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The 2010 Mustang body design is new from end to end, this time with integrated multi-element headlamps replacing the twin round lamps of past Mustangs, a power-dome hood that droops over the grille at its leading edge, completely new side sculpting, and chamfered three-element taillamps that house sequential turn signals, blinking from the inside lamp to the outside lamp to help those following understand which way you're turning (a technology first used on the 1964 Thunderbird, reprised 46 years later).

Ford says the new Mustang body yields 23 percent less aerodynamic lift at the front with a new slotted panel installed under the radiator to direct air, 50 percent better in front/rear lift balance, and has seven percent less aerodynamic drag. They tell us it is 12 percent quieter in wind noise than the outgoing car, 15 percent quieter in the case of the convertible. Ford also points to a 33 percent reduction in squeak and rattle performance, and a 10 percent improvement in speech intelligibility due to interior noise reductions, especially in the convertible.

The 3,500-pound Mustang uses welded steel unibody construction with front and rear subframes to mount the steering and suspension systems, with almost half the body weight in high-strength low-alloy steel.

Like last years's model, the Shelby GT500 features its own set of aggressively styled bumpers, fenders, and spoilers. During the development of the new car, engineers focused on maximizing the efficiency of air flow around the car. The top grille focuses air into the radiator, with a rubber flap inside the engine compartment helping to seal the system. The lower grille helps cool the intercooler. SVT engineers also went as far to block off specific diamonds in the front of the 2010 Shelby GT500's distinctive grille to help maintain the correct cooling and aerodynamic balance.

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Inside, we found the front bucket seats significantly more comfortable and better looking than the slabs used in the 2009 models. Altogether, the 2010 Ford Mustang is much more refined than any previous model when it comes to noise, a much more comfortable car to be in, whether cruising or at full throttle.

The 2010 Ford Mustang has a completely new chiseled approach to interior design, with throwback instrument design complemented by softer-feeling surfaces throughout, and the use of real aluminum plates on the fascias, pedal covers, scuff plates, and shifter knob. Interior ambient lighting in the door pockets, cupholders, and footwells is a new interior feature, and the lighting colors can be changed through a range of 125 colors with the flip of a switch with the new MyColor system.

New interior and entertainment features for the Mustang include a rear-facing video camera, the Sync voice-activated hands-free system for the first time in a Mustang, featuring SIRIUS satellite radio and satellite navigation with SIRIUS Travel Link. The new leather-clad steering-wheel is a massive affair with six brushed metal spokes in three groups of two, with cruise controls switches and controls for the sound system, a wheel that gives a very big feeling of command. The leather interiors are of a higher grade than ever, the console can now be locked to hide valuables. The instrument panel is made in a single piece.

We found the new Mustang is much quieter than the old car, with improvements in wind noise, road noise, mirror noise, and powertrain noise. The radio antenna is moved to the rear to eliminate noise, the wiper design is changed to flatter blades that don't make as much noise, the washer nozzles are inside the hood, and the mirrors are reshaped. Inside, there is more mastic, a better grade of carpeting, a sound-absorbing headliner material, and there is a lot more noise insulation in the body.