Ford Mustang GT: Driven

One step closer to its full UK debut, PH drives the V8 Mustang on European soil

If the prospect of a Ford Mustang V8 for £33,000 in the UK doesn't appeal, then PistonHeads probably isn't the website for you. There are many excellent new cars around that price point but none of those offer a 5.0-litre V8 or 420hp. Both of which are pretty damn cool.

Fear not, exhaust is just as shouty

Moreover, the UK is currently the largest market for Mustang pre-orders in Europe; so far 3,400 deposits have been placed across the Continent with 1,200 of those over here. There's an appetite for muscle here, or so it would seem. Think back a decade or so to the time of the £30K Vauxhall Monaro and remember how popular that car was - we can't resist a cheap V8! Combine that with the strong Mustang following already enjoyed in the UK and the signs are promising for the new car.

It's an exciting car too because it's something different for your £30K. It isn't yet another VW MQB derivative or an M235i or a FWD hot hatch. It's a bona fide muscle car with an iconic nameplate and a big V8 for the same money. Diversity isn't dead after all.

...and over here
Of course the muscle car appreciation is far from universal, but it would take a staunch opponent to argue against the Mustang's appearance - it looks great. Yes it's a big car, but not unreasonably so, with looks that are taut and modern but unmistakably Mustang. Designer Moray Callum (brother of Ian) says there's "nothing subtle about the front end of a Mustang" and it has undeniable presence. Here's a car that's exciting to look at which costs the same as an A5 diesel!

Far more agreeable in here than you may expect

So where previous Mustangs may have seemed a little gauche in Britain, this car should come across as more acceptable. The golf club car park set may still sneer but it will no longer look as if your weekends are spent with good ol' boys drinking whisky and rye (yes, yes, that was a Chevy but permit a bit of poetic licence).

On the whole the interior is a success too. Obviously you can't pay £33K for a car with a 420hp V8 and expect the interior of an, er, A5 diesel but it's certainly good enough. The toggle switches are interesting (even if they don't toggle properly) and there are other nice touches including a few cool logos, the deeply cowled dials and some big chunks of aluminium across the dash.

Heart of the matter
So then, that V8. In a word, it's brilliant. The Ecoboost is fine (more detailed story to follow) but don't ever try the V8 if you have a four-cylinder Mustang. Probably best not even be in earshot. Ever. It's not a fiercely potent engine but just a classically charming and enjoyable V8. There's a healthy reserve of torque and a real willingness to be, well, thrashed also. Ford talks of stiffer valve springs, a new cylinder head casting, forged connecting rods and a rebalanced crank to make it more responsive at higher revs and it would appear to have paid off. All this while listening to a noise straight from a movie car chase - again, not especially wild or furious, simply a traditional V8 thunder that builds to a glorious peak near 7,000rpm. MPG? Pass...

V8 does the numbers and the noise!

Imagine how you would want a Mustang V8 manual gearbox to be and this car delivers it. The shift is short, direct and burly, feeling like it could last a thousand quarter-mile drags with no issue. A shame then that the clutch bite felt a little vague and the brakes were too grabby on our car. In this V8 throttle matched downshifts sound superb yet they require too much effort here.

Here's a question: why does a Ford Mustang, seemingly the very antithesis of the modern synthesised fast car, need four driving modes and three steering weights? It's entirely unnecessary. The steering is called Selectable Effort Electric Power Assisted Steering. It even sounds horrid. None of the selectable efforts are particularly loathsome, it's pretty good as electric steering goes, but it comes across as configurability for the sake of configurability.

The four driving modes - Normal, Sport Plus (why plus when there's no Sport?), Track and Snow/Wet - seem equally nonsensical. They alter throttle response, steering 'feel', the traction control threshold, the usual parameters. But where is the desire for that in a car so traditional that it's sold with a 20mpg V8? Surely this car more than any other could justify one throttle response, one steering response and one button for disabling driver aids. Prospective Mustang owners, your feedback here would be welcome; do you think the car is improved by this complexity?

Want one? Get one. You'll love it

Keep it simple, stupid
Needless tech rant aside, the Mustang is a very likeable car. Unfortunately the test route wasn't the best for highlighting the new Mustang's dynamics, so we'll have to wait until the UK drives for a full assessment. Even with that predictable caveat, this won't be the coupe to have GT86 or RCZ R buyers trading their cars in. The Mustang isn't simply a straight line muscle machine but it never feels any less than its 1,651kg in the corners. It's not cumbersome but neither is it especially wieldy either. Grip and traction are very good, possibly better than you would want from a Mustang, but it doesn't currently feel like an inspirational drivers' car.

Far more importantly though, the Mustang is just a car that makes you smile. From the noise to the looks to the performance, it's an entertaining car. With the market seemingly inundated by relentlessly serious cars, the Mustang is a refreshing and enjoyable change from the norm. It wants the driver to have a good time and there's little doubt they will. The 1,200 buyers eagerly awaiting their cars will adore it and the Mustang deserves to carve out a successful niche for itself over here. It won't draw customers from their TTs but anyone after something a little different that no longer requires any excuses will find plenty to like. Apart from the fuel consumption, obviously.

FORD MUSTANG GT V8
Engine: 4,951cc V8
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive, limited-slip differential
Power (hp): 421@6,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 391@4,250rpm
0-62mph: 4.8 seconds
Top speed: 155mph (limited)
MPG: 20.9 (NEDC combined)
CO2: 299g/km
Price: £32,995