I love this car. Don’t get me wrong; it is always a delight driving press cars, but this is a motor I’ve yearned for since I was a kid.
My toy Mustang just doesn’t do it for me anymore – and with a price-tag of just £28k(ish) upwards, the mighty motor is affordable for many people. But, money-aside, the big difference – no, the colossal difference, is that the 2015 Mustang is now obtainable in right hand drive.
The Ford Mustang – on sale in Europe for the first time in its fifty year history – is presented with a 5.0-litre V8 block, or a fuel-efficient 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine. The 5.0-litre fastback with six-speed manual transmission does the zero to 62mph sprint in 4.8sec – quicker than any Ford coupé in Europe since the limited Ford GT supercar came out ten years ago. The Ford Mustang 2.3-litre EcoBoost fastback manual does the 0-62mph time in 5.8sec.
You can enhance the Mustang’s performance to suit your frame of mind using selectable drive modes. And, away from the public highway, you can use Track Apps to keep an eye on driving performance. These can be controlled via the steering wheel and seen in the instrument panel. They include accelerometer, acceleration timer and brake performance, which assess braking time and distance from a set speed.
But what’s really out of the ordinary is the Launch Control system, offered on the 5.0-litre manual model. It keeps the engine at a pre-set value between 3,000rpm and 4,500rpm with the accelerator pressed into the carpet. When the clutch is released, torque delivery to the rear wheels is harnessed for greatest traction and unfailing standing starts. The V8 Mustang is wicked off the line. Its muscle welds the back of your head to your headrest, and it’s all complemented with a tremendous musical engine note.
Equally exhilarating, is the electronic Line Lock system, also available for the 5.0-litre V8. It applies only the front brakes, permitting you to ‘heat up’ the rear tyres. In other words, if you want to burn rubber quickly – this gadgetry is for you. I tried it on test in Germany and felt a bit of a lout leaving smoke and black marks on the beautiful Bavarian bitumen. That said; it was an incredible experience!
But the Ford isn’t just rapid in a straight line; the ride and handling are a revelation. A decent chassis and advanced technology help optimise driving dynamics to deliver the kind of sporty event you’d expect to have behind the wheel of a Mustang.
The new Ford Mustang is available in fastback and convertible bodystyles with six-speed manual and automatic transmissions, and features classic design elements including three-dimensional, tri-bar taillamps, signature trapezoidal grille and shark-bite front fascia.
Ford will start right-hand drive production of the first European specification Ford Mustangs in Michigan, U.S., in 10 exterior colours and equipped as standard with 19-inch wheels, automatic xenon headlamps, dual-zone climate control, LED tail lamps, and a rear diffuser.
The first 2015 Ford Mustangs are set to reach dealerships in Britain from October. I’m already starting to save up and tidy my garage. I need one – and it has to be the Fastback 5.0 litre V8.
PROS AND CONS
• Looks √
• Power √
• Fun √
• Cost √
• Some cut-price interior plastics X
FAST FACTS (Fastback 5.0 litre V8 GT Manual)
• Max speed: 155 mph
• 0-62 mph: 4.8 secs
• Combined mpg: 20.9
• Engine: 4951cc 8 cylinder 32 valve petrol
• Max. power (bhp): 416
• Max. torque (Nm): 391
• CO2: 299 g/km
• Price: £32,995