Ford Mustang GT manual road test

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Ford Mustang GT manual road test


How does Ford's most driver-focused Mustang stack up?


Cameron McGavin
30 May, 2016


















Welcomes don't come much more rapturous than that given to Ford's new Mustang. The Blue Oval has sold every one it can get its hands on and the waiting list stretches out for months.

It's not hard to see why – its looks are a masterful modernisation of the early models that still send many people swooning, it's the first Stang to be sold in Australia for many a moon and you can get into one for about what you'd fork out for an average hot hatch.

So it looks like a Mustang, it's surprisingly attainable and – lobbing into a market with decades of pent-up demand – it's a showroom-floor hit, but is Ford's new charger any good? We grabbed one to find out.


WHAT DO YOU GET?

The Mustang line-up encompasses two bodies (fastback and convertible), two engines (2.3-litre 'Ecoboost' turbo four, 5.0-litre V8) and two transmissions (six-speed manual and auto). The only limiter on your mixing and matching is a mandatory auto in convertibles.

The cheapest model, the Ecoboost Fastback manual, kicks off from $45,990 plus on-road costs. The costliest, the V8-powered GT Convertible auto, starts from $66,490. Our test car, a $57,490 GT Fastback manual, split the difference.

Whichever new Mustang you choose you get the same basic serve of kit – touch-screen sat-nav, heated/cooled leather power seats, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry/start and auto headlights/wipers, plus the latest automotive must-have, projection lighting (in this case it projects the famous pony badge next to the driver's door).

The differences between Ecoboost and GT models are purely mechanical – the latter gets the hero engine (the V8), Brembo brakes and beefier rolling stock (still 19-inch, but the rears are half an inch wider).

As with all Fords, Mustang buyers can tap into the company's lifetime fixed-price servicing program. The minimum cost of servicing a GT manual up to 60,000km is a pretty reasonable $1760, though triggering additional aspects of the plan (brake fluid, transmission fluid, etc) will add to the cost at some stages.

The only real question mark with Mustang's showroom-floor deal comes in the safety domain. It's hardly deficient – you get seven airbags (including a front knee bag), stability control and a reversing camera