Fast Facts

• Engine: 4600cc/8-cyl
• Power (bhp/rpm): 300/6000
• Torque (lb ft@rpm): 320/4500
• Top speed: 143mph
• 0-60mph: 5.2sec
• Fuel consumption: n/a
• Transmission: 5-sp man/auto

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When it went on sale in 1964, the Ford Mustang became the fastestselling car in history – in two years it shifted more than a milion examples. So when Ford needed to come up with another sure-fi re winner early in the new millennium, having let the Mustang wither on the vine in the meantime, it made sense to reinvent the original version of its iconic pony car.

The move was the right one – the reinvigorated Mustang went down a storm. Just as with the original there were numerous personalisation options, a choice of V6 or V8 powerplants and the option of open or closed editions.

Most importantly of all though, the car looked sensational, thanks to a raft of design cues from the Mustangs of 1967 and 1968. While the fi rst cars sold for crazy money, values have settled now the car is six years old – and despite its comparative youth, Ford’s fi fth-generation Pony car is defi nitely already a classic.

What to look for

With the fifth-generation Mustang being such a new design, it’s unsurprising that there’s little to look out for in terms of corrosion or wear. Over-engineered in most areas and designed for owners who may not be too choosy about how they drive their car or how well it’s serviced, the Mustang is extremely durable. As a result, you need to check for the same things that you’d check when buying any used car, especially things like the service history and whether or not the car has been crashed. The key thing to check though is that you’re buying the model that’s right for you. There’s a choice of open or closed models, with V6 or V8 power. Opt for the latter and there’s a whole host of options such as Shelby or Roush editions, which are very collectible, but also potentially a lot more costlier to run.

Values

The earliest 4-litre coupés are now down to around £13,000. For this money you can expect a car with less than 30,000 miles on the clock that’s got little more than standard equipment. Convertibles with a V6 start at £15,000; that’s the same point from which V8 coupés are available. If you want a V8 convertible you’ll have to pay at least £18,000 – this is also the start point for a supercharged V8 coupé. As you’d expect, more money buys you a newer car – but it also secures a higher-spec one too. While higher-spec can mean featuring more equipment, it can also mean fruitier, as upgraded cars are more common than you might think. Mustangs tuned by Roush, Saleen and Shelby are all available, with prices typically starting at £25,000 or so for early examples. If you want an early GT500 you can have one from £35,000, while the latest cars are changing hands for upwards of £45,000. 

Driving one

With a primitive live axle at the back you could be forgiven for assuming that the ‘new’ Mustang would be pretty unruly to drive, but you’d be wrong. Ford has managed to perform little short of a miracle with its somewhat simple and old-fashioned (classic?) suspension set-up. With a decently compliant ride, ample grip and surprisingly good body control. It’s not until you’re really pressing on that things get untidy, but if you like a bit of tail-out action, you’ll see the basic suspension design as a positive bonus rather than a drawback.

While the dynamics are clearly important, few people will buy a Mustang – and especially a V8 edition – for anything other than the power and torque on offer. With at least 300bhp on tap from the 4.6-litre unit, along with 320lbft or torque (equivalent V6 fi gures are 210bhp and 240lbft), the V8 gives ample performance. Comparisons with the original Mustangs are inevitable and while its all down to personal choice, you have to admit that the current pony keeps close to the original theme but with useful modern conveniences for today’s roads.