Metropolis - Cars & Bikes

INSIDE

Home

Podcast

Feature

Photo of the Week

The Small Print

Faces & Places

The Goods

Body & Soul

Tech Know

Travel

Cars & Bikes

Global Village

Horoscope

Mailbox

The Last Word

The Negi

Summer Fun

Fireworks & Festivals

+ Best of Tokyo

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

The Agenda

Art

Books

CDs

Clubbing

Dance

Japan Beat

Music

Sports

Stage

LISTINGS

Concerts

Jazz/World

Classical

Stage & Dance

Clubbing

Exhibitions

Sports

Others

Metropolis League

MOVIES

Reviews

Times

Theater Maps

DINING OUT

Restaurant&Bar Search

Restaurant Review

Bar Review

International Dining

Local Flavors

Table Talk

Tastemaker

Sake

Wine

Beer

About Us

Distribution Points

Classifieds

Jobfinder

Glitterball 2006 Photos

Select screen settings

1024 x 768

800 x 600

Increase Text Size

Decrease Text Size

Metropolis.co.jp Friends

Past Issues

736: Suzuki Swift Sport
Suzuki’s bargain hatch proves big fun can come in small packages
732: Dualis & X-Trail
Nissan introduces a new SUV while its marquee model continues to play tough
728: Toyota Vanguard
Head off to the concrete jungle with a bit more vehicle than you need
724: Subaru Impreza S-GT
Japan’s automotive loudmouth learns some manners
720: Tokyo Auto Salon 2008
Get ready for some modification mayhem at Makuhari Messe
716: Dodge These!
Chrysler introduces three muscle-bound imports to Japan
712: Licensed to Drive
We guide you through the bureaucratic jungle
708: Tokyo Concours D’Elegance
Exotic autos from the past and present glide into Roppongi
704: Car Knows Best
Automakers are introducing technology that will let your ride decide if you’ve had one too many
700: Range Rover & Land Rover
We put three SUVs from the fabled British maker through their paces
696: Aston Martin V8 Vantage
Channel 007 in this latest incarnation of the marquee automaker’s “baby”
692: BMW R1200GS Adventure
The storied bike maker competes with itself to create a three-in-one masterpiece
688: Lexus LS460
The new sedan is big, fast, safe, classy—and unremarkable
684: Alfa Romeo Spider
We unleash the Italian monster on a 1,200km road trip
680: Ford Mustang
The American classic goes back to its roots
676: Citroën C6
The French automaker's latest eccentricity pushes its own boundaries
672: Nissan’s Pino and Otti
Japan-friendly K-cars pack a big punch
668: Jaguar XK
Forget James Bond—this is the UK’s sexiest export
664: Mazda’s Axela, RX-8 and Roadster
Here’s the word on Japan’s resurgent automaker: buy, buy, buy!
660: Mazda’s Axela, RX-8 and Roadster
Here’s the word on Japan’s resurgent automaker: buy, buy, buy!
656: Alfa Romeo Brera
This gorgeous Italian coupe is both poised and sexy
652: Premium wheels
Business is good for Rolls-Royce in Japan, with an eagerly awaited convertible due out next year
648: Citroen C3 Pluriel
The quirky French automaker barrels into the 21st century
644: Jeep Commander& Grand Cherokee
Off road and on, these 4×4s do their military heritage proud
640: BMW Z4 M Roadster
Beemer’s monster convertible provides the most fun you can have sitting down
636: Name dropping
What your car is called says something about you—and even more about automakers’ marketing departments
632: BMW Mini Cooper S
All hail the mighty Mini!
628: Mazda Roadster
Redesigned and retooled, this two-seater is now a car for enthusiasts
624: Hyundai Sonata
A rev-happy South Korean import tries to find its niche in Japan
621: Lexus IS350
Toyota brings its upmarket brand to Japan—finally
616: Volvo XC90 V8
A bit sleeker and a lot more spacious, this SUV still puts a premium on safety
612: Chrysler 300C
This black beauty recalls the golden age of motoring
608: The Big Ideas
Tokyo Motor Show 2005 was a concept car bonanza
604: Tokyo Motor Show 2005
The automotive world’s big players zoom into Japan with some high concepts in tow
597: Three brothers
We put a trio of Nissan sedans through their paces
593: Ducati 1000S DS Multistrada
The boys from Bologna deliver an Italian masterpiece for your garage
589: Mazda Demio Sport
A worthy cousin to the Atenza and RX8, this roomy sedan is happy around town and in the country
585: BMW K1200S
The boys from bavaria clothe an iron fist in a velvet glove
581: Chrysler’s Cruisers
The American auto manufacturer concentrates on the body beautiful
577: Suzuki Skywave 650LX
If you thought scooters were just for kids, think again
573: Cadillac STS 4x4
America’s flagship automaker recaptures its former glory
569: Tour de Force
Yamaha’s FJR1300A offers an unbeatable blend of poise, power and price
565: Alfa Romeo GT and 156 GTA
With stunning looks and power to spare, these two Alfas are an enthusiast's dream
560: Driving the Future
