FORD MUSTANG GT
V8 icon driven flat out on track
!"#$%&'()*#)""+&#),# 56789:;<7596=& >6:& 7?>7@A& >BB& 7?C& 56789:;<7596& 7?5A& A798D& 6CC:AE&/9;@:&?>FC&79&GC&B5F56H& in a hole for the past fifty DC>8A&79&697&?>FC&?C>8:&>G9;7& 7?C& 2;A7>6H& I& 57@A& 7?C& J9A7& iconic sports car out of America and, for the first 75JC& 56& 57A& KLMDC>8& ?5A798D=& 57& ?>A& 7?C& A7CC856H& N?CCB& N?C8C& 7?C& O;CC6& B5PCA& 57E& !?>7@A& 57& B5PC& 7?C6&79&:85FC&>7&7?C&3')Q &
()#*+(",-%./0%1)0/23*1
399MR8C>P56HM?99S& '7=& T;57C& U9AA5GBD=& 5A& 7?C& G5HHCA7& 785<P& 56& 7?C& 2;A7>6H@A& 8CUC87958CV& 7?C& J9A7& <?5B:5A?& 799& G;7& >8C6@7& NC& >BB& C5H?7MDC>8& 9B:A& >7& ?C>87Q& !?>7& 57& :9CA& 5A& B9<P& 7?C& R8967& N?CCBA=& 8CBC>AC& 7?C& 8C>8& G8>PCA& >6:=& >R7C8& D9;& ><75F>7C&>BB&7?C&CBC<78965<A&U89UC8BD&56&7?C&-8><P& *UUA&JC6;&>6:&A7CU&96&7?C&H>A=&57&AC7A&7?C&8C>8& tyres on fire in a big stationary burnout. Without T;CA7596&57&N5BB&:CA789D&8C>8&7D8CA&>6:&7?>7@A&N?D& >BB&7?C&<>8A&96&7?C&B>;6<?&:85FC&?>:&7?5A&RC>7;8C& :5A>GBC:=& G;7& 57& N5BB& GC& A7>6:>8:& 96& 7?C& '6:5>M AUC<& 2;A7>6HA&>6:& 5A& A;<?&>&<99B& 7?56H& 79& R99B& >89;6:& N57?E& '7& 5A& >BA9& >& FC8D& *JC85<>6& 7?56H& 79& ?>FC& 96& >& AU987A& <>8& I& >& <9;678D& N?C8C& 7?C& 89>:A&>8C&A78>5H?7&>6:&N?C8C&:8>H&8><56H&:9N6& 7?C&T;>87C8&J5BC&5A&>&J>AA5FC&AU987E&W56CMW9<P&5A& :C85FC:& A78>5H?7& R89J&:8>H& 8><56H=&<9JUC75798A& AU56656H& ;U& 7?C& 8C>8& 7D8CA& 79& HC7& J98C& ?C>7& 56& 57&>6:&7?;A&HC7&J98C&H85U&9RR&7?C&B56C&N?C6&7?C& B5H?7A& H9& H8CC6E& -?C& 9GF59;A& T;CA7596& 7?C6& 5A& ?9N&T;5<P&5A&7?C&2;A7>6H&:9N6&7?C&:8>H&A785UQ&
$96@7& C_UC<7& *2.MBCFCBA& 9R& UC8R98J>6<CE& '7& J>PCA& `LZ& ?98ACU9NC8& G;7& R98& '6:5>& 57& 5A& :C7;6C:&79&J>PC&abcG?U&>6:&KYK+J&9R&798T;CE& X98:& C6H56CC8A& <B>5J& 57& <>6& CFC6& 8;6& 96& ^d& 9<7>6C&R;CB&7?>7&D9;&HC7&56&-5C8&'''&'6:5>6&79N6A& A9& 7?5A& 5A& :CJ9<8>75A56H& AU987A& <>8& 9N6C8A?5U& \8CB>75FCBD&AUC>P56H&9R&<9;8AC]E
$9CA& 57& AB>U& D9;& 56& 7?C& R><C& N57?& F5<59;A& ><<CBC8>7596Q& +97& 8C>BBDE& '7& 5A& T;5<P=& 9R& 7?>7& 7?C8C@A& 69& T;CA7596=& G;7& 57& :9CA6@7& RCCB& >A& T;5<P& >A& abcG?U& 98& CFC6& 7?C& <B>5JC:& e;6:C8& K& AC<96:A@&ZMYZZPJU?&N9;B:&A;HHCA7E&*6:&'&7?56P& 7?C& G5HHCA7& <;BU857& 5A& 7?C& cMAUCC:& >;79J>75<& HC>8G9_=& >& 8CH;B>8& 798T;C& <96FC87C8& >7& 7?>7& >6:& 697& >& 7N56M<B;7<?& ;657E& '7& :9CA6@7& ?>FC& 7?C& ;8HC6<D& 7?>7& D9;@FC& <9JC& 79& C_UC<7& 9R& $%.A=& CFC6& 7?C& ;G5T;579;A& fX& ^MAUCC:C8=& >6:& 57& 7>PCA& 57A& 9N6& 75JC& 79& :9N6A?5R7& N?5<?