Enthusiasts of the brand probably need no reminder that the prancing Pony will hit our shores towards the end of 2015, as we reported on earlier this year from the Ford 'Go Further' convention in Gauteng.
To get a bite at owing one of these classic muscle cars, our advice is to start saving straight away - for either the car itself or a bit pf extra fuel that the powerful V8 version will gulp. South African Ford dealers will be opening their order books at the beginning of 2015 and you will need to put down a deposit if you want to secure cars from the first imported batch.
Now I know the first thing you is going to ask is how much?
The people at Ford could not give us any concrete answers as the end of 2015 is a long time away, and even more so when you are dealing with our volatile currency. We were assured that they are spending a large amount of effort on trying to get the best deal that would see the consumer get market related value while also keeping the car relatively exclusive.
The Mustang has a special place in car-lovers' hearts and has been in constant production since April 1964. More than nine million units of the brand have been sold, but the brand is now actively pursuing markets in Europe, the UK, Australia and South Africa, which will be a huge test.
With this in mind, I listened to the media presentation in West Hollywood, California, at the car's world launch, and wondered a bit sceptically if Dave Pericak, Ford's Mustang chief engineer, got it right when he said: "From day one, we knew if we were going to build a new Mustang, we had to do it right. We built
a new Mustang from the ground up that is quicker, better-looking, more refined and more efficient,
without losing any of the raw appeal
that people have associated with Mustang for half a century."
CALIFORNIA DRIVING
Either way I was stoked to just drive the all-new 2015 Ford Mustang in California of all places. However, I knew I had to also be honest with myself and everybody else who reads this if the car did not live up to the hype.
I am not going to get into the styling aspect as that is what the pictures here will show. I can confirm to you that it is a clean sheet - from the ground up - new car that takes its styling cues from its long heritage.
I really like it and I think Mustang fans from all eras will not feel short-changed in the styling department.
The same can be said when getting into the car. The aviation-inspired cockpit that Mustang owners know and love, remains and now features an even higher degree of style and quality. The Recaro sport seats provide good support. Space is said to be improved and from the driver and passenger there will be no complaints. The boot is also generous, but the rear leg room is minimal at best and not really the place for two adults.
Everything you need, is well within reach and the cars we drove had everything from switchable drive and steering modes to sat-nav, tracks apps and everything in between. SA models will have the standard and optional
specification levels confirmed closer to launch which should satisfy most tastes and needs.
TWO ENGINES
The Ford Mustangs we expect here, will come in two engine sizes. One variant will be a state-of-the-art 2,3 four-cylinder EcoBoost and the other a traditional but uprated 5,0-litre, V8 married to a choice of six-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearboxes.
I drove the 2,3 EcoBoost with manual gearbox first and I can say that as an everyday drive the 228kW and 434Nm of torque model delivers more than enough urge to keep you interested. I just preferred the sound and nature of the 5,0-litre V8 that produces 320kW and 542Nm of torque.
I drove this model in manual too and although the box has been updated it did feel a little heavy when going for those 10/10ths tyre smoking type gear changes.
Talking of which, having a Ford Mustang means that you own one of the world's most customised cars that sees duty at drag strips and race tracks all over the world. Here Ford have included a world production car first with the 'Line Lock' option that allows you to disengage the rear brakes and do a burnout with the car before you line up on the drag strip to go with a limited slip diff and launch control. Very cool.
HANDLING
I briefly sampled the 2,3 EcoBoost in automatic with steering wheel-mounted shift paddles and it did exactly what was asked of it. I even think that this transmission could be the pick if you were going for a 5,0 V8 GT.
But what I was most impressed with, was the drive and handling of this new car. American cars are not known for their ability to turn corners at pace or scrub off speed at will. The 2015 Ford Mustang features an all new rear suspension and a redesigned front suspension and optional Brembo brakes which work.
The more I threw at the car, especially the lighter 2,3, the more it took. There was so much mechanical grip with a decent turn in, that you could go into corners hard and floor the car coming out without undue understeer or oversteer to contend with. The stronger V8 obviously forced you to pay a bit more attention, but it was also up to the task in a way I did not expect. I must say I had an absolute blast tearing up the canyons around LA in a way that would not have impressed the local LAPD one bit.
The new Mustang is also jammed full of safety for those unfortunate moments when you might have an accident, or run out of talent. This consists of not only the usual Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) but also a more robust package of sensors, safety belt anchor pretensioners, improved exterior lighting and double the total number of airbags to name only a few.
CONCLUSION
The bottom line is that new Mustang delivers on all that was promised. I can see this car finding itself in good few SA homes in future. We will keep you updated with more information on the new Mustang.
Click here for photo gallery.
The aviation-inspired cockpit that Mustang owners love.
Article by Mark Jones, road-test editor of our associate publication, CitiMotoring
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