The talk of the auto industry in 2004 was hybrids, safe driving and intelligent vehicles
556: Deja vu
Blast to the past on Harley-Davidson’s Road King Custom
552: Sports sensation
Nissan's new SUV breaks out of its class
548: Lean machine
Lighter, faster, stronger and sexier—a diet works wonders for BMW’s R1200GS
544: Kings for a day
The Honda Elysion is master of all it surveys
539: Rules of the road
New traffic laws are on the horizon. Turn off your cellphone, watch where you park and don’t ride in gangs, Chris Betros warns.
537: Open roadster
William Bonds gets up-close with the elements courtesy of the Nissan Fairlady 350Z convertible.
535: Extreme makeover
Volvo sheds its stodgy-but-safe image for sleek-and-sporty with the new S40 T5. William Bonds likes what he sees.
533: Sporting chance
Mazda has brought the station wagon up to speed with its Atenza Sport Wagon 23Z. William Bonds takes one for a spin.
531: Street smarts
Automakers are taking car safety to new levels with sophisticated warning systems that almost do the driving for you, reports Chris Betros.
529: Speed zone
Just down the road from Ueno Zoo, a virtual hog heaven has everything for the motorcycling enthusiast. Steve Trautlein cruises on over.
527: Italian Stallion
The Alfa Romeo 147 carries on its maker’s reputation for hot cars with unmatched sex appeal. William Bonds gets carried away.
525: Hot wheels
A cross between a snowboard and a scooter, the Wheelman is a quirky Australian invention that's grabbing attention worldwide. Tim Colquhoun takes one for a ride.
523: Mean Machine
William Bonds gets behind the wheel of the Nissan Skyline 350GT.
521: Show stealers
Toyota stunned attendees at the recent Geneva and Melbourne auto shows with two concept cars that represent a powerful vision for the future of motoring. Tim Colquhoun reports.
519: Mighty mouse
Subaru goes boldly against the tide with its new R2 minicar. Justin Gardiner admires this latest feat of audacity and engineering.
517: Trail blazer
Nissan's top-selling 4x4 features cool touches for winter sports fans. Justin Gardiner drove the latest X-Trail to the slopes
515: Up to speed
The Formula One circus is gaining momentum as the season opener in Australia draws near. Tim Colquhoun takes a look at the latest developments.
513: Good save
Hybrid cars are the rage this year with Toyota, Honda and Subaru touting their gas-electric vehicles. Chris Betros looks at what they're offering.
512: The road ahead
Despite the lack of a full-fledged Tokyo Motor Show in 2004, domestic manufacturers have a bevy of weird and wonderful offerings in store for this year. Justin Gardiner previews the lineup.
509/10: Top of the class
Justin Gardiner finds his favorites from this year's Metropolis test drives.
507: Mom-mobiles
Japanese mothers are trading in their once ubiquitous mama-chari bicycles for a new breed of K-car. Justin Gardiner tries a couple of the most popular mini-cars.
505: Cubic's rube
Nissan has lengthened its highly successful Cube a few centimeters and added an extra row of seats. But, as Justin Gardiner finds out, the result is a bit puzzling.
503: Globe trotters
Kerstin Gackle and Volker Aldinger left their native Germany on April 1 and pointed their Yamahas toward Australia. Eight months later Justin Gardiner caught up with the couple in Tokyo.
501: Back to the future
Cutting-edge technology and futuristic vehicles highlight the 37th Tokyo Motor Show at Makuhari Messe through November 5. Justin Gardiner offers a guide.

ISSUES 499-
ISSUES 449-
ISSUES 399-
ISSUES 349-
ISSUES 299-

Cars&Bikes

Text and photos by William Bonds

Ford Mustang
The American classic goes back to its roots

It’s very hard dealing with legends. You expect them to be perfect and they rarely are. The Ford Mustang was an absolute sensation when it made its debut at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. It combined power with sublime macho styling at an affordable price. In some ways, it was America’s Jaguar E-Type: an affordable supercar.

Not that the Mustang had anything like the refinement or style of the E-Type. You have to remember that American cars in the ’60s and ’70s had no need or desire to be refined. Roads in the United States tend to be long, wide and straight, and American sports cars of the era tended to be fat, loud and ugly. In fact, they were rarely sports cars; they were GTs. In the early ’80s, I owned a 1976 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. It had two massive doors, swivel seats and a 5.7-liter engine that struggled to get the beast to 100mph (160kph). It also handled like a truck. But I adored it. So when I landed in the US for the first time in 1982, I thought I would hook up with the legendary Ford Mustang.

