Mustang First Ever Convertible to Achieve Perfect Crash Test Score

Today Ford Motor Company announced that the 2008 Ford Mustang convertible is the first ever convertible, of any type, to be called a five-star safety vehicle. Recent tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the convertible Mustang a five-star rating in the following areas:

• Frontal crash evaluations for both driver and front-seat passenger
• Side impact evaluations for both driver and rear-seat passenger directly behind the driver
• NHTSA's rollover test, a two-tiered evaluation used to gauge a vehicle's resistance to rollover

In all, the vehicle achieved a perfect score. It should be noted that side airbags are standard on all 2008 Mustangs. In previous years, they were an available option.

"The five-star ratings confirm our own analysis of the safety performance of this excellent vehicle," said Jim Vondale, director, Ford's Automotive Safety Office. “The Mustang convertible is another example of working at all levels to offer a vehicle that is both sporty and safe."

Photo © Ford Motor Company