OK, here’s the deal. I’ve been researching and driving just about everything I can get my hands on in the hopes of finding a new daily driver/track car. It’s a tough thing I know, but as it’s really my only hobby, it’s a decision that is not to be taken lightly. The car will probably see anywhere from 10-12 track days per year with a nice 7-day stint running in the 2012 One Lap of America. What that means is that the car in question needs to be comfortable enough for my 6’4″ frame, large enough to carry a weeks worth of luggage and fast enough so that I can potentially keep up with majority of the people that run in the advanced group. Thus far I’ve narrowed it down to two cars; a 2008 or better Chevrolet Corvette or a slightly used BOSS 302 Mustang.

*Photo Credit: InsideLine

Both cars have their pro’s and con’s, however for whatever reason, I’m having a bitch of a time making a decision. On the one hand a base model Corvette equipped with an LS3 produces 436 hp and 428 lb.-ft of torque when equipped with the sport exhaust. It also gets 26 mph hwy, weighs in at 3,217 lbs., will sprint to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds and top out at 190 mph.

*Photo Credit: AutoWeek

In comparison the 2012 Boss 302 Mustang puts out 440 hp and 380 lb.-ft, will hit 60 mph in 4.2 seconds and will hit maximum velocity at (electronically limited) 155 mph, plus it has usable back seats. It does however weight in a 3,621 lbs. and has a much higher price tag then a used Vette’. So, presented with the following facts, which car would you choose and why?

The 2013 Camaro ZL1, in topless flavor. Image: GM Corp.

If you thought that the announcement of the 650-horsepower 2013 Shelby GT 500 meant the end of the pony car wars, you’d be wrong. Al Oppenheiser, the chief engineer on the Camaro ZL 1 program, was his normal outspoken self in a a letter to the faithful on the Camaro5 website.

As quoted on Left Lane News, Oppenheiser wrote, “For Mustang fans. you’re welcome. Clearly the Camaro has encouraged Ford to throw everything they can at us. The days of ‘no replacement for displacement’ are over, and it’s not enough to be fast in a straight line. With the Camaro ZL1, we set out to deliver integrated performance, and be equally good at acceleration, braking, grip and turning. As you will soon see, that’s why the Camaro ZL1 will set the performance benchmark for the segment.”

That’s a line in the sand if we’ve ever seen one…

Ford's Mustang Customizer website. Image: Ford Motor Company

If you’re a Mustang fan, don’t click on Ford’s absurdly addicting Mustang Customizer Website unless you have some serious time to kill. The site lets you build your own Mustang, in V6, GT, Boss 302 or Shelby GT500 trims, changing a surprising number of external appearance items. Want a custom color, not in the Ford catalog? No problem, just mix your own. Want a Mustang GT with a Boss 302 grill and Shelby wheels? it’s just a click of the mouse away.

When you’ve built up your unique and one-of-a-kind Mustang, complete the graphics and striping, you can upload it to Facebook and compete against other Mustang fans who’ve done the same thing. You won’t win any actual prizes (and I seriously doubt Chip Foose or Jack Roush will be calling with a job offer), but you’ll get to earn bragging rights on the coolest virtual Mustang. For what that’s worth.

If you’re serious about building a one-of-a-kind Mustang, and have a really big budget to work with, Ford will even provide you with a PDF listing part numbers and vendors. All the parts shown in the customizer are available for Ford or aftermarket vendors, so you really can build a one-of-a-kind Mustang, just like the one you’ve created online.

Source: Ford

There are only a few cars out there that embody true style and performance in the custom world. Some are done well, others… not so much. Vaughn Gittin Jr’s RTR-X 1969 Mustang is one of those rare machines that not only does everything it promises, but helps, in my opinion, to elevate the hobby to the next level. With that being said, if you want to know what “BAD ASS” looks like, just click through for a great video.

Source: Youtube.com

The 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302. Image: Ford Motor Company

If you missed out on your chance to buy a Boss 302 in 2011 (although rumor has it that there are still some base models in the pipeline), we’ve got good news for you: Mustangs Daily is reporting that the Boss 302 will return for 2013, and will deliver more content for the same money. First up is Ford’s Sync infotainment system, which will allegedly be an available option for 2013 Boss 302 Mustangs. Don’t expect a giant 8-inch display, since the Boss is about going fast, not watching DVDs while parked. Opt for the Sync system and it comes with a 4.2 inch touchscreen LCD display.

