BRAWN PACKAGED WITH FINESSE
Mustang GT isn’t as sophisticated as a European sports car, but it’s getting close
It took me a while to warm to the latest Ford Mustang. After all, I’d cut my automotive teeth on my older brother’s 1969 Mustang Mach I as a 12-year-old, learning the difference between a carburetor and a fuel pump. Symbolic of those cherished memories of a summer long ago, to me the pony car was sacrosanct.
Yet considering the various transformations the Mustang has gone through, the current sweeping fastback bears more resemblance to the iconic originals than say, the execrable, Pinto-based econobox of 1973 to 1978. It’s a natural evolution of one of the world’s most iconic sports cars, connected by just enough original design cues without crossing the line into full-on retro kitsch.
While visually the new Mustang retains a connection to the original, under the sheet metal it’s thoroughly modernized. Those glory days of the muscle car were primarily about brute power and straight-line speed; finesse was for sissies. But this new car boasts handling that rivals some of the best European sports cars.
For the first time in its 50-plus-year history, the Mustang rolls off the production line underpinned by a five-link rear suspension rather than the traditional live rear axle. While Ford had developed an independent setup in the 1960s, it wouldn’t have been economically feasible to use it on the Mustang, a car that was marketed as being affordable for the masses. In fact, during a tour of Craig Barrett’s — of Barrett-Jackson — collection a few years ago, we were introduced to a legendary one-off Shelby known as The Green Hornet. Officially called the EXP 500, the dark green notchback was one of Carroll Shelby’s experimental independent rear suspension prototypes.
During a three-week tour of some of the finest mountain roads New Zealand has to offer, the four-cylinder EcoBoost-powered Mustang impressed with its balance and agility. But what is a muscle car without the brawn and grunt of a burly V8? And having recently debated the pros and cons of the convertible Mustang GT with fellow colleague David Booth, esthetically speaking I’ve always preferred the uninterrupted roofline of the coupe.
In what Ford calls Lightning Blue, the Mustang is a headturner.
The cabin has certainly undergone some refinement over the years. Instead of crude and rudimentary, there’s sleek design, soft-touch materials and stitched leather. This particular Mustang, a Premium trim, features machined aluminum trim on the dashboard and ambient lighting. It’s a comfortable interior with plenty of features, including six-way heated and cooled power front seats, galloping pony “puddle lights,” aluminum pedals, chrome accent gauges, illuminated door sills, leather-wrapped steering wheel and parking brake handle, rear-view camera, and Ford’s SYNC 3 infotainment system with touch-screen swipe capability.
Controls are a bit complicated and take a while to become familiar, although Ford’s current generation of SYNC is a lot more user-friendly than before. It wasn’t until the day I returned the car that I finally found the hazard lights in the bank of chrome switches in front of the gear shifter. Enthusiasts will like the Track Apps displays, which offer Electronic Line-Lock for the drag racers, plus Launch Control, an accelerometer showing lateral and longitudinal G-forces, and acceleration and countdown timers.
The leather seats offer plenty of support for the occasional track day; those needing more can opt for the $1,800 Recaro seats, but they’ll have to forgo the heating and cooling features. The rear seats are OK for parcels, small children and yogis, and exiting their tight confines is like being reborn — and not in the biblical sense.
Our tester came with the $2,000 optional equipment group, which added the Shaker Audio System, memory seat settings, a blind-spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert. Ambient lighting and gauges offer a palette of mix-and-match colours, which I found a little gimmicky but my passengers thought was “cool.”
Instead of the standard sixspeed manual, it was rather disappointing that my tester came with the $1,500 six-speed automatic transmission. However, it’s far from being a slushbox. By selecting “Sport” mode and using the paddle shifters, you’ll get the same crackle and pop on downshift as you would with a standard gearbox.
Ford engineers put a lot of effort into developing just the right sound for the V8 Mustang, and the result is music to the muscle car fan’s ears. The 5.0-L engine puts out 435 thundering horsepower, 400 pound-feet of torque, and the authentic rumble hasn’t been electronically enhanced.
Thanks to the tightly buttoneddown chassis and more sophisticated suspension, the Mustang handles as well as it sounds. Push it hard into a corner, and you’re rewarded with a joyously supple car that remains balanced and flat. Like most of today’s sports cars, the steering is electrically assisted, but it’s precise and delivers pretty good feedback. The Mustang is a little large for a canyon carver, but the steering, chassis and suspension work together in such harmony, it feels smaller when you’re behind the wheel.
The Mustang may not offer quite as sophisticated a driving experience as some of the best European sports cars, but it’s getting close, and it costs thousands of dollars less. Nostalgic fans of iconic Americana will probably agree that this is the best Mustang yet.