LOL yes well...at least Mustang Enthusiast won't blame me for only getting half the buyers this month that it usually gets.

 

Agreed. Too often, IMHO, this forum takes a decidedly drag-focused interpretation of performance to either the disregard or outright detriment of the rest of the performance envelope. But as the above quote implies, while you may give up a little in some specific slice of the performance envelope, you may well gain more everywhere else and end up with a bigger, deeper, broader overall performance envelope.

That is what I liked about the article, that the development team did have a broader, more expansive view of the Stang's performance rather than just a one-trick pony dragger, especially for a car driven primarily in the wide open real world far away from the artificial confines of the strip. While there will be significant quantitative performance increases in the '05, I think the real revelation will be the immense qualitative improvement, that the '05 will be so much more fun and rewarding to drive everywhere.

 

When I saw the Gt at the auto show it drew a large crowd, the gto didnt even have one person by it when I looked at it. It looks like a new grand am. I can appreciate any nice car but the gto is boring to look at. If you didnt know what it was you would never think it was nothing but another pontiac.

 

LOL yes well...at least Mustang Enthusiast won't blame me for only getting half the buyers this month that it usually gets. [/b][/quote]
Yeah, that is a fact.
Strongbad rules btw!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

When I saw the Gt at the auto show it drew a large crowd, the gto didnt even have one person by it when I looked at it. It looks like a new grand am. I can appreciate any nice car but the gto is boring to look at. If you didnt know what it was you would never think it was nothing but another pontiac.

 

rhumb, when I read the article I was thinking of you since they focused extensively on handling dynamics. I think the responses did a good job of reassuring me that this car will perform very well in that department. Good to hear I must say.

 

Yes, I agree, I was rather heartened for the most part in the well balanced approach the development team took to the Stang. They really seem to have sweated a lot of the fine details that seem to have been mostly overlooked on the current edition. Obviously I don't agree with all their decisions, live axle primarily, but even there, they seem to have done much to make the best out of a, well, ____ thing. And they did mention the IRS being on additional modelS, as opposed to one, so there's hope for us who want to go fast in the twisties too.

But, as I mentioned, I think a lot of the improvement in the Stang won't be found in hard numbers, which it has always done pretty well in anyway, but rather, its the improvements in feel, balance, feedback and just overall refinement that will probably be the most significant and perhaps satisfying, dynamically speaking.

 

I can't wait to drive her and find out for sure.

 

I like how the test track in the article is obviously full of "twisties", and is not simply drag strip. Encouraging.

And, I agree, the stock GTO looks frighteningly similar to a Grand Am, or maybe even a SUNFIRE! UGH!!! Nice going, GM.