The new 2005 Ford Mustang GT convertible. Let me start by emphasising the word NEW. Starting with a new platform for the first time in 26 years(!), this pony is a completely different car. Having owned a ’94 GT and a ’95 GT convertible, I can confidently say that the new Mustang has virtually no similarities to the previous generation (or two).

Ah yes, power. Mustangs have always been known for power but some years – even not too long ago – the power has been on the mild side. My older GTs only had 215hp. They had considerably more torque than that and felt like V8s but weren’t anything “magical”. My 94 and 95 only did best 0-60 times of 6.7 seconds. Right in the MCS league.

The 2005 GT has power galore. Gobs and gobs of torque. 320lbs of torque to be exact. And 300hp. All from a 3-valve 4.6L V8 which gets the same gas mileage rating as my old 5.0L V8 did. Good job Ford!

Did I mention the gobs of torque? There’s torque everywhere. From a standstill, a rolling start, in overdrive (5th gear) and even in the 1k RPM range. Chirping the tires in third is a piece of cake! 0-60 times in as little as 5.0 seconds. That’s one-tenth of a second away from “exotic” 60-times in my book. This thing is brutally fast.

This isn’t your father’s Mustang. Heck it isn’t even anything like the previous generation Mustang. The wheelbase is longer and the GT has larger stabilizer bars. Sure there’s still no independent suspension, but the new Panhard rod makes the 3-link solid axle well suited for cornering and even uneven pavement to a degree. In my older Mustangs, one test drive was all it took to experience the backend jumping around accelerating out of corners and turning from a stop sign. It was probably the most noticeable (and annoying) thing about the older models. Yet it took TWO FULL WEEKS in my 05 to find a section of road where my 05 bounced around like the Mustangs of old. What a huge improvement.

The new Mustangs corner very well. Not MINI-well, but very well nonetheless. And of course with 320lbs of torque and rear-wheel drive, the Mustang comes out of a corner with a vengeance that has to be seen or felt to truly appreciate. The biggest problem with the Mustang’s cornering is the lack of speed sensation you get in straight-ahead cruising. You get pinned back deep into those luxurious seats when you peg the pedal (even half-way) but while cruising 80mph feels like 55. So if you don’t check your speedo, you could head into a corner way too hot – think you’re going 40 when you’re really going 65-70. Then you also realize this isn’t the MINI you’ve been driving for the last 2 ¾ years. That’s happened to me twice so far. But now I’m more aware of this problem.

The 05 Mustang actually has a bit more leg and hip room than previous model years. And its backseat actually looks big and roomy compared to the MINI’s. The seats are incredibly comfortable, supportive and soft! The leather is top notch – WAY better than previous Mustang leather which was very thin and tended to wringle almost immediately. The Mustang leather is so high-quality, it makes MINI leather feel like plastic. The ribs and rows in the seats keep you planted in them.

Mustangs have always been known for cheap interiors. Not only are they cheap to produce (which they need to be since the base model is an under $20k car) but they look and feel cheap. Supposedly the new interiors are still cheap cost-wise, and I don’t like the look of the plain plastic base interior but the Interior Upgrade Option is fantastic. It includes a satin aluminum-finish instrument panel, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with satin aluminum spokes, bright polished chrome rings on the instrument panel, a leather-wrapped sport shift ****, satin aluminum-plated door handles, and a special 6-gauge cluster with MyColor feature which is color-configurable with up to 125 color choices. The interior looks fantastic! And let me tell you about this MyColor feature. It is the coolest interior feature available on a car (and currently the only car with this feature). You have 6 basic colors to choose from: white, blue, red, orange, green and purple. White is the default and white is the color while your headlights are off. Then you can create a custom color (which is stored) by varying the amount of blue, red and green light. My favorites are the regular blue and a light, almost electric blue.

