Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, Ford Motor Company had been adding various "cues" to the Mustang that were taken from the original Mustangs, but those cues were just that, and even then, they were Very vague. Starting with the SN95 Mustangs, talks of a "retro Mustang" kept enthusiasts hoping for a sort of rounded, futuristic pony car, but things like the 'pony in the corral' and the stripes packages just were not accomplishing what they intended. However, with the release of the 2005 Mustang Concept at the Detroit Auto Show in 2004, there was a commotion like the American Automotive market had not seen in decades. Finally, Ford had "gotten it right", in the eyes of both vintage car enthusiasts and Mustang fans alike. This new model was truly a retro model in just about every respect, from the 1964-like front end, to the trim design along the sides, to the classic styled badge on the rear end. Instantly, people could not wait to get their hands on this new Mustang, and while there was some wait, once they received their new Mustang, they proved to be well worth the wait.

While there was a retro look to this new Mustang, named the S197, they came packed with the cutting edge of automotive technology and with that, a pair of powerful new engines. The base model V6 Mustang proved to be the most powerful entry level ever, packing 210hp, and was offered with either a 5-speed manual or 5-speed automatic transmission. The GT model also got a jump in power, from 260 in 2004 to 300 in 2005, and the GT had similar transmission offerings. New buyers who were more concerned with luxury than power could get the V6 Deluxe, and that package came standard with four wheel disc brakes, remote entry, power mirrors, power windows, power locks, aluminum wheels, and cruise control. Also, the V6 Premium package offered all of the amenities of the V6 Deluxe but added a premium sound system, premium aluminum "spinner" wheels, and leather power seats. These packages offered all of the features of the GT model, but were a little easier on the pocketbook, whether at the insurance office or at the gas station. However, for those who wanted as much "go" as "show", the new Mustang GT had the new all aluminum, 4.6L 3-valve per cylinder V8 putting out 300 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque, which will yank this new GT down the quarter mile in thirteen and a half seconds. Like the base model, the GT model offered both a Deluxe and Premium package. The Deluxe package added ABS and traction control, stainless steel dual exhaust, massive grille mounted fog lights, race-inspired bucket seats, and performance tires wrapped around 17 inch aluminum wheels. The GT Premium takes the Deluxe package and lumps in leather seats and the Shaker 500 Sound System. Even without the presence of a "high performance model", this new S197 Mustang was a phenomenal success.

 

 

 

The 2005 Mustang isn't just about protecting passengers in the event of an accident, but rather is designed to help drivers avoid accidents altogether. The 2005 Mustang's body is designed with a completely new frame, braking system, and suspension that make the vehicle more responsive in potentially dangerous situations. The driver has more control over this Mustang than ever thanks to strong brakes and exact handling. So, close calls will be just that rather than a full on collision, in more instances than before this technology anyway. This shouldn't encourage reckless driving, however, because after all the driver is still in control.

 

Four wheel antilock brakes and all speed traction control are standard equipment on the GT, but only options for the V6. However, it is highly recommended that those V6 customers choose this option for increased safety and improved handling.

 

Of course, all crashes are not unavoidable even with the improved control and braking of this Mustang. Luckily, Mustang thought of that when designing the vehicle and included a strong body and frame to protect passengers in the event of an accident.

 

Also, the 2005 Mustang includes the Ford Personal Safety System. This is a smart system, intelligent really, because it responds to a variety of head on collisions factors in millionths of a second so as to deploy the air bag correctly. That is, if the collision is not serious the air bag will deploy at half or less speed, or not at all, in order to best protect occupants. In a more severe accident, the vehicle will respond accordingly and deploy the airbags at full strength.

 

Another great feature of the air bags is that if there is little to no weight in the passenger seat the airbag is automatically turned off. So, the passenger airbag will not deploy when your purse, briefcase, or even small child, is seated in the front seat.

 

Seat belts are also smart in the event of an accident and tighten on collision. Like in previous models, energy management retractors loosen the belt slightly and gradually if the collision circumstances call for it in order to better protect the occupants.

 

Mustang is obviously concerned about safety, and because of this even more safety features are included on standard models. These consist of SecuriLock passive anti-theft system, Beltminder, FailSafe Cooling, Anti Tow Sensor, Battery Saver, and Separate Alarm Sounder just to name a few.

 

L  4765   /    W  1877 /      H 1385   /   WB  2720    (mm) 

 

 

Round headlamps situated in a trapezoid design really set of the shark like nose and give the muscle car some extra personality. Also, the wheels on this model are situated in the corners giving the car a full 6 inches extra of wheelbase.

 

The front wheels are also moved forward, giving the vehicle a rear wheel driven appearance.

 

 "JBA" aftermarket exhaust

 

 

 current ENGINE 4.6 L 3-Valve V8

 

 

The new V8 engine is likely to have cylinder deactivation technology for better fuel economy, and is thought to be a bigger version of the overhead cam modular engine family.

 

Ford has denied that the engine will have cylinder deactivation, but the company is working on such a system in certain engines. Cylinder deactivation shuts down up to half the cylinders in a V8 when the engine is not under load, and both Chrysler and GM have been able to achieve fuel savings using this technology.

 

 

 

 

Five-speed manual transmissions are a standard option on the Mustang. The V-8 powered GT is equipped with a rugged Tremec 3650 gearbox. Since 2005, Mustang has been available with a five-speed automatic which provides a unique combination of off-the-line jump and good highway fuel economy.

 

At the front suspension, MacPherson struts with reverse “L” lower control arms deliver both comfort and control. The three-link rear suspension has a lightweight, tubular Panhard rod that provides precise control of the rear axle. This technology stabilizes the rear axle as the wheels move, particularly during hard cornering.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The standard four-wheel disc brakes have the biggest rotors and stiffest calipers ever fitted to a mainstream Mustang. Twin-piston aluminum calipers clamp down on 12.4-inch ventilated front brake discs on GT models.

 

In the rear, the brake rotors are 11.8 inches in diameter – more than 12 percent larger than on the 2004 model.

 

Bundled as an option with ABS, an all-speed intelligent traction control system uses electronic sensors to constantly monitor road conditions and feed the information to a dedicated control computer capable of determining within milliseconds whether the vehicle is on dry pavement or negotiating a slippery surface.

 

On those occasions when traction control isn’t desired – like a smoky burnout at the drag strip – drivers can deactivate the system with a button conveniently located on the instrument panel’s center stack, just to the right of the gauges.

 

 

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