If you don’t want the Sync system in your Boss (and you don’t, since it doesn’t make the car go any faster), the price for a 2013 version is said to be less than the car cost in 2012, but we’re still waiting on final prices to be published. There are a few new colors to choose from, including Grabber Blue and Gotta-Have-It-Green. HID headlights are said to be available in 2013, but there’s no word on whether they’ll be included or optional. Likewise, there’s no confirmation that the sold-out Laguna Seca package will be returning for a second year in 2013.

Source: Mustangs Daily, via Autoblog

If you want to buy a Mustang to use on track days, the 2012 Mustang Boss 302 won’t disappoint. In fact, if you can get your hands on a (sold out) Laguna Seca edition of the Boss 302, even better: the car’s stiffer suspension generates a surprising amount of grip in the corners, but hanging the back end out is as simple as mashing the gas and turning the wheel. Not only is the Boss 302 Mustang entertaining to drive, it’s also surprisingly capable on the race track.

The video below is part of Motor Trend’s “Hot Lap!” series, meant to help determine the best driver’s car in America. The results won’t be out until September 12, but SCCA World Challenge pro Randy Pobst was impressed by the Boss 302 Laguna Seca. Some of his comments included, “handled better than a Porsche Cayman” and “clearly better than any other Mustang I’ve driven.”

The Boss 302 Laguna Seca’s lap time around the Laguna Seca circuit was 1:41.06. That’s not even close to the 1:36.39 that Randy got out of the Lexus LFA, but considering the spread in price and technology between the two cars, it makes the Boss 302’s performance that much more impressive.

Source: YouTube

Expect the 2013 Ford Mustang to look a lot like the 2012 Shelby GT500. Image: Ford Motor Company

The current Ford Mustang last got a styling refresh in 2010, even though it got new V-6 and new V-8 engines in 2011. It’s not due for a major restyling until 2015, which represents the 50th anniversary of Ford’s pony car. Ford needs to do something to keep the Mustang fresh between now and 2015, but it can’t afford to spend too much on a mid-cycle refresh. When in doubt, add more power and sharpen up the styling.

That’s exactly what Mustangs Daily tells us to expect for the 2013 Mustang, which should debut in concept form at November’s Los Angeles Auto Show. There aren’t any details on how much more power the Mustang will make, but the current Mustang V-6 gives up 18 horsepower to the Camaro, while the current Mustang V-8 has a 14 horsepower deficit compared to the Camaro. It doesn’t matter that the Mustang is lighter, because bragging rights are bragging rights.

Expect to see a more prominent upper grille and smaller lower grille for 2013, along the lines of the current Shelby GT500 Mustang. The angled rear tail lights are on their way out (thankfully), to be replaced again with flush tail lights similar to the 2005 design.

There’s no word on pricing or availability yet, so we’ll call it as “comparable” and “spring of 2012.”

Source: Mustangs Daily

Thumbs Up: Begs to be driven hard, one of the world’s best exhaust notes.

Thumbs Down: No telescoping steering wheel, handbrake designed by Marquis de Sade

Buy This Car If: You want the topless version of the best-handling pony car.

As a journalist, it’s my job to be objective about cars that I drive. Calling something “the best” invariably tells readers that you’ve lost that objectivity, and that a certain make and model has sucked you in with its charms. Such is the case with the Ford Mustang GT, and it’s topless stablemate, the Ford Mustang GT Convertible. There is one reason and one reason only that I don’t have a 2012 Mustang GT parked in my garage by now: it’s more money than I can afford to spend on a car these days.

That’s not to say that the Mustang GT or Mustang GT Convertible are too expensive, because the opposite is true. Both cars, in fact, represent one of the best performance bargains on the market today. Where else can you get a track-ready car that’s also a fine daily driver, packing 412 horsepower and surprisingly predictive handling, for a base price under $31k (coupe) or just over $35k (convertible)?

If your intentions involve track days and drag racing, the Mustang GT Coupe is the car you want. On the other hand, if you want the perfect car to enjoy al fresco motoring in the spring, summer and fall, it’s hard to imagine a better choice than the Mustang GT Convertible. Top up, the cabin is surprisingly quiet for a non-hardtop convertible. Top down, there’s a bit of wind noise, but never as much as in the new Camaro Convertible. Two front-seat passengers can hold a normal-volume conversation, even at highways speeds.