Exterior Appearance

The 05 Mustang GT convertible looks fantastic. It has all the styling cues from the previous generation Mustangs – particularly the muscle car Mustangs of the late 60’s. The hood is huge in the 05 Mustang and not just in length and width. But the new hood is very high and muscular-looking. The front of the GT looks great with 4 lights across the grill. Two headlights and two grill-mounted, headlight-size fog lights. Another great visual feature are the flaring wheel wells. They look super from a head-on front or rear view. And the rear taillights with a center chrome GT FORD fake gas cap is my favorite view.

Convertible Features
One of the things I like about a larger convertible is the way the roof folds completely out of sight. A convertible on a small car like a MINI stacks behind the read seats and blocks the rear view considerably. On the Mustang it’s almost all tucked underneath. The previous generation Mustang convertibles folded completely down but had a big draw-back. There was no boot covering the roof. And it folded sort of inside-out. This meant that the roof part didn’t look great when the top was down. The 05 Mustang convertible folds in sort of a Z shape that is supposedly a tad slower than the previous generation, but the part on top that you see is actually the outside of the roof. So it looks like there is a boot covering the roof when in fact it is the roof. Mustangs have always had an optional boot cover to manually cover the roof when the top is down. With the old Mustangs, the boot was necessary for maximum protection of the roof AND for the car to look it’s best. But it’s a manual, snap-on boot cover that will prevent you from closing the roof without first manually taking it off. That was a pain and I rarely used it. On my new Mustang, I once again have the optional boot cover, but it’s in its original plastic bag in my garage. I have not used and have no intensions of doing so. Maybe I should sell it on ebay or something.

Although the MINI does have the cool “sunroof” opening option, there really isn’t much use for that – at least not in the nice weather. To me, any weather that’s good enough to open a sunroof is good enough to put the top down. Still I applaud MINI for coming up with a great added bonus feature.

Another great thing about the Mustang convertible is the Mustang is a coupe with a trunk. Cars with trunks made into convertibles look the same with the top up. Heck I have a black Mustang with a black top and occasionally when people see it parked, they don’t even know it’s a convertible until they get up real close. The MINI convertible is built on a hatchback so it doesn’t look as nice as a normal MINI with the top up.

Drive-by-wire
The 05 Mustang is the first Mustang to use drive-by-wire technology. I was a bit apprehensive about this because of all the problems with MINI’s ECUs. But let me tell you, I don’t know how they did it, but Ford got it right. And they got it right the first time. The car always starts immediately. The idle is always steady and perfect. And the car NEVER hesitates. And it’s super, silky smooth. There’s no bogs or yo-yos or stumbles. And even though letting up the gas is not immediate like in the MINI (for emissions purposes), the car is extremely smooth. Whereas in the MINI, when you let go of the gas, it slows down in two noticeable, purposeful stages, the Mustang slows down gradually with no bumps or jerks. You can’t even tell when the computer completely closes the throttle – it’s THAT smooth. It’s a little weird driving a Mustang this way b/c usually with the heavy weight of the car AND the braking power of the big V-8 engine, the car almost comes to a halt when you let up on the gas. Not so in the new ones. It’s so smooth it’s hard to believe it’s a Mustang, or a Ford. That’s why it feels so absolutely refined. It really feels like you’re driving some sophisticated $50k+ dollar high-performance machine like an M3 or M5. It’s very, very powerful, comfortable AND refined like a high-dollar luxury car.

Traction Control
Once again, surprisingly, Ford got it right while MINI took two years. And the Mustang’s traction control is STILL better. I leave it on 99% of the time in the Mustang. I only take it off for effect (burning serious rubber – only once every other blue moon) or if I just want to accelerate from a standstill at absolute maximum speed (again - about every other blue moon). The Mustang is rated as low as 5.0 seconds to 60. Half throttle accelerates faster than 95% of the cars on the road. That’s usually plenty.

But the traction control never bogs down the car so you’ll never get caught in an intersection with no throttle. No it’s perfect. You can squeal the tires a decent amount even with it on. And you never notice it interfering. The only way you notice it is when you turn it off and you realize that without it you squeal the tires about 3 times more. The MINI’s traction control on their first 10 or so ECU versions stunk. Really stunk. The traction control cut WAY too much power. The only good thing about the ECU upgrade I was forced to get with the emissions recall is the traction control is improved and is not nearly as intrusive. But the Mustang’s traction control still blows it away.

