New Mustang is Europe’s quickest mass-produced Ford
Ford reveals the new Mustang’s 0-62 times
Ford has confirmed the performance figures for the new Mustang, which goes on sale in the UK this October. The 5-litre V8 Mustang produces 415bhp and 391lb ft of torque, enabling it to accelerate from 0 to 62mph in a claimed 4.8sec when fitted with a six-speed manual gearbox. This makes it Europe’s quickest ever mass-produced Ford coupe.
Rivals like the Audi RS4 make use of an automatic gearbox to achieve their quickest launches (the RS4 takes 4.7sec to hit 62), so the fact the Mustang is quickest in manual spec (and not with an optional SelectShift six-speed auto) could help mark it out as the drivers’ choice.
The new Mustang will also be available with a 2.3-litre four-cylinder EcoBoost engine. Producing 313bhp and 319lb ft of torque, the manual EcoBoost Mustang can accelerate from 0 to 62 in a claimed 5.8sec, placing it in close contention with Honda’s forthcoming and similarly priced Civic Type-R (which takes 5.7sec and will sell from £29,995). Like the V8, the 2.3-litre is limited to 155mph.
Buyers of V8 Mustangs can also opt to have Ford’s Track App included, which adds launch control. To use launch control, drivers simply floor the throttle and the system holds the engine between 3000 and 4500rpm. Then all the driver has to do is release the clutch, and the launch control regulates torque to the rear wheels to maximise traction off the line.
Another interesting – and very American – feature is the Mustang’s electronic line lock. This allows drivers to lock the front brakes while sending drive to the rear wheels, enabling them to warm the rear tyres.
Other Track App features include an accelerometer to record acceleration forces. Ford claims that the Mustang can pull as much as 0.97 lateral G, a number normally reserved for ‘proper’ sports cars like the Porsche 911.
The Mustang features four main drive modes – Normal, Sport+, Track and Snow/Wet – which adjust the AdvanceTrac electronic stability control, throttle response and auto gearshift patterns to suit a variety of conditions. The power steering can also be adjusted through Normal, Comfort or Sport, but as our first drive confirmed (evo 202), none of these settings provides masses of feel.
Ford has taken handling very seriously in the new Mustang, revealing that the car’s body structure is 28 per cent stiffer than the previous model’s. It also uses fully independent suspension front and rear (a first for a Mustang), with integral-link rear suspension replacing the somewhat crude fixed-beam rear axle of its predecessor.
Weight has also been saved thanks to the use of aluminium to make the bonnet and wings, as well as large parts of the suspension (including the lower arms and knuckles), the gearbox casing and the Brembo callipers. The result is 1678kg and 1602kg weights for the V8 and EcoBoost respectively, and near perfect weight distribution - the V8 holds 54 per cent of its weight over the nose, the EcoBoost 53 per cent.
evo’s Richard Meaden ran the previous generation Mustang in our Fast Fleet, and welcomes the arrival of the new car. ‘The 4.6-litre V8 I ran as a long-termer was good fun, actually. It was a bit soft and lacked grip in standard spec, but was better on Roush rims and bigger rubber. It didn’t have a huge amount of finesse - it got a bit excited over sharp crests and mid-corner bumps - and it felt BIG, but enjoyable and playful enough nonetheless.’
‘I hope - and expect - the new car will feel more nimble and have greater composure both at low and high speed.’
The new Mustang offers space for four, and officially produces 35.3mpg combined and 179g/km of CO2 in manual 2.3-litre EcoBoost form. The manual V8 achieves 20.9mpg and 299g/km of CO2. Both engines are available with either fastback or convertible bodies.
Ford says more than 1200 UK customers have ordered the new Mustang, with a further 2200 orders coming from the rest of Europe. The new car will be built in Flat Rock, Michigan, and will arrive in the UK this October. Prices start from £28,995 for the EcoBoost, and £32,995 for the V8.
Watch the Ford Mustang V8 manual complete the 0-62mph sprint on video below
