One of the other notable areas that the road tests have revealed dissent is the lack of an independent rear suspension. While most car enthusiasts agree that a serious high performance car in the 21st century has no place for a live axle, Ford continues to build them. In an interview with Robert Lane of StangsUnleashed.com, Team Mustang brand manager Jim Owens defended their use of the live axle. He quoted the success of the Mustang FR-500 C winning at Daytona against competitors who all had IRS. What that assertion fails to recognize is that where a live axle really faults a driver is on the street where bumps, expansion strips and potholes throw you around. A smooth racetrack is a lot more forgiving.

In the road tests, the existence of a live axle in a $40,000 high performance halo car did not go unnoticed. “That solid axle makes itself known while turning, however. The rear end jumps out when it encounters any sort of road imperfection with the steering wheel cocked, requiring extra-quick hands to keep it in line. “ Autoweek noted, “Ford argues that putting an IRS in the GT500 would add too much weight and cost to the car and still not perform better than the current configuration. We can’t say we entirely buy into Ford’s spin; seems like an awfully low-tech approach for its premier pony car.”