& <>6& HC7& FC8D& R8;A78>756H& N?C6& D9;& ?>FC& R>BBC6& 9;7& 9R& 7?C& ANCC7&AU97&56&7?C&J5::BC&9R&>&<986C8E&!C58:BD=&5R& D9;&;AC&7?C&U>::BCA&>6:&;UA?5R7&g;A7&A?D&9R&7?C& 8C:B56C=&7?C8C@A&>&H8C>7&G5H&B>H&>A&7?C&6C_7&<9H&5A& C6H>HC:=&CFC6&G856H56H&79&J56:&>6&*2-&78>66DE& 0UA?5R7&>7&cKZZ8UJ&7?9;H?&>6:&57&5A&T;5<P\5A?]& G;7& '& <>6& 96BD& 5J>H56C& ?9N& J;<?& GC77C8& >& J>6;>B&HC>8G9_&N9;B:&GCE
=#1*'*#1*#6%K*/K%0&0'*#0)"#
3CB5CFC&57&98&697=&R98&?>BR&>&<C67;8D=&7?C&2;A7>6H& A7;<P& N57?& >& B5FC& 8C>8& >_BCS& -?>7@A& CFC6& J98C& >J>[56H&7?>6&7?C&3;BBC7&<96756;56H&N57?&>&U;A?M 89:&C6H56CE&3;7&N57?&7?5A&HC6C8>7596=&X98:&?>FC& :8>HHC:&7?C&2;A7>6H&56&79&A9JC7?56H&8CACJGB56H& 7?C& J9:C86& C8>& N57?& R;BBD& 56:CUC6:C67& 8C>8& A;AUC6A596E&*6:&7?5A&1^&7?>7&NC&HC7&56&'6:5>&>BA9& <9JCA& N57?&>& B5J57C:MAB5U& 8C>8&:5RR&>A& A7>6:>8:E& *BB&9R&N?5<?&J>PCA&57&H8C>7&R;6&96&7?C&78><PS
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g;A7& ;6:C8A7CC8& ?C>F5BD=& ?CBUC:& 56& 69& AJ>BB& JC>A;8C& by\ (relatively\ high)\ 40-profile\ 19-inch\ tyres.\ It\ :9CA6@7&A;8U85AC&98&G57C&D9;&G;7&7?C&;6:C8A7CC8&5A& >BA9&R8;A78>756H&>6:&>R7C8&>&N?5BC&D9;&7C6:&79&H5FC& ;U&96&7?C&2;A7>6HE&'6&>6D&<>AC&7?C&A<8CC<?&>6:& ?9NB&D9;&HC7&R89J&;6:C8A7CC856H&7D8CA&>8C&>J96H&
7?C&N98A7&A9;6:A&>6&>;79J9G5BC&<>6&J>PCE
%B9N& 56=& :85R7& 9;7h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
!?C8C& 7?C& 2;A7>6H& GC<9JCA& >& G>HR;B& 9R& R;6& 5A& 56& 7?C& R>A7C8& <986C8A& B5PC& 7?C& UC6;B75J>7C& 6CH>75FC& <>JGC8& 85H?7& 7?>7& BC>:A& 56& 79& 7?C& BCR7& >6:&7?C&J>56&A78>5H?7E&-8>5B&G8>PC&79&A<8;G&9RR&7?C& ;6:C8A7CC8&>6:&7?C&8C>8&<9JCA&5679&UB>D=&7?C&<>8& 897>756H&>G9;7&57A&>_5AE&)>7<?&57&N57?&?>BR&>&7;86&9R& <988C<75FC&B9<P=&G><P&96&7?C&H>A&>6:&D9;&C_57&56&>& 6C>7&R9;8MN?CCB&:85R7E&/9;&HC7&7?C&:85R7i&96<C&NC& ><<CU7C:&57A&B5J57>7596&>6:&BC>867&79&:85FC&>89;6:& 57=&7?C&2;A7>6H&U;7&>&G5H&AJ5BC&96&>BB&9;8&R><CAE
&
<&6%6L)0%)0%#"6%/%,/K%5"K%6L*%K/,*%6K/,-
X><7=&>6:&7?>7@A&697&79&7>PC&>6D7?56H&>N>D&R89J& 7?C& 2;A7>6HE& -?>6PA& 79& 7?C& 6CN& 56:CUC6:C67& 8C>8=& 7?C& 2;A7>6H& 5A6@7& >6& >889NMA78>5H?7M89>:M AUC<5>BV& 57& <>6& <986C8& >6:& 57& <>6& 56F9BFC& D9;E& 3;7&7?C&8C>B&A78C6H7?&9R&7?C&2;A7>6H&5A&7?>7&57&5A& >&.8>6:&-9;8C8E&)986C8&?>8:&>6:&7?C8C&5A&>&R>58&
D(?M%=IF% JG=49%?H9N% 9:B9@D%9:;% MBE%9?% JG=7;%=9
