Sixth generation Ford Mustang unveiled

Ford has officially unveiled the latest incarnation of its iconic muscle car, the Mustang. The car will be launched on 17 April, 2014, exactly fifty years after the first Mustang appeared. The car will be available as a fastback or a cloth-top convertible.

The Mustang is one of the most popular cars ever built. It has been in continuous production since 1964 and has sold more than 9 million copies. However, Ford has not sold the Mustang in key markets outside North America officially, since 1979. With the new car, Ford has decided to go global. Certain changes had to be made to the car to meet requirements of various markets around the world.

For countries like UK, Australia and Japan a right hand drive version of the car has been developed. Ford has also ditched the traditional live axle setup for the rear suspension. In its place is an independent suspension, which enables the Mustang to comply with European norms and at the same time, improves the car's ride and handling.

The new Mustang has a reduced roof height and wider rear fenders and track, giving it a lower, wider stance. The car rides on 19-inch alloy wheels.

The Mustang comes with a choice of three engines. The 3.7 litre V6 producing 300 bhp and 366 Nm of torque, is carried over from the outgoing car. Joining it will be a new 2.3 litre 4-cylinder EcoBoost unit developing 305 bhp and 406 Nm of torque. A 5.0 litre V8, pumping out 420 bhp and 530 Nm of torque, completes the engine line-up. The sixth generation Mustang will continue to use the 6-speed automatic and manual transmissions from its predecessor. A 10-speed automatic gearbox is expected in a couple of years.