Details Of the Redesigned 2005 Mustang Retro Pony Car - Looks Good Bill!

By: Brad Nevin | Ford Communications Network

The 2005 Mustang GT (top) is the most attainable 300-horsepower V-8 performance car on the market, and its V-6 Coupe stablemate is the best rear-wheel-drive car under $20,000. For more information on the 2005 Mustang, visit the Ford Vehicles Web site. DETROIT – Like wild horses on an open plain, the Mustang always has exuded a sense of natural power. The redesigned 2005 Ford Mustang is no exception. Debuting at the 2004 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, only one year after its stunning concept was revealed, the new production car offers a clean, contemporary design that is grounded in the unmistakable heritage of America's original pony car.

The new Mustang is direct, straightforward, honest and authentically American.

And it's a knockout.

Its signature long hood and short rear deck capitalize on 40 years of history, as do classic design cues that have helped define Mustang since the 1960s: C-scoops in the sides, three-element tail lamps and a galloping horse badge in the center of the grille. The '05 Mustang's nose imparts an attitude not seen since the 1967 model, while jeweled, rounded headlamps in trapezoidal housings are part of a striking new design flair.

The new Mustang's grille is uniquely slanted forward. Its wheels are pushed out to the corners of the body to better anchor the car visually, as well as physically to the road. The 2005 Mustang's wheelbase is six inches longer than the previous model, which creates more interior room for passengers.

"We weren't just redesigning a car; we were adding another chapter to an epic," says J May, Ford Motor Company group vice president, design.

Both Mustang models offer a variety of interior color combinations and an available industry-first, color-configurable instrument panel. In the cabin, three distinct design themes pay homage to Mustang history with modern materials and features, including an available industry-first, color-configurable instrument panel. With this unique dashboard, Mustang owners can mix and match lights at the touch of a button to create more than 125 different color backgrounds to suit their mood, outfit or whim.

"This is a $30,000 interior in a $20,000 car," says Larry Erickson, Mustang chief designer. "The functional, contemporary look of this interior and its precise execution set a new standard."

Striking design is not the only story behind Mustang. At the heart of the GT Mustang's tire-smoking performance is a 300-horsepower, 4.6-liter all-aluminum V-8 engine with three valve heads. Its all-aluminum construction weighs 75 pounds less than a comparable cast-iron V-8 design and stokes 40 more horsepower than the 2004 engine. This is the first mainstream production Mustang to break out with 300 horses.

The six-cylinder Mustang coupe has a new 4.0-liter, single overhead cam V-6 engine with 202 horsepower replacing the 2004 model's 3.8-liter V-6. The new V-6 is inherently smoother and more compact, provides more power and torque and incorporates many of the advanced technologies used on the V-8.

Mustang's manual and automatic transmissions also are updated for improved performance. The standard transmission is a five-speed manual unit that has been improved for better shift quality and efficiency. For the first time, Mustang also is available with a five-speed automatic transmission that provides a unique combination of off-the-line jump and good fuel economy.

Echoing the pony car's storied racing history, the 2005 Mustang has a chassis that is new from the ground up. Its starting point is an all-new, purpose-built muscle-car platform with exceptional body stiffness and a high strength-to-weight ratio. With this ultra-rigid structure, Mustang engineers tuned spring, damping and busing rates to a finer degree than ever possible.

The redesigned 2005 Mustang is grounded in the heritage of America's original pony car, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. "Mustang is all about driving – that's really where the rubber meets the road," says Phil Martens, Ford Motor Company group vice president, product creation. "This all-new chassis design does everything better – accelerate, turn, stop – while isolating unwanted noise and making the most of the powerful new three-valve engine. It's a complete driving experience that is best summed up in one word: Mustang."

To pull the reigns, Ford's new Mustang is fitted with larger rotors, stiffer calipers and a four-channel anti-lock braking system that's standard on the GT and optional on the V-6 model. In addition to helping prevent wheel lock-up, the new system has electronic brake force distribution – a system that distributes braking power to the wheels where it can be used most effectively.

The payoff?

You get shorter stopping distances, better pedal feel and longer pad and rotor life.

“Cars are built all over the world, but Mustang could come only from Ford," says Martens. "Like the F-150 is to Ford trucks, Mustang is the soul of Ford cars. A pure performer, it's the most affordable 300-horsepower car made and the best rear-wheel-drive performance car under $20,000.”