2010 Ford Mustang Gets 0% Plus Cash Back

In the excitement about the all-new Chevrolet Camaro hitting the streets, many people have overlooked the 2010 Ford Mustang’s significant overhaul. While new engine offerings may be in the pipeline for later next year, the 2010 still beat out the Camaro and the Dodge Challenger in our recent face-off.

For some reason, folks have forgotten about the ‘Stang, so Ford has put a nice incentive on it to help grab peoples’ attention. You can get 0% financing for 36 months, plus $1,000 cash back. If you opt for the more popular 60-month option, the financing rate is 1.9%. The deal is good through Nov. 2.

2010 Ford Mustang: First Drive

Before bailouts and bankruptcies stole the headlines, you’ll recall that Detroit’s muscle-car wars were off to a fresh start: The Dodge Challenger and Chevy Camaro dropped anchor in Ford Mustang territory, and Ford responded with a restyled 2010 ‘Stang. With weather in the Midwest still a few weeks short of reliable sports-car-testing conditions, I took to Southern California for a few days behind the wheel of a five-speed-manual Mustang GT coupe. The palm trees and sunshine never get old out here, but the traffic sure does.

The early word: Ford has Chevy and Dodge beat on interior quality, and the Mustang’s relative practicality bodes well for mass appeal. Like before, however, this pony car does best on smooth, straight pavement. Toss some challenging routes into the mix, and its architecture shows its age.

2010 Ford Mustang Priced Below $21K

Today we got full pricing and specs on the redesigned Mustang which goes on sale this spring. The base V-6 coupe will start at $20,995, while the base convertible will cost buyers another $5,000 on top of that. Destination charges add another $850. The 315-hp V-8 GT coupe starts at $27,995.

With specs and pricing out, the full muscle-car comparisons have begun: Compared with the Dodge Challenger and Chevrolet Camaro, the Mustang is the most affordable.

The base V-6 Challenger costs $1,225 more than the base Mustang, while the Camaro costs $1,250 more. The V-8 Challenger R/T costs $2,225 more than a Mustang GT, while the Camaro SS is $2,250 more than the Ford.

There is a cost, however, to the Mustang’s price advantage: The Challenger and Camaro are based off newer mechanical designs. The Mustang’s reworking this year was more of a refresh than a total redesign.

The Camaro and Challenger also have more power, both in V-6 and V-8 forms; the V-6 Camaro produces nearly 100 more hp than the V-6 Mustang. However, neither of the Mustang’s competitors come in a convertible body style.

On the surface, it looks like this is going to be a close race between a good deal, refinement and raw power. We’ll reserve final judgment until we’ve test-driven all three. Until then, make sure to tell us which one you think is best.

Full Mustang specs and pricing below.

Up Close: 2010 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500

The biggest news concerning Ford's new Mustang Shelby GT500 is the prodigious 540 hp generated by its supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 — that's 40 hp more than the 2009 version — but the 2010 model also has a lot of subtle details on the exterior and interior that distinguish it from regular Mustangs.

2009 Detroit Auto Show: 2010 Ford Shelby GT500

• Competes with: Dodge Challenger SRT8
• Looks like: Ford isn’t about to give up on its Shelby models
• Drivetrain: 540-hp, supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 with six-speed manual transmission
• Hits dealerships: Spring 2009

The redesigned 2010 Ford Mustang debuted to the public in November at the Los Angeles auto show, and now the high-powered Shelby GT500 version is ready for Detroit’s big show next month.

The 2010 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 gets the new sheet metal and interior treatment, like the regular Mustang, but its engine is similar to the last Shelby variant Ford put out, the GT500 KR; it has the same supercharged V-8 engine putting out 540 hp and 510 pounds-feet  of torque, with a similar suspension and brakes.The company says however, that it will be faster and more fuel efficient than before.

The other big difference is the look. Riding on standard 19-inch wheels with rubber-band-thin low-profile tires (the convertible gets 18s), the 2010 model is indeed menacing in appearance. A large hood vent works as a heat extractor for the monstrous engine, and it creates a different look from the outgoing version’s twin scoops. Like the regular Mustang, the headlights, grille and taillights are all redesigned for 2010. 

Convertible fans will be happy to know they can also get racing stripes this time around. Seriously — that’s one of the changes.

We could talk a lot more about the need for such a high-powered beast, but instead we’ll just ogle the pictures below.

Video: 2010 Chevrolet Camaro vs. 2010 Ford Mustang

We would like to think that Mike Hanley has suddenly become a YouTube star, but more likely the popularity of this Cars.com comparison video is due to the American muscle cars that come under his scrutiny. Hanley took some time at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show to study the 2010 Chevy Camaro and 2010 Ford Mustang for a side-by-side comparison. He takes a look at styling, performance, interior design and unique features of each car.

2010 Camaro and 2010 Mustang Comparison (Cars.com)

2010 Ford Mustang: Video

The 2010 Mustang retains the look of the previous model, but not without some updates and significant styling changes. A shorter grille, redesigned taillights, and the option of a backup camera are just a few of the exterior changes Mike Hanley highlights in the video above.

In a second video, below, he highlights a few of the car’s improvements, like a soft-touch dashboard, Ford’s Sync system and electronic stability control. Are these new tweaks and improvements worth the wait until the fall of 2009, when the '10 Mustang will hit dealerships? 

Auto Show Faceoff: 2010 Camaro vs. 2010 Mustang

Two iconic American muscle cars are on hand at the Los Angeles auto show: the long-awaited 2010 Chevrolet Camaro, which can be preordered now and will hit dealerships next spring, and the redesigned 2010 Ford Mustang, which debuted at the show. So how do these two sports cars — both throwbacks to an earlier time in terms of design but possessing modern technology underneath — measure up to each other? Let's run through the requisite categories.

Styling

Chevrolet was wise not to tinker too much with the Camaro’s design, which was a hit when it debuted in concept form at the 2006 Detroit auto show. The production Camaro is low-slung and muscular, like the Mustang, but features sharper angles overall and a gaping black grille that gives the coupe a little more aggressiveness than the Ford. None of these observations matter all that much, however, as muscle car fans will more than likely separate themselves according to brand allegiance.

Winner: Toss up

2010 Mustang to Appear on 'Knight Rider' Tonight

If you've already checked out our Mustang coverage and visited the car's website — the2010mustang.com — and still can't get enough of the updated muscle car, then tune into "Knight Rider" on NBC tonight, as Ford is saying the new Mustang will make an appearance. All I know is that after seeing the mangling the Shelby GT500KR has endured to become KITT — have you seen those tubes protruding from its hood? — I long for the original Trans Am.

Up Close: 2010 Ford Mustang

Ford's been trying to build buzz about the 2010 Mustang by distributing teaser shots of the muscle car, but we got to see it in person on the eve of the Los Angeles auto show last night. If you've already seen some full shots of the car, you might be thinking to yourself: "That's the new Mustang? It looks a lot like the current one." Indeed it does, but the 2010 version, which hits dealerships in spring 2009 with a starting price of $21,845, receives numerous tweaks inside and out.

Interestingly, the changes to the 2010 Mustang's exterior make it lose some of its retro feel, giving it a more modern look. The grille on the new car looks scrunched compared to the old one — kind of like someone sat on the hood — and the bumper has been restyled, too. The restyling is even more noticeable around back, where the new LED taillights have a more interesting design than the rectangular ones on the current car.