It is no exaggeration that I bleed Ford blue (due to a severe blood oxygen deficiency) so I don’t take lightly to any ill-speak of the Blue Oval. But I was a bit worried that the Mustang guys might have gotten a little lackadaisical when it came time to refresh the S197 Mustang. The 2005 retro-esque Mustang was a big hit with both buyers and critics, although there were complaints about build quality and a cheap feel to the interior. But with RWD and a 300 horsepower V8 engine for under $30k, the S197 Mustang was in a class all its own and without a direct competitor there seems to have been some slacking in the engine department.
The 2010 Mustang GT, before the guys at GAS got to it...
I say this because while the 2010 Mustang is more muscular and aggressive looking than any of its predecessors, the Camaro and Challenger have stepped up to challenge the Mustang for the muscle car throne and they came packing big power in their efforts to usurp the original pony car. The Camaro is available with 422 horsepower in a 6-speed SS configuration and the SRT8 Challenger comes with 425 ponies (as well as the largest price tag of the trio), leaving the Mustang and its 315 horsepower in the dust of bench racing.
Or so it would seem.
...and then five minutes later, sporting a carbon fiber faux-scoop, skullcaps new grill, 20 in. chrome wheels, and a carbon fiber spoiler.
When I arrived at the New York International Auto Show yesterday, the first booth I cam across was Mustang Alley, a large booth set up to look like a speed shop with a wall of classic and contemporary hoods hanging from it. A thick crowd had gathered and I had to shoulder my way through them to figure out what was going on. It turns out that the guys from Galpin Auto Sports had been hired by Ford to perform hourly customizations on the upcoming 2010 Mustang. Seeing how their competition was revving up, Ford has elected to offer unparalleled support for the 2010 Mustang right out of the gate, and the guys of GAS were helping spread the word by converting a stock Mustang GT with a handful of tasteful (or not) upgrades available straight from the Ford dealership. Representing GAS on Team Mustang was “Flames,” Ray Covarrubias, and Kevin Whitney.
From left to right, "Flames," Ivan Copeland, Shannon Kulma, Ray Covarrubias, and Kevin Whitney of Team Mustang.
Shannon Kulma, a spokes model for the Mustang, explained that Ford was hoping to offer potential buyers their chance to add a “personal touch” to their transportation. “Everything you see at this booth is available from a Ford dealership. That includes hood and side scoops, skullcaps, ¼ window louvers, spoilers, and 13 different choices of wheels from alloys to chrome,” she told me after the guys of GAS spent about five minutes transforming the Mustang GT, giving it an altogether even more aggressive look.
Also on hand was Ivan Copeland, who explained how Ford hopes to keep up with the more powerful Camaro and Challenger. “When you order a Mustang now, you have the option of adding on a factory-warranted Stage 1 or Stage 2 supercharger,” he said. “The Stage 1 supercharger boosts output to 420 horsepower, and the Stage 2 pulleys pump it all the way up to 500 horsepower.” All with a factory warranty!
Also on hand was Ivan Copeland, who explained how Ford hopes to keep up with the more powerful Camaro and Challenger. “When you order a Mustang now, you have the option of adding on a factory-warranted Stage 1 or Stage 2 supercharger,” he said. “The Stage 1 supercharger boosts output to 420 horsepower, and the Stage 2 pulleys pump it all the way up to 500 horsepower.” All with a factory warranty!
The evolution of the Mustang hood, with a 28-year gap of uninteresting bonnets between '72 and 2000 apparently.
While no one would speculate about Ford coming late to the party with a bigger engine (the Ford engine is a full liter less than either of its competitors and is almost two decades old) at the very least a supercharged Mustang will make taking the muscle car throne that much harder.
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