| Ford Division
Ford Motor Company Dearborn, Michigan |
| Engine |
335-hp, 390
cu. in. V-8 |
| Transmission |
3-speed automatic |
| Steering |
Power-assisted |
| Suspension |
Heavy-duty |
| Brakes |
Disc F, Drum R |
Check
list |
| Engine |
| Throttle Response |
Good |
| Noise Insulation |
Very
Good |
| Drive
train |
| Shift Linkage |
Very
Good |
| Shift Smoothness |
Good |
| Steering |
| Effort |
Very
Good |
| Response |
Very
Good |
| Handling |
| Predictability |
Very
Good |
| Evasive Maneuverability |
Very
Good |
| Brakes |
| Directional Stability |
Very
Good |
| Fade Resistance |
Very
Good |
| Interior |
| Ease of Entry/Exit |
Good |
| Driving Position |
Very
Good |
| Front Seating Comfort |
Very
Good |
| Rear Seating Comfort |
Poor |
| General |
| Vision |
Fair |
| Heater/ Defroster |
Excellent |
| Weather Sealing |
Good |
| Trunk Space |
Poor |
|
Last year, the 335-hp,
390 cu. in. Mustang was the hottest Mustang you could buy. This
year it's only penultimate-the new top power-plant is a soaring,
390-hp, 427 cu. in. V-8; great for maximum performance, but
a bit much for ordinary citizens. By
comparison, the 289 and 302 cu. in. V-8s are positively puny.
The 390 is a good compromise, and wholly in keeping with the
Mustang's image.
It's not for nothing that the
Mustang has remained the most popular sporty car; it's fun
to drive, well-built, reliable and inexpensive. It handles
well, brakes firmly and accelerates nicely. It's a very comfortable
car to drive, although the seat rake adjustment feature has
been eliminated for '68. (We used to unscrew the adjusting
bolt altogether, and let the seat full back as far as it would
go.)
Ford's high-compliance front
suspension strut, pioneered last year by the Cougar, is now
used on the Mustang. Harshness is better controlled at some
penalty in steering precision.
The "Sport-Shift" 3-speed
automatic is continued, and affords full manual control over
upshifts and the 3-2 downshift.
Overall, the Mustang fully deserves
its prominence in the sporty car field. After all, the Mustang
created it. |
