Since '88, I've owned an LX 5.0, a '98 GT, an '02 GT, an '08 Bullitt (possibly my fave of all), a '14 GT track pack and now my '09 GT500. Loved them all except my '98, gutless wonder that it was.
The Bullitt called to me- no nonsense, no flash, that DHG paint, those wheels. She was a hit w/me and just about every time I parked her, someone would approach and ask, "Is that a Bullitt?" I always enjoyed driving that car. Wasn't the fastest but man, she made my heart sing. And then she got hit 3x & I swore that car was cursed.
When the S550's were released I railed out loud because to my eye, they looked like a Fusion & BMW had sex and this was their ugly child. My wife told me to buy the '14 before they were gone and I was lucky to find the one I had.
But that damn car, despite its superiority in every category- performance, build quality, comfort, etc.- just never sang to me, even w/proper bolt-on mods. Ergo the return back to the first 1/2 of the S197 gen into the '09 GT500, a car I had lusted after for oh so long.
The '05-09 gen reminded me of 'days gone by' Stangs- the blockish shape w/the squared off fenders, the square capped rear end. It just screamed old school muscle car. And I've yet to hear a better sounding motor than the 4.6 liter- far better grumble than the 5.0.
I'm just about done w/the mods to my GT500 and couldn't be more pleased w/her. Looks she's got, and performance a-plenty. I figure I'll hang onto this one for a while. If need be, I would consider moving up to later model GT500 but I'll also admit that the '18 GT w/the powerpack II has caught my eye.
Yeah, I know it's an S550 but I think it's finally gotten to the point, w/the new styling front & rear, that I'm kinda sorta ok w/it. The powerpack II set-up eliminates the needs for mods, ever... Ok, maybe a few but they would be really few.
Like the rest of you, I'd be hard pressed to spend $60g's on it tho, especially w/all the low mileage deals out there to be had on the 12-13 Boss versions and 13-14 GT500's.