First Impression: Ford GT

The Ford GT40 was one of the most successful American race cars. It won the 24 Hours of LeMans four times in a row, with victories in 1966, 1967, 1968, and 1969, beating out Ford's main rival Ferrari. The 40 in its name refers to the car's height, 40.5 inches. In 2005, Ford released the Ford GT, a supercar based on the legendary GT40. The Ford GT was 44.5 inches high, four inches taller than the GT40. The last Ford GT was sold in 2007, and 4,038 Ford GTs were produced.

The Ford GT is a regular at Houston Cars and Coffee events. Someone showed off a Ford GT with Carroll Shelby's signature on the glovebox. I have seen a few Ford GTs on the Houston roads. It has a similar hood to the Shelby Daytona Coupe. The hood design minimizes space for the trunk in the front. There is glass in the rear hood for people to look at the engine without opening the rear hood. The Ford GT is easy on the eyes and has a stunning design.

The Ford GT is powered by a supercharged 5.4L V8, paired with a six-speed manual transmission, that produces 550 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque. It takes the Ford GT 3.6 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph and it reaches a top speed of 205 mph. The Ford GT cost $139,995 when it was first released. That is a lot of car for about $140,000.

Jay Leno featured the Ford GT on his website. Jeremy Clarkson reviewed the Ford GT during Top Gear Series 3, Episode 1 and Series 4, Episode 8. He drove one while the guys were doing a road trip in France during Series 7, Episode 3. The Ford GT is playable in many games. It is playable in the Grand Theft Auto games, Forza games, Burnout games, Need For Speed games, Gran Turismo games, Blur, Split/Second, Project Gotham Racing games,  Driver games, Ridge Racer games, Test Drive games, and many, many other video games.

Final Thoughts: What a car! The Ford GT has great performance for a relatively low price for a supercar. Not many cars can match the performance and the price of a Ford GT. The Ford GT is just stunning. There have been a few things to go wrong with the GT. There have been glitches in the electrical and climate control systems, leaking power steering and engine coolant hoses, and the steering column rattles in some cars. There have been recalls of the Ford GT regarding the strength of the suspension control arms and flawed crankshafts that caused oil leaks. The Ford GT is a great car, but the recalls could scare buyers who want performance for under $150,000.

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First Impression: Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca Edition

The Ford Mustang has been an American car icon since its arrival in 1964. The Mustang came in hatchback, fastback, sportsroof, convertible, and coupe versions. Over the years there have been five generations and several different variants of the mustang. Shelby has the GT350, GT500, Super Snake, GT-h, GT500KR, and GT500E  Mustangs. Roush has the 427R Mustang. Saleen has the S281, 435S, and S302 Mustangs. There have also been Mach1, 5.0, SVT Cobra, Boss 427, and Boss 302 Mustangs. For the current generation of the Mustang, Ford is coming out with the Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca Edition. Only 750 Laguna Secas will be built.

I saw the Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca Edition at the 2011 Houston Classy Chassis: Concours d'Elegance. This car is sick. The black paintjob with the red accents made this Mustang stand out from the other Mustangs, both classic and modern. I also saw a Boss 302 Laguna Seca Mustang with a ignot silver paintjob at the June 2011 edition of Houston Cars and Coffee. The Laguna Seca has a few modifications. The rear seats are replaced with a cross-car X-brace to improve the rigidity of the car. The suspension has been modified with unique spring and damper rates and a larger stabilizer. The front end splitter is designed to generate down-force for improved handling. This is a Mustang built for the race track and for the road.

The Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca Edition is powered by a 5.0L (302 cubic inch) V8, paired with a six-speed manual transmission, that produces 444 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in  4.6 seconds and reaches a top speed of 155 mph. Prices for the Laguna Seca Edition start at $47,990. It is rare, affordable, quick, but it has a decent top speed.

The Laguna Seca Mustang was featured on Jay Leno's Garage.

Final Thoughts: This is a cool car. A tuned Mustang for under $50,000 is hard to beat. It has good acceleration and a decent top speed. But the modifications should improve the handling of this Mustang. Shelby Mustangs have power, acceleration, and speed, but they cannot corner properly. The Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca is built for both the road and the race track. If you get one, do not be afraid to take this Mustang to track days.

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First Impression: Roush 427R Mustang

Jack Roush created his own performance engineering company after he left Ford in 1976. In 1995, his company, Roush Performance Products, started tuning Ford Mustangs. The latest Roush tuned Mustang is the 427R Mustang.