Unless, of course, the driver insists on winding the superb Coyote V-8 out to redline in each gear before upshifting. The exhaust note of the Mustang is addicting, and I have to say that it’s one of the best-sounding engines in the automotive world. Somehow, Ford managed to create an exhaust note that would do Goldilocks proud: it’s not too quiet (like the Camaro SS), and it’s not too loud (like the Challenger 392). Instead, the volume and tone of the exhaust from the Mustang is just right, and I’d advise against spending a lot of money on audio upgrades in the Mustang GT Convertible; if you’re a car person, the exhaust is all the music you’ll need.

In terms of exterior styling, the 2012 Ford Mustang GT Convertible is probably the most conservative of the retro-pony cars. It lacks the show-car looks of the Camaro Convertible, but it’s also a lot easier to get in and out of if you’re over five-foot-ten. The Mustang doesn’t look bad with its top up, but it looks a whole lot sexier with the top down, especially in the white-with-red-leather-interior color combination. To be fair, I’d still have to give the “Best-Looking Pony Car” award to the Dodge Challenger, but you can’t get that in a ragtop version. By default, that gives the victory to the Mustang GT Convertible, which has perhaps the sexiest front three-quarter profile of any car built in America today.

Inside, the cockpit will be familiar to anyone who’s ever owned or driven a 60’s era Mustang. The instruments are as retro as the exterior styling, and I have to say they’re my least favorite feature of the car. They work well enough, although the speedometer is only marked in 20 mph increments, but the modern fuel, water temperature, battery and oil pressure gauges located in the center of the dash clash with the retro speedometer and tachometer. Purists may call this blasphemy, but I’d like to see a more modern design for the speedometer and tach.

The dash of the 2012 Mustang GT Convertible tester I drove was nicer than that of the 2011 Mustang GT Coupe I drove last year, but that may have been just the difference in Base and Premium trim levels. The 2012 Mustang GT Convertible, in Premium trim, features a textured aluminum dash face that really brings an element of style to the interior. The dash top is sculpted, soft-touch vinyl, and combined with the aluminum dash face, adds some elegance to an otherwise plain interior. Ford keeps things interesting with multiple textures and colors, but there’s still a lot of hard. black plastic on the inside (especially on the doors). If that’s the price to pay for keeping the Mustang’s cost down and performance up, so be it.

The seats in the 2012 Mustang GT Premium are the nicest in recent Mustang GT history, and they provide a reasonable amount of lateral support for spirited driving (something most earlier Mustang GT’s lacked). They’re comfortable enough for long trips, with one notable exception: the handbrake lever couldn’t be positioned in a worse location, and it’s not possible to drive the Mustang GT without the handbrake digging into your thigh. Maybe Kate Moss can get away with it, but I can’t, and I even fit comfortably in the Mazda Miata’s narrow seats. I’d gladly take a smaller center console cup holder in exchange for an inch more thigh room.

The Mustang has back seats, but head room is compromised with the top up, and leg room is minimal, top up or down. The seats will haul two adults for short trips, but you’ll want to let rear-seat passengers exit before you put the top up. Rear legroom is no worse than the Chevy Camaro, but it really isn’t any better, either.

The heart of the Mustang GT is the 5.0-liter Coyote V-8 engine, introduced to the Mustang in 2011. The engine is superb, and allows the Mustang to be driven in one of two ways: if you shift at about 3,500 RPM, the Mustang is docile enough for your grandmother to drive, in the rain. On the other hand, if you wind the engine out to take advantage of all 412 ponies (and 390 ft-lb of torque), the Mustang accelerates with surprising authority. Launching the car can take practice, since there’s a relatively fine line between too much wheel spin (or worse, wheel hop) and just enough. Launch it right, and the Mustang will reward you with a zero to sixty time of just under five seconds. If you can manage to control your urge to drop the hammer at every opportunity, the 2012 Mustang GT will return surprising fuel economy, thanks to a tall sixth gear. The EPA rates the 5.0-liter Mustang at 17 mpg city and 26 mpg highway, and I saw an indicated 16.6 mpg in “enthusiastic” city driving.

