Reworked Mustang improved in almost all aspects
First Drive: 2018 Ford Mustang
Malibu, Calif. — The 2018 Ford Mustang is a story of more — more power, bolder looks and some options that take the good to another level altogether. It effectively shifts the Mustang from a straight- line muscle car with some cornering ability to a sophisticated, track- ready missile when properly equipped.
The power upgrades start with the 2.3- litre EcoBoost four- cylinder engine. It now dishes out 310 horsepower and, more importantly, 350 pound- feet of torque. It is more responsive, but it’s a move that sees the popular V6 engine disappear. Pity — no matter how much manufactured sound one drums up, the baby EcoBoost still sounds like a four.
The bigger news is the GT’s 5.0- L V8 has been reworked. A slightly larger cylinder bore, new heads and a jump to 7,500 rpm for redline sees it twist out 460 hp and 420 lb- ft of torque. The work ethic is superb, especially when teamed with the new 10- speed automatic transmission. Here the box is sorted and then some.
The GT has a choice of driving modes: Normal, Snow/ Wet, Sport, Track, and the new Drag mode, in addition to MyMode, which allows drivers to pick their favourite settings for suspension, steering and exhaust note. Each mode changes the manner in which the optional 12- inch LCD instrument cluster looks; there are 26 colour options and displays for up to eight gauges. The only beef is with the fact one has to toggle through all modes and push the okay button on the steering wheel to get into or past Track mode to reach the desired setting. That aside, Track mode includes an electronic line lock that lets the racer pre- warm the tires in a controlled burn out.
With the 10- speed automatic transmission in Drive ( there is a Sport mode here, too) and Normal mode selected, the shifts are fast as it bumps up through the gears quickly to generate the best fuel economy. Select Sport and the box begins to think about its shifting habits. Heading into a corner, dabbing the brake pedal sees it downshift while rev matching. Pull the shifter back into its Sport mode and the box gets far more aggressive in the manner in which it picks off the gears. In many respects it feels like a twin- clutch box, such is the authority of the gear selection and speed of the shift.
The reworked six- speed manual transmission is a slick affair with a clean gate, a light clutch and easy shifting. That said I would ( I know, heresy!) still take the automatic because of the manner in which it gets the job done; on fast twisty canyon runs the transmission was fast enough to negate the need to use the paddle shifters.
Two options worth taking are the Recaro leather sport buckets ( perfect lateral support without feeling confining) and the GT Performance package. It includes a 3.73 Torsen rear end, body stiffeners throughout including a crosscar brace, big Brembo brakes and Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S performance tires ( 255/ 40ZR19s up front and 275/ 40ZR19s in back). The combination sharpens things enormously. Mercifully, the Brembos scrub off speed without fading into oblivion when pushed to the max.
With the Performance pack aboard, the brawny 5.0- L V8 teamed with the 10- speed automatic and Michelin tires, Drag mode sees the Mustang rip off the run to 100 km/ h in under four seconds. We’re talking Porsche 911 Carrera S territory here.
The icing comes in the form of the optional MagneRide adaptive suspension. Its operating characteristics change according to the drive mode selected. By monitoring a number of sensors, it checks things such as throttle position and the yaw 1,000 times a second to deliver the best damping characteristics. When in Sport, MagneRide dials out body roll and keeps the tires on the road so there is less stabilitycontrol intervention; the GT is delightfully tail happy if the driver is brave ( or daft) enough to select Track mode. Conversely, Normal relaxes the ride without giving up on the ability to control roll. Ditto the steering. It is relaxed and easily wheeled in Normal and firms to give a better sense of what’s happening at the front tires when in Sport.
What makes the Mustang GT is the way it barks like a rabid dog. It has a new four- mode active exhaust system. The range runs from Stealth ( a. k. a. quiet) to Sport ( wake the neighbourhood) with two settings between the extremes. Pick Stealth when cruising the city. Switch to Sport when driving a canyon road and all those downshifts heading into a corner elicit a delightful burbling backfire and a glorious roar when the gas is matted at the apex.
For the first time, Mustang features a number of driver- assist technologies, including pre- collision assist with pedestrian detection and auto braking, lane- keeping assist and driver alert. It is long overdue.
The reworked 2018 Mustang is an appreciably better car in just about all aspects. Yes, the back seat is still only for a briefcase and the rearward sightlines are tight, but those minor nits fade quickly the instant the start button is pushed and the GT’s bullish V8 begins to sing its sweet siren song.
Pricing for the 2018 Mustang starts at $ 28,888 for the EcoBoost Coupe and $ 33,888 for the EcoBoost Convertible. The GT Coupe starts at $ 39,988 and the GT Convertible at $ 52,738.