I saw a Roush 427 Mustang at the April 2011 edition of Houston Cars and Coffee. It did not stand out since it looks like most fifth-generation Mustangs. The exterior differences between a Roush Mustang and a normal Mustang are the hood, accents, front splitter, side splitters, and a three piece wing.

The Roush 427R Mustang is powered by a supercharged 4.6L V8 engine, paired with a five-speed manual transmission, that produces 435 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds and reaches a top speed of 155 mph. Prices for the 427R Mustang start at $43,901. It is cheaper than the Boss 302 Laguna Seca Mustang and has the same performance of the Laguna Seca.

Top Gear did a feature on tuned Mustangs during Series 9, Episode 6. The Roush Mustang was two seconds faster around the Top Gear test track than the Shelby GT500.

Final Thoughts: The Roush 427R Mustang is not the fastest tuned version of the Ford Mustang, it is one of the better handling Mustang variants. It may look similar to a normal Ford Mustang, but it is one of the better performing Mustangs. It is meant for both everyday driving and the track.

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First Impression: Shelby GT500

Carroll Shelby tuned first-generation Mustangs from 1965 to 1970. One of the Shelby-tuned Mustangs was the Shelby GT500. He claims that the Mustangs after 1970 were too heavy. In 2006, Shelby started tuning Mustangs again and brought back the Shelby GT500 Mustang.

I frequently see the Shelby GT500 on the Houston roads as well as at Houston Cars and Coffee events. It looks just like a regular Mustang except with two racing strips, The GT 500 decal on the sides the signature Shelby Cobra badge on the grill, sides and back of the car, "S H E L B Y" on the rear where it normally says "F O R D."

The Shelby GT500 is powered by a supercharged 5.4L V8, paired with a six-speed manual transmission, that produces 550 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds and reaches a top speed of 179 mph. The Shelby GT500 does not get hit with a gas guzzler tax since it gets 23 mph highway. Prices start at $48,645 for the Shelby GT500. The Shelby GT500 is one of the more powerful, quickest, fastest Mustang variants.

The Shelby GT500 has been featured on Top Gear during Series 9, Episode 6 where it was reviewed by Richard Hammond. The current Shelby GT500 is playable in Flatout 2, Project Gotham Racing 3, Flatout: Head On, Flatout: Ultimate Carnage, Split/Second, Need For Speed: Carbon, Need For Speed: Pro Shift, Ford Street Racing XR Edition, Highway Madness, Blur, GT Racing: Motor Academy, Ford Street Racing, Forza Motorsport 2, Forza Motorsport 3, Speed Racing, Twisted Metal, Need For Speed: Nitro, Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit, Need For Speed: Shift, Asphalt 6: Adrenaline, Real Racing 2, Shift 2: Unleashed, Car Town, Driver: San Francisco, and Nitto 1320 Legends.

Final Thoughts: The Shelby GT500 is a very fast, quick Mustang variant. However, it does not like to corner. Carroll Shelby put a lot into the engine, but he did not put modern suspension on the car. The rear live axle is outdated. This causes the GT500 to have horrible handling. It is only good for going in a straight line. The GT500 is great for Drag Strip Racing, but not for race tracks that have corners.

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First Impression: Saleen Mustang

Steve Saleen has been tuning Ford Mustangs since 1984. Saleen-tuned fifth-generation Mustangs come in three categories, the S281 Mustang, the 435S Mustang, and the S302 Mustang. The S281 is the most powerful version of the Saleen Mustang.

Several Saleen Mustangs were on display at the 2011 Houston Auto Show and are frequent guests at Houston Cars and Coffee events. The Saleen Mustang is a tuned Mustang. The Saleen Mustang has a small badge on each side. It will also have SALEEN on the windshield. It has a different front end, side skirt, grill, end caps, rear diffuser, front and rear fascias, and hood. All these exterior changes makes the Saleen Mustang look more aggresive than the standard Ford Mustang.

The Saleen S281 is powered by a supercharged 281 cubic inch, 4.6L V8 engine, paired with a five-speed manual transmission, that produces 485 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. The S281 goes from 0 to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and reaches a top speed of 150 mph. The S281 costs $51,934. The S281 is not as powerful as the Shelby GT500 or the Roush 427R. It is not as fast as the GT500 or the 427R, yet it is the only one of the three Mustang variants to cost over $50,000.

The Saleen S281 is the vehicle mode for Decepticon Barricade. It is playable in Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights, Test Drive Unlimited, Drag Racer 3, Speed Racing, Asphalt: Urban GT 2, Project Gotham Racing 4, Transformers: The Game, Forza Motorsport2, and Forza Motorsport 3.

