At the gallop
2016 Ford Mustang GT is a satisfying and fast driver’s car
The highly respected Ford Mustang is a true American icon. Since 1964, the name has been associated with a uniquely American style of high-performance car. Mustang has been so closely coupled with two-door, high-performance models that the genre was named “pony cars” in its honor.
We’re more than content with the wonderfully smooth-winding 435-horsepower, 5.0-literV-8 fitted to the 2016 Mustang GT. With a positively mellifluous exhaust note, an 8,200- rpm red line and 400 poundfeet of torque on tap, there ar-wheel-drive Mustang GT consistently bolts to 60 mph in just under 5 seconds using launch control.
The six-speed manual transmission feels great to operate and is easily guided up and down through the gearbox. (A six-speed automatic is offered as an option.) Clutch take-up is beautifully linear, and with so much torque on hand, setting the Mustang GT into motion is child’s play.
One of the most satisfying driver’s cars ever adorned with the galloping pony logo, the Mustang GT’s road manners are beyond exemplary. The fastback coupe takes a decided set in the corners and allows a degree of rear-end steering with the throttle before the computers kick in to ensure you stay on the asphalt. Steering is nice and direct.
The dinner-plate-sized vented rotors and six-piston Brembo front calipers make braking an exact science. Readily-modulated, one can employ the brake pedal like a rheostat— gradually dialing in the precise amount of retardation required.
Adding a great deal to the Ford’s maneuverability is the adoption of aluminum for the front fenders and hood, which removes a considerable amount of weight from the end of the car most responsible for steering.
Inside, the design themes from previous generations of the Ford have evolved nicely. Like the exterior styling, the interior is instantly familiar but incorporates updates contributing noteworthy improvements. The deeply bolstered Recaro racinginspired seats are both comfortable over extreme distances and supportive in all of the right places. Fidgeting, slipping and sliding about are noticeably absent.
The dual-cowl dash and circular design elements of the interior nicely recall Mustangs of yore, while the latest in cutting-edge tech is housed within the center stack. Mustang GT offers push-button ignition, multiple drive modes and a rear-view camera. The Track Apps feature measures acceleration, cornering and braking forces, as well as timing laps and the like. The Sync voice-command system for audio and telephony functions is extraordinarily responsive, and the Sync 3 touchscreen interface is both highly intuitive and readily receptive. Bluetooth pairing is accomplished easily and quickly.
As you might expect, rear-seat leg room is basically non-existent, but the area serves as a great place to toss a jacket, briefcase or backpack. The trunk is good for 13.5 cubic feet of cargo— but not with the convertible, which offers only 11.4 cubic feet of trunk space to give the roof someplace to go when it’s retracted.
Handsome, comfortable and fast, this is easily the best Mustang GT Ford has ever fielded. Pricing for the Mustang GT starts at $32,300.