Conveniences
One very nice feature that I know many MINI owners wished they had is auto-up windows. Well believe it or not, the new Mustang’s got ‘em. Auto-up windows – for both the driver’s and passenger’s front windows. And it works with either controls for the passenger’s window. Either the driver can auto-up the passenger’s window or the passenger can do it.

Overall Ratings

................................Stock 03MCS....My03MCS....05Mustang GT....Mid90sGT

Acceleration(standstill).....C.................... B.................A+....................B

Acceleration(highway)..... B-................ A/A- .............A+ ...................B+

Torque on demand ..........B-.................. A-.............. A+ ...................B+

Performance with A/C.......C-...................A-..............A+.....................B

Cornering (normal) ..........A ...................A+ ..............A- ....................B-

Cornering (max speed) ....A- ..................A+............... B+................... C

Traction Control ............C ....................B-................ A................... n/a

Comfort .......................B ....................B .................A+.................. C+

Drive-by-wire Smoothness C-................. A-................ A+ .................n/a

Driving Pleasure .............B+.................. A.................. A+.................. B

Interior Quality ..............B.................... B.................. A ....................C+

Interior Appearance .......A.................... A+................ A+.............. C+/B-

Exterior Appearance ......A.................... A+................ A+.................... B

Overall ......................B/B+..................A ..................A+................... B-

Conclusion
I hate to say it but yes, my 2005 Mustang GT convertible is my favorite car now of all time. I always like Mustangs but for 3 years, the MINI Cooper S toppled them. But the new Mustang is like nothing else out there. 300hp and 320lbs of torque for $25k for the GT coupe. And the GT convertible, oh my god…just too much fun. The convertible is incredible. Because of all the driving I do, I would never get a Mustang over a MINI. Because of the gas-guzzling V8 and the rear wheel drive, it’s just not practical enough for me. But as a convertible as a second car, this is the absolutely perfect car for me.

I still love my MINI – more than ever in fact, yet the new Mustang has set a new high. I still plan on getting another MINI when this one wears out. I think the two cars are a perfect combination and complement each other perfectly. And although my MINI has 74k miles, it runs better than ever with the mods and such that I've added.

MCS Mustang...................................GT convertible

1.6L 4 cyl supercharged........................4.6L n/a V8

6 speed manual..................................5 speed manual

Front wheel drive................................Rear wheel drive

Good gas mileage.........................Not so good gas mileage

Fantastic in corners...........................Good in corners

Very good acceleration..................Fantastic acceleration

Super in rain (w/aftermarket tires).....Good in rain

Decent in snow (w/stock all-seasons).....Terrible in snow

Very little space in boot....................Pretty decent trunk space

Good space with seats folded.........Seats don’t fold (coupe does however)

If I could only have one car, based on the miles I drive and how I need to get around 6 days a week, 12 months a year, the MCS would be my choice. But since I have both, the Mustang (GT convertible) is my favorite pick.

 

I've never been a fan of Mustangs...not then...not now. Still no contest here.:smile:

 

I have never liked the looks, and the new one is hideous to me...blech!

 

I'm glad to see such a great review!

I saw a black/black GTc the other day that I could not take my eyes off of.
It was awesome looking. Since then I've been thinking seriously about getting one like it, but it would be a early 2007 model.

 

Does not appeal to me at all, it is true that great improvements since the last generation, but again, does not do anything for me, would buy a new 05 GTO with 400hp all day long and smoke every single GT on the road.

 

I, too, am not a Mustang fan, but your review is great. Hope I get get a chance to drive one soon. Thanks.

 

The new Stang captures some of the style & spirit of the old. I see a lot of the Mach I in the new car. While that might turn some folks off I like it.

