The Wheel Thing: Giddy up. First look at the all-new 2015 Ford Mustang

The new 2015 Ford Mustang was unveiled Thursday. Buyers can choose from three engines: a turbocharged 4 cylinder, a V-6, or a 435 horsepower V8.

()

It's hotter and faster than ever. The new 435 horsepower Ford Mustang manages to scream down the highway, and look good doing it.

The Mustang is 50 years old, and Ford has gone to great lengths to recapture the magic of the original with its 2015 model.

Featuring, at long last, independent rear suspension, the new 'Stang is a bit lower, a bit longer and a lot grippier on winding roads, says Wheel Thing critic Susan Carpenter, who arrived to KPCC's studio in an orange, V8-powered Mustang with 435 horsepower.

But, she notes, there's a steep downside to that honkin' V-8. Racing through the canyons above Los Angeles, it managed to eek out only 13 MPG. Ford is also offering an inline turbocharged 4, and a V-6.

When it comes to looks, Carpenter says pictures don't do the car justice — you have to see it in real life to appreciate its charm.