14. S197 Mustang GT

The 2011 Mustang GT represents a pretty special point in Mustang history, combining the S197 platform’s solid rear axle with Ford’s new 5.0L Coyote V8. The late S197s have a relatively stiff, responsive chassis, precise steering, strong straight-line performance, and an enormous aftermarket, while still retaining the raw character of an old-school American muscle car. The styling has also aged particularly well, and the Coyote V8’s sound and character are a huge part of the experience. There are compromises, though: the rear seats are cramped, the front seats could use more support, the interior has plenty of cheap plastics, and the solid rear axle can get unsettled over rough pavement. The car’s 6-speed manual also has some frustrating quirks, particularly the tendency to lock you out of gears and the factory skip-shift system that can force a 1st-to-4th shift under certain conditions.

Ownership also taught me that buying a performance car is only the beginning. Within the first couple years, this Mustang needed a clutch, battery, brakes, fluids, sway bars, an A/C compressor, and other maintenance, which was a pretty rude introduction to the cost of keeping an older performance car on the road. None of those repairs were necessarily catastrophic, but they demonstrated that even a relatively affordable Mustang can become expensive when age, wear, and performance-oriented components start catching up with it. Ultimately, though, the Mustang became much more than a collection of mechanical components: learning to drive a manual, modifying it, taking it on road trips, meeting other enthusiasts, and simply hearing that Coyote V8 every time I started it made the car genuinely enjoyable to own. That’s really the lasting takeaway from this video—the best cars aren’t necessarily the most practical or reliable ones; they’re the ones that make you excited to get behind the wheel.