I used to own a 1980 Stang, so I'm not uneducated about or biased against them. However, when I got rid of that Ford I promised myself never to buy another. Too many problems... too much $$ for Ford parts which wore prematurely. The only car which has even remotely made me feel good about Ford again (since) is the new GT (40). Lets hope for Ford's sake that other folks feel the same way you do about the new pony car. I sure do see alot of them on the road these days.

Lets also hope that your perspective on your new GT 'vertable is as good in a year or two as you feel about it now... and as good as your experience with your MCS has been to date.

 

Couldn't agree more.

I don't understand all this new "60's" look...it IS 2005. If I wanted a "60's" look, I'd go buy a 60's car and put in a new technology drivetrain...the 60's look with the 05 power.

 

Greatgro,

great write-up! I agree! Bitchin ride...wish I could get a ragtop like you and have both in my garage. The MINIs styling is as retro as the stang

I may have to go test drive one this weekend

 

nice job on the write up.



nothing personal to you, but i hate Ford Motor Company so no thanks to
any of their cars.

 

This is actually my 4th Ford. I've owned two other Mustang GTs and an Escort. Here's the kicker...are you guys ready for this?? I've never, ever had warranty work done on any of my Fords. I do have ONE thing that needs to be done on my current Mustang. There's a small metal piece on the top of the windshield where the top latches on that is loose. They ordered the entire latch thingy and will replace it. The MUSTANGS never needed ANY work whatsoever and the Escort only needed a fuse for the heater/air b/c it was submerged in water after a flood. And a fuse was the only damage! I don't know where my Mustangs are b/c I traded them in, but the Escort had 95k miles when I sold it. It currently has almost 120k miles and is STILL in perfect condition.

I understand how Ford got this bad reputation. They made some really crappy cars in the 80's. But if I were to view my MINI the same way - based on warranty work and repairs, I wouldn't buy another MINI ever again. But I like the car and I'm giving MINI a BIG benefit of doubt here. Don't get me wrong I absolutely love my MINI. But you want to see the list of repairs? Here are the ones I can remember off the top of my head:

-Deformed oil filter casing
-Oil pressure light going off constantly on rainy and humid days
-Power Steering Fan seized - blew fuse and caused engine to overheat
-Driver's door lock accentuator went - windows and sunroof would open whenever they felt like it. I couldn't lock the doors without everything opening.
-Steering column replaced
-Faulty clutch plate from the factory
-Air bag light. Some wire in the seat had to be replaced...THREE TIMES
-PVC valve and hose needed early replacement
-Coolant tank leaking. Replaced TWICE
-Bearings needed replacement in wheel or axis (not sure of the exact repair)
-Recall on ECU for emissions
-Some other recall I can't "recall" at the moment

That's 15 things I had to take my MINI in for service for - and that's just off the top of my head. 14 of them happened under warranty (thank god). All except the driver's door lock accentuator (or whatever that is).

If the above happened to a Ford or any other car manufacturer, we'd swear them off for life. The difference here is MINI's marketing. Yes, that's the difference. Their marketing department. They made us LOVE our cars. So whatever happens to MINIs, we just want to nurse "our babys" back to health.

 

I put the GTO in the same class as an EVO. In that there's plenty of power but it's a very ugly car. The GTO isn't quite as ugly as an EVO, the GTO's problem is that it doesn't look like a muscle car or even a sports car for that matter. It looks like every other Pontiac. Who could even tell the difference between a GTO, a Grand Am, a Grand Prix or whatever other models they make. You'd better get that 400+hp GTO b/c the standard 350hp got absolutely spanked by the 300hp GT in one of the recent mags. The GTO is too heavy and corners like an Aztec. Pontiac's gonna have to put 500+hp in there for anybody to buy it.

 

 

Forgot to mention the exhaust. The exhaust is perfect for a GT convertible. It's actually very quiet when cruising at a constant speed which is really what you want with a convertible. You don't want a loud rumble all of the time. Sometimes you just want to feel the wind and chill or listen to music...However, when you get on it, it literally roars and it roars so deep and beautifully that a 4 cylinder could never touch a sound like that. The Mustang GT's exhaust is absolutely perfect for my GT convertible. Loud and awesome when I'm on it and quiet when I'm feeling quiet.

