2011 Ford Mustang packs a serious punch. With the new 5.0 L, the Mustang is geared up to take on serious competition. Not just local competition, but European sports cars who fall short of this challenge.

The Ford Mustang will instantly gain your respect at a stoplight after it yanks you through first gear and abruptly introduces you to power you were not anticipating. As you climb through the gears, you’ll be satisfied to a degree that spending six figures is ludicrous and unwarranted.

I remember my first 5.0 L. The sound of the exhaust was deep and powerful. One had to be careful, letting up on the clutch too quickly could lead to excessive tire wear, especially the rear ones. The best feeling was the low-end torque is that pulled you out of each gear.

The 5.0 L badge was a symbol of something special under the hood. The chrome 5.0 emblem sat just above the front tires but back towards the front doors, perfectly positioned as a point of reference for anyone to know whether it had the power.

It’s easy to understand why Ford brought back the Mustang 5.0 L. It was such an iconic car so many kids dreamed of owning. I never owned one until I was about 22 years old. But even then it meant just as much if not more to sit behind the wheel of something I always wanted to drive.

The look of the 5.0 L was cool on the outside but until I started the engine and sat in the driver’s seat, did I experience the reason that made me desire one of these vehicles so much. The sound of the ignition was like a burst of adrenaline.

Even though mine was an 88, I’m anxious to see if the new 5.0 L will still send those same feelings of anxiety and anxiousness through me when the key turns and the high-pitched starter precedes the low rumble of the engine at idle.