My 2012 Mustang GT Convertible tester came with Ford’s six-speed manual gearbox, and it worked flawlessly during my time behind the wheel. Clutch effort was surprisingly light, given the car’s horsepower, and shifts we relatively short and crisp. Spacing between gates is narrow, which requires you to pay attention until you get used to the shift pattern. One retro touch I particularly liked was the round aluminum “cue ball” style shifter. It just feels good in your hand, unless the car has been parked in the sun (in which case, Nomex gloves are required). It’s not a big deal, especially if you remember to throw a hat over the shifter when you park.

The latest Mustangs surprise me every time I get behind the wheel. Their handling is superb, yet they deliver a better-than-reasonable ride comfort. The live axle versus independent rear suspension debate is a non-issue with the latest Mustangs, so keep an open mind until you’ve had a chance to drive one. Even pushing the car reasonably hard in corners, the rear-end always feels planted, and the only place I can see the handling as an issue would be on a poorly-paved racetrack (like Louisiana’s “Last Chance” Raceway). In street driving, unless you’re the kind of guy who has a traffic attorney on retainer, I seriously doubt the Mustang’s handling will be objectionable.

Steering and brakes are also top-notch, and the Mustang inspires confidence when driven hard. Ford’s traction control system will allow just a bit of tail-out cornering before stepping in to ensure that you maintain your driver’s license in good standing, and the optional Brembo brake package is a must-order item for serious drivers. I haven’t had the opportunity to track test a Mustang GT, but for street driving the Brembo brakes deliver a solid feel, good stopping distances and zero fade, even when driven at super-legal speeds (in the interest of objective testing, of course).

Sadly, a Mustang GT is out of my budget for now, but at some point I expect my income and the price of the Mustang GT to again converge. When it does, I’ll snap up a Mustang GT in a heartbeat: it’s an amazing performance bargain, and it’s absolutely guaranteed to put a smile on your face every time you get behind the wheel.

My 2012 Mustang GT Premium Convertible tester had a base price of $38,995, including a deliver charge of $850. Options on my press fleet tester included the $395 Premier Trim With Color Accent Interior, the $695 Reverse Sensing Package, the $525 HID / Security Package, the $595 Comfort Package (6-way power passenger seat, heated front seats) and the $1,695 Brembo Brake Package, for a total sticker price of $42,900. A comparably equipped Chevrolet Camaro 2SS Convertible would sticker at $41,880, and a similar Nissan 370Z Convertible would list for $45,790.

Image: Ford Motor Company

This has been a long time coming, but the NHTSA has finally launched an investigation into the manual transmissions used on 2011 and 2012 Ford Mustang models. The agency has received 32 complaints to date, including both 5.0-liter and 3.7-liter equipped cars, but the issue has been well-documented on Mustang internet message boards for nearly a year. There may be 32 official complaints, but there are a lot more dissatisfied owners out there.

Those experiencing problems report a difficulty in shifting into gear, especially first gear or third gear. Sometimes double-clutching helps, while other times it has no impact. Several owners complain that the problem is worse when turning left, while others say it occurs when pulling onto the highway (with the transmission under heavy load). One common denominator is this: the problem only occurs when the motor is running, and the transmission shifts just fine when the car is shut off.

Ford has yet to issue a TSB on the matter, and their response to customers seems to vary by area service rep. Some owners have had repairs done under warranty (with no luck in fixing the problem), while others have had warranty claims denied under the “they all do that” excuse. Now that the NHTSA is looking into the matter, the good news is this: if a problem is found, Ford will be obligated to fix it.

Source: NHTSA

Concerned you’re not doing enough to promote global warming? Do you have carbon credits aplenty, or do you simply like turning meaty rear tires into lingering clouds of mosquito-repelling smoke? If you answered yes to any of those questions, consider buying yourself a Roush Stage 3 Mustang, which displays it’s prowess at leaving expensive black spots on the pavement in the video below.

Burnout ability aside, the Roush Stage 3 Mustang is a damn impressive car on the track. Two entered this year’s One Lap of America, and one car finished third overall (just behind a Porsche 911 Turbo S and a tuned Nissan GT-R). The second car, driven by Jack Roush, Jr., finished 11th overall but second in class. Not only are the Roush Mustangs fast in a straight line, but they’ve got a lot better balance than you’d expect from a muscle car.

Source: Left Lane News