The Ford Fusion is Motor Trend magazine's car of the year

[Catman]

Unbelievable you Mustangists are still defending a live axle in a car designed and built in the 21st century, an honor bestowed on no other mass-produced car in the world.

Ford still does live rear axle because it's cheap. There is no other defense.

If it rides good who cares?

[CJ]

If it rides good who cares?

And it rides very good.  Having driven a 2005 Mustang, I can safely say that it was one of the best riding cars I've ever driven.  It rode so much smoother than the Accord, Camry, and my car could ever dream of.

[Eye of the Tiger]

And it rides very good.  Having driven a 2005 Mustang, I can safely say that it was one of the best riding cars I've ever driven.  It rode so much smoother than the Accord, Camry, and my car could ever dream of.

Try a Cadillac sometime

[ifcar]

And it rides very good.  Having driven a 2005 Mustang, I can safely say that it was one of the best riding cars I've ever driven.  It rode so much smoother than the Accord, Camry, and my car could ever dream of.

Either they had changed it by 2009 (and they didn't) or your Camry and Accord are broken.

[CJ]

The Camry's just wallowy and the Accord rides like shit.  It's bouncy and loud.

[SVT666]

I never argued that the Mustang didn't put up good handling numbers. That doesn't mean that the ancient suspension doesn't leave much to be desired...

http://www.insideline.com/chevrolet/camaro/2010/2010-chevy-camaro-ss-vs-2009-dodge-challenger-rt-vs-2010-ford-mustang-gt.html

Funny.  Every other comparo says the Mustang rides and handles better.  I think I'll trust the opinion of the majority.

[SVT666]

Unbelievable you Mustangists are still defending a live axle in a car designed and built in the 21st century, an honor bestowed on no other mass-produced car in the world.

Says the Camaroist who has never driven either car.

Ford still does live rear axle because it's cheap. There is no other defense.

Of course Ford uses it because it's cheaper.  However, the Mustang still handles and rides better then the Camaro.

[CJ]

I've driven a new Camaro and that Mustang and the Mustang was just better.  The Camaro doesn't really drive that well and the steering wheel is horrible.  The visibility is terrible.  It's just not that great of a car.  The Mustang is planted, nimble, and FUN.  Something the Camaro just doesn't do. 

[MrH]

I drove a V6, 2010 Mustang.  It was far from fun.  Give me my protege5 anyday.

[Submariner]

Small quible but the E-coupe is mostly C-class underneath.

God damn I forgot about that.

[Submariner]

Oh you must mean that ancient suspension that out handles all of it's competitors, pulls 0.95g on the skidpad (more then the competitors), and provides a smoother ride then it's IRS equipped competitors?  Is that the one you are talking about?

A McLaren F1 only managed .87 when it was tested, but something tells me that even with identical HP/weight ratios, it embarrass a Mustang around a track.

Skidpad numbers aren't everything.

[CALL_911]

Oh you must mean that ancient suspension that out handles all of it's competitors, pulls 0.95g on the skidpad (more then the competitors), and provides a smoother ride then it's IRS equipped competitors?  Is that the one you are talking about?

It begs to differ.

[2o6]

I'm sorry, but that thing looks like a fat cow. I liked the 350Z's high beltline, but this one just looks hideous. Like a caricature.

[Schadenfreude]

Just for arguements sake, how much does the Mustang's Track Pack actually improve the handling?  What was the handling on the Mustang like before? Anyone know?

[CALL_911]

I'm sorry, but that thing looks like a fat cow. I liked the 350Z's high beltline, but this one just looks hideous. Like a caricature.

Now I'm SURE it's a good looking car.

[Minpin]

Now I'm SURE it's a good looking car.

Nah, the 370Z (that's what we are talking about, ya?) is an ugly POS. I was in love with the 350, but the 370 just ruined it for me. I can't explain it, other than to say my tastes matured.

[SVT666]

It begs to differ.

