There were so many teaser shots of the Ford Mustang that we were at risk of losing interest before it was fully unveiled. Luckily we didn’t and can now bring you the official shots of the whole car.
At first glance the new 'Stang looks like just a minor facelift and nothing to get too excited about. But look closer and you’ll notice a vast number of subtle revisions that make the car look both more modern and more in keeping with the original sixties design.
The side profile has been softened and is now curvier, while details like the front and rear lights are better integrated. Overall, and Ford made no secret of this, the car has been made to look better proportioned and more compact.
Exterior designer George Saridakis says the rear haunches and other changes give the Mustang a more voluptuous look. Aerodynamics have been improved and the bonnet now has a pronounced ‘power dome’ in the centre.
Inside Ford has used soft touch plastics and even the trim across the dashboard is now ‘aluminum’ instead of metallic-finished plastic. The 2010 GT retains its 4.6-litre three-valve V8, which now has 310bhp and 325 lb-ft of torque.
The whole car has extra sound insulation to give a quieter drive but because Mustang drivers still like to hear the roar of a big V8, the engineers have come up with a clever solution. A small tube coming off the side of the duct goes into the passenger compartment giving occupants some of that V8 induction sound directly.
The base 4.0L V6 remains unchanged for 2010, although 2011 should see more significant powertrain upgrades, including the smaller displacement, turbocharged, direct-inject EcoBoost engines added to the pony. Electronic stability control will now be standard across the range. The first cars will hit the road by January although it is unclear whether Ford will officially bring it to the UK. We’re hoping it does…