You cannot wax nostalgic for something that never died, and the 2011 Ford Mustang is as immortal as cars get. For forty-six years, its fundamental ingredients — rear-wheeldrive, a solid rear axle, and a compact, sporting body — have remained the same. The Mustang's critics love this, making much of the fact that other machines boast independent rear suspension born after the Carter administration. This is irrelevant. Thanks to constant and careful evolution, the Ford delivers where most new cars fall short — it feels honest.
In prepping the 'Stang for the challenges of modern roads, Dearborn's engineers amped up performance without diluting the car's soul. The base V-6 packs a creamy yowl and tire-liquefying torque; the optional V-8 spits out a throaty whomp and enough grunt to wrinkle cured concrete. The standard six-speed manual feels unabashedly mechanical, like the love child of a bolt-action rifle and a combine. Lumpy, winding asphalt, long the bane of live-axle cars, is dispatched with a flick of the wheel and an absence of drama. Left alone in a Mustang on an empty stretch of road, you have the distinct feeling that you're getting away with something.
As with most Detroit iron, the numbers satisfy. The 2011 Mustang GT ($29,645) boasts an all-new 5.0-liter V-8, a 32-valve monster that produces 412 hp and 26 mpg. Ten years ago, some supercars had similar power but swilled almost twice as much gas. The base Mustang's 3.7-liter V-6 ($22,145) is a thoroughly modern, aluminum-block whirlwind that uses variable valve timing to generate 305 hp and an astonishing 31 mpg (automatic). Muscle isn't supposed to be this green, and new cars aren't supposed to be this raw.
The Mustang is a glorious anachronism, a bareknuckle wonder in a button-down world. It wears its heart on its sleeve, abhors empty nostalgia, and refuses to deal in excuses.
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