Contrary to the norm in terms of sequels, the seventh instalment of the Mustang chronicles is also the Blue Oval’s best – an emphatic embodiment of all the stuff that made the Ford pony car an icon in the automotive world – and a far neigh from the crisis three decades ago when the iconic nameplate was saved from front-wheel drive mediocrity by a “superhero”.
The seventh-generation Mustang is an American icon revitalised, continuing the legacy of an automotive legend sixty years in the making. Since its debut at the New York World Fair in April 1964, more than 10 million Mustangs have been sold, and it proved so popular that it originated a new automotive class – the pony car.
The Mustang has been the best-selling sports car in the US for six decades straight. Globally, it has been a best-seller for more than ten years, bolstered by the release of the sixth-generation model (in 2015) in right-hand drive for the first time, expanding its reach to previously untapped markets, including South Africa, the UK, Australia and Japan.
This model was launched locally in 2016, and with 4,082 units sold, it claimed an average of 84% segment share over the past eight years. However, the hallowed lineage of the definitive pony car nearly dramatically stumbled in the early 1980s when rising fuel costs and unfavourable economic conditions led to slow sales of the third-generation so-called Fox-bodied Mustang.
In response to this trend, the Blue Oval (in collaboration with Mazda, at the time a Ford-owned company) considered a front-wheel driven Mustang based on the Mazda MX-6, without (can you believe it?) the option of a V8 engine. However, when Mustang enthusiasts got wind of this, they retaliated so vehemently that Ford had to back down.
The backlash (and a lack of time and budget) forced Ford to develop the next-generation Mustang on a revised Fox chassis (now called Fox-4). Three concept models were presented: Jenner (named after the Olympic champion Bruce Jenner, nowadays Caitlyn, known for her Kardashian ties), Rambo (as a result of the Sly Stallone movie) and Schwarzenegger (yes, due to the Terminator flick). The Arnie concept ensured the Mustang’s comeback, in the form of the fourth-generation SN95 derivative.
60-YEAR LEGACY
That was thirty years ago, and the legacy of Ford’s wild horse is set to continue with the latest stallion, ironically now one of the very few naturally aspirated V8-engined sports cars still produced. In fact, it is the only engine option now available locally, as the 2.3-litre Ecoboost derivative has not returned.
Initially, the new GT will also only be available here as a fastback, although the drop-top model can be ordered, and a series of special models (such as the Dark Horse) can be expected imminently. The latest Mustang adds modern chiselled looks to its heritage-inspired design, with a low, horizontal brow across the front, and an upper grille shape influenced by the original 1960s design.
The Tri-Bar LED headlamps continue the classic Mustang lighting signature, and the sleek roofline, broad stance, and shortened rear overhang with widened rear haunches are further pointers to the authentic proportions of the first-generation pony, while new hood vents, a new front splitter and rear diffuser improves the car’s aerodynamic balance.
It is an attractive steed, and its desirable GT shape is accompanied by the lusty, lively growl of the powerful, slightly revised 5.0-litre Coyote V8 that now delivers a brawny 328 kW (334 kW in the Dark Horse) and maximum torque output of 540 Nm, sent to the rear wheels by a 10-speed automatic transmission – now the only gearbox option available.
The transmission has configurable shift patterns to match the selected Drive Mode with six available modes: Normal, Sport, Slippery, Drag, and Track, plus a customisable setting with up to six individual profiles. As each mode is selected, high-fidelity graphics in the digital instrument panel bring the mode to life.
Locally, the GT comes standard with the Performance Pack, including a segment-first Performance Electronic Parking Brake to unlock the Mustang’s rear-wheel drive drifting capability, assisting novice drivers to improve their drift skills and providing expert drivers with a competition-ready system.
However, the ultimate party trick of the latest Mustang must be its new Remote Rev function. This function provides the ability to rev the car’s engine remotely using the key fob – for a while, transforming Eleanor’s younger and smaller descendent into the ominous Christine, as it is somewhat eerie to watch a driverless car with its V8 engine revving out of own accord.
The Performance Pack also adds a host of track-focused features, including a front suspension tower brace, Torsen limited-slip differential, MagneRide active suspension, wider 19 x 9.5” rear wheels and tyres, larger 390 mm front and 355 mm rear Brembo brakes, and brake ducts for enhanced cooling.
A standard auxiliary engine oil cooler also forms part of the pack, as well as an active valve performance exhaust system and on the enjoyable test route, taking in the winding mountain roads around George in the Southern Cape, the sound level was set at maximum just to listen to the roar of the V8 reverberating off the cliffs.
It was also clear that much work has been done to improve the torsional stiffness of the chassis and rigidity of the body and reduce noise transmission into the cabin by using an acoustic laminated windscreen. Comfort in the interior is enhanced by using dual-zone automatic climate control.
The driver-centric cockpit now sports a new, race-inspired flat-bottomed steering wheel, heated and cooled full leather seats with Black Onyx leather trim and accent stitching, complemented by colour-coordinated, asymmetric accent striping on the seat belts.
The 12.4” digital instrument cluster, now with a copper appearance theme, displays different animated designs and new Drive Mode-dependent visuals. It can integrate seamlessly with the 13.2” Sync 4 centre stack. The centre console also includes a wireless mobile phone charging pad, while new overhead USB ports are conveniently placed out of the way above the cabin.
The visceral Mustang experience is further optimised by a standard premium B&O sound system with 12 speakers, including a subwoofer. Although the latest stallion in Ford’s stable is better screwed together than previously, there still are some minor quality issues, such as ill-fitting panels around the centre console, and some hard plastic used in the interior.
LAST WORD
Even so, once out on the open road with the V8 at full tilt, this GT car makes one forget all the minor niggles. Its new adaptive suspension (even with Active Pothole Mitigation), stiffer bodyshell, and positive steering response ensure a driving experience that is off the charts in terms of smiles per kilometre.
Also, with an extensive range of advanced driver assist features, its newfound finesse on the road and its advanced technology in the cabin, the Mustang has now been transformed from a wild beast to an American Saddlebred. Sure, it may still not be as refined as some of its European competitors, but none of its rivals can canter alongside it in terms of performance per Rand and value for money.
This seventh edition of the Mustang Chronicles is the best derivative ever, and as such, it should secure the best-selling status of the iconic car for another few years. Still, with the shift towards electrification and new energy vehicles (with the Mustang name now shared with the ill-fitting Mach E,) the original pony car may well soon need an actual superhero to save it from extinction.
Report by FERDI DE VOS | Images © FORD SOUTHERN AFRICA
