MUSTANG WINS 2008 MOTORIST CHOICE AWARD

America’s best-selling sporty car for the last 22 years, the Ford Mustang, was recently honored with the 2008 Motorist Choice Award in the Sporty Car segment, by car buying information Web site IntelliChoice.com and automotive consulting firm AutoPacific. Read the blog for more details.

These Motorist Choice Awards are designed to recognize vehicles that appeal to both the heart and head. The awards are calculated by combining IntelliChoice.com’s cost of ownership data with AutoPacific’s owner satisfaction information culled from more than 40,000 new car and truck buyers. “The Mustang is an outstanding value, and it satisfies owners from the mainstream six-cylinder buyer all the way up to the muscle car guy who’s driving a Shelby 500KR,” remarked George Peterson, president, AutoPacific. “That’s a combination that’s hard to beat.”

Vehicle owner satisfaction was measured in 45 different areas. The Mustang outranked its Sporty Car competitors – the Volkswagen Eos, Hyundai Tiburon, Mitsubishi Eclipse and last year’s winner, the Scion tC -- in 17 categories, including Image, Vehicle Reputation, Power & Acceleration, Reliability, and Fun to Drive. “It really speaks to the quality of Mustang and its status as an American icon,” said Fritz Wilke, Mustang brand manager. “The Mustang is a symbol of power, performance and coolness, and anyone who owns one knows that they are a part of something special – a piece of Americana that goes back 45 years.” Mustang appeals to a broad range of consumers because the brand offers a wide range of choices, Wilke says. “From Bullitt to Cal Special to GT500 to Warriors in Pink to the Pony Package, there is a Mustang for every taste,” he said.

The Mustang also has the most fuel efficient V-6 in its segment, according to Wilke. “The Mustang V-6 offers best-in-class fuel economy, sporting 26 miles per gallon on the highway,” Fritz remarked. “And for serious enthusiasts, we have Mustangs that provide serious horsepower. A 5.4-liter Supercharged V-8 is available with 500 hp and 480 foot-pounds of torque.” The 2008 Mustang GT convertible has been recognized for best-in-class safety. It is the only convertible to earn a five-star safety rating from the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) after tests for frontal crash, side impact and rollover. In addition, VEHIX TV recently named the Mustang among the vehicles with the best resale value, beating out models from Honda, BMW, Porsche, Audi and nearly all domestic automakers. Now that's what we like to hear.