[Drivesthebeast]

The solid axle wasn't just a cost cutting measure...Ford kept it also because the number of mustang enthusiasts who buy the car with the intent to drag race it are legion. The number of people that want the car how it is, vastly outnumber the people that want IRS. The mustang is a blue collar car, and they built it to sell as many as possible, to as wide ranging a demographic as they could. I personally am not bothered with driving a vehicle with a live axle. Just about everything the Cdn Military has is live axle, my truck is, etc.

I find that the stock GT handles VERY WELL for a larger and beefier car. It is, what it is. Also, it's retro oldschool...Ford made attempts to make this as close a rep of the mustangs of old, but giving us a decent clutch and gearbox, nicer interiors, better handling and brakes, all out of the box. Sure, they could have made the Mustang to be the "End-all and Be-all" of performance vehicles, but that would detract from the sales of the GT40/GT and also end up reducing the want/need for factory tuned cars/specialty editions, etc.

I think the live axle also helps FORCE people to learn the car, and learn to drive it properly within it's limits. Like I said, with lighter and stronger control arms, panhard rod, and an aftermarket suspension, you can go out and hunt 5 series BMW's and Audi's and Lexus' all day long...