Ford Mustang reviews

2002 Ford Mustang Driving Impressions

The Cobra's 4.6-liter, dohc modular V8 is equipped with an Eaton supercharger providing 8 pounds of boost, plus an intercooler to keep things cool, and it is tuned very differently from the regular Mustang GT engine. It produces 390 horsepower at 6000 rpm, with 390 pounds-feet of torque at 3500 rpm, while the GT engine is rated at 260 horsepower at 5250 rpm and 302 foot-pounds at 4000. That's a huge difference of 22 percent more power in an already quick and fast car (electronically limited to 155 mph but capable of close to 180 mph). The Cobra's engine uses a cast-iron block for long-term durability, with new pistons and connecting rods to cope with the superchager boost, and uses an aluminum flywheel and driveshaft to offset some of the weight of the iron block.

The Cobra carries a completely retuned suspension system that lets the car handle and corner at even higher limits, with more confidence, than ever before. It carries premium Bilstein shocks absorbers front and rear, stiffer front springs to cope with the added front-end weight, and a stiffer front anti-roll bar. Rear brake material has been upgraded to match the massive front brakes' stopping power, and there's an additional chassis brace at the rear to handle the increased power. All Mustang Cobras will have the new Tremec 6-speed manual transmission and clutch assembly that provides improved shift quality. A new 11-inch flywheel and clutch assembly have been added to increase torque capacity and reduce clutch pedal effort.

Traction control, previously optional, is now standard on the Premium V6 and on all V8 models including the Cobra. The Bosch traction control system works at all speeds: Whenever wheelspin is detected, the system retards ignition timing, cuts fuel flow, and activates the brakes at one or both drive wheels, in that order. The driver can turn the system off with a console switch.

The Cobra offers acceleration on a par with cars costing twice as much, with 0-60 times in less than 5 seconds flat, a maneuver you can do at every stoplight. The new suspension and tires offer incredibly good grip when cornering hard, without side-stepping and chatter. The car completely involves the driver, every day, on every road.

We found in our all-too-brief test drive that the SVT brakes will take all the street punishment a good driver can dish out and keep coming back for more. The Cobra's special braking system was re-engineered, with new aluminum twin-piston front calipers to reduce unsprung weight. The new calipers also contribute to greatly improved brake pedal feel, while the new master cylinder improves not only modulation but also the ratio of brake pedal travel to braking action. Anti-lock braking, like traction control, is standard on the Cobra. It can be ordered with traction control on all other Mustangs except base-level, manual-transmission coupes. These are the best brakes the Mustang has ever had.

Mustang GT offers strong performance with its 4.6-liter overhead-cam modular V8 rated at 260 horsepower at 5250 rpm, with 302 pounds-feet of torque at 4000 rpm. It sounds great, whether cruising or at full throttle.

Mustang's 3.8-liter split-port V6 engine develops 190 horsepower at 5250 rpm, with 220 foot-pounds of torque at 2750 rpm.

The flexibility of both the V8 and V6 engines make them good mates for the transmissions, which have sufficient strength to take high-rpm shifts for the life of the car. Both transmissions shift smoothly. With the manual transmission, it feels like you're shifting a big gearbox in a big car. Clutch travel is a bit long, so you have to be fleet of foot to pull off consistently clean power shifts.

The Mustang offers good grip when cornering hard, and you can really feel what the car is doing. Most of the raw edges and choppiness of the previous generation have been smoothed out.