Ford has released pricing for its latest 2013 Mustang, and we did a little poking around to see just how many greenbacks you’ll need to shell out, and what you get in return. Perhaps no car is more iconic, or has etched itself more into American lore. To get an idea of how long Ford’s pony has been around, when the Mustang was first introduced in 1964, Lyndon B. Johnson had justtaken office. Now nine presidents and countless models and special editions later— we’ve got the 2013 crop.
All Mustangs are not created equal: Ford has done its best to make sure no potential customer is left out, and as a result, between coupes and convertibles, there are about 10 variations. You can get into an entry level Mustang for $22,200, which comes with a nice V-6 and six-speed manual transmission. Opt for the automatic and any options, even a simple “exterior appearance package,” which is just a rear spoiler and sport tape applied to the bottom panels, and you’re going to shell out north of $25,000.
The Mustang GT ups the entry price to $30,000, but a 5.0-liter V-8 (true muscle), and 18-inch aluminum wheels with painted spokes come with that. The Ford Mustang Boss 302 is a special edition with a more powerful V-8 engine, plus high-performance Brembo brakes to make sure you can bring all that power to a halt. It doesn’t come cheap, starting at $42,200. The cream of the crop, Shelby GT 500, turns the dial up to absurd. Featuring a 5.8-liter, supercharged V-8, the GT 500 can produce up to 650 horsepower. Starting at about $54k, and $60k for the convertible, that’s a lot of muscle per buck. In fact, that’s just over $83 per horse, whereas the similarly priced, similarly beastly 580-hp competitor, the Chevy Camaro ZL1, will charge you a little more than $92 per horse.
If American muscle catches your fancy, entry-level Mustangs offer a great value. If you can afford to pony up a little more, top models will give you more punch than you can ever use. In all cases look to shell out a few grand more for the convertible models.
Source: Ford
