> all Mustang pictures

The 2006 Ford Mustang follows the trend by offering ever larger wheels. The GT is now available with two distinct 18-inch wheel designs, as well as two new exterior colors: Vista Blue Clearcoat Metallic and Tungsten Grey Clearcoat Metallic. So trimmed, the Mustang looks more aggressively handsome than ever, and nearly identical to the concept cars that grabbed everyone's attention at the 2004 North American International Auto Show.

Nothing says modern American sporty car better than this Mustang. Its long hood and short rear deck capitalize on 40 years of Mustang history. The current Mustang features classic design cues that have defined Mustangs since the 1960s: C-scoops in the sides, three-element tail lamps, and a galloping horse badge in the center of the grille. Its menacing shark-like nose is reminiscent of the 1967 model. And while this retro-inspired look pleases the eyes, there's a lot of updated technology you don't see, starting with an aluminum hood to trim weight.

This Ford Mustang is based on a modified version of the platform that underpins the Lincoln LS and Jaguar S-Type luxury cars, albeit with some cost-trimming features such as live-axle rear suspension. Everything under the car has been upgraded substantially from previous Mustang levels: bigger brakes by nearly 20 percent, completely new front and rear suspension designs that yield a much quieter, smoother ride as well as much more precise steering during hard cornering, improved engines, and new transmissions. Optional anti-lock brakes bundled with traction control give any driver much more of a fighting chance in bad situations by allowing the driver to brake and steer at the same time.

The engines are mounted to the body with hydraulic engine mounts, which absorb and counteract vibration and pulsing. By adapting ideas and components from luxury cars, Ford has given the current Mustang a level of sophistication its predecessors never had. Yet the Mustang heritage of low-cost performance and flashy styling has not been compromised one iota. We know, because we've driven every generation since the original debuted in the spring of 1964.

Perhaps most retro of all Mustang features is a new-for-2006 Pony Package for V6 models. This includes a grille with GT-style round fog lamps and a chrome bezel, or corral, around the traditional Mustang prancing horse. The package includes 17-inch wheels, front-fender pony badges, a lower door stripe, and a rear spoiler.

> all Mustang pictures

The styling themes that so readily identify the 2006 Ford Mustang are apparent inside, too. The interior is as blatantly throwback as the exterior, and nearly as well done. It's sporty and crisp in appearance and straightforward in function.

There's a very heavy dose of 1967 Ford Mustang inside, with two distinct right and left pods, blended with modern touches. Chrome-ringed air vents align across the dash, precisely in line with the gauges, and the steering wheel has three spokes with a center hub marked by the horse and tricolor bars logo. While some of the materials have a cost-saving look and feel, the package is not bad given the high style and price of entry. An interior upgrade package, with satin or dark-finish aluminum inserts, goes a long way toward eliminating traces of cheapness. Another interior upgrade package adds red leather seats, red door inserts, and red floor mats on cars with appropriate exterior colors.

With its new duds inside, Mustang offers a color-changeable instrument panel display, with 125 color schemes to choose from. It's a gimmick, to be sure, but it's easy to use, and it can brighten your day, and especially your night, as you drive. We're all for that. Speaking of brightening, however, there's enough shiny metal on this car's dash and steering wheel to create some glare problems for drivers on sunny days. Just like the old days.

These are the good old days in terms of roominess in the Mustang. Thanks to a longer wheelbase and larger overall size, there is a lot more hip, leg, elbow, and shoulder room inside this Mustang that in any previous generation. We found the front bucket seats to be comfortable, supportive, and retentive in hard corners. The 2+2 back seat, however, isn't much more accommodating than before, and it's not a place adults will want to spend any time.

The trunk, however, is as large as those in some more overtly practical sedans, and the folding rear seat expands cargo space even further.

The basic sound system that comes with the car is pretty darn good. The 500-watt upgrade is reasonably priced in the premium package, and adds a six-CD changer. The 1000-watt upgrade will impress most audiophiles, but the extra subwoofers in the trunk steal a good chunk of cargo space. We'd be inclined to pass on those.