bit of body roll – not so great on a race track but great when you are out on a Sunday drive with your mates (mate actually, the rear seats are for children F. There is give in the suspension and that makes it surprisingly comfortable. Of course the race track is no place to gauge ride quality but on the cool-down lap I rode all the kerbs and hit everything there was to hit and I think the Mustang will ride comfortably on typical Indian roads. Also notice the ground clearance – no worries of grounding out on any speedbreakers.
To add to the mix are the seats that are supportive as a sportscars’ should be but are also plush which will be awesome on the road. Even the rear seats, that offer barely any headroom, are actually quite soft and cushy; even supportive if the driver is intent on proving his helmsmanship.
And oh, did I mention the brakes – highperformance Brembos with great stopping power and bite – begin to fade after three laps of hard use.
65 lakh rupees
At that price you get a four-cylinder Audi TT and the supercharged VS SR. iittle north of T0 lakh you get the four-cylinder CiA 4R and GiA 4R AMG. All four have all-wheel drive, and all will lap the BIC very many seconds quicker than the Mustang, all are better put together. Objectively they are better, but to hell with objectivity.
The Mustang has five litres of American muscle. A vee-freaking-eight! There’s history behind that badge; it’s in all those movies and songs we’ve grown up with. It looks awesome, really fGcking awesome. Park it next to any of the German cars, even the TT, and I suspect people will take selfies with the Mustang. The interiors are a let down, too cheap and plasticky, but it’s no deal breaker. There’s genuine comfort, a rare GT character, so that you can use it more often than not. And it has enough performance to startle your passenger and get the tail swinging out. I’d get a sports exhaust pronto, and as for the automatic, well, you learn to live with it.
cord has always been a one-hit-one-miss company but this is a change. The cigo and Aspire are among the nicer cars in their segments to drive, the new Endeavour is two generations better than the old one, and now there’s the Mustang that has hasn’t been priced stupidly – three launches, and all three on the money. I suspect cord will very quickly have to rework their strategy of offering the Mustang only through the Mumbai and Delhi dealers – there will be a whole bunch of pissed-off customers and dealers unable to get their hands on the perfect cure for a mid-life crisis. Think about it, when was the last time you had a V8 draped in such killer bodywork for this money? Plus there is iine-iock.