Mustang GT earns its stripes with new tech
is an especially good one: perhaps because it’s an everyperson brand, the graphics are large (comically so in some menus) and the navigation easy.
There are various layouts to match drive settings and many have cute retro themes – like a narrow strip-tachometer-withneedle across the top of the screen.
Prices have risen slightly – between $2000-$3000 depending on model. The GT fastback (this body style accounts for 90 per cent of forward-orders, as it should) is now $79,990, or the same V8 powertrain comes for $84,990 in convertible form.
The EcoBoost is $62,990 or $67,990 without a roof.
And yes, we will see the limited-edition Bullitt Mustang in NZ as a factory right-hand drive model, hopefully before the end of the year (2018 is the 50th anniversary of the movie). Price and supply still not known.
Back to the streets in the standard car.
It’s a hoot, but there’s still plenty that grates in an $80k machine. The cabin quality has improved but it’s still not as good as some $20k superminis.
The switchgear looks cool but it’s still fiddly: the drive-mode switch only cycles one way, for example, and it’s rather sluggish so you end up trawling through endless menus to get where you want to go.
The new adaptive cruise is welcome but it’s an old-style system that shuts down below 30kmh as you’re rolling towards stationary traffic. No stop-and-go functionality.
Then there’s the elephant in the room (be careful not to crash into it): the previous Mustang’s two-star ANCAP safety rating. That will improve when the 2018 model is retested with its extra active safety tech, but the reality is that the structure of the car hasn’t really changed so don’t expect amiracle leap to five-star status. Newsflash: don’t know if buyers really care about any of the above. Ford NZ has been selling Mustang at a rate of 30-50 per month and the ANCAPbombshell has had no effect on that, then or now.
A greater range of options and customisation is also key to the new Mustang – and one reason why it’s essentially an order-only machine in NZ, although the wait-time is only three months.
There are the usual stripes and wheels, but there’s now a boot spoiler available and you can also consider higher-end goodies like MagneRide suspension ($3000) and Recaro front seats ($3500).
We tried both the techy suspension and sporty seats on a variety of test cars during our preview drive.
It’s matter of personal taste of course, but the trick suspension is stiffer than the standard GT setup even in its most comfortable setting and it’s linked to the drive modes – so not independently adjustable.
The Recaros look great and offer lots of support in performance driving – but the softer standard seats just seem more appropriate and you get heating and ventilation, which is not compatible with the fancy chairs.
With that personal-taste proviso in place, we’d also say the optional boot spoiler looks pretty average. Kind of spoils the classic lines of the fastback.
This is our way of saying the new Mustang is extremely desirable as-is. The driving experience has been transformed and it sounds awesome.
Go for it on the stripes though.