2013 Ford Mustang: Up Close

Does any model get revised as frequently as the Ford Mustang? The 2010 featured updated styling, and 2011 brought a slew of drivetrain and other upgrades that probably made 2010 buyers hate life. The 2013 comes early in 2012 with even more design changes — two of which were badly needed.

More 2011 L.A. Auto Show Coverage

Specifically, as I highlighted in my 2011 review, changes to the front end left a gap between the grille frame and the hood that from certain angles made it look like the hood wasn't fully closed. Around back, the trunk lid protruded strangely alongside the taillight assemblies. Frankly, the car looked like it had been rushed to market.

Both problems have been solved in the 2013 but the barebones interior remains the same as before.

2013 Ford Mustang at the L.A. Auto Show

• Competes with: Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Challenger, Hyundai Genesis Coupe
• Looks like: The Mustang continues to evolve
• Drivetrain: 305-hp, 3.7-liter V-6 or 5.0-liter V-8 rated at 420 hp or 444 hp (Boss 302) with six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission; rear-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: Spring 2012

The Ford Mustang has been updated for 2013 with new front-end styling, some exterior tweaks and more power for the V-8 GT.

More 2011 L.A. Auto Show Coverage

The most dramatic changes are in the front, where the grille protrudes even farther than before, and a lower grille on the bumper's bottom half is now as large as the top one, though only a portion of it actually admits air. Likewise, the vents that flank the lower grille seem to be for show. Not so for the vents on the new hood; they're functional heat extractors.

2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 at the 2011 L.A. Auto Show

• Competes with: Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, Dodge Challenger SRT8
• Looks like: The Boss 302 was getting too much love
• Drivetrain: 650-hp, supercharged 5.8-liter V-8 with six-speed manual transmission; rear-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: 2012

The Ford Mustang Boss 302 is so good, it's been stealing the Shelby GT500's thunder. What did the ultimate Mustang do for 2013? It came up with more thunder: 650 horsepower and 600 pounds-feet of torque from a new supercharged 5.8-liter V-8, which is good for a claimed 200 mph top speed. The outgoing model produced a "mere" 550 hp and 510 pounds-feet from its supercharged 5.4-liter V-8.

More 2011 L.A. Auto Show Coverage

Ford engineers emphasize that the new Shelby is more than just a larger engine — the whole car has been revised to provide the balanced performance for which the Boss 302 has been celebrated.

Toyota Camry Most Stolen Car

The Toyota Camry was the most stolen new passenger car in 2009, according to the most recent information provided by the National Crime Information Center, a government agency that is part of the FBI.

Out of all the Camrys produced in 2009, about 781 were stolen. Keep in mind that the Camry was (and is) the best-selling passenger car. So the fact that it leads the list isn't remarkable; in fact, the rate at which it was stolen was nearly half the national average. 

Ford F-150, Fusion among vehicles to get Sync AppLink

AppLink, the software that lets Ford owners with the Sync system stream the Pandora Radio application while driving, is coming to more 2012 models.

Ford says the 2012 Fusion, Fusion Hybrid, Fiesta, F-150, F-150 SVT Raptor, Super Duty, Expedition, E-Series and Shelby GT 500 will offer the system, along with the 2012 Mustang.

Currently, the Sync-enabled apps are Pandora, Stitcher and OpenBreak, but as we've reported, Ford is looking at other uses for the phone/car interface.

Ford also announced that it is working with Nuance Communications to help Sync better understand the intent and meaning of what a driver is asking. 

The idea is that users won't have to speak with stilted syntax to get the information they want from Sync. 

That’ll be important when the day comes that the system that's giving you the pollen count is also telling you your sports scores.

Reader Review of the Week: 2011 Ford Mustang

“Ferrarinut” from California says his recently purchased 2011 Ford Mustang makes for a great daily driver. The ride is generally smooth, except on rough pavement. This reader has tested the performance limits of the V-6 Mustang in a way we haven’t seen from other reviewers; we certainly hope it was done on a closed-circuit track. Continue reading Ferrarinut’s review to see the full details. Once you’re done, you can submit your own car review here.

The Greatest Car Rivalries

As the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers get ready to reignite the greatest football rivalry in history — just a few miles from Cars.com headquarters at Soldier Field — we asked our Facebook fans what they think are the greatest car rivalries of all time.
 
Some of the answers, like Mustang versus Camaro, were expected, or Ford versus Chevy, both of which seemed the most popular, along with Subaru WRX STI versus Mitsubishi Evolution. We were a tad surprised by a few Toyota Camry versus Honda Accord mentions, though. While those two cars regularly battle for sales supremacy, they don’t really ignite passion among car fanatics.
 
Our favorite response, though, was “Chevy Vega vs. Ford Pinto in a battle royale of which was worse.”

Indeed.

Green Bay vs. Chicago: What Do Car Shoppers Want?

One is a blue-collar town, nestled at the southern edge of Green Bay. Population: 100,000.

The other is the Windy City and the City of Big Shoulders. Population: 2.8 million.

It’s Green Bay vs. Chicago.

Packers vs. Bears.

In football terms, it is the oldest and longest-running rivalry in U.S. pro football, and Sunday, the two teams will meet in a game that will send one to Super Bowl XLV.

How do car shoppers in these two cities compare? Let’s take a look at the Top 10 most searched cars in 2010 across each metro area. Here are some of the things we learned:

• The aspirational car (think high price, high ambition) for Green Bay? The Chevy Corvette
• Chicago’s dream car? The Mercedes-Benz S-Class
• Domestics rule the list in Green Bay; seven of 10 are from companies based in Detroit.
• Domestics fare not as well in Chicago; only four of 10 are from the Detroit Three.

Ford tops both lists, with the F-150 leading the way in the frozen tundra up north and the reinvigorated Mustang topping Chicago’s list.

Both lists are below:

Ford Mustang Wins Cars.com Shoppers' Choice Award

Millions of shoppers visit Cars.com each month as they search for their next car, truck or SUV. While here, they make contacts with and send leads to dealers, and they often review their own cars, as well. From all of that activity (and online voting on our Facebook page), we’ve determined which car best represents the voice of our shoppers.

In this, the Shoppers' Choice award’s first year, the winner is the Ford Mustang. The American muscle-car classic scored very highly in search and contacts with dealers, and it got high marks from the consumers who reviewed it.

Ford received its Cars.com Shoppers' Choice award today at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show. In addition, a check for $5,000 was donated to the Automobile Hall of Fame scholarship fund on behalf of the Ford Mustang. Congratulations to Ford, and thanks to the millions of Cars.com users who made this award possible.

Most-Read Car Reviews of the Week

This week, the three-month reign of the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee at the top of our most-read reviews list is over. It’s been usurped by the 2011 Honda Odyssey, which goes on sale later this month. The 2011 Volkswagen Jetta review joins our chart at No. 3, displacing the 2010 Subaru Forester (No. 4). This week’s new entries kicked off the 2011 Honda CR-Z and 2010 Honda CR-V from the Top 10.

1.   2011 Honda Odyssey 
2.   2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee 
3.   2011 Volkswagen Jetta 
4.   2010 Subaru Forester 
5.   2011 Chevrolet Cruze 
6.   2011 Hyundai Sonata 
7.   2010 Subaru Outback 
8.   2011 Subaru WRX STi 
9.   2011 Ford Mustang 
10. 2011 Kia Sorento