OK.. but that was then. This is now. The technology seems to have been perfected about a decade ago...I own several other vehicles that prove it. My 2000 Acura has no problems has no problem with radio reception.

I understand that compromises have been made to the Mustang in order to produce a performance car at this price point (i.e. lack of IRS, interior quality, etc.), but why are you defending Ford so strongly on this? A modern antenna wouldn't affect the MSRP very much, would it? Five or ten bucks? Seems like a small percentage on an almost $30K vehicle, doesn't it?

 

I agree a smooth fender would look best.
Personally I wanted the radio delete option. I never use the thing. I roll down the windows and listen to the engine. My accelerometer blocks the CD slot. I would rather have saved the weight and deleted it entirely.
However, there is no car made today without a radio.
I defend the antenna because I wanted Ford to pinch every penny it could to give me a real muscle car at a low price. Heck I was upset I had to pay for a non-existent spoiler.
It also fits the retro theme.
That being said, I'm not saying you are wrong.
I just don't use the car for listening to the radio, so I can't see spending any money at all on it.

 

I use Sirius, I hardly ever listen to FM anymore.

 

My cover came with a hole for the antenna.

 

Ford needs to make a streetable race version of the Mustang:
Delete radio
Delete rear seat
Delete spoiler (and actually give us credit for the **** thing)
Delete a/c and cruise as a separate option for the truly hard core
Delete alloy wheels (we're going to add our own, anyway)
Put on the cheapest tire that will roll (see above)
3.73 gears
CAI from Bullit
Upgraded brakes

I believe there's a market for that car.

 

I think they called it the Cobra R.

 

I agree with JonW.

Here is my no cost antenna delete. I took the metal stub that was in place of my factory antenna when I bought the car. I recycled a black plastic cap that would have been trashed at work.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t.../Antdelete.jpg

 

They did it then. Why can't they do it now?

 

I think Ford would sit on them again. Most dealers jacked up the price so much that the average guy could not afford one. A local dealer in Fla had one for about 3 yrs before he sold it. Then he sold it under invoice.

 

The 2000 Cobra R was more than a stripped down Cobra with a CAI and lowered ride.
http://bradbarnett.net/mustangs/timeline/99-04/00/

"SVT unveiled the 2000 SVT Cobra R. Rs were only available in red. They had no heater, air conditioner, rear seat, or sound deadening material. What it did have were a new front valence, side exhaust, racing seats, a 5.4L V-8 pushing 385-hp, and exclusivity--only 300 were made."

 

The Cobra R is more hard-core than what I had in mind. All I'm talking about is a decontented GT with better brakes. Shouldn't be that hard for Ford to do.

 

My 08 GT is about as bare optioned as you can get and it still has the CD/MP3 radio, A/C, Power locks, mirrors, windows, power drivers seat rear windows defogger and no ash tray ( Ok since I don't smoke in my cars). I had absolutely no options on the sticker. Nothing but the GT standard options. No IUP, nothing and I have the big ol' 3 foot stick hanging out on the hood. I might go with a shorty antenna later on but for now it's no big deal other than having to take it off when I put the car cover on.

I have a 74 El Camino with no antennas anywhere except the front window. They came that way from the factory. Reception is fair at best unless you happen to be pointed in the direction of a transmitting tower, then it's great. Of course the window isn't as raked as newer cars are now. In fact the windshield is sloped back at only about a 45 degree angle which is pretty straight as windshields go. A whole lot of newer cars have some pretty flattened window profiles which would make reception better since a flat orientation pointing more or less "up" is going to be more omnidirectional than one that was basically tacked to a glass wall like my El Camino.

About a month before I bought my 08 GT I rented and 08 Pontiac Grand Prix and it had the antenna in the back window. Radio reception was great. I think it would be more than a 30 buck change though. The antenna has to be molded into the glass making it more expensive. On my El Camino the cost of the window with the antenna inside it costs about 200 bucks more than one without. The wires are actually in the glass not stuck on.

 

Intresting article. Instead of an "R" model, why not an "LX"?
http://www.thechromepony.com/News-11-18-07.html

 

That's what I'm talking about!

 

I don't think the Mustang needs yet another trim level. The fog lights seem more practical than the GT but otherwise it doesn't make sense. For one thing I own the base-est GT you can buy and it only cost me about a grand more than the suggested LX price. If I saw the LX and then looked at the GT it'd be a no brainer. For one thing value models rarely have decent resale. I know darn well that that little GT emblem on the side of my 08 is going to be worth at least 2 grand more than a V6 at resale time. What would they get rid of to make the price anyway? ABS? Traction Control? Stainless Exhuast? While it may be fun to drive a manual behind a V8 without traction control or ABS, I would expect a bit more from a new 21st century automobile than that espeically if I drove it to work every day.

The LX would have to be around 19K to be viable and I don't know that Ford could produce such a model for that price. Especially when you consider a fully loaded V6 with just about every GT option short of the engine can run about 22K.