The car did amazingly well after its launch in 1964 and didn’t actually need publicity—it sold more than 1 million units in the first year alone—but in 1968, the Mustang became a worldwide icon following the classic car chase against a Dodge Charger in the Steve McQueen movie Bullitt. I wasn’t expecting any car chases

in Cape Cod, but I was still looking forward to a huge serving of “grunt.”

I didn’t realize that Ford had completely emasculated the Mustang by 1982. The sad little runaround I was presented with made me want to cry. It looked pathetic, and it was. It could barely get up hills. Ford slowly realized how much they had damaged the marquee, and by the ’90s they were starting to beef up the Mustang again. Finally, in 2005, they released a version that had aging baby boomers drooling in their Armanis.

The current Ford Mustang (in Japan) comes as a V6 4.0-liter coupe, a V8 4.6-liter GT, and a V8 4.6-liter convertible. Surprisingly, these are not expensive cars. The coupe is available for just ¥3.9 million, the GT for ¥4.6 million and the convertible for ¥5.3 million. Ford has gone out of its way to keep the cars simple and inexpensive. They’ve also gone out of their way to keep them looking good.

For a start, the Mustang is macho again—and looks very much like the original. Even the V6 Coupe, without the extra spotlights, fatter tires and rear spoiler of the V8, has man appeal. The long, sloping hood curls over the matte black grille and its famous galloping stallion, giving it a broad-shouldered front end. The rear has an in-your-face feel with a high flat end and two large triple banks of lights (though if I could, I’d put the rear spoiler on all models to emphasize the sports styling of the car).

The interior is all retro. Four mini gauges are sandwiched between two huge old-style dials (rev counter and speedo), while the upper-level metallic dash is only interrupted by four silver air vents.

The central console beneath the dash accommodates newfangled gear such as a CD/MD/MP3 player, but the gear shift looks like it’s been lifted out of the cockpit of a B-17 bomber. The seats also look as though they’ve skipped a generation or two and provide excellent comfort, at least in the front. The Mustang, like my old Monte Carlo, is billed as a four-seater, but legroom in the rear is not overly generous.

So, how much testosterone does the Mustang actually deliver? The 4.0-liter version will produce 210 horsepower and get up to 100kph in around 7 seconds. That’s not a bad time, but hardly compares with, say, a Nissan Skyline 350GT Coupe, which, with a smaller but more efficient V6, can reach 100kph in a full second faster. If it’s grunt you want, go for the V8 version, which has almost 50 percent more power and 25 percent more torque, and takes the 0-100 time to below 5 seconds.

So what are the downsides? First, all Japan models are automatic and left-hand drive. And don’t expect these babies to sprint around corners like a European GT. While the Mustang is solid enough—and, by all accounts, considerably better than earlier versions—it is not a true sports car. Though by European standards the setup is quite tame, it will suit most Japanese drivers and roads just fine. The Mustang is not overly big, so cruising through Tokyo or around the countryside is no problem.

The appeal of the classic Mustang is very simple: it’s about style (Or, to be more specific, retro style). You’re going to buy a Mustang for its looks. Which is not to say it’s a rubbish car to drive. Personally, I have fond memories of cars that were big, macho and simple. The current Mustang is a welcome member of that club.

Autofile

The 40th Tokyo Motor Show will be held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba from October 27 through November 11. This year, the organizers have added special events to promote audience participation—including test rides.

In addition to the usual attractions (which includes, of course, the babes adorning the various cars), a full lineup of funky concept vehicles will be unveiled. Nissan is showing off its battery-powered Pivo 2 (pictured), a state-of-the-art electric car that can move laterally and has a small robot to assist with navigation—and to keep an eye on things in general. The round-eyed ’bot head sitting on the dashboard has cameras that can tell when a driver is getting sleepy. It’s also bilingual, and can say things like “You look tired. There’s a coffee shop 500 meters ahead on the left.”

Meanwhile, Mazda’s theme for the show is “Sustainable Zoom-Zoom,” and the automaker will be debuting its all-new Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid, which visitors will have the opportunity to take on a test spin at the “clean energy vehicle demo drive course.”

www.tokyo-motorshow.com/show/2007/eng. Chris Betros

Got something to say about this article? Send a letter to the editor at letters@metropolis.co.jp.

Listen to the Metropolis Podcast, the coolest guide to what goes on this week in Tokyo.

Looking for international friends? Check Japan, Inc. Friends now - it's 100% free!