OK OK OK so I've driven electric cars, turbo cars, Hybrid cars and I know everyone talks about them being the future, and that all we are ever going to drive in the future is an electric car. The petrol guzzling V8 is all but gone but man it's going to be a shame if that actually happens, I mean when you get behind the wheel of some V8 muscle you can't help but get a simile, the noise the sound of some pure horsepower it's just so good!!!
When Ford NZ said come and grab a new Mustang for a few weeks and see what you think I was excited. It had been a while since I had been behind the wheel of a good old V8 and I was really looking forward to it especially the noise.
When I turned up at Ford to collect the car I was somewhat surprised to see my test car was a convertible. I'm not usually a fan of the convertible car especially on a guy, but being the sort of slightly balding middle aged man I am I decided to embrace the convertible look for a few weeks!
It wasn't summer as it was a typical Auckland day, one minute 20 Degrees and then the next 5 coupled with ongoing showers and about a 40kt South Westerly breeze I thought it wise to keep the roof up for the run back to the office.
The first thing you notice about the Mustang is when you start it up, the sweet sound of the 339kw 5.0L V8 has that rumble you are never going to get from any other engine…..especially an electric one Elon!
On the road the Mustang has plenty of different modes to play around with, there's the normal mode for the sensible chap, there's the Sport mode for the guy that fancies a little more get up and go, then we get in to the budding Scott Mclaughlin modes. Sport Plus, Race, Drag, this is where the real fun starts. I was pretty much in one of these options during the entire time, the sound the car makes once you get over about 5000 rpm is so good you just want to keep going to the next set of traffic lights. Ford claim a zero to 100 time of 4.9 secs, which is pretty good for a for a rear wheel drive. The biggest problem you have is trying to get the traction down even with the Michelins.
Interior wise there's plenty to keep you warm dry and up to date, the factory carplay stereo is more than capable and the heated seats make those winter roof off days possible keeping your bum and back nice and warm. The digital dash is cool also, with dials in the nanna modes and quite a cool rev counter in the Scotty modes. There are also a few old school touches in some of the switches which I actually quite like as it adds a bit of heritage to the car.
On the road you are going to be impressed with the handling and being a tyre guy I put this down to the awesome Michelin Pilot Super Sports tyres…...no not all of it, the Mustang has a nice suspension package that helps the Micheliens do there stuff. Two different tyre sizes 245 front and 275 rears give it a really sure footing around corners and you feel like you can keep pushing which makes it a lot of fun.
With the roof down you really get to hear the roar from the rear end. If you haven't had a chance to go out in a Mustang with the roof down and hear the roar you are missing out on one of life's great pleasures, apart from the fact you will wake up most of the neighbourhood , frighten small dogs and cats and set off the odd car alarm you will want to keep coming back for more because the smile on your face will be a sight to behold.
The Mustang is an icon and the 2018 version does an exceptional job of remembering the models that went before it, I would happily park one in my garage just for the sound!
I suggest you get into a Ford dealer today and experience it for yourself!
