- coupe 123,279
- 2,308 below average
- 4,995 great
- Havelock, NC
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- autoshopper.com
- 2,308 below average coupe 123,279 black automatic
2003 ford mustang review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. America's pony car. introductionthe ford mustang is an absolute hoot to drive. The new mach 1 and the cobra deliver brilliant acceleration performance with lots of torque for quickly attaining super-legal speeds. Don't expect sophisticated ride and handling, though. This is a hammer of a car, and it's interior is dated. mustang's heritage dates back to april 17, 1964, when the first one rolled onto the streets with its long hood, short rear deck, low profile. About 135,000 mustangs were sold in 2002. Ford claims mustang is the best-selling convertible in america (54,783 in 2001). With the chevy camaro and pontiac firebird gone, the ford mustang is the last pony standing. A new mustang is on the horizon, likely to be introduced as a 2005 model. for 2003, two new special-edition models are available: mach 1 models boast a powerful twin-cam v8, sports suspension, and shaker hood designed to remind us of the famous 1969 fastback. Several new measures are designed to reduce wind noise, the suspension has been retuned, and the v6 and v8 engines get some minor refinements. . lineupmustang comes in coupe and convertible body styles. Base models come with a v6 engine. High-performance gt models are powered by a v8. Ultra high-performance cobra svt models get a supercharged v8. base msrps: v6 coupe 17,615); v6 convertible 23,315); gt 23,485); gt convertible 27,790); cobra coupe 33,300); cobra convertible 37,545). standard equipment on all mustangs includes air conditioning, power windows and door locks, tilt-steering column, a floor console, remote keyless entry system and interval windshield wipers. Reclining cloth front bucket seats are standard, as are 50/50 split-folding rear seatbacks on coupe models. A six-way power driver's seat is available, as are leather-trimmed bucket seats. the standard mustang engine is a 3. 8-liter v6, an overhead-valve engine rated 190 horsepower at 5250 rpm and 220 foot-pounds of torque at 2750 rpm. V6 coupes offer a choice of two optional trim packages: deluxe 730) includes rear spoiler, color-keyed floor mats, power driver's seat and cruise control. Premium 1845) adds a leather-wrapped steering wheel, mach audio am/fm with in-dash 6-cd changer, anti-lock brakes (abs) and traction control; a stripe distinguishes premium models. pony 595) adds the gt hood and scoop, 16-inch polished aluminum wheels, mustang stampede graphics and unique stripes, a special rear bumper with blackened mustang graphics, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. gt comes with a 4. 6-liter v8 with single overhead cams and two-valve heads rated at 260 hp at 5250 rpm and 302 lbs.-ft. Of torque at 4000 rpm. To manage all that power, the gt is equipped with gas-pressure shocks with unique model calibrations, p245/45r17 performance tires on 17-inch alloy painted wheels, a traction loc rear axle, abs and traction control. Gts come with sport bucket seats and fog lamps. Distinguished by its black shaker hood, the mach 1 4885) is a package that includes special 17-inch wheels, special leather-trimmed seats, special interior trim, in-dash six-disc cd stereo, and special exterior graphics. gt and convertible models offer a premium package 2585) with leather seating surfaces, the mach 460 stereo with in-dash 6-cd changer, and abs and traction control. Convertible models with premium trim come standard with an automatic transmission. cobra models are massaged by ford's special vehicle team, or svt. The svt v8 produces 390 horsepower at 6000 rpm, with 390 pounds-feet of torque at 3500 rpm. It comes mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. Cobra comes shod with p275/40r17 tires and loaded with special interior and exterior trim. convertibles feature a power top with a scratch-resistant glass rear window. A black semi-hard boot protects the top and provides a slick top-down appearance. new safety features for 2003 include a new a-pillar, headliners, sun visors and a revised d-ring seat belt attachment, all designed to offer better head protection in the event of an impact. The firing strategy on both driver and passenger side air bags has been updated. Standard safety equipment includes safety belts with pretensioners to tighten the lap belt and shoulder belts in the first moments of a crash. The rear fender air intake, for example, has sharp corners and pronounced lines; but the rocker panels curve out, and the fenders have pronounced front and rear wheel well arches. The front end features wraparound complex reflector headlamps with integrated side marker lamps, combined with a square-edged honeycomb grille and a chrome pony. Tricolor front fender badges recall the good old days, as does the prominent but non-functional hood scoop. In back, it's 1965 with vertical, three-element taillamps. gt models get unique hood and side-scoop treatments, along with fog lights and a rear spoiler. mach 1 is easy to spot with special trim that starts with its shaker hood scoop. Attached directly to the top of the engine, the black scoop rears its head through a squarish hole in the mach 1 hood. (hood scoops on gt models sit on top of the hood.) a bold low-gloss black stripe runs up the center of the powerdome hood to accentuate the scoop. In theory, the scoop is designed to channel fresh air into the intake for increased breathing and, therefore, increased power. cobra is distinguished from the other models by a unique front and rear appearance package. Its raised hood is required to make room for the supercharger setup. Two rear-facing vents near the leading edge of the hood are designed to let hot air out of the engine bay. Cobra is further distinguished by its unique grille opening, front bumper, driving lamps, rocker panels and side scoops, rear-end treatment, and 17-inch five-spoke alloy wheels in either brushed or chromed finish. . interiorthe mustang has good, reclining bucket seats with plenty of travel. Seatbelts are attached to the seat frames so they move with the seats. the interior is cozy, with enough seat-track length to accommodate tall drivers and just enough elbowroom to keep from feeling cramped. Convertibles and coupes offer about the same space in the front seats. the back seat is small, with only enough room for small objects or kids. Convertibles offer less hip and shoulder room than coupes, but about the same headroom and legroom. the trunk is small with an even smaller opening. Coupes hold just under 11 cubic feet worth of cargo, while convertibles hold just 7. 7 cubic feet. A split fold-down rear seat is standard on all models and handy for hauling cargo. A glow-in-the-dark safety latch has been added inside the trunks of all mustang models designed to prevent kids getting locked in the trunks. the federal government gives the mustang a five-star rating for front passenger safety, its highest. Only the two frontal air bags are available, however, there are no side air bags. leather upholstery is standard in the premium gt, optional in some other models. Running horses embossed on the upper portions of the seat backrests recall the deluxe pony interior of the mid-1960s. the mach 1 tachometer and speedometer use a tall condensed typeface and more hash marks that make it harder to read than the gauges in the gt models. The instrument panel, center console and headliner are color-keyed. To turn on the headlights, pull out an old-fashioned knob on the left. The center console includes cup holders. svt cobra models offer front bucket seats with nudo leather trim and suede inserts. The driver's seat features six-way power with power-adjustable thigh and side bolsters, and power lumbar support. Clearly, these seats are made for serious, fast driving. Switches are on the right-front corner of the seat. The svt instrument cluster has been redesigned to include a boost gauge. The gauges feature titanium-colored faces and electroluminescent lighting. The cobra's gearshift knob is leather-wrapped, with a brushed-aluminum insert on the top, inscribed with the six-speed pattern. Metal-trimmed pedals and dead pedal are standard. . driving impressiona 300-mile drive in a gt convertible was a reminder that the mustang is a throwback to another era, but still a very enjoyable car. It was gorgeously sunny during the day, brilliant. Bucket Seats✔ Power Windows✔ Anti-lock Brakes✔ Tachometer✔ AM/FM✔ Cruise Control✔ Aluminum Wheels✔ Air Conditioning✔ CD Changer✔ Alloy Wheels
4,995 Havelock, NCHavelock, NC at autoshopper.com