MARK WARD MUSTANG 2.3
Like many, Mark wanted an S550 Mustang as soon as he heard Ford were producing a proper RHD UK-spec version. But the Mustang wasn’t listed on the Ford employee’s discount scheme, but in 2018 the Focus RS was added. “I very nearly ordered the RS,” he smiles, “but as I was deciding on the final spec Ford added the Mustang to the scheme, so I changed my mind and went for the Mustang instead!”
Since taking delivery Mark’s not wasted any time in putting his own stamp on things either. Already the car boasts a selection of tasty cosmetic upgrades, including Roush side pods, tinted headlights, tinted rear light covers, plain decklid, satin black stripes with orange pinstripe, orange calipers, Shadow Edition black grill pony, GT front splitter, switchback indicators/ sidelights, smoked rear marker lights, and swapped all filament bulbs for brighter and crisper LEDs. But it’s not all about style, this Mustang has the performance to back up the appearance thanks to some well-chosen tweaks in the right places. For starters, lightweight Velgen Classic5 alloys with highperformance Falken FK510 tyres do a great job of reducing weight and offering maximum grip (as well as looking hard as nails!), while Eibach lowering springs reduce the lofty ride height and improve the handling. Under the bonnet, the 2.3-litre
EcoBoost breathes in through a K&N filter, and out through a Vortex cat-back exhaust.
“I use it daily,” admits Mark, “well, except in really poor conditions like snow and ice, as it’s a bit of handful then!” But it’s certainly not a summer show car only. And Mark plans to continue using it as often as he can, but does confess he has his eyes on yet more tuning in the future. “I’m undecided whether to go for more power or not. I’ve heard horror stories about the stock engine’s reliability once tuned past 400bhp. 360-380bhp would be nice though, and make for a quick daily driver!” Sounds like there’s more to come from this Mustang in 2020…