You Could Spend $33,515 On A Ford Mustang, Or You Could Do This...

The Ford Mustang has long been one of the best performance bargains in North America. The latest version is the best yet, with multiple modern engine options, handling to rival the best that Europe has to offer, and long, low styling that hearkens back to early 1970s Americana.

But, in case you haven’t noticed, the Mustang doesn’t exactly come cheap these days. In fact, in its most basic four-cylinder EcoBoost form, Ford’s admittedly excellent coupe starts perilously close to $35,000 (or for Canadians, a bit over $40,000).

The most obvious contender to consider when looking at a brand-new Ford Mustang is a better Mustang from the current generation that still has relatively low miles. There are surely a few buyers who prefer the 315-horsepower four-cylinder EcoBoost and its standard automatic transmission to the classic American V8 and its 480 ponies in the GT. It’s a tough argument to make unless fuel efficiency is your prime concern, especially when you compare 350 pound-feet of torque against 418 lb-ft of twist, and even more so when you consider the V8 offers a choice between a six-speed manual and the 10-speed automatic.

But we’re not taking the easy route, telling you to just buy a two-year-old GT. We’ve singled out three different vehicles that we think stack up well against the base Ford Mustang at a cost of just under $35,000. As usual, when we consider these exercises, we’ve limited our picks to cars sold within the last few years and with no more than the average of 12,000 miles per year on their odometers.

Option 1: Dodge Challenger

Don’t want a Mustang? The Chevrolet Camaro is the most direct competitor, and if you plan to take your overpowered muscle machine to a twisty race track, Chevy’s modern Camaro may be the best option of all when it comes time to set a new personal-best lap time. But if you’re planning to stick to the street, we’d steer you in the direction of the Dodge Challenger. It’s a more traditional muscle car than the Camaro or Mustang with a big loping Hemi V8 engine underhood that sends its ponies to the rear tires without much consideration for high-speed handling.

If you’re shopping for a used Challenger for less than $35,000 (our self-imposed limit based on the starting price of a four-cylinder ‘Stang), you’ll have three powerplants to choose from. There’s nothing at all wrong with the base 3.6-liter V6 engine, but we’re going to assume you want a V8. The 5.7-liter Hemi can be found in multiple flavors, but the most-powerful version in our price range displaces 6.4 liters (392 cubic inches) and punches out 485 naturally aspirated ponies.

Option 2: Audi TTS

If you’d rather have a crisp-handling European sports coupe than a corn-fed American muscle car, the Audi TTS is worth your attention. Like the Mustang EcoBoost, Audi’s trendsetting coupe is powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, in this case producing 292 horsepower. Unlike the American pony, the German coupe boasts all-wheel drive.

The Audi TTS isn’t going to be challenging V8-powered Mustangs, Camaros or Challengers at the drag strip. It is, however, going to provide a very refined driving experience with a buttoned-down and comfortable ride, strong road-holding performance and a solid dash of performance. And it’s going to look great sitting in your driveway due to its timelessly attractive shape.

Option 3: Mercedes-AMG C43 Coupe

The 2022 (and newer) BMW M240i xDrive would be an excellent choice for buyers who would be likely to put a few options on a new Mustang. The EcoBoost with Ford’s Premium package runs the register at nearly $40,000 in the States. For that price, you can drive home in a used BMW with a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six with 382 hp and 369 lb-ft (its measurable performance figures prove it’s drastically underrated from the factory). Instead, we’re going to direct buyers toward another German: The Mercedes-AMG C43 is a lovely machine that, until recently, was offered in coupe, cabriolet, and sedan styles and powered by a twin-turbocharged 385-horsepower 3.0-liter V6 engine.

Nobody is going to mistake the AMG-badged Benz’s interior for anything but a luxury car. It’s lovely in form and function, and as competent as the Mustang’s modern interior may be, it doesn’t play in the same league as the Mercedes. The Benz’s ride, steering, and technology packages are hard to beat, too, and there’s still something special about parking a three-pointed star in the garage.

Why Not Just Buy a Mustang?

If you want a Ford Mustang, you should definitely buy a Ford Mustang! We like the EcoBoost engine, even if we prefer the good-old classic V8. But like all new cars these days, the Mustang’s base price has crept up in recent years to the point where it’s no longer the slam-dunk bargain it once was.

The GT may offer a better price-to-performance ratio even with a price that’s perilously close to $45,000 (or $55,000 in Canada), but a willingness to explore the used market opens up a wealth of worthy alternatives.

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