1997 Ford Mustang Review (continued)
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Walkaround

Our test car was the high-volume GT V8 with a manual transmission, a car that starts out a mere $18,525, including Ford's $525 destination and delivery charge, making it one of the performance bargains of the year. The V6 versions that don't say 4.6 GT on the front fenders are substantially less than that (from $15,880), and the Cobra, with its power, tire and suspension upgrades, makes no apologies for a base price of $24,510.

The Mustang is a small car, barely 15 feet long, with a wheelbase just over 100 inches. While this factor makes it easy to maneuver and easy to park, for the performance-minded buyer it also means the Mustang is a sporty platform, relatively light, quick to change direction and stable while doing so.

This is an old platform, and given a short and narrow package to work with, Ford's designers have a done a good job of masking the car's size with generous sweeps of front sheetmetal and really good design on the sides and rear end. It's short, but it manages not to look stumpy or abbreivated.

There are several neat touches on the 1997 Mustang. Our test car had the standard passive anti-theft system (PATS), in which the key and the car communicate electronically every time the car is started, and it had the optional perimeter anti-theft system ($145), which protects it from unauthorized entry through doors, windows, hood or trunk. Yet another option was the remote keyless entry system ($270), which controls the door locks, interior lamps, decklid and a panic alarm from the keyfob, an idea which is rapidly becoming industry-wide.

One touch we could have done without was the optional ($195) rear spoiler. Not that we didn't like the aesthetics, you understand; we just think they should have thrown it into the GT package as standard equipment.

Interior Features

One of the most pleasant surprises with the new Mustang is the interior design job that Ford did in the 1993 makeover. It is loosely based on the instrument panel in the original 1964 car, with two individual rounded coves built into the instrument panel and connective tissue in between, racy without being radical. A full complement of well-done analog instruments greets the driver and the car is fairly narrow, so nothing is out of reach or requires long stretches to get to.

The interior space is nice and cozy in the coupe verion, with just enough seat track length to accommodate tall drivers, and just enough elbow room to keep one from feeling cramped. The driving position is much, much higher than in either the Camro or Firebird, and it's much easier to get in and out of the Mustang.

The front bucket seats are thinly padded, and short in every dimension, which means they aren't very comfortable for long distances, but adequate for around-town driving. More importantly, for those who attack back roads occasionally, there isn't much side support built into the bucket seats and you have to brace yourself in the car to stay in place in front of the steering wheel. Fortunately, Ford has provided a place on the left side of the floorboard to do exactly that, with a footrest for the left foot.

The back seat, like the back seats in almost every modern coupe, is best left for groceries, dry cleaning, infant seats, dogs and small kids. The split fold-down rear seatback, a new item of standard equipment, can be very helpful for hauling large items, because the trunk is among the smallest in the industry.