Final Thoughts: This is an expensive Mustang. Both the Shelby GT500 and Roush 427R are faster the the Saleen S281. Yet the S281 is more expensive then the GT500 and 427R. If I was going to rank the three Mustangs, I would go Roush, Shelby, then Saleen. The S281 is still a good variant of the Mustang, but there are better Mustang variants out there.

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First Impression: Ford Mustang Boss 302

The original Ford Mustang Boss 302 was built from 1969 to 1970. The car was built as a secret project known as " the boss's car" and was powered by a 302 cubic inch car. Parrnelli Jones drove the Ford Mustang Boss 302 to victory in the 1970 Trans-Am racing series title and the name "Boss" was kept. The third generation Mustang was the last Mustang to use a 302 cubic inch engine until the fifth generation Mustang GT, which has a 302 cubic inch engine available for Mustang GTs built after 2010. With the return of the 302 cubic inch engine was the return of the Boss 302. Ford revised the Boss 302 for the 2012 model year of the Mustang. There was a special edition of the Boss 302, called the Boss 302 Laguna Seca edition, which is a lighter version of the Boss 302 that was built for the race track. The 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 was award by Motorweek as the 2012 Car of the Year.

I have seen the Ford Mustang Boss 302 as several Houston Cars and Coffee events. Ford showed off the Boss 302 at the 2012 Houston Auto Show. Volkswagen was bragging that the Passat was named Motortrend's 2012 Car of the year (I wonder how much VW paid Motortrend for that award). Ford did not brag that the Boss 302 was named Motorweek's 2012 Car of the Year. There are a few differences between the standard Mustang GT and the Boss 302. The Boss 302 has black front splitter, black side skirts, a different grill with highlighted by blocked-off fog lamp openings. The Boss 302 logo is on each side with C-shaped decals going along the sides, which pay homage to the original Boss 302. The Boss 302 can come with a limited slip-differential or an optional Torsen differential. The Boss 302 has a more aggressive styling than the standard Mustang GT.

The 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 is powered by a naturally aspirated 302 cubic inch 5.0L V8, paired with a six speed manual transmission, that produces 444 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds and reaches a top speed o 155 mph. It is also faster around Laguna Seca faster than one of its key competitors, the BMW M3. Prices for the Boss 302 start at $40,995. That is a lot of bang for your buck. The Boss 302 is a great buy, considering the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 costs about $55,000.

The Mustang Boss 302 has been featured in Top Gear US Season 3, Episode 2, when Tanner drove one in a relay race against two riders on horseback. Motorweek has also reviewed the Boss 302, naming it Motortrend's Driver Choice 2012 Car of the Year.

Final Thoughts: The Boss 302 is a great sports car. It is a great Mustang that pays respect to the original Boss 302. The Laguna Seca Edition is a even better track car, but the standard Boss 302 is a better car for everyday driving. After seeing Motorweek name the Toyota Prius its 2010 Car of the Year and the Chevrolet Volt its 2011 Car of the Year, I was pleasantly surprised that the 2012 Mustang Boss 302 was named Motorweek's 2012 Car of the Year. I also thought the award could go to the Subaru Impreza. Motorweek had picked a better car for its 2012 Car of the Year award than Motortrend, who went with the VW Passat. I was glad to see Motorweek went with a fun, performing car rather than a dull and boring hybrid as its 2012 car of the year.


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First Drive: Ford Focus Sedan

The Ford Focus came out in 1998 as the successor to the Ford Escort. The Focus is now on its third generation, released in 2011.The Focus is compact sedan that is available as a four-door sedan or five-door hatchback. It has a front-engine, front-wheel drive layout. The Focus I test drove was white and came with a 2.0L I4 engine, paired with a six-speed semi-automatic transmission, that produces 160 hp and 146 lb-ft of torque. The Focus can go from 0 to 60 mph in 8.1 seconds and has a limited top speed of 122 mph.

The Focus has a stylish exterior and a comfortable interior for a compact sedan. The Focus has a sleek profile. For an American compact sedan, the car has a very aggressive styling.  I had plenty of room behind the wheel. Since this is a compact sedan, there is not much leg room in the rear. I also liked that there are audio controls on the steering wheel.

The Focus has a solid ride quality. The Focus drove smoothly, I could barely feel the bumps when I drove over the speed bumps. The drive was very quiet. Steering was very responsive. The car responded well when I pressed the accelerator and brake pedals. The car drove well on both the roads and the highways. For a compact sedan, the car has some zip to it. The car handled inclines and declines well.

