Guys, you have read my posts since joining this board with my 2011 M3 and I have praised the Mustang as still being a big Mustang fan. I did cross shop the M3 with the Mustang, yet there were several things that stopped me. The interior while definitely better than previous years still wasn't up to the standards I got used to driving around in BMWs and Porsches the last 10 years, its getting close though and shows you are getting old when you start caring about such things...I'm in my mid 40s now. The lack of an IRS, although on a race track that won't matter much but on the real world streets it does matter and the fact they didn't lease (this was actually the major reason for me). I lease through my company to get the full tax advantages and the lease on the Mustangs was more than just buying the car with financing, for which I don't get near the same tax advantages.
Its funny for those calling the Mustang hideous yet there are alot of Mustang owners that feel the same about the M3 or any 3 series for that matter. Thats why its all about personal taste...
The M3 always seemed to me to be the Mustang that finally grew up, yet in 2013 or 2014 Ford will release the new Mustang and it won't be based on the retro stuff we have today and it will finally put the SRA out to pasture where it belongs. Whats sad is the S197 Mustang (current Mustang) was designed from the get go with a killer IRS setup, its just the damm bean counters didn't want to spend the extra $150 per car it would have cost
It was reported that the IRS would have jacked up the price of the Mustang by over $1k per vehicle yet a memo was released to Motor Trend and it turned out the actual increase was a mere $150.
The Ford of today I believe is a different company than what it was back in 2003-04 now that Alan Mulally is in charge of Ford...the motto now is "almost isn't good enough".
I feel this issue of Motor Trend is actually causing a tetonic shift in the automobile world that the lowly Mustang can be mentioned in the same breath of the M3 is actually a game changer.
I can't wait for 2013-14.
Dave