After a short trip to a local Ford dealer here in Texas, we got the chance to get behind the wheel of an all new 2010 Mustang GT. This model featured the new Red Candy Metallic paint job, 5-speed automatic transmission, and ambient lighting.
EXTERIOR: The car looks great in person. The shorter nose and more aggressive front really gives the GT a bolder stance. The hood also looks great with its slight cowl. The body lines seem alot sharper and flow very well into the new "Hips" on the rear 1/4 panels which harken back to the late 60's Mustangs.
The rear seems a bit fat with its new angled out appearance, but the new taillights help to pull it all together and I cant wait to see a set of FAT rear tires in the back of one these cars! One negative I noticed first off would be the large weather-vane of an antenna located on the passenger rear 1/4 panel. I like the fact of no antenna on the front fender finally, but this move makes the car seem a little bumper-carish.
The front grille now houses the all new running horse emblem in a black painted finish which is different...Really cool change if you want that stealthy look. The side view mirrors are also smaller and color matched which adds a great touch! I think some of the wheel options for the 2010 are some of the best from the factory that Ford has offered. The new "no-cap" fuel fill is also a new addition which might take some getting used-to!
NOTE: One thing I would like to see is the option to have the lower rockers painted. I think it helps the car look lower to the ground and seperates it from the pavement a little more.
INTERIOR:
The interior of the new Mustang is a good improvement over the 05-09 cars in my opinion. Everything seems more plush and has a "softer" feel. It really feels more like a high end european sports car when you sit down and wrap your hands around the wheel. The ambient lightning option adds a nice subtle touch to the door panels, cup holder, door sill plates, and down by the pedals.
The new gauges are wicked looking and really add a more retro feel to the interior. They are super bright and easy to read and with the MyColor option, your choices are endless to customize these as you see fit. Another subtle change I noticed was that the vanity mirror covers on the sunvisors bare a striking resemblance to the new 2010 hood ( something they didn't mention in MotorTrend!) The shifter in the automatic is also an improvement over the 05-09 cylinder style shifter handle.
Another negative, however, for the interior would be the new rear center console. When closed, the console looks great, but when opened, it flings back toward the rear seats...nearly touching them, and sure to knock anyone in the knees if sitting in the back. The worst part is getting the console door shut, if you are the driver or passenger, you have to do a pretty massive reach around to get your hand above the door so it can be closed. This is pretty awkward and a tad bit uncomfortable. I would have liked to see possibly a smaller arm rest pad combo console door that was more centrally located. You also lose the comfort of resting your forearm on the pad like in the 05-09 cars. Id also keep a microfiber towel and possibly a small bottle of cleaner handy, theres alot of new chrome trim in this interior and if you are slightly OCD like me about your interior cleanliness... fingerprints will be your enemy!
ENGINE:
The 3V motor in the GT is pretty similar to the previous 05-09 models save for the new cold air induction style intake and an increase of 15 hp. I also would have liked to see the new style Running Horse emblem on the 2010 grille carried onto the plenum cover. That new plastic hose on the intake tube that heads for the cab is to help give some "engine noise" because the preliminary tests found that the car was too "quiet". You can hear a bit of sucking noise from the intake while hitting the bigger RPM's inside, but after these guys add their own intake and exhaust in the aftermarket, I dont think quiet will be a problem =) The factory exhaust actually sounds really good and is noticeably louder and throatier than the previous model.
VIDEOS AND OVERALL: