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New Car Review 1999 Mustang GT
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| Still Going Strong After 35 Years We Test the Latest Pony Car |
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| Updated |
Jun 10, 2004 22:55:25 |
| Rating |
 102 ( -14 -13.72% ) |
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Description:
New Car Review 1999 Mustang GT
Still Going Strong After 35 Years We Test the Latest Pony Car
By Bruce Caldwell
It's hard to believe that 35 years have
passed since the 1964 1/2 Mustang bolted out of the starting gate. Mustangs
defined an entire automotive genre--the "pony car." The innovative,
first-generation Mustang was so daring, so exciting, so affordable, so practical, and so
much fun all at the same time. It was, simply, an engineering and marketing marvel. The
long hood/short trunk styling was revolutionary. It was sporty, but definitely American.
There was great variety offered with coupe, convertible, and fastback body styles and
engines that ranged from sensible to sizzling. Yet, it was very affordable and easy to
maintain because the Mustang was based on the unglamorous Ford Falcon.
The original Mustang so surprised the
competition that Ford had a virtual monopoly until the Chevy Camaro debuted in 1967. As
other brands and models joined and left the pony car race, the Mustang remained a winner.
As the nineties come to a close, the Mustang is still selling well, but the pony car
segment is dying. The Camaro/Firebird siblings keep battling rumors of their own demise.
Ford demonstrated a lot of confidence by
substantially revising the Mustang for its thirty-fifth anniversary. The styling is known
as "New-Edge" because it's contemporary without neglecting the car's heritage.
The door treatments and large rear fender scoops are reminiscent of the original car. The
galloping pony grille emblem looks like it came from a first-generation Mustang. There's
no question that the car is a Mustang. Our test car, a '99 GT coupe, was painted a wild
chrome yellow and it had the optional 17-inch forged aluminum wheels with P245/45ZR-17
tires. It was a handsome combo befitting the GT moniker, but the pronounced wheel arches
were too high above the tires for our taste. Combined with the short body (relative to the
competing Camaros/Firebirds) the high wheel wells made the Mustang look stubby to our
eyes.
Ford has been criticized for trailing GM in the horsepower
department. For '99, the 4.6-liter SOHC V-8 gained 35 horsepower, bringing it up to 260
hp. Torque is up 10 lb-ft to 300. The 3.8-liter V-6 in the base Mustangs was boosted 40 hp
to 190. The GT power increase is definitely noticeable, but it still trails the GM rivals.
The exhaust sound emanating from the twin 3-inch pipes is beautiful music to performance
enthusiasts. Our test car had the standard 5-speed manual transmission. It's a fine
transmission, but the car could benefit from a 6-speed like the manual GM cars. Stopping
and handling were first rate, thanks in part to the new (optional) all-speed traction
control and four wheel ABS disc brakes. The traction control can be turned off for some
nostalgic tire spinning. Mid-teens fuel economy was a little disappointing.
Interior quality has been a Mustang
stronghold and the '99s have been improved with more front seat travel.
That's good news for tall drivers, but it further cramps the child-size rear seat. Our
test car had the optional leather seats and the excellent (optional) Mach 460 sound
system. Controls are too small and mounted low so you have to avert your eyes to change
functions. People don't buy Mustangs for their cargo capacity, but the trunk is reasonable
with a nice flat floor and split fold-down rear seats. The trunk lid is rather small.
We've owned a lot of '65-'70 high-performance Mustangs. The '99's performance was as
strong as the old ponies, but so much more refined. Handling and creature comforts of the
'99 are vastly superior. We prefer the vintage styling, but 35 years of refinements have
yielded and incredibly well-rounded performance car. We rated the power, 6-speed
availability, and styling below the Camaro/Firebird, but for the past 12 years, consumers
have voted for the Mustang where it counts--with their wallets. Ford must be doing
something right to keep the Mustang going so strong for 35 years. |
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