Albeeno, you always post that anomalous R&T test, which does not seem representative of other magazine tests, nor of the experience of forum users here. I always post the Motor Trend test as a counter example. You never reply.
Motor Trend has 5.1 sec to 60, 1/4 in 13.6.
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...lenger_rt.html
Car and Driver also runs 5.1 seconds to 60
http://www.caranddriver.com/buying_g...on+id-263.html
So while it is certainly possible to run slow in an R/T, many people have run faster than the Mustang numbers you quote. So you should just hope that it is a Road and Track staff member lined up against you.
The as-tested price includes all sorts of optional gadgetry, and should not be considered in a performance/value calculation. MSRP starts at 30K, 31 with Track Pak, which is the only really performance oriented option, with the possible exception of the 20" wheels to get the 3.92 rather than 3.73. In 2005 dollars, the prices are about equal.
Anyone who would buy a 39K R/T is not purely looking at speed/$, because if they were, they'd bump up to the SRT for only a couple thousand more.