As far as modding goes, I have NO intention of modding the Mustang. My Mustang is perfect as is and other than an airbag warning sticker, I don't think I'll be adding anything. No performance mods that's for sure. 320lbs of torque and 0-60 in 5.0 seconds is plenty for me. I only modded my S b/c I thought it was kind of slow in stock form and saw potential to make it pretty darn fast for not a whole lot of money.

Stereos. Mustangs offer a standard 160watt (I thnk that's the wattage) 6-speaker single CD stereo, a 500 watt, 8-speaker 6 CD changer that plays Mp3s and a 1000 watt, 10-speaker 6 CD changer that plays Mp3s. The Shaker 500 is what I have. That's what I wanted but if I could only find one with the Shaker 1000 (an extra $1300), I would have taken it. The Shaker 1000 has two 250 watt subwoofers in the trunk that takes up about 1/4 of the space back there. That's way more bass than I need. The 500 has more than enough. The best part is the 6 CD changer that plays Mp3s. I've only used 4 slots so far and have 521 songs on there. I keep a little booklet that I printed up that has all four CDs and all 521 songs so passengers can pick the songs they want with ease and even play DJ.

As for the sound quality of the Shaker 500, it blows both MINI stereos away. I have the base stereo b/c the Harmon Kardon was not out yet but I have no regrets there. I've had loaners with the H/K and was not very impressed. The sound quality is somewhat improved over the base MINI stereo but the volume is not nearly loud enough. I've talked to H/K owners about this (2 that I met at a dealer) and they said the same thing. They can't even hear their radio with the sunroof open. Why would the 400 or whatever watt H/K stereo only be half as loud as the base stereo? The Shaker 500 wins hands down. It has plenty of volume - more than enough for high speeds with the top down. It also has digital processing choices like the H/K where you can center it around the driver, rear seats or all the passengers. I love it.

As for availability, Mustang GTs are in short supply. It's way, way worse than the Cooper S situation was. Gt convertibles are in REAL short supply. Here in NJ, the markups on GTs are around $3k. The convertible I wanted was going for $8k over list. I finally found my car in Georgia for a decent price and shipped it to NJ.

 

Like a vtec Mini?

Edit: I really think Ford has a home run on their hands with the new Mustang, especially the GT. It is a vast improvement over the previous models. Congrats on the new ride.

 

I can vouch for the coolness of the upgraded interior. My co-worker just bought one (non-convertible) and I gotta say, it's a very cool car!

I personally feel that the MINI is more "me" than the 'stang, but if I could afford the convertible GT in addition to my MCS, I might be in the same boat as you .

Congrats on your new purchase, and thanks for the excellent review!

 

It is not ugly, but Pontiac lost the train by not making a model that would look retro, as a matter of fact it was going to be named G8, but some idiot came with a bright idea and screwed up the whole nice possible things and upset the whole nation. The GTO is not a very heavy car for handling, it is just not geared up right for twisties. This is the biggest problem with US manufacturers. It is always straight forward performance. I read couple of articles and tract tests on some European and US car magazines, a JCW MCS puts better lap times on a circuit than the GTO, with half hp. That is the reason why our cars basically superior to others. On the other hand, putting GTO in the same class with EVO is not so appropiate, but not totally wrong either. Yes, they test them together, but it is apples to orange I guess. GTO is a good old push-rod two door coupe, like the GT. It has good quality inside, of course it is coming from Australia, not the most beautiful car, but not the ugliest either.

 

ooooh you got the red leather interior, everytime i see it i fall more in love
!

 

As an owner of a similarly powered Mustang convertable, I gotta say that they both have thier place. Sure, the mini is more fun in the twisties (that I really like) and is a blast on track days, but it will never leave a 75 foot burn out in the parking lot at work either! I'm not a quarter mile jockey and never will be, but my mustang has better balence than the mini for sure, but not quite the composure, because no matter how much I spend on the suspension, the 1965 unibody just isn't tight enough to compete with the modern computer aided designed, FEA optimized structures of today. I'll be taking the Mustang to Laguna Seca in early Sept for it's first track days, so I'll get some interesting impressions to report....

