I drove my 2005 Mustang GT coupe with a five speed manual transmission for a year or two. My Mom is getting older and she doesn't like to drive a stick anymore so when she wanted to use the car it was a problem. So when I had the chance to trade the car in for a 2006 Mustang GT convertible with an automatic for a good deal I did so. What different cars they turned out to be.
The red '05 rode firmly and felt ready for the race track with its controlled ride and minimal body roll. The manual transmission does produce a certain amount of gear noise but the gear spacing was perfect and the stock shifter excellent. At speed the 3.55:1 gear ratio gave about 80 mph at 2500 rpm. You got the feeling that you were in a sports car. In the silver convertible the sensations are quite different. The car feels more planted and the spring rates for an automatic convertible seem much more compliant than for a manual hardtop. There is a little more body roll. Ford has the convertible top seal technology nailed down to the floor and the interior sound level at 80 mph has no wind noise or whistle. In fact the car seems quieter than the coupe because it doesn’t pound over the bumps like the red car and there is the complete absence of gear noise. The silent fifth gear in the automatic combined with the taller 3.31:1 rear end ratio gives a much quieter ride at speed and makes the car ideal for long distances. The taller gear gives 80 mph at just 2250 rpm. I’ve had Corvettes and Mustangs all my life and I did love the red ’05. If you had told me at 25 that one day I’d be interested in a Lincoln or a Cadillac I’d have laughed. But now I love the fact that the convertible rides like a Crown Vic, is still plenty fast and has a killer stereo. Both cars amazed me because at a steady 60 mph they’d pull down almost 30 mpg.