BUYER'S GUIDE
Always fancied a Mustang, but never wanted to drive a LHD car in the UK? Well, since the arrival of the S550 you can now have a proper UK-spec, RHD Mustang. Here’s what to look for when buying one…
Top tips on what to look for when buying an S550 Mustang.
Be honest: is a Mustang on your wish-list of must-have Fords?
No? Not tempted by a thunderous V8 and sub-five-second 0-to60mph sprint? Not enthralled by a rapidlygrowing tuning market producing 1000bhp conversions, making the ‘Stang a serious Blue Oval alternative to a Nissan GTR?
Of course you are. And rightly so. With official UK right-hand-drive imports starting in 2015 and so many Mustangs stampeding onto the used-car market, there’s never been a better time to jump on board.
Best of all, you don’t need to wave a starspangled banner to get behind the wheel – because, with a few choice upgrades, the sixth-generation ‘Stang is good enough to compete with European rivals. And it makes a genuine (albeit left-field) alternative to that Focus RS you’ve been promising yourself.
The S550 Mustang previewed in the USA in December 2013, beginning production at Ford’s Flat Rock factory in Michigan the following summer. Boasting fabulously aggressive styling, the new machine was offered with a choice of four-cylinder, V6 and V8 engines, manual or automatic transmission, two-door coupé (so-called fastback) or convertible bodystyles and a variety of trim levels. Unlike its predecessor (the S197), the 2015 MY (model year) Mustang featured independent rear suspension and – for the first time – a factory-built option of right-hand drive.
The 2015 UK launch offered four-pot or V8 power (the latter badged as GT), tin-top or drop-top, and Performance Pack as standard. There was an optional Custom Pack and broad choice of colours.
A facelifted Mustang was announced in April 2018, sporting LED headlamps, a more powerful V8, a ten-speed automatic and several new option packs. The four-cylinder Mustang continued alongside the GT, but it’s the V8 that attracts punters, and it’s the motor Fast Ford recommends.
Here’s how to get your hands on some throbbing muscle…
“...With a few choice upgrades, the sixthgeneration ‘Stang is good enough to compete with European rivals”