My new Race Red GT!
6/12/10 | 07:14 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: June 6, 2005
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
From: Maryland, Texas, Россия
My new Race Red GT!
I picked up my new Race Red GT from Yokum (Jeff AKA 05fordgt) Ford in Lansdale, PA yesterday. First let me say that dealing with Jeff was a pleasure. He had all the paperwork ready to go and picked me up from the train station in his modified 06 GT. Did a great job explaining all the new doo-dads in the '11 and after that I was off in my brand new car (9 miles on the odo). Well, I thought I was off. With the help of the Garmin GPS I brought with me I promptly got real lost (what the hell does "keep right, then left" mean?). Ended up driving through Philly traffic at 5:00pm. Anyway, eventually made it home to suburban Maryland and here are my impressions...
Engine: Wow. Pretty docile and easy to drive just cruising around or in traffic, but get on it and the thing just keeps pulling like a locomotive. It's actually a little difficult to really thrash it because you are at extra-legal speeds very, very quickly. Thrust builds in a linear fashion all the way to redline, just be sure you have the room (and radar detection). There is a burble at low revs and constant throttle but it just growls at about 4000 RPM and up. Awesome sound, although I know many (probably younger) guys will want to make it even louder. Bottom line, believe the hype, it's a really, really great engine.
Transmission: Short throws, somewhat narrow gates, but a very snick-snick, well-put-together feel. I've caught a couple of wrong gears, but that's mostly due to not being used to the dreaded 'skip shift'. About the skip shift, if your just cruising with traffic you will regularly go from 1st to 4th. I don't mind it too much because the engine has ample torque and with the 3.73's it seems to put you right where you need to be cruising around between 30mph and 50mph. If you even mildly 'get on it', this 'feature' won't intrude. BTW, I think some of the recent posts re: "this thing has less torque than" are because the skip shift put them into 4th, it's really stealthy how it works. Clutch is smooth and relatively light, no worries there. Stability and Traction control do a nice unobtrusive job of keeping you pointed in the right direction.
Other: Interior is nice and well put together. I'm 6'4" and am able to find a comfortable seating position (hello Camaro). There are still a few areas where you can tell Ford is compromising on materials a bit, but still a vast improvement on any previous Mustang (and worlds better than the aforementioned Camaro I attempted to sit in). Paint is good in a 'good from the factory' type of way, and much better than 90's domestic efforts. The saddle leather seats look and feel awesome, very Ferrari looking with the race red. Time will tell if they hold up better than my '96 GT leather seats. Radio (Shaker 500) is very good to my 44 year old ears and the Sync is cool, although I haven't had a chance to really get into it's myriad controls.
Things I'd change: These are really nit-picky because the car is just so freakin' awesome, but here are some little things I'd like to see addressed; The 'leather' and stitching on the e-brake is kinda cheesy. I've already scuffed the chrome on the door speakers getting in and out (mostly in). Not really Ford's fault, but the rear headrests are lame (up or down). The cover for the cup-holders tends to try to open when I have my arm there shifting gears. Rear console door seems a little flimsy. Oh, and a telescoping steering wheel on my $36,000 car please. I guess that's about it, and these are certainly things I can live with given the screamer under the hood.
Let me know if you have any questions, and in keeping with Pix or GTFO:
Engine: Wow. Pretty docile and easy to drive just cruising around or in traffic, but get on it and the thing just keeps pulling like a locomotive. It's actually a little difficult to really thrash it because you are at extra-legal speeds very, very quickly. Thrust builds in a linear fashion all the way to redline, just be sure you have the room (and radar detection). There is a burble at low revs and constant throttle but it just growls at about 4000 RPM and up. Awesome sound, although I know many (probably younger) guys will want to make it even louder. Bottom line, believe the hype, it's a really, really great engine.
Transmission: Short throws, somewhat narrow gates, but a very snick-snick, well-put-together feel. I've caught a couple of wrong gears, but that's mostly due to not being used to the dreaded 'skip shift'. About the skip shift, if your just cruising with traffic you will regularly go from 1st to 4th. I don't mind it too much because the engine has ample torque and with the 3.73's it seems to put you right where you need to be cruising around between 30mph and 50mph. If you even mildly 'get on it', this 'feature' won't intrude. BTW, I think some of the recent posts re: "this thing has less torque than" are because the skip shift put them into 4th, it's really stealthy how it works. Clutch is smooth and relatively light, no worries there. Stability and Traction control do a nice unobtrusive job of keeping you pointed in the right direction.
Other: Interior is nice and well put together. I'm 6'4" and am able to find a comfortable seating position (hello Camaro). There are still a few areas where you can tell Ford is compromising on materials a bit, but still a vast improvement on any previous Mustang (and worlds better than the aforementioned Camaro I attempted to sit in). Paint is good in a 'good from the factory' type of way, and much better than 90's domestic efforts. The saddle leather seats look and feel awesome, very Ferrari looking with the race red. Time will tell if they hold up better than my '96 GT leather seats. Radio (Shaker 500) is very good to my 44 year old ears and the Sync is cool, although I haven't had a chance to really get into it's myriad controls.
Things I'd change: These are really nit-picky because the car is just so freakin' awesome, but here are some little things I'd like to see addressed; The 'leather' and stitching on the e-brake is kinda cheesy. I've already scuffed the chrome on the door speakers getting in and out (mostly in). Not really Ford's fault, but the rear headrests are lame (up or down). The cover for the cup-holders tends to try to open when I have my arm there shifting gears. Rear console door seems a little flimsy. Oh, and a telescoping steering wheel on my $36,000 car please. I guess that's about it, and these are certainly things I can live with given the screamer under the hood.
Let me know if you have any questions, and in keeping with Pix or GTFO:
6/12/10 | 07:23 PM
#2
Cobra Member
Joined: September 9, 2009
Posts: 1,465
Likes: 0
From: Tulsa OK
that looks good! nice combo with the Race Red and the interior color. saw a Race Red GT500 with PP. maybe because it was on the showroom floor but i didnt see a difference with it from Torch Red. ill have to wait to see Race Red outside
congrats!
6/13/10 | 08:23 AM
#13
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: June 6, 2005
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
From: Maryland, Texas, Россия
6/13/10 | 09:07 AM
#15
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: June 6, 2005
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
From: Maryland, Texas, Россия
Hope yours gets here soon!
6/13/10 | 09:16 AM
#16
Bullitt Member
Joined: December 26, 2009
Posts: 295
Likes: 0
From: Pittsburgh, PA
6/13/10 | 03:03 PM
#20
Bullitt Member
Joined: April 23, 2010
Posts: 312
Likes: 0
From: N.Florida
