(November 18, 2011) LOS ANGELES — Ford Mustang gets even more street swagger for 2013 with a new design and a list of smart features that signal even more technology in the popular pony car.
 
“The new Mustang is the perfect example of continuing to build on excellence. It takes the greatness of the 5.0-liter and V-6 and pushes the refinement to the next level,” said Dave Pericak, Mustang chief engineer. “The car has been spot-on functionally and now we’re adding more features and technology to further improve the driver’s experience.”
 


The new model Mustang, which goes on sale this coming spring, offers a more aggressive design with a significantly more prominent grille. A more powerful splitter adds to that appearance. Functional heat extractors on the hood of the GT were specifically placed and designed to help move hot air out of the engine compartment and cool the engine.
 
“We are delivering a more distinctive and emotional design presence that celebrates the total performance of Mustang,” said Darrell Behmer, Mustang chief designer. “This latest Mustang design is very respectful of its heritage while continuing to look forward with a more powerful and modern look.”
 
The 2013 Mustang with 5.0-liter engine will now deliver 420 horsepower, eight more than the current model. Based on learnings from developing the high-output 444-horsepower Mustang Boss 302, the team was able to adapt several of the designs to the 5.0-liter.

The new Mustang can be specified with a six-speed SelectShift Automatic transmission. This advanced control strategy offers the driver a choice between fully automatic operation and manual control. The system is controlled with a selector button on the side of the shifter. The shifter has been upgraded for 2013 with more modern style and improved accessibility.
 
“This lets owners take an automatic out on a track day or whenever they want to drive sportier, and lets them have the convenience of switching to manual control,” said Tom Barnes, Mustang vehicle engineering manager. “It’s a significant improvement to our powertrain offerings that lets the driver take control.”
 
Ford says this capability makes the Mustang experience sporty yet smooth. Unlike some competitors’ transmissions, SelectShift won’t second-guess the driver with an override shift. With SelectShift, manual control is truly manually controlled.