Overall, the Focus is a good compact car. The car has some zip to it. The car was very comfortable to drive. I like the sleek styling of the third-generation Focus. Previous generations of the Focus lacked the sleek body lines. However, this is a compact sedan and most compact sedans lack leg and head room for rear passengers. This is true for the Focus. If you want a compact sedan with good styling and above average performance and drives smoothly, then the Focus is for you.

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First Drive: Ford Mustang V6

The Mustang has been around since 1964 and it served as Ford's pony car/muscle car entry in the American muscle cars war. There were many versions of the Mustang: Shelby GT500, Mustang Boss 302, Boss 429, Mach 1, Mustang GT, Mustang GT/CS, Mustang Shelby GT, Roush Mustangs, Saleen Mustang. The Mustang is on its fifth-generation. I recently drove the 2013 Ford Mustang that is powered by a 3.7L V6, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, that produces 305 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds and has a limited top speed of 112 mph. The car I test drove was grey and included the Sync package. The car I drove cost $25,485.

The Mustang has a great drive quality. The car went smoothly over speed bumps. I could not feel any bumps in the road, let alone speed bumps while driving the Mustang. The car drove quietly on the highway. I had plenty of room behind the wheel. However, the Mustang is a sports car and there is no leg room for the rear passengers. I was mainly focused on test driving the Mustang and I did not use Sync. The Mustang also has an aggressive styling, which is a plus in my book.

The Mustang has great acceleration. The V6 quickly gets the Mustang up to highway speeds. The car handled turns and corners well on the highway. Steering was very responsive and I had no issues with the brake and accelerator pedals. It was a blast to drive.

Overall, the Mustang V6 is a fun sports car to drive. The Mustang has solid acceleration and is comfortable to drive. The Mustang drove smoothly over bumpy roads, city roads, and highways. The car is a great deal for around $25,000. However, the car is limited to 112 mph. The drive shaft of the V6 Mustangs starts to vibrate at 112 mph. But, there is the Mustang Boss 302, Mustang GT, and Shelby GT500, all which come with a V8 engine and have much better performance than the Mustang V6. When the Mustang first came out, it was a no-brainer to chose a V8 Mustang over a V6 Mustang. But with the 2013 Mustangs, the V6 Mustangs are no jokes. The estimated highway MPG for the V6 Mustang is 31. That is very good for a sports car. If you want a good sports car with very good gas mileage, go with the V6 Mustang. If you want a Mustang with muscle, go with one of the Mustangs available with a V8. You will not be disappointed with any 2013 Mustang.

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First Drive: 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid

The Ford C-Max has been around since 2003, serving as Ford's entry in the European compact MPV market. The first generation, which was in production from 2003 to 2010, used the Ford C1 platform, which was also used for the Ford Focus Mk II and the Mazda 5. Production for the second generation C-Max started in 2010. In 2012, the C-Max made its way to North America. While the European market C-Max has various different engines to pick from, the North American C-Max comes only with a hybrid drivetrain. I have seen a few C-Maxes on the Houston roads, but I only got a distant glimpse at them. At the 2013 Houston Auto Show, there were two C-Maxes available for test drives. The only difference between the two was the color. For the ride and drive event, Ford had several cars to choose from. The popular Ford was the Mustang 5.0. Since there were only four representatives rode along on the test drives, participants were restricted to driving in the parking lot. Out of the 70 vehicles I test drove over the five day period, the C-Max was the only vehicle I drove twice. The first time was Friday night in the parking lot. For the second time out in the C-Max, I was able to drive on the streets. The C-Max was the last car I drove on Sunday. The C-Max is a front engine, front-wheel drive five-door compact MPV.

As far as styling goes, there are a few things that stand out. The C-Max has a double grill. The upper grill is from a Ford Focus and the lower grill is from the Ford Fusion. The styling is similar to the Ford Escape. Other than that, nothing real special about the styling. The C-Max has a nice sized interior. There is plenty room for five. Behind the wheel, I had plenty of head room and leg room. The seat was comfortable. The gauges are nice. On the right, there is a screen that uses leaves to show the driver how efficiently the person is driving.

