Of all the jobs Ford CEO Alan Mulally has right now, perhaps his most difficult is to avoid being smug. Let’s face it, the man made a lot of right moves when he took over the floundering Ford ship, and today it’s the only domestic car company that doesn’t seem to have the word “beleaguered” permanently attached to it.

So, what’s Ford’s secret? How did Mulally steer this behemoth through these troubled waters? He did it through a series of moves that, in retrospect, were spot on thanks to either luck, business acumen, or both.

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There’s a new sport coupe out there, one boasting great power, great looks and an amazing amount of refinement and sophistication, especially considering the source. It’s an example of what a car company that’s on the ball can do, even with tough times facing the industry. With this car, its manufacturer is signaling the competition that it’s not going to take new challenges, or tough times, lying down.

The car is the 2010 Ford Mustang GT and, as luck would have it, I had the keys to one the same week that I was due in Las Vegas to drive another game-changing car: the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe. If someone had told me just a couple years ago that Hyundai would make such a sophisticated performance coupe at a bargain price, I’d have laughed my ass off. Not now. The Genesis Coupe is for real.

Considering the price and performance parity between the two, comparing them was a no-brainer. Heck, the Genesis Coupe has been billed as a Mustang Killer since it was unveiled at last year’s New York Auto Show. In all honesty, I thought one of the two cars would blow the other out of the water. Maybe the Ford’s American V-8 power would shame the V-6 Korean, easily making up for its lack of finesse. Or the Genesis Coupe might be so nicely balanced that every ugly wart on the Mustang would be enlarged by contrast.

Instead, the 2010 Ford Mustang GT still has all that chest-thumping power, but with a healthy dose of refinement unknown to Mustangs since, well, ever. On the other hand, despite having “only” a V-6, the Genesis coupe is a blast to drive, with power to spare and precise handling. Picking a winner between the two was going to be tougher than I thought.

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I mentioned not long ago that I’ve never loved the Ford Mustang, except for the classic 60s models of course. In fact, it’s my adoration of those classics that explains my resentment toward the 2005-2009 Mustangs. Sure they had plenty of power. But the styling, supposed to be an homage to the classic Mustangs, was instead a caricature that lacked any of the elegance of the originals. Bad as it was, the exterior was automotive perfection compared to the dismal interior, which was so cheap that Ford painted only the front side of the air vents.

Truth is, that’s the way it has been for Mustangs since the 80s: Lots of power, little attention paid to the rest of the car. Let me put it this way: For the past two decades, Camaros held the edge in refinement. Camaros.

Suffice it to say, my expectations for the 2010 Ford Mustang were low. Sure, there was plenty of hype about the new interior, and a brief glance at the 2008 L.A. Auto Show showed that it was better. But the styling changes were too subtle, I thought. The interior not good enough. The engine barely made more power, for crying out loud! It seemed like Ford was once again just phoning it in.

I was wrong. At $34, 850 including the $850 destination charge and a bunch of options (many of which I’d skip), this isn’t just a good Mustang, but a darn fine sport coupe that anyone who enjoys driving should consider. If the intrinsic cheapness that was inextricably a part of the Mustang experience is what kept you from Ford’s pony car, then the 2010 Ford Mustang will change your mind. It sure changed mine.

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Ask my friends, and they’ll tell you: I’ve never been a big fan of Ford’s pony car. Sure, the classics are great, but the modern interpretations have always left me cold. Whether it’s the styling, the performance, the reliability, or the interior, I’ve left the keys behind saying “good riddance” more times than I can remember.

So, Ford, congratulations. You’ve actually built a Mustang that I would consider parking in my garage.

A few things went into this, and I’ll detail them in a later post. But for now, I just want to say that the 2010 Ford Mustang GT may not have the power of the new Chevy Camaro, or the head-snapping looks of the new Dodge Challenger, but it still stands out from the pack. It’s light on its feet, plenty quick, and thanks to a host of updates and refinements, a car that I’m much more satisfied driving.

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