will also know when to squeeze the tiger out with the higher octane premium gasoline it's added into the tank and fed to the engine. Both V6 and V8 engines breathe out through larger diameter exhaust tips for more of the legendary Mustang sound.

Safety Can Be Fun
Suspension tuning can make the difference not only between winning and losing the race, but maintaining a safe grasp on vehicle control. Steering and suspension upgrades for 2010 have taken cues from Ford Racing vehicles and the successful Bullitt edition Mustang. The entire suspension has been fine tuned to deliver a more entertaining driving experience. The balance between more controlled handling and comfortable ride is enhanced by the all-new AdvanceTrac® electronic stability control with traction control and anti-lock brake system. The system reduces engine torque and applies braking when it senses wheel slippage or excessive side-to-side vehicle motion. Traction control can be turned on and off on V6 equipped Mustang. V8 GT Mustang will feature a Sport Mode, which allows the driver to have a little more fun along with an increased measure of modern safety. The aggressive restyling of the Mustang reduces overall drag and reduces front end lift, which delivers increased steering feedback, vehicle control, and driver confidence at higher speeds. Four-wheel power disc brakes with 4-sensor, 4-channel anti-lock braking system (ABS) is standard equipment, and all Mustang models feature dual front airbags and driver-passenger side impact airbags.

Freedom of Choice
While the Mustang has always been about affordable performance, it has long stood as a symbol for personal freedom of choice. The 2010 Mustang stable begins with selecting a V6 or V8 engine, and continues with myriad choices and options beyond this first decision. The V-6 and V-8 Mustang share the aggressive and bounding swagger of the redesign, but each have unique and subtle differences to set them apart. Headlamps and turn signals have been integrated into one unit on both cars for a modern take on the 1970 Mustang. V6 equipped Mustang Premium models feature a set of fog lamps located on the lower fascia. While the V8 GT fog lamps are moved up into the grille but made smaller as a nod to the 1967-68 versions. Along with a coupe and convertible the 2010 Mustang is available with unique and innovative glass roof option.

Beyond the basics come the host of options and packages that carry on the Mustang tradition of a steed for every need. Tried and true muscle car performance and visual impact meet modern technology and engineering. A Red Candy Metallic with tinted clear coat is but one of many bold new exterior colors that harkens back to the untamed spirit of the Sixties and Seventies, while in the interior, 125 shades of driver controlled six-gauge cluster color customization effects are featured with My Color™ along with ambient interior lighting system on premium models. Mustang option packages drift well beyond the visual, with suspension upgrades to spring rates, shock damping, stabilizer bars, stiffness adding mechanical bite to outward appearances. From a V6 Pony Package right up to an asphalt-crunching V8 GT with available 3.73 Rear Axle package there is a 2010 Mustang waiting for every driver. Bringing the seemingly disparate worlds of steel and rubber together with telecommunications and digital entertainment is an improved version of the popular Ford SYNC®, which now offers 911 Assist™ and Vehicle Health reports along with hands free voice-activated operation of virtually all Bluetooth® enabled cell phones and most MP3 devices.

The 2010 Mustang is not only unquestionably more aggressive, but comes equipped with a level of modern refinement and race-bred performance engineering never before attained in an American muscle car. The first Mustang established the formula for the agile American muscle car. Each version of the Mustang carries on this lineage. The swagger and muscle that unapologetically says Mustang is a modern interpretation of the very essence of the best Motor City has to offer. Each new generation of Mustang pays homage to the proud heritage of automotive performance and slots itself into the legendary Mustang timeline. It's up to the driver to keep moving that Mustang legend into the future. The 2010 Mustang carries the 45-year tradition of the American muscle into the hearts and minds of the future, and will be built at the Ford Motor Company Auto Alliance International Plant in Flat Rock Michigan USA.