The Ford Mustang has been an icon of American performance since its introduction in 1964. Stunning looks, rear-wheel drive performance, and affordability have been Mustang hallmarks ever since.

Another thing which the Mustang can boast about is of being the dream car of many a young boy.

I can still remember being just a youngster when my father brought home a shiny new Mustang Mach 1 Convertible in the 70's. Ok, so the Mach 1 was not the most loved version, but this was back in England. Anything American turned heads over there back then; my father's Mach 1 convertible literally stopped traffic.

Now you might think that I'm joking, but I recall a man running out into the road one day with his arms waving. We thought that he was in some kind of trouble, but when we stopped, he bent down and actually kissed the hood!

It was with this in mind that I went to pick up my test vehicle for the week, a beautiful platinum silver 2006 Mustang GT Convertible.

Anyone can see that the 2006 Mustang GT is instantly recognizable as a retro 60's Mustang. Ford was wise to choose this design as that was probably the best looking pony car ever built. In fact, you only have to look at the front to get visions of Steve McQueen's Bullitt Mustang running through your head.

Yes, the 2006 Mustang GT is one cool looking vehicle. It also sticks with the Mustang traditions of being rear wheel drive, super quick and surprisingly affordable. That last one worries me a little, as performance and affordability seldom go hand in hand without paying the price in some other area, namely quality.

From the outside, there appears to be nothing wrong; in fact, it all looks rather nice. The overall design is drop-dead gorgeous and the fit and finish of the body panels are quite impressive. The convertible top fits well and although it looks best when down, it also looks pretty good in the raised position. One thing which disappointed me slightly, was the covering for the top when down. It was rather awkward to fit and its design did nothing to inspire confidence at speed. In fact, I was constantly looking in my rear view mirror expecting to see it fly off.

The car has a good presence on the road and the Bullitt wheels not only looked good but they truly complimented the 60's styling cues. Together with that, being 18 inch in size, they also help bring the vehicle into the present.