10-15-08: This week’s glimpse of the new 2010 Mustang shows off the genuine solid aluminum gear shifter. It looks pretty cool but it is actually very hot - particularly in the summer time. Yep, there is nothing like wrapping your bare palm around a hot piece of solid metal when your car has been parked on a 100 degree the summer day. We hope Ford has given those of us who live in the southern states an option here, because we have to put a sock over metal knobs to keep from getting burned when we drive.
We will have to get our friends over at
SteedShop.com to start offering a leather shift knob bootie for 2010 Mustang owners to keep them from suffering second degree burns when driving their new cars.
The other thing this slick new ball tells us is that the Mustang will continue to give us a 5-Speed manual instead of a 6-speed. Who cares if the competition from Chevrolet and Chrysler all have standard 6-speeds as well as many cars costing half what a Mustang GT will. Bold Moves. As past SVT and Mustang Chief John Coletti once said, “Why do you need two overdrive gears?”
The upshot to our glimpse into the future today is a much more handsome looking console. The finishes are of a higher sheen and quality of detail. The construction of the new console is much more mod friendly now as well, allowing for much easier custom treatments like body color paint or leather accents.