So good job on the write-up, welcome to the coolest cool car combo (Mini S and Mustang Convertable) club short of Minis and Ferarris, and don't worry about the mini purests, they're just missing out on other kinds of fun! WE know what a blast we have in both cars, and that's what really matters.

Matt

 

A new Mustang GT convertible in a year or so was going to be my next car (after my '05 Mini which should arrive next week), but after driving an '05 GT a few weeks ago, I'm not so sure now. I had a chance to take a couple of laps around an autocross course with a new Mustang GT at the Car and Driver 50th anniversary party in late July, and out of the 6 cars I drove that day, the Mustang had the worst handling, the worst brakes, and the worst stock tires by far. I took it kind of hard because I've been a Mustang guy for years (I've owned two V8 Mustangs in the last 18 years, and I really wanted to like the new 'stang.

In all fairness though, the other five cars I drove were definitely out of the Mustang's league when it came to handling. Those other five were: '05 C6 Corvette, '05 Mazda RX8, '05 Honda S2000, '06 BMW 330, and the king of them all, the '05 Dodge Viper. In all fairness to the Mustang, spending around $1500 for bigger sway bars, stickier (and wider) tires, and better brake pads, and it would have come close to holding its own with the rest of them. I came away just in awe of the Viper though, and may get a 1st gen Viper instead of the Mustang Convertible in a year or so. The cost would be about the same ($30,000), and while the Mustang would be more practical, it would be a 3rd or 4th car for my wife and I, so practicality wouldn't be on the top of my priorities.

Good write up on the Mustang, I will still be considering it for my next car, it just isn't at the top of my list anymore.

-Keith

 

Keith - what's going on over there??? The 05 mustang is MUCH improved in the handling department but an autocross? The Mustang has never been, nor will it ever be an autocross car. It's too big and heavy. Being disappointed that a Mustang can't autocross with a Vetter is like getting upset that a MINI can't 1/4 mile along side a vette. Keep to each car's strengths. Autocross your MINI not the Mustang.


BTW, I searched the country for my Mustang, found it in Georgia after about 2 months and had it delivered (which took another month). All the while I never even test drove one. Having owned previous models and looking at 'em and sitting in 'em and knowing performance-wise the 05's were better, I just knew I'd love it.

 

Yeah the amazing thing is I don't even really like red! I had seen the interior in brochures but wasn't sure if I liked it. I wasn't sure what color exterior to get either. But when I took my son to a Ford dealer to check them out (the first 4 I went to didn't have ANY GTs), they had a loaded Black GT convertible with the Red interior. We sat in that baby for quite a while. I knew it was perfect. Then after seeing they wanted $8k over list, I began my internet search. But I really love the Red interior - I've seen a number of 60's Mustangs with a red interior so the Red is really "throwback".

 

Thanks Matt. I think it is the "coolest cool car combo". The CCCC.

And thanks to the rest of you guys - or at least to the ones that gave compliments!

 

Mustangs can handle pretty well with a few minor changes, even in their stock autocross class. Basically the SCCA's F Stock class is populated entirely with Mustangs and Camaros, and one or the other has won at the Nationals in Topeka every year since the class started IIRC.

I do want to have my cake and eat it too In all fairness though, the best "stock" class autocrossed Mustangs have double adjustable Koni struts/shocks, race compound tires, and a few other modifications that are allowed in that class (as do all the other top "stock" cars, the Minis too), and can handle quite well. Believe it or not, the fastest Mustangs in FS are usually just a little faster than the fastest Mini Cooper S's in GS. I've autocrossed a friend's '96 Mustang Cobra a few times, and while it doesn't feel as tight or well composed as the Minis I've raced/driven, he does very well with it. A Mini is easier to push to its limits of handling IMHO than a Mustang is, but in the right hands, a well prepared Mustang (even in stock class) can be just as fast or faster.

-Keith

 

Nice write-up... Enjoy your new car!