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AUTO REVIEW
athletic handling. Yet fuel costs and other on options, according to Ford — obviously drive an average car, and that’s the beauty
operating expenses are also higher outside helps in this area too. of owning a Mustang GT. So is the exuber-
of the U.S., so vehicles have to be econom- ant handling and the delicious manual
ical too. A nicer interior won’t help either han- transmission (if you select it).
dling or performance, but it is a welcome
Let’s start our discussion of the new change nevertheless. All of the surfaces you If you care at all about these sorts of
2016 Mustang with a look at the new rear touch feel softer than they used to, and all things, buy a V8 Mustang now. Electrifica-
suspension. A solid rear axle is better than of the places you look at appear nicer. tion and autonomous technology are com-
an IRS for only one thing, drag racing. But That’s kind of it. Ergonomically the new ing, and it won’t be too long before we’re all
the IRS is costlier to manufacture, hence Mustang isn’t significantly better than the riding silent self-driving drone-pods that we
the solid axle’s longevity in the Mustang. previous model because the older Mustang don’t even own to work. Just so we can
I’m not an expert-enough test driver to was fine in that department. And space- spend even more time on our phones. So
probe the limits of the new ‘Stang, but wise, I’d call it a wash. Just remember, this get cars with actual personality like the Mus-
even I was able to tell that it’s more nimble is a sports car not a family sedan, so don’t tang GT before they’re gone forever.
than its predecessor and noticeably more expect to put your in-laws in the rear seats
settled over bumpy roads. The lower and have them not hate you. But maybe I’m wrong, and the One
weight -100-200 pounds less depending Ford plan is serving to show the world that
The 2016 Mustang is available with American cars can be fun, full of character,
three engine options. A 300HP 3.7L V6 and desirable like so many German cars
(19MPG city/28 highway) is standard on are. And maybe that essential goodness will
the base Mustang, with the next best en- turn back the relentless march of the
gine being the 310HP EcoBoost 2.3L drone-pods. I sure hope so.
four-cylinder engine (21/32MPG). My
tester Mustang GT came with a 435HP If you’re in the market for this kind of
5.0L V8 that provides 16MPG city/25 vehicle, call Phil Hornbeak at 210-301-
highway. 4367 and take a look at the Subaru Legacy.
OK, a word about the V8 Mustang GT: Steve Schutz, MD, is a
the sound that glorious engine makes when board-certified gastroen-
you step on the gas pedal is wonderful. It’s terologist who lived in San
so wonderful, in fact, that when you drive Antonio in the 1990s when
this car it’s hard to stop yourself from ac- he was stationed here in the
celerating and grinning for no reason. Ob- U.S. Air Force. He has been writing auto
viously, that V8 sound becomes normal reviews for San Antonio Medicine since
after a while, but that “normal” is still way, 1995.
way better than what you hear when you
visit us at www.bcms.org 45
