Long live the V8 - because this is the brand new, ‘edgier’, Ford Mustang.
While there are those who frown at gas-guzzling muscle cars, the updated Mustang has retained the thunderous 5.0 litre engine fans know and love while sticking a middle finger up to the naysayers.
There’s even a new Mustang ‘Dark Horse’ with even more power than the regular GT.
And if the 5.0 is still a bit much, it looks like the 2.3 litre 'EcoBoost' Ford engine will be returning to the Mustang line-up after a brief hiatus the past couple of years.
Select recently spent a week with a Mustang - a ‘Mach 1’ performance model with uprated chassis and suspension and added oomph.
And nothing can quite prepare you for the Mustang experience. Every single journey is an event. You pray for every light to turn red so you can hear the bark from the exhaust again. And random strangers will stop you for a chat and beg you to open the bonnet.
It’s the supercar life on the cheap.
Of course, a big part of the appeal is that whacking-great V8 under the enormous hood. So, you can’t blame Ford for sticking with it.
So what’s new for the ‘Stang?
Well, the looks have changed in a fairly radical way - and that goes for both the coupe and the convertible.
Ford says there are ‘timeless Mustang cues’ wrapped-up in a sharper, ‘more chiselled’ exterior that’s been created to ‘appeal to the broadest Mustang customer demographic yet’.
A spokesperson for the manufacturer adds:
“The low, horizontal brow across the front of the signature three-section bonnet aligns with new LED headlamps to create a more impactful front-end, influenced by the original 1960s design and is optimised for pedestrian protection. Its sleek roofline, broad sprinting stance and shortened rear overhang are also true to the authentic proportions of the first-generation, while the widened rear haunches point to the power over the wheels in true Mustang style.”
There’s a new diffuser at the rear and at the front, every Mustang in the range gets its own unique grille. The ‘GT’ model, for example, gets new bonnet vents and redesigned front splitter.
The convertible has been engineered to offer more boot space than before, and is now able to swallow two golf bags.
There are also three new paint colours - ‘Blue Ember’, ‘Vapor Blue’ and ‘Yellow Splash’.
When it comes to performance, Ford says the new Mustang is the most ‘athletic’ yet.
The Mustang GT features a new air induction system with a dual air intake and dual throttle body design, minimising induction losses and enabling higher flow rates.
As before, you can select from a host of drive modes - including ‘Drag’ and ‘Track’ - and you can also create your own individual profile.
The new Mustang is available with either a 10-speed automatic transmission or a six-speed manual box. With the manual, rev-matching is standard - ‘which holds engine revs when the clutch is engaged to retain peak torque between gear changes’.
An optional ‘Performance Pack’ includes 19-inch alloy wheels, a sport limited-slip differential for increased traction, 19-inch Brembo brakes and an ‘Active Valve Exhaust’ that allows you to rattle the windows when you like, or to tone it down to avoid annoying the neighbours.
Inside the cabin there’s a new thicker, flat-bottomed steering, a 12.4 inch digital instrument cluster, a 13.2 inch infotainment system, and you also get a 3D visualisation of the car which changes depending on what mode you’ve selected.
As for the Mustang ‘Dark Horse’ model, Ford says there’s unique styling, added power, a more honed suspension and chassis set up, the option of a six-speed TREMEC manual transmission, improved aero, uprated tyres, better steering, and a fully-interactive cockpit.
The Performance Pack also comes as standard with the Dark Horse.
Ford adds:
“A key enabler of this added capability includes an auxiliary engine oil cooler, transmission oil cooler (with automatic transmission) a unique and lighter weight radiator with greater heat soak rejection, plus more powerful cooling fans to improve endurance and recovery, and rear axle cooler. A standard Torsen limited-slip differential maximises the available traction for improved acceleration and cornering balance.”
If you like going sideways around a track, the electronic ‘drift brake’ allows you to channel your inner hooligan.
Another nice touch on the Dark Horse is the new badges with a forward-facing horse which Ford says has been designed to look ‘aggressive, a bit sinister’.
There’s no word yet on power for either the regular Mustang or the Dark Horse, but the outgoing GT boasts 450 PS, so you might anticipate a movement north of that figure.
The new Ford Mustang will arrive in the UK next year.
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