That's not a competitor to the Mustang.  If you want a 370Z, you probably aren't buying a Mustang.

[CALL_911]

Nah, the 370Z (that's what we are talking about, ya?) is an ugly POS. I was in love with the 350, but the 370 just ruined it for me. I can't explain it, other than to say my tastes matured.

Not everyone likes its looks, but no way in hell is it a POS.

That's not a competitor to the Mustang.  If you want a 370Z, you probably aren't buying a Mustang.

Then what does it compete with? I consider it a Mustang competitor.

[Minpin]

Not everyone likes its looks, but no way in hell is it a POS.

Then what does it compete with? I consider it a Mustang competitor.

Don't take it too literally. It's a 30k car, of course it's not actually going to have the doors rusting and falling off, or smoke like a chimney. 

[CALL_911]

Don't take it too literally. It's a 30k car, of course it's not actually going to have the doors rusting and falling off, or smoke like a chimney. 

I was under the impression that....

Never mind.

[Raza]

Nah, the 370Z (that's what we are talking about, ya?) is an ugly POS. I was in love with the 350, but the 370 just ruined it for me. I can't explain it, other than to say my tastes matured.

The 370Z isn't that bad, but the 350Z was much better looking.  Much.  It's so good looking, it almost makes up for it being a little on the isolated side to drive.  Actually, a 350Z coupe would make a pretty good daily driver if you didn't need a sedan.

[SVT666]

The 370Z isn't that bad, but the 350Z was much better looking.  Much.  It's so good looking, it almost makes up for it being a little on the isolated side to drive.  Actually, a 350Z coupe would make a pretty good daily driver if you didn't need a sedan.

The 250Z looks good, but not great.  The 370Z on the other hand looks totally awesome in the metal.  In pictures it does absolutely nothing for me.

[SVT666]

Then what does it compete with? I consider it a Mustang competitor.

Mustang is a pony car.  The 370Z is a two seat sports car.  They may get cross shopped, but only by people confused about what they really want.

[Vinsanity]

I drove a V6, 2010 Mustang.  It was far from fun.  Give me my protege5 anyday.

Well there's no argument that the V6 Mustang is a lame duck, especially with that tractor mill under the hood. Even when it gets the much better 3.5 motor, it's still going to need a suspension upgrade to be compared favorably to the V6 Camaro.

Hell, I bet that's a pretty significant reason why Camaros are selling better than Mustangs for the moment. I'm almost sure sales will even out, maybe even swap positions, when the Mustang gets its new engines.

[GoCougs]

If it rides good who cares?

I had a '72 Dodge that road pretty good too...

There's a reason why no one else puts solid rear axles in cars; ride, handling, the works.

[SVT666]

I had a '72 Dodge that road pretty good too...

There's a reason why no one else puts solid rear axles in cars; ride, handling, the works.

Then why doesn't the Camaro ride and handle as well as the Mustang?

[ChrisV]

I drove a V6, 2010 Mustang.  It was far from fun.  Give me my protege5 anyday.

A rental? The suspension/wheels/tires is set up quite a bit different than the V8, and of course the V6 is weaker, and probably really hates being mated to an automatic.

the V8 2010 version I drove was massive fun, and had no ride issues on the rough roads here in Baltimore.

[ChrisV]

There's a reason why no one else puts solid rear axles in cars; ride, handling, the works.

Yeah, marketing. You're a prime example of "if it doesn't have the latest buzzwords, it's crap!" mentality that was cultivated by decades of marketers.

[MrH]

A rental? The suspension/wheels/tires is set up quite a bit different than the V8, and of course the V6 is weaker, and probably really hates being mated to an automatic.

the V8 2010 version I drove was massive fun, and had no ride issues on the rough roads here in Baltimore.

Yeah, it was a rental.  I'll admit, it looked pretty good, but everything was softer than baby's shit.

Good to hear the V8 is drastically different.

[Atomic]

a nice car for sure, but i was thinking the taurus was a near shoe-in!