When I say "Mustang" what are the sights and sounds that come to mind? Well, I doubt you're envisioning one of these under the hood…or sounds like this under hard acceleration…and probably not one of these with paddle shifters on the wheel. But this is the new Mustang and the times, they are a changing. With all of the pomp and circumstance surrounding the Mustang’s 50th anniversary last year coinciding with the debut of this all-new 2015 model, it feels special to finally take the reins of America’s beloved pony. Not many cars live long enough to celebrate the big 5-0 and to ensure its staying power well into the future, Ford knew the time was now to advance the car and unleash it to a global audience. And the fastback design you see here is certainly one of, if not the best Mustang bodies of all time. The lower, wider stance, the tri-bar taillamps, the modernized front fascia with signature LED gills and matching fogs...it’s unmistakably a Mustang but in a cleaner, meaner, more contemporary skin. And of course, the Race Red paint doesn’t hurt either. When you go shopping for a new Mustang, you’ll be presented with familiar choices, such as Fastback or Convertible, V6 or V8, stick or automatic. But this one here is the newbie; the EcoBoost model with a 2.3-liter turbo-4, situated between the V6 and GT models in terms of performance and price. At 3,524 pounds it’s the lightest automatic-equipped Mustang and with up to 32mpg on regular unleaded, it’s far and away the most efficient choice. Producing 310 horsepower and a broad torque band of 320 pound-feet starting at just 2,500 RPM, this Mustang-specific engine with its twin-scroll turbocharger packs the highest power density yet from a Ford engine. It’s not coarse but sadly, produces little if any aural indication that this is in fact a Mustang. Toggle over to Sport + or Track mode and you’ll at least get a small taste of some racier engine sounds inside the cabin but if there’s but one headlining disappointment in this EcoBoost Mustang it’s the lack of a true voice. The 6-speed auto with paddle shifters replaces the 6-speed manual on my tester and it’s an excellent transmission with sport mode, downshift-rev matching and a limited slip differential for quicker exits out of turns. Smooth around town and ready to hold gears longer when in the appropriate drive mode, it’ll satisfy those who’d rather not do the gear rowing. But Look, I'm not one of those save the manual curmudgeons - I'm a progressive as far as vehicle technology goes and in the right car some automatics are perfectly appropriate. But I'm sorry - in my Mustang I still want a stickshift and the sweet sounds of a V8. Sue me.The Mustang’s new independent rear suspension and stiffer body instantly covey a car that’s sharper in its handling, more glued to the road and easier to drive fast with confidence with a rear end far less likely to step out of line. It has a European-tuned feel now with a less forgiving ride quality that strips away a layer of Mustang personality, though an understandable compromise in making it an better car overall. So how quick is it? You can measure performance stats right here and our best was a 5.4-second run to 60mph. Line lock and launch control are reserved for GT models, but this EcoBoost does provide selectable steering effort, traction and stability control off and wonderful brakes with a perfectly firm pedal. There’s also great forward visibility though with more hood out in front of you than you’re accustomed to these days.This EcoBoost Premium starts at about $30,000 and checks in here for $35,795 with add-ons including the reverse sensing system, voice-activated navigation and uncharacteristic safety features such as adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation and rain sensing wipers. Though the level of quality in here is not quite to the standards I was expecting, the seats are well balanced for comfort as well as sporty driving, My Ford Touch provides a wealth of connectivity, the gauges are retro chic and the content level is quite high. But there’s no feature that’s cooler than the logo projection onto the ground from the side view mirrors at night. One missed opportunity concerns the trunk opening which doesn’t have a button on the car itself and doesn’t operate with a foot kick. And just forget the rear seats even exist unless you’re carrying long cargo.In the end, the EcoBoost Mustang proved to be a fun-to-drive, back road go getter engineered in the European style with American design. But part of me never connected on an emotional level with this car – a subjective issue for sure and one which only you yourself can resolve.

