2007 Ford Mustang

For 2007, the 210-hp Mustang V6 and 300-hp Mustang GT are joined by the new 500-hp supercharged Shelby GT500, offering its own look, tuning, and equipment.

Available in fastback coupe or convertible body styles, the Mustang V6 models make nice, stylish cruisers. The GT is an absolute hoot to drive, making all the right sounds, hanging onto corners tenaciously, and delivering thrilling acceleration performance. The Shelby GT500 adds to the fun with its near-Corvette performance. It's quite tossable, making for good sport on gymkhanas, race tracks or back roads. Its solid rear axle can get bouncy on bad pavement, and you'll want snow tires (four of them) for Northeastern or Midwestern winters.

The GT looks mean, and it drives mean, with 320 pound-feet of torque, a decent shifter and a brawny, loud exhaust note. It's everything a pony car is supposed to be, without the teeth-rattling stiffness of the muscle cars of another era. The Mustang GT also boasts one of the world's largest aftermarket speed-part networks for those who want even higher performance.

The new Shelby GT500 kicks up yet another notch. Its 5.4-liter V8 is derived from the same modular engine family as the smaller 4.6, but has an iron block for rigidity, and four-valve-per-cylinder aluminum heads topped by a total of four overhead camshafts. A Roots-type positive-displacement supercharger feeds air at 8.5 psi through an air-to-liquid intercooler and dual 60mm throttle bodies. The official output is 500 horsepower at 6000 rpm, and 480 pound-feet of torque at 4500. The only available gearbox is a Tremec close-ratio six-speed manual.

It's relatively easy to control and very predictable. Without any experience in the car, we were able to immediately carry long power-oversteer slides on a wet autocross circuit at Ford's new Dearborn Development Center proving grounds, feeding in opposite lock. Use of the throttle and steering wheel allowed us to wag the tail back and forth through slaloms, quickly and accurately changing directions. Secure footing is provided by 255/45ZR high-performance tires in front and 285/40ZR's in back, on wheels measuring 18 by 9.5 inches.