Brit Mustang buyers favour V8s...

...but lose 5hp with a more constricted exhaust manifold to clear the RHD steering gear

Some classic 'and first the good news...' PR from Ford as it has today confirmed 2,000 UKorders in for the new Mustang in the UK. Pretty healthy and among the number crunching it's good to see 70 per cent of those buyers have thought '£33K for a 400hp-plus 5.0 V8? I'll have some of that!' and opted for the proper engine over the 2.3-litre 317hp Ecoboostfour-cylinder. For four grand you would, right? 55 per cent of buyers have ordered manuals too, 80 per cent going for the coupe (sorry, fastback) rather than the convertible and Race Red the most popular colour.

Quite a big change then!

You sense there's a 'but' coming don't you? And it comes in the form of a letter from Ford to those who did go for the V8, already discussed among PHers who have orders in for a Mustang. The long and the short of it is that the conversion from left- to right-hand drive has robbed the V8 of 5hp after a new, more constrictive exhaust manifold had to be designed to clear the steering gear. Yes, you'd have thought someone might have considered that sooner in the development process but seemingly not.

Ford UK's marketing director has 'fessed up in the letter concerned, admitting "this has had a small impact on peak power at the very top of the engine's range. The power of the V8 GT models is now officially rated at 306kW (416hp) for the UK and not as previously communicated 310kW (421hp)." Oops. "Torque, acceleration and fuel consumption are not affected," says the letter. Nor, it states, are engine sound or power delivery.

PHers in the thread seem relatively sanguine about it, crediting Ford with being upfront about the changes. "For me this is a fairly positive communication from Ford at a time when we need it most," says a fairly typical comment from steiom. "Now get my car built, on that boat and stop writing letters!" Modding is, of course, a big part of Mustang culture and it seems the biggest concern would be whether or not aftermarket manifolds will clear the steering gear though, as one PHer points out, "I have a grinder and a welder and I know how to use 'em!"

Whatever the impact (or not) on the performance of the car it's clear there is a lot of excitement about the Mustang's arrival in the UK and plenty of PHers keenly awaiting their cars. We've put our hands up for an early drive on home turf - watch this space.