The $21,000 GT 4.6 V8 with a 5-speed was our test subject. This car and all the V8 Mustangs before it, dating back
to 1965, has the acceleration, the throbbing exhaust pulse, the trim size and weight, and the quick handling that
customers demand in a ponycar.
But competitive moves may have turned the Mustang into a relative punycar. The Chevy Camaro and Pontiac Firebird
for 1998 boast a new aluminum engine that produces 305 hp, with a fresh-air induction option that raises the ante to
320 hp, with torque as high as 335 lbs.-ft., and 6-speed manual transmissions. The GM cars also have traction control,
which is not available on the Mustang.
The Mustang is barely 15 feet long, with a wheelbase just over 100 inches long, with no long overhangs front or rear.
While this design makes it easy to maneuver and easy to park, it also means the Mustang is a sporty platform - relatively
light, quick to change direction - but stable.
With a short and narrow package to work with, Ford's designers have done a good job of masking the car's size with
generous sweeps of front sheetmetal and good design on the sides and rear end. The Mustang is short, but it doesn't
look stumpy or cut off.
Our test car had the standard passive anti-theft system, now called Securilock, in which the key and the car
communicate electronically every time the car is started. It also had the optional perimeter anti-theft system, which
protects it from unauthorized entry through doors, windows, hood or trunk. Yet another option was the remote keyless
entry system, which controls the door locks, interior lamps, decklid and a panic alarm from the key fob.
The interior design of the current Mustang is based on the vertically split instrument panel in the original 1964
car, with individual, rounded coves facing each of the front occupants. A full array of round analog instruments
faces the driver, while the passenger side contains an air bag and a glovebox. Nothing essential is out of reach and
none of the controls requires a long stretch.
For 1998, Ford has revised the console to have two full-time cupholders instead of one, with an ashtray insert for
smokers and a real cigarette lighter (the power point has been moved inside the console storage box). The digital
clock that used to reside atop the dashboard in its own nacelle has been removed and the clock has been reincorporated
into the radio display.
The interior is nice and cozy in the coupe, with just enough seat track length to accommodate tall drivers, and just
enough elbow room to keep one from feeling cramped. The driving position is much higher than in either the Camaro or the
Firebird, and it's much easier to get in and out of the Mustang.
The front bucket seats are thin, and short in every dimension. They aren't comfortable for long distances, but more
than adequate for around-town driving. For those who like to drive on back roads, there isn't much side support built
into the bucket seats, so you have to brace yourself in the car to stay in place. Ford has provided a dead pedal for
bracing with the left foot, which helps.
The Mustang's back seat is vestigial at best, with only enough room for small objects or very small people. The split
fold-down rear seat is handy for hauling large cargo, a good feature because the Mustang trunk is among the smallest in
the industry.
In this class, horsepower and acceleration at a reasonable price are what matter, and the Mustang 4.6-liter V8 has
plenty of each. While the new modular single overhead-cam V8 engine doesn't have the loud and lumpy idle quality and
ferocious intake roar of the old 5.0-liter overhead-valve V8, it has almost exactly the same power and torque
characteristics and accelerates at almost exactly the same rate, with 0-60 mph times in the low 6-second range. That's
quick.
The new V8 will pull happily to 6000 rpm, making the driving experience that much more fun. The 4-speed automatic may be
the better choice for those who have to commute in heavy traffic and there's little loss in performance. But the new
Borg-Warner T-56 5-speed manual is more fun with a 225-hp V8 engine. The gearbox shifts smoothly and mates well to an
engine that features a flexible powerband and sufficient strength to take high-rpm shifts for the life of the car.
The 1998 Mustang chassis is essentially the same as the 1979 Mustang. It has been reinforced to make the car handle more
crisply, steer more accurately, and deal with road shocks more effectively. But it is still a modified 1979 Mustang
unibody chassis with relatively unsophisticated MacPherson strut suspension and a solid rear axle. Given what they had to
work with, the Mustang's engineers have done a good job making the car smoother and quieter.
Most of the raw edges and choppiness of the Mustang's old suspension behavior have been smoothed out. The steering is
more direct and more positive than previous Mustangs, helped by performance tire technology.