- Solid V8 power in GT models

- About as well mannered as a car with a solid-axle rear suspension can get

- Slick retro interior

- Good cabin ergonomics

- No side curtain airbags or stability control

- Low-grade interior plastics

- Seats need more lateral support

Last redesigned for 2005, the Ford Mustang wears its heritage like a badge of honor. The canted nose -- with its big grille, round headlights and on GTs, grille-mounted foglights -- recalls the 1967-'69 Mustangs, while the side sculpting, taillights and the coupe's fastback roof line recall ponies of the 1965 vintage. Triangular side windows recall Carroll Shelby's work when he transformed the 1965 Mustang 2+2 fastback into the Shelby GT350. Naturally, Ford offers a wide array of color options and appearance packages for buyers who want to go beyond the stock look.

Inside, the retro motif continues with a dual-hooded dash, round-hub steering wheel and old-school gauges. Fortunately, these elements are neatly integrated into a modern, ergonomically sound interior design. The standard interior is heavy on hard plastic, though, so many buyers end up adding the Interior Upgrade Package, which provides satin aluminum accents and color-changeable backlighting for the instruments -- at the press of a button, one can select from white, blue, green and orange hues.

Despite its switch to an all-new platform for 2005, the Mustang continues to use a rather basic solid-axle rear suspension design. This allows Ford to keep the pricing low, and careful tuning results in reasonably precise handling through the corners. Although the Mustang can't match the refinement of import-brand competitors like the Nissan 350Z and Mazda RX-8, its more compliant ride makes it the better bet for commuters. If you're looking for an affordable coupe or convertible that's fast and fun, yet comfortable enough to drive every day, the 2007 Ford Mustang should be on your short list of candidates.

Available as a 2+2 coupe or convertible, the 2007 Ford Mustang comes in five major trim levels: V6 Standard, V6 Deluxe, V6 Premium, GT Deluxe and GT Premium. Standard equipment on the V6 Standard includes keyless entry, 16-inch wheels, air-conditioning, power windows and mirrors, cruise control, a CD player and an auxiliary input jack. The V6 Deluxe adds alloy wheels and opens up a longer list of options. The V6 Premium adds a "Shaker 500" premium audio system with CD changer, upgraded wheels and a power driver seat. An optional Pony Package for V6 Mustangs includes firmer suspension tuning, 17-inch wheels, ABS, foglamps and a unique grille. Step up to the V8-powered GT Deluxe and you'll get all the V6 Deluxe equipment, plus ABS, a rear spoiler, foglamps, 17-inch alloys and sport seats. The GT Premium adds the Shaker 500 sound system and leather seats.

Major options include a Shaker 1000 sound system, Sirius satellite radio, and later in the model year, a DVD-based navigation system. The Comfort Package bundles heated front seats, a power front passenger seat and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. Numerous interior and exterior appearance packages are also available for buyers seeking to personalize their Mustang.

Four-wheel disc brakes are standard on all Mustangs. Antilock brakes and traction control are optional on the V6 models and standard on the GT. A stability-control system is not offered. Front seat-mounted side airbags for front occupants are optional on all models, but full-length head curtain airbags are not available. In NHTSA crash tests, the Ford Mustang earned a perfect five stars for front-impact protection and four stars for side-impact protection.

Both the Mustang coupe and convertible offer seating for four, and average-size adults can sit in back with little problem. Interior ergonomics are vastly improved over previous-generation Mustangs, as the driver seat now puts you in the proper position to work the shifter and operate the controls. Switches and handles feel substantial, and although many of the plastics are coarse in texture, fit and finish is generally good. Retro styling abounds in little touches like the large round speedometer and tach (which feature an appropriate vintage font), dual-hooded dash and a cool steering wheel with a small round airbag hub and available metallic spokes. A striking color accent package features red leather seats, red door panel inserts and red floor mats, all set against a dark charcoal interior.

Acceleration is spirited with the V6, regardless of whether you choose the fun-to-shift manual or the responsive automatic. The GT provides the quintessential muscle car experience, of course, with loads of torque available right off the line and an exhaust note to match. The Mustang turns crisply and eagerly into corners with a flat, composed attitude. The brakes are powerful and control in bumpy corners is good, despite the continued use of a solid rear axle. Wind and road noise are low for a muscle car, and ride quality is surprisingly compliant.

* In the fight to reestablish Ford Motor Company in the hearts and minds of consumers, Ford is taking its story about how it plans to "take back the American road" to 68 cities this summer and fall, including a stop in Roanoke, Virginia on July 19, 2006.
* The iconic American sports car - the Ford Mustang - is a car for everyone. From an attention seeking Grabber Orange GT convertible to the Classic Pony package or the breathtaking Shelby GT500, consumers are demanding choice and Mustang delivers.
* Ford is cutting its own path with bold designs, more standard safety features, straightforward pricing and now the best warranty and roadside assistance packages of any full-line manufacturer.

Traveling the American road, Ford Motor Company will stop at Magic City Ford in Roanoke on July 19, as part of a 68-city, cross-country tour to show how it plans to "take back the American Road" through bold, relevant products. It will punctuate that point in dramatic style by showcasing the latest version of the iconic Ford Mustang, a provocative "Grabber Orange" version.

Ford is taking its story to cities across America this summer and fall bringing the Mustang and later, two other vehicles that represent Ford's bold, American design. "It's easy to sit in our own offices in Detroit and create our own reality about what it means to be competitive, but when you take your story to Americans in the cities where they live, you're seeing reality in the flesh," says tour director Greg Pawlowski who is driving from city-to-city this summer to talk (and listen) to consumers about how Ford is responding to their wants and needs.

"When we say Ford is looking at the world through customers' eyes, we mean every word," adds Pawlowski. "That means bold design, more standard safety features, higher quality and, as of July 13, the best warranty and roadside assistance packages of any full-line manufacturer -- American, European or Asian."

On the first leg of the tour, Pawlowski is bringing along the Grabber Orange Mustang GT as a tangible example of how Ford is reconnecting with its customers.

Nearly one out of every two sports cars sold in America is a Mustang, and it remains one of the hottest-selling cars in the country. It's also America's favorite convertible. It is one of the few products to ever "cross over" into the popular culture mainstream. In its 43-year history, Mustang has co-starred in countless movies and been celebrated in pop music, including the classic, "Mustang Sally." It was voted by Americans to be one of the most popular icons of the last century in a poll conducted by the U.S. Postal Service in 1999.

"Mustang buyers told us that they wanted more options and colors to suit their individual tastes," says Pawlowski. "We've responded with a whole array of features including two new attention-generating colors, heated front seats, SIRIUS radio, and yet another Mustang first, a DVD-based navigation system."

At future stops, Pawlowski will swap out the Mustang for other vehicles that reflect Ford's customer-driven thinking and innovation, including a 2007 ethanol-powered F-150 pickup, and the all-new Edge crossover that is poised to define the hot crossover market in much the same way that Ford defined the SUV market in the 1990s with the Explorer.

"Today's auto marketplace is more competitive than ever before," Pawlowski says. "We've gone from 'The Big Three' to 'The Big Six' carmakers and it's a global dogfight. It is not business as usual and we are listening to our customers and responding to their needs. We are reclaiming the American road, and we will rely on our products, not just our heritage, to do it."