You know it's all too easy to get caught up in engine and chassis specs, particularly when reviewing sports cars but here with the all-new Ford Mustang Convertible those facts and figures really play second fiddle to the bonding experience. Sure, it's nice to know there's a big ole V8 under the hood but the Mustang's allure is just as much if not more about its conveyance of Americana and comfortable top down cruising as it is horsepower and handling. I wasn’t around 50 years ago when the first Mustang rolled off the line but because it’s been in continuous production ever since then it’s definitely a car that was a part of my youth; not that I owned one but I certainly always wanted to. Now I’m lucky enough to play the role of owner a couple of times each year and the one I always had my eye on was a GT Convertible just like this one…well, almost. I would have wanted the stickshift but back then the automatic wasn’t this smart and paddle shifters were non-existent. Though this latest generation Mustang is now sold in Europe and Asia, this icon of American motoring stirs nostalgic emotions of summer barbeques, throaty V8s and the smell of burnt rubber. Though this new Mustang has sharpened reflexes with upgrades such as an independent rear suspension this car, and in particular the convertible, is completely cool with tooling around in a relaxed American saunter. The ride is soft, the seats comfortable, the beltline ready to act as an armrest and the cabin plenty quiet for top-down conversation. It’s the kind of car you drive to go get lost and find yourself never wanting to stop. The rear seats are just big enough for women and kids as long as those in the front slide up and the Convertible loses only 2 cubic feet of cargo volume to the Fastback so family outings are not out of bounds. The Shaker Pro Audio System with Sync, Sat and HD Radio keeps the music pumping and when the sun gets too warm there are cooled front seats. The weather's been great this week so I barely even had the top up but when I park it. Cruising around with my wife and daughter, listening to the muscle car sounds when desired and cranking the tunes when not is like a staycation on wheels; a cathartic experience that is as Yankee Doodle Dandy as they come. The Mustang GT is the personification of a summer fun car. And when your mood transitions from chill to charged, the GT’s got your back. The 5.0 is on hand to ratchet things up with driver selectable settings for engine, transmission, steering and stability control that go all the way to race settings. 435 horsepower, rear wheel drive and a new line lock feature means you might want to add TireRack to your speed dial. Track apps let you measure and record your heroics and by simply mashing the throttle I was only getting 0-60mph times in the mid 5’s but other techniques will undoubtedly lop some time Launch control however is reserved for manual transmission models. The GT Convertible is a completely disparate experience from the Fastback EcoBoost model I last tested. That car is a well-balanced, lightweight curve straightener in the European style while this machine is truer to the Mustang’s heritage. Now that’s not to say that you can’t feel the new GT’s more planted handling and reduced oversteer tendencies because you can, but with the V8’s extra 200 pounds up front it’s this persona that speaks to the Mustang-lover in all of us.If you’re thinking of the Convertible you should know that the this car has its own unique styling subtleties and that the fabric roof now gets a full inner headliner with insulation sandwiched in between for added quietness. A new center-mounted single latch makes putting the top down a cinch plus the new quieter drive mechanism is also twice as fast as before. There is a noticeable amount of convertible jiggle though not troublesome even though the body of this car has been stiffened by 13%. This GT Premium Convertible with the optional 6-speed automatic starts at $43,895 and is optioned here with the classy Ruby Red paint, the Shaker Audio system with voice activated navigation, memory settings, blind spot warning, cross traffic alert, Adaptive Cruise Control with Collision Mitigation and Rain-Sensing Wipers for an as-tested price of $48,075. It’ll run on regular at 16mpg city/25mpg highway. The Mustang is built from virtues interwoven with the Red, White and Blue and it’s reassuring to see Ford devote so many resources to advancing its legacy.

For 2015, “The Legend Returns.” In the Mustang’s 50 year history, a handful of specific nameplates standout but perhaps none more than GT350. Introduced in 1965 as the brainchild of racing guru Carroll Shelby, the original GT350 established the Mustang as a performance machine to be reckoned with. Now, coinciding with the release of the all-new 6th generation Mustang, Ford is reviving this iconic muscle car for serious enthusiasts. And rest assured; this is not a sticker and wheel job. All bodywork from the windshield forward is unique to the GT350 which sits up to 2” lower than a Mustang GT. A new high-revving, naturally aspirated V8 was chosen because it best suits a track-focused Mustang. It displaces 5.2-liters and uses a unique flat-plane crankshaft leading to a distinctive throaty howl and power never before seen from a non-supercharged Ford engine; over 500 horsepower and greater than 400 pound-feet of torque. A specially tuned limited-slip differential and 6-speed manual work in concert to help the custom 19” Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires find their footing. The front track has been increased while suspension components have been recalibrated all around; including Ford’s first ever use of continuously controlled MagneRide dampers. To stop all this newfound speed, Ford has provided their most track-credible brake system ever. Recaro sport seats, a flat-bottom steering wheel, upgraded gauges, and 5 selectable driving modes are standard, while an optional Tech pack imbues this street legal racecar with some everyday comfort items. Keep an ear out for the Shelby GT350 Mustang in 2015.