Image: Ford Motor Company
I’ll go ahead and answer that question for you: yes, you really do want to win yourself a new Mustang GT. If you live in the 48 Continental United States, are over 18 and don’t work for one of Ford’s agencies or suppliers, you can register to win a 2012 Mustang GT at Mustang 5.0 Fever, or by entering at select NHRA events throughout the year. One winner will be chosen on December 9, and that lucky person grabs a 2012 Mustang GT plus $5,000 worth of go-fast parts from Ford Racing. You can go ahead and put your name in the hat, but I’ve already got you beat and I’ll be building my parts list from the Ford Racing catalog soon.
I’ve always liked Mustangs, but never enough to actually buy one. They were always cars that I wanted a neighbor or brother-in-law to own; that way, I’d get to borrow the keys on occasion without committing to a purchase. Pre-2011 Mustangs sounded cool and were reasonable fun in a straight line, but no Mustang GT would have been my first choice for a track day car. The 2011 Mustang GT changed all that, and it really is a case of the whole being better than the sum of the parts. The 5.0 liter Coyote V8 pulls like a freight train when you put your foot in it, yet it’s surprisingly docile around town. The car sticks to the road like Charlie Sheen to a crack pipe, and feels a whole lot lighter and better balanced than you expect it to. In fact, I’d take a base Mustang GT over the Shelby GT500 for track day use, since the GT is a better balanced (but admittedly slower) car. In my opinion, it’s the best performance bargain on the market today, which is why I’ll be so stoked when Ford calls me on December 9.
Source: Autoevolution
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
