Car of the week – June 4th – Ford Mustang V8 GT Fastback

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Perfectly groomed: Ford Mustang V8 GT Fastback.

    When it comes to celebrating the 50th Anniversary of an iconic car there is only one way of doing it properly, and that is to make sure that you produce the best version there has ever been.

    – Car of the week – May 28th – Mercedes GLA 250 4matic

    – Car of the Week: May 21st – BMW M4 Convertible
    – Car of the week: May 14th – Toyota 86 TRD

    That is easier said than done if it happens to be a Ford Mustang, a vehicle with a glorious history and more than a few classic examples of what is probably America’s finest muscle car.

    The Mustang made its debut at the 1964 World’s Fair and the first one, in white, was sold to a Captain Stanley Tucker.

    Since then more than nine million Mustangs have been sold around the globe and the car has appeared in film, television, music and video games and is the world’s most liked vehicle on Facebook.

    So, have Ford done justice to a legend on its 50th Anniversary? Of course they have, and I am not just talking tweaks here.

    This latest Pony car has been totally redesigned and rebuilt to bring it into the forefront of modern motoring whilst retaining the appeal that has made it so successful.

    The revamp is a total success. It is sleeker, more aerodynamic and just as muscular looking. In effect, the Pony has been turned into a thoroughbred racehorse with a wild side.

    It still has the long sculpted bonnet with power bulges and air vents which sweeps down to the iconic front with its signature shark-bite facia and trapezoidal grille. The aggressive headlight clusters just set the whole thing off.

    The fastback design completes the sleek appearance and the rear has a sharper, more powerful profile with three-dimensional, tri-bar tail-lamps with sequential indicators.

    Sitting on 19-inch wheels, this is easily the best looking Mustang ever built and although I would never buy a yellow car, I have to admit that the one I test drove certainly turned heads.

    In fact, it has such an impact that one little boy stopped and asked me if it was a Ferrari. Somehow, he seemed even more impressed when I told him it was a Mustang.

    Ford concentrated on making this latest generation more aerodynamic than any of its predecessors which makes it faster and more 
    efficient.

    That’s all well and good but, for me, the Mustang has always had a retro-appeal and I was hoping that it had not been lost in the name of technological progress and emission controls.

    The significant updates continue inside and it is now much improved. It’s still extremely macho but has a much cleaner design with lots of leather and polished metals and is more spacious than previous Mustangs. 

    I loved the retro toggle switches and the instrument cluster which retains its classic appearance. Each car also comes with a 50th edition plaque on the passenger side of the dash.

    The infotainment system is now much improved with a good size touch screen and there are now more driver assists. The only complaint I would have is that the steering wheel has far too many buttons on it.

    This new Mustang comes with a new turbocharged EcoBoost 2.3-litre engine, 3.7-litre V6 or an upgraded 5.0-litre V8 with 420bhp. No prizes for guessing which one I went for.

    This is purely personal, but if it’s a Mustang it just has to have a V8. I am sure the V6 and the EcoBoost are impressive but there is no way they can match the passion-stirring burble and baritone bark of a V8 – it is an essential part of this car’s visceral appeal.

    It plants the power onto the tarmac via the rear wheels and a 6-speed automatic gearbox. There are also paddle-shifts which are great fun to use. There is also a manual gearbox available.

    The car can be driven in four modes, the only ones of interest being sport or track. I stuck to sport, although I was gagging to use track mode. I just didn’t fancy losing my licence.

    Some of the previous generation Mustang GTs I have driven were a bit unnerving at high speed and weren’t what I would call particularly agile but this beast has a redesigned chassis, an all-new front and rear suspension system and handles far better.

    It is equipped with splitters and air dams below the front fascia which reduce lift and the vents on the bonnet add to the downforce. The new design also means this car has substantially less drag. The result is a car that provides an exciting, engaging and confident driving experience.

    I loved everything about this car, including the light silhouette of a Mustang it puts down on the floor when you open the doors at night. 
    The legend gallops on into the  future, stronger than ever.

    Recommended