2001 Ford Mustang Reviews

Twice Ford has sold the Mustang in Australia and both times it’s main role has been to support the Falcon. The first time it was officially sold here was in 1965 and 1966 when 209 Mustang coupes were imported and converted to right-hand drive by Ford. They were brought in to give visual credibility to Ford’s claim that the XR Falcon was ‘Mustang-bred’.The next time Ford Australia turned to the Mustang was in 2001 when it released the Mustang Cobra. Ford was going through a tough time in the market, the AU Falcon was being panned left right and centre and the Mustang injected some excitement into the brand when it was desperately needed.Ford’s plan was to sell 250 Mustangs per year, but it never reached those heady heights and it officially left Ford showrooms in 2003, although there were cars still on sale at dealers a couple of years after that.MODEL WATCH There’s no doubt that the Mustang was one of motoring’s all-time icons. It’s introduction in America in 1964 caused a sensation and sales soared to a level unimaginable even by the most optimistic of Ford’s marketing people. It was literally an overnight success. Subsequent models built on the initial success, but its glory began to fad in the 1970s when the focus swung towards fuel-efficiency, environmental friendliness and safety.A disastrous experiment with a four-cylinder model almost brought about the end of the Mustang in the mid-1970s, but there were enough die-hard Mustang fans within Ford to ensure it was kept alive through some very lean years. By the end of the 1990s the Mustang had a V8 again and was enjoying a renewed popularity and its future was assured with the 1999 model.Ford decided to spice up its local offering by bringing the Mustang here in 2001. The car that arrived here wasn’t just any Mustang, it was the Mustang Cobra, which was the top model in the US market and sold through SVT dealers. SVT was Ford America’s version of FPV here.Before it was sold here it was stripped bare by Tickford, the predecessor of FPV, and very competently converted to right-hand drive It was no cheap makeover. More than 150 major new components were made along with 200 minor parts and 250 documented processes. All up Ford invested $4 million in the project.The power was delivered through a sweet revving 4.6-litre all-alloy quad-cam V8 that pushed 240 kW and 430 Nm through the drive train. It was a silky smooth engine that emitted a low growl as a reminder of the potential that lay under the bonnet. The transmission was a Tremec five-speed manual that fed into a limited-slip diff on the way to the rear wheels. Underneath the Mustang boasted modified MacPherson Struts at the front and double wishbone independent suspension at the rear, the brakes were discs front and back with ABS, the steering was power-assisted.Ford offered the Mustang in coupe and convertible forms, and being a premium model, it had all the bells and whistles. Standard were leather trim, air-conditioning, power mirrors and windows, six-disc CD player, remote central locking, power driver’s seat, tilt steering wheel and cruise. The convertible had a power roof with a glass rear window.On the road it wasn’t the most sophisticated car; it’s handling was predictable without being particularly sharp and its ride was a little choppy, but its engine was a treat.IN THE SHOP The changes made to the Mustang by FPV improved it for Australian conditions. The engine is a delight. It revs freely and makes a great noise, which is probably the best thing about this Mustang. Inside it’s a little cramped given that it’s a big car and the quality of the interior trim and fittings isn’t great. Overall build quality is typically American, which means it isn’t as good as the Japanese or Europeans, but it seems to hang together quite well and few problems are being reported.Look for a service record and make sure the engine oil has been changed regularly.IN A CRASH Dual frontal airbags came standard in the Mustang, which provided pretty good crash protection. Standard ABS brakes and traction control, with reasonable chassis dynamics add up to a good level of primary safety.OWNER’S VIEW Peter Tollitt bought his Mustang Coupe in 2001 and says every day since has been an adventure. It is the longest he’s ever owned a car and even with 100,000 km approaching he says there is no car that excites him enough to make a change. He’s improved its looks by lowering it and fitting big billet wheels. He says there is nothing that comes close to the excitement of jumping in the Cobra everyday with Deep Purple pumping out at one end and the sweetest factory delivered exhaust note pumping out the other. He rates the handling improvements by FPV highly and says the performance is also great. He says it has been virtually trouble free and relatively inexpensive, particularly compared to his three previous HSVs. A broken clutch, a twisted driver’s side seat belt and a few minor throttle niggles in peak hour are his only complaints, but he says they pale in insignificance when compared to the upsides of the car.LOOK FOR • Head turning looks• Great exhaust note• Good performance• Average build quality• Cramped interior for sizeTHE BOTTOM LINE Great engine, average chassis and build quality, but it’s a MustangRATING 65/100

There are only two things you need to know about Ford's new muscle-car star. It has a Mustang badge on the bonnet and a thumping V8 to back it up. It's not the best car in the world and it costs at least $85,000, but nothing much matters beyond the bold, brutal basics.The Mustang is like a Harley-Davidson motorcycle - both are made in America to time-honoured recipes - and they do their job. People who want a Mustang or a Harley don't really want anything else. They know there is nothing to match the potato-potato-potato rumble of Harley's big-twin powerplant, and nothing to match the muscle-car magic of a Mustang. Other cars may be faster, cheaper and much better finished, but they're just not a Mustang.Allan Moffat, Bob Jane, Norm Beechey and Ian Geoghegan proved this during the touring-car wars of the 1970s. So did actor Steve McQueen when he jumped a 'Stang through San Francisco during the great car chase in the 1968 cult movie Bullitt. John Bowe is adding the newest Aussie chapter to the Mustang legend Down Under, scoring the car's first GT Production victory last month in a Bud-backed return to racing.No one - least of all the people who have turned the latest Ford coupe into a sellout success - really expects a Mustang to match the boogie blast of a Subaru WRX or the final finishing of a Mercedes, despite its 4.6-litre quad-cam V8 and that meaty bottom line. They're looking for old-time muscle-car magic, a 21st-century time machine, and a fast Ford to give the brand back some of the bragging rights that have been lost to poor planning and political correctness in the 1990s.The story of the 2001 Mustang isn't as simple as it looks. It has taken nearly five years to get it on the road in Australia, and too many excuses have been made and too much time has been wasted along the way. But at least the process will also put Ford's mighty F-Series trucks back in action here later this year. The local model is the V8 Mustang Cobra with all the fruit, but it still takes a detour through Tickford at Broadmeadows - home of the XR and FTE Falcons -- to get it ready for right-hand drive and local conditions. Tickford does a masterly job on the wheel switch, though it still can't compensate for poor cabin quality, which is closer to a $15,000 Hyundai Accent than a $90,000 Benz or BMW.Still, the Mustang is loaded with air-con, a six-stack CD sound system, central locking, electric windows and mirrors, tilting steering wheel, twin airbags and leather trim. It also has anti-skid brakes, alloy wheels and some of the most comfortable sports buckets, with electric assists on the driver's side, on the road today.Leaving the best until last, the new-age Mustang has a cracking quad-cam V8 that must be fitted to the next Falcon. It's a lightweight design and has "only'' 4.6 litres of breathing space, but still punches out 240kW of power and 430Nm of torque. To put that into perspective, the Falcon XR8 has 220/435 with Tickford tuning; Holden's SS Commodore 225/460 and the flagship HSV GTS 300/510. But all of those V8s are much bigger, the Holden grunters by more than a litre.DRIVINGThe Mustang is surprisingly good to drive.Why a surprise? Because plenty of other hi-tech road rockets fail to deliver the same sort of raw, involving feedback or straightforward rumbling enjoyment as the old-fashioned 'Stang. You'd expect it to do the business, if only from the number of smiles, waves and "goodonyamate'' calls when you drive the car.The Mustang definitely delivers, but its "baby'' 4.6 needs encouragement to give its best and dip below seven seconds for the 0-100kmh sprint. It takes at least 4000 revs to really get it moving, but the howl approaching the redline at 6900 means it's a trip worth taking.The engine always dominates the Mustang experience, from the first muted burble to that runaway roar, like all the best muscle cars. It allows the 'Stang to cut through traffic, or run and gun on twisting sprints, but wasn't too punishing at the pumps and would be close to 10 litres/100km on a long freeway run.The feisty Ford has "only'' five gears, whereas lots of sporties now have six, but the change is relatively light and direct. The clutch takes muscle, but the steering compensates with good feel and plenty of power assistance and the anti-skid brakes are powerful without needing more than a solid shove.The cornering grip is terrific; response to the wheel is eager and the 235x45 tyres have plenty of grip. You know the Mustang is heavy and the long nose can make it hard to sight the apex, but it's easy to balance the steering and throttle in an old-fashioned way.Modern all-wheel-drive turbo rockets are quick, but you don't get the same involvement in the action. The Mustang needs a driver who is prepared to work with the tools, not rely on the tech torque to get the job done.The other surprise is the feel. I expected at least a degree of shake and rumble, and it is there in the Mustang convertible, but the coupe was as tight as a Falcon and the test car had no squeaks or rattles. Even so, the cabin is a big let-down and the boot a disaster.Inside, the Mustang's chintzy stick-on Cobra badge, plastic quality and parts fit would disgrace a $15,000 Hyundai. The seat trim is cheap and thin, pieces of metal are exposed, the steering column sometimes fouls your legs and the carpet is thin and nasty. The boot is tiny and tough to load, though the cramped rear seats fold down to increase the space.The horn is pedestrian, the headlights are OK, the car is tough to park, requiring a huge turning circle, and I'd much prefer an old-fashioned three-spoke Mustang wheel in place of the four-spoke Ford parts-bin model. But does any of that really matter? A Mustang is a Mustang and that's all that matters.Ultimately, it's a bloke's car and they love it. It's not the sharpest tool in the box, but there are times when a blunt instrument is best for the job.RATING: 4/5THE BOTTOM LINE: It's a Mustang, and that's enough.FORD MUSTANG COBRAPrice: $85,000 as tested (manual coupe)Engine: 4.6-litre V8 with twin-overhead camshafts and fuel injectionPower: 240kW at 6000 revsTorque: 430Nm at 4750revsTransmission: Five-speed manual, rear-wheel driveBody: Two-door coupeDimensions: Length 4653mm, width 1857mm, height 1354mm, wheelbase 2573mm, tracks 1525/1515mm front/rearWeight: 1557kgFuel tank: 60 litresFuel consumption: Average on test 12.8 litres/100kmSteering: Power-assisted rack-and-pinionSuspension: Fully independent with front MacPherson struts and rear multi-linksBrakes: Anti-skid four-wheel ventilated discsWheels: 8x17 alloyTyres: 235x45 ZR17Warranty: 3 years/100,000kmRIVALSMitsubishi Lancer Evo VI from $79,900HSV GTS from $91,250Ford TS50 from $75,000Audi TT Quattro from $82,950