Horse power 2010 Mustang

The original pony car from the 1960s became a 2010 model today at the opening of the Los Angeles Motor Show with everything you would expect of a Mustang.

It has all the familiar keys expected in a Mustang, from the basic shape to a V8 under the bonnet, but has been tweaked and primped for a new edition. It runs on bigger wheels, with a smaller-looking body that is softer around the edges, and also has a new-generation V8 promising more go from less fuel.

And to meet a growing band of rivals led by the Aussie-made Chevrolet Camaro.

The Camaro and Dodge Challenger have been brought back from the dead, after also starting their lives in the muscle car era of the 1960s, as more and more Americans look for the car they could never afford in their youth.

In the case of the Mustang, there are high hopes for a car which is now celebrating its 45th birthday and is the halo car for the whole blue oval brand.

"We wanted to take it to the next level. Aggressive, muscular and athletic," says the Mustang's chief engineer, Paul Randle.

The Mustang has shared top billing at Ford alongside the F150 truck but, with the recent downturn in demand for pickups and SUVs, the muscle car now sits alone. And Ford knows it has to fire.

Chief designer J Mays says the 2010 Mustang is right-sized and done right for the 21st century.

"We managed to make it look smaller than Camaro and Challenger," Mays says.

The mechanical package includes wheels as big as 19-inch alloys, standard stability control, an optional 4.6-litre V8 and - best of all for Mustang fans - the potential for major upgrades by tuner companies including Shelby.

But the basic mechanical package is as basic as always - trailing well behind the FG Falcon in its chassis design and tuning - and there is no chance of the car becoming an official model in Australia.

The last Mustang move Down Under was a disaster, once enthusiasts had claimed the first cars, and so the only 2010s likely to hit Australian roads will be private imports which have been converted to right-hand drive by local specialists.