The 2019 Ford Mustang’s online configurator is like a candy store for fans of the muscle car. It comes with a wealth of customization choices that made the whole process of creating our own version an exercise in patience and perseverance. But I got my way through it, largely because the whole thing was fun and exciting. It didn’t feel like work as much as it felt like seeing my creation come to life, at least in the virtual world. Even better, the Mustang is actually affordable for regular folks like us, so who knows, someone here might end up going home with a real one.

The fastback or the convertible? That’s the first of many choices that you’re going to have to make once you start the configuring your own 2019 Ford Mustang. I opted for the fastback version because I don’t want to be bothered with soft-top roofs. But that’s just me. Once that choice was made, I moved on to pick the version of the Mustang I wanted. Another easy choice for yours truly. Ride or die with the 2019 Mustang GT premium, baby!

With those items settled, the next task was choosing the color of my virtual Mustang. There are 10 different colors to choose from, two of which — Ruby Red and Orange Fury — come with extra costs. I tried to be cheap about it at first, but then I realized I wasn’t exactly paying for what I created. So I chose the Orange Fury paint and the $495 premium that comes with it. I also threw in white racing stripes, which also cost an extra $475. I’ve barely started and I’m almost at $1,000 in additional costs.

From there, the next point of choosing is the kind of transmission I want to join the 5.0-liter V-8 engine that’s sitting under that Orange Fury hood. Since I want to be fully engaged in the movements of my beloved ‘Stang, I went with the standard six-speed manual gearbox with rev-matching capabilities. With this transmission, I know that whatever I get out of that 460-horsepower and 420-pound-foot engine, I’m getting it out of my own driving abilities.

The next and arguably most taxing step is picking among a wealth of packages that Ford has available for its beloved pony car. I started off by getting the 401A package, which includes, among other things, a 12-inch digital instrument cluster, a heated steering wheel, and a voice-activated touch-screen navigation system. Say what you will about my color choices, but I want my Mustang to have the best tech features available.

I didn’t care much for most of the exterior packages so I left them alone. I did get the GT Performance Package Level 2 and the dizzying number of items included in it. Among other things, it comes with a set of 19-inch Dark Tarnish painted aluminum wheels, bigger Brembo brakes, a high-performance front splitter, a larger radiator, a MagneRide Dampening system, a strut tower brace, a TORSEN Differential with 3.73 axle ratio, and plenty of safety tech. It figures that I’m getting a lot out of the package because the whole thing costs $6,500. In addition to the top-spec Performance Package, I also added the Ford Safe and Smart Package and all the goodies that come with it, including a carbon fiber instrument panel, a carbon fiber shift knob, and door and seat inserts dressed in Alcantara. That’s an extra $1,000 in my bill, but that’s cool.

The rest of my time in the configurator included choosing a few aero components and dressing up the interior of my car. I didn’t actually do too much on these fronts because the earlier packages I chose already covered most of what I needed. I will advise you to be careful about trying to be too creative when you start configuring your own Mustangs. One choice often leads to more choices and before you know it, you’ve created a jambalaya of a Mustang that makes no sense. Be careful, have fun, and enjoy it for what it’s supposed to be. My custom Mustang ended up with a price tag of $50,770. It’s not too bad considering all the items I was able to add. All that’s left at this point is to see if I actually have enough money to buy the real deal.

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2018 Ford Mustang.

Read more Ford news.