DIFFICULT DECISIONS
Faced with the choice of the 5.0-litre V8 410bhp Ford Mustang GT and the 2.3-litre, four-cylinder 313bhp Mustang and which one would you go for?
If you said the V8, it turns out that three quarters of Mustang buyers agree with you. Of 4,775 Mustang sales in the UK since launch, 3,221 were V8s.
When I drove both at the European launch of the Mustang back in 2015, it was hard to see past the sheer theatre of the big V8 muscle car. The smaller-engined Ecoboost version was impressive in its own right but, despite all the work by the engineers to ensure the fourcylinder engine made all the right noises and delivered sports car performance, it didn’ t sound as good as the V8, wasn’t as fast as the V8 and didn’t put the same smile on the face of the assembled motoring press as the V8.
Ever the practical man though, I reckoned were I to be in the market for a good looking four-seater sports car, then the Ecoboost would be the one to buy.
Nought to 60 is 5.6 seconds, it’s terrific looking, comfortable, fun to drive yet you still get a miles-per-gallon figure akin to many higher-performance petrol saloon cars.
Having had the chance to spend a bit more time in a convertible V8 Mustang GT and an Ecoboost version in the UK this year, I stand by that the Ecoboost may not be the one to have but it’s the one I’d have.
Driving the v8 back when early mornings still meant frost on the ground in the central belt and the automatic transmission test car wasn’t nearly so much fun as the manual version I drove in the previous year’s 35 degree German summer.
In cold, but dry, conditions the V8 struggled to get all its power onto the roads and developed a skittish back end which sucked a lot of the fun out of thewas largely due to the automatic transmission, but combined with a sub-20mpg figure across the test it reinforced that while the V8 might bring car park bragging rights and an engine noise that could churn butter – it’s not something I could afford to live with.
The 2.3-litre version on the other hand returned 32mpg across a week-long test which included a 30-mile round commute plus a Fife to West Yorkshire cruise with two passengers and a boot filled with supplies for a long weekend.
It was a comfortable experience for three medium-sized adults and a full tank of petrol managed the 280-mile trip with distance to spare. These latest tests were the first time I’d driven the Mustang with Ford’s excellent Sync 3 infotainment system – the launch cars not having been fitted with the setup – and the combined stereo/ nav system was very easy to use, re-routing us past an M6 closure on the hop with little fuss.
Whichever Mustang you chose, it’s a beautiful car. Get practising your reverse parking though, as that elegant long nose, wide American body and rear-wheel drive set-up mean parking in any space drawn up pre-millennium is a challenge if you drive nose in.
It might be doomed to play second fiddle to its noisy brother, but the Ecoboost Mustang is a car far better suited to British driving and at £33,645 I’d defy you to name a better looking four-seater sports car on sale for the same money.
If you can’ t see past the muscle of the gt, id on’ t blame you. give me a warm day, 70p-per-litre fuel and a manual gearbox and I’m with you. Otherwise, the 2.3-litre version is well worth considering.
If you’re still worried about playing top trumps though – there’s more to consider. Ford announced the 2018 facelifted Mustang this month and, while they say performance hasn’t been affected, the 2018 2.3-litre Mustang’s power will drop from 313bhp to 286bhp due to Euro 6.2 emissions rules. They will, however, add electronic line lock, meaning Ecoboost Mustang drivers can perform burnouts – swings and smoky roundabouts.