Powerful pony gallops to Mennonite country
Ford’s newest ‘world car’ as fast, hairy and unpredictable as the 435 horses it harnesses
Make your way to St. Jacobs Country, an hour and a half northwest of Toronto, and you’ll likely see horses. Lots of them. The region is home to about 4,000 Old Order Mennonites who farm the countryside, many of whom criss-cross the land in their horse-drawn buggies.
Thus, it is fitting my steed for this excursion is a 2015 Ford Mustang GT. Yes, that Mustang. The new one. And this being a pre-production model that I wrested from the Ford brass, it is an equine that no one has yet seen.
The long overture leading up to release of this sixth-generation ’Stang has been all about hope, hype and hand-wringing. The F-150 pickup might be Ford’s cash cow, but Mustang is its heart and soul. Purists were worried that all this talk of ramped-up refinement, slick bodywork and — gasp — available fourcylinder turbo power might have turned their stallion into a gelding. Then there’s the fact that the Mustang is now a “world car” to be sold in most overseas markets. No pressure then.
I fire up the 435-horsepower, 400 lb.-ft. 5-litre Coyote V8, point the long hood northward from Oakville and head out on some scenic winding country roads through Halton Region. Initial impressions are good — the interior quality is high and the seats terrific.
This particular specimen is as racy as the new Mustang gets — for now. It’s a $42,499 GT Premium fitted with the $3,700 Performance Package that bestows a strut-tower brace, larger radiator, upsized front and rear sway bars, heavy-duty front springs, gauge pack (oil pressure and vacuum), k-brace, Brembo six-piston front brake calipers with larger rotors, 19-inch Ebony Black painted aluminum wheels, summer tires, unique stability control, 3.73 Torsen rear axle and engine-turned aluminum instrument panel appliqués.
Within the first few hundred meters I sense the harmony of the controls. The shifter is short and direct, and its weight perfectly matches that of the clutch and wonderfully quick steering.
And, my gawd, that engine! I can unequivocally state this V8 coupe kicks its heels with unbridled exuberance. It’s still very much a pony car — fast, hairy and a bit unpredictable. Breaking traction in first or second gear is just a pedal prod away.
But thanks to a redesigned front suspension and the adoption of independent rear suspension (finally), the Mustang has new-found poise. Hit a bump mid-corner and no longer does its rear end do the lateral do-si-do while your innards perform a similar dance.
First stop is the famed St. Jacobs Famers Market — year-round and Canada’s largest, they say. I know I’m close. At a stop light I hear “clip-clop” before a black horse pulling a black buggy barrels through. The market is open Thursdays and Saturdays and is a bustling hive of vendors selling local produce, baked goods, meats, pastries and crafts. Apparently the apple fritters are to die for, but the lineup is too long. I buy some veggies and head back to the Mustang.
People are eyeing this car. Those in the know are excited at their first viewing of the new Mustang. Many stare because it’s cool, low, mean and red. It makes a pretty convincing noise, too.
The town of St. Jacobs, Ont., is just up the road, but I rumble through its touristy main street in search of a more organic experience. Cruise the country lanes here and you’ll see numerous signs at the end of dirt drives advertising maple syrup and fresh produce. I pick a particularly long lane and venture up to a farm that lies beyond the crest of a gentle hill.
Heading into the complex of barns and outbuildings, the bovines eye my ’Stang with as much curiosity as a cow can muster. Then pay dirt. Horses everywhere. Soon a red St. Jacobs Horse Drawn Tours trolley pulls in.
This is the Matthew B. Martin farm, and it has been in the family since 1830. If it weren’t for the two old tractors by the barn, you could be forgiven for thinking it was still the 1800s. They sell maple syrup and baked goods in their shop, and the friendly young lady in traditional Mennonite dress informs me it’s cash or personal cheque only. A couple of fresh-faced lads outside like the Mustang, and offer me a horse in trade.
Naw, this car is too good. Give me 435 of them and I might reconsider.
Peter Bleakney is a regular contributor to Toronto Star Wheels. For this story, the vehicle tested was provided by the manufacturer. For more Toronto Star automotive coverage, go to thestar.com/ autos. To reach Wheels Editor Norris McDonald: nmcdonald@thestar.ca.