The same can be said for cars, especially iconic vehicles that a person has dreamt of driving since their childhood.
The Mustang is one such car for me. You see, I was and still am hopelessly in love with the Eleanor from Gone in 60 Seconds, the Nic Cage version, and ever since I watched the movie I’ve always wanted to saddle-up in an iconic pony-car. This past week I had that opportunity when I received the new Mustang to drive for the week.
Now before I get down to the nitty gritty I have to admit something... I received what was perhaps the most toned-down version of the new Mustang that is sold locally. It was an automatic, 2.3 four-cylinder turbo convertible, which allowed me to approach the test with that pinch of salt that was perhaps required.
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A Mustang, to me at least, needs a V8, whether it’s a hopelessly underpowered lump from a 90s ‘stang or the monstrous flat plane job from the new Shelby GT350 version of the Mustang. It just needs an eight-cylinder soundtrack, in my mind at least. The idea of a four-cylinder muscle car just doesn’t make sense to me, and bear in mind that I love turbocharging...and four-cylinder engines, and cannot wait for the Focus RS to arrive with this engine.
What it's like
With that out of the way let’s approach what it’s like. Well, it is just an incredible thing to look at. Everywhere I went people wanted to take pictures; they would ask how fast it is and how much it costs. The common thread though, was that everyone from an enthusiast that approached me at a garage to a gentleman in a security booth, knew that it was a Mustang. That’s the importance of iconic design.
Interior
The interior is perhaps less inspiring; don’t get me wrong, it is well designed and the amount of technology and features packed inside is impressive. But for the price that’s being asked for the car here (R779 900 for the model I had on test) it just doesn’t cut the mustard in terms of fit and finish.
The drive
Driving the car is quite a fuss-free experience; the four-cylinder doesn’t provide much of a soundtrack for the discerning muscle car fan though. The car does shuffle along quite well and it has some 233kW/420Nm on tap, and while the automatic gearbox isn’t the quickest, it gets the job done. It should get you from 0-100km/h in 5.8 seconds and use 9.8 litres/100km, which makes it quite sensible.
I found the Mustang best when cruising, with the top down. The ride is comfortable and the wind noise acceptable so, as a vehicle for posing, which is what I would use the car for ninety percent of the time, it’s great.
Verdict
My verdict on the new Mustang isn’t all bad. I feel that the V8 will probably provide me with the sounds and sensations that I require. But even that is a very expensive vehicle, with pricing between R800 000 - R900 000 for a muscle car that in the USA, costs the same as a Volkswagen Golf GTI does, locally.
It doesn’t really matter what I say though, because the Mustang is so popular that you’ll have to wait for the next batch to arrive at a later point in the year or pay a massive premium in the used market just to own one. That’s how popular the ever-green pony car is and is sure to remain.