The C-Max is powered by a both an Atkinson cycle 2.0L I4 engine that produces 141 hp and 129 lb-ft of torque and a permanent magnet AC synchronous electric motor that produces 118 hp and 117 lb-ft of torque. The C-Max comes with a 1.4 kWh lithium ion battery pack. The combined hybrid powertrain produces 188 hp. The C-Max uses a CVT transmission. The C-Max goes from 0 to 60 mph in 8.1 seconds and has at top speed of 115 mph. The C-Max can reach 62 mph will only using electric mode. The C-Max has good acceleration for a hybrid. The C-Max also has smooth acceleration. I felt no jerks will accelerating. The C-Max has a smooth, quiet ride.  Prices for the C-Max Hybrid SE starts at $25,995. Prices for the C-Max Hybrid SEL starts at $28,995. That is a fair price for a hybrid. The C-Max performs very well compared to the Honda Insight, Toyota Prius and Prius V, and the Chevrolet Volt.

The Ford C-Max Hybrid was featured in Motorweek.

Overall, the Ford C-Max Hybrid is a good hybrid. The ride is smooth. It has good acceleration. The interior is nice and roomy. The styling is nothing special, but it is better than the Volt, Prius, Prius C, and Insight. If you are in the market for a hybrid, give the C-Max a test drive. If you are in the market for a five seat MPV, give the C-Max a test drive. Compared to the competition, the C-Max is the best value for a hybrid.


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First Drive: 2013 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 Coupe

The Ford Mustang was first released in 1964 and it started the pony car wars. It beat out its rivals, the Dodge Challenger and Chevrolet Camaro. Starting in 1969 until 1973, the Mustang was available with a 302 cubic inch (4.95L) V8. The 302 engine was available in the second generation Mustang starting in 1975. 1975 marked the year when Ford first used the "5.0" moniker for the Mustang. The 4.95L V8 was brought over  to the third generation Mustang. Due to an oil crisis, the 4.95L V8 was replaced for a 4.2L V8 for the 1980 and 1981. In 1982, Mustangs regained the 4,.95L V8. All third generation Mustangs with the 4.95L V8 carried the "5.0" moniker. When Ford released the fourth generation in 1994, Ford brought over the 4.95L V8 and kept it in the Mustang for the 1995 model year. In 1996, Ford replaced the 4.95L V8 with a 4.6L V8. In 2005, Ford came out with the fifth generation Mustang, and the 4.95L V8 was not included with the initial release of the fifth generation Mustang. When the fifth generation got a styling update in 2010, the 4.95L V8 was still not available. The 302 cubic inch V8 made its return to the Ford Mustang in 2011, replacing the 4.6L V8 engines found in the Mustang GTs. Starting in 2011, Ford Mustang GTs gained the "5.0" moniker. In 2012 and 2013, Ford released the Mustang Boss 302. At the 2013 Houston Auto Show, the Ford Mustang 5.0 was available for test drive, but there was a long line just to drive one and Ford allowed you to only drive in the parking lot. I decided not to drive the Mustang at the auto show. There is a Ford dealership close to where I live and I stopped by to test drive the Mustang 5.0. The Ford Mustang is a front engine, rear-wheel drive, two-door sports car with a 2+2 seating arrangement.

The Mustang GT 5.0 has a sporty, aggressive styling. It has the classic front grill and a sporty profile. I really like the taillights on the Mustang. The Mustang I drove had a simple interior. There is no touch screen in the Mustang I drove. I was comfortable behind the wheel. I had a good amount of head space and leg space. This is a sports coupe, there is not much room in the back for adult passengers. The Mustang I drove also came with Brembo brakes, which improve the Mustang's stopping power.

The Ford Mustang GT 5.0 I drove is powered by a 5.0L V8, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, that produces 420 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and a top speed of 146 mph. The Mustang 5.0 is also available with a six-speed manual transmission. The Mustang 5.0 has great acceleration. It felt quick behind the wheel. For a sports car, the Mustang 5.0 has a smooth ride. It was quiet inside the Mustang 5.0, even with a V8 engine.The Mustang has responsive handling and the car responded well when pressed the accelerator and brake pedals. This is a solid muscle car and I had fun test behind the wheel. Prices for the Mustang GT Coupe start at $30,750. Prices for the Ford Mustang GT Premium start at $34,750.

Overall, the Mustang GT 5.0 is a great muscle car. The Mustang has great performance at a very reasonable price. I have driven the Chevrolet Camaro SS, yet I had more fun in the Mustang GT 5.0 than I did in the Camaro SS. I have also driven the Mustang V6. The Mustang V6 is good for everyday driving. But if you want a car you can live with everyday and want to use on track days, the Mustang GT 5.0 is the way to go. Since there is not much room in the back, the Mustang should not be used as a family car. If you want a great performing car for under $40,000, give the Mustang GT 5.0 a test drive.

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