Why go to all that trouble and use the crap-tastic T-45? A T-56 would be much more capable. Higher torque capacity and six gears of fun.

Damn double posting. /me slaps self

@elwood: You are correct about those two, but they came in at a higher price point vs the Cobra.

@elwood: You're correct about the 'vette's and Viper's IRS holding up, but then again, the Mustang is coming in at a lower price point. At least in reference to the 03/04 Cobra vs the other two during those model years.

I was polled by Ford circa 2002 on the then redesign of the 2005 Mustang, and there were many questions on the survey about IRS. Ultimately it came down to cost. The S197 Mustang chief engineer Hau Thai-Tang has been quoted saying it came down to cost reasons why they stuck with the solid axle.

Now I am the biggest Mustang fanboy anywhere, but there's no way Ford will import an econobox that hits 60 faster than a Mustang GT. Which is sad.

I'd hit it.

I rented one of these with the 3.7 V6 in DFW and while not spectacular, it was passable. The power was enough to get it moving in traffic, but definitely left the driver feeling short changed.

I'd rock it. You'd be identified as a true car guy, and not some poser that has to have a "black" or "tan" interior like the other six million lemmings as you blow by them while they are sitting in their Prius worrying if their latte is carbon-neutral enough so that Al Gore won't be mad at them.

I think the biggest news here is that it will have an SVT badge on it. Most of the die-hard SVT guys (ie: Cobra owners) have been thinking that SVT was dead and that the last SVT product would be the Shelby GT500 Mustang.

That's a '99-04 "Edge" Mustang.

@SpeedWagon: Sequential tails rule, but these used a cam-driven system that was prone to failure. My dad told me stories of my mom's Cougar that she had when they met in the early 70's.

@Preferredcustomer: COTD, sir. Well said.

@Maymar: The replacement costs for just the hood for a Viper are around $20k.

@LandofMinos: One with small Chinese children.

The harsh ride is more likely due to the truck being an F-350 instead of the FX4 package. I'll bet a 250 with the FX4 would ride much better. Don't forget there are leaf springs the size of my leg under the bed.

I dont necessarily agree that the driver is alone in fault here, but he was at the helm of a top fuel dragster doing more than a rolling burnout. It looks like he goes about 500 feet at WOT.

@TORQAHONTAS: 12 years? Try 17. While I agree the HP output of the mod V8 is lackluster compared to the Nissan VQ, it delivers decent torque for its size, revs well, delivers decent MPG, and has stellar reliability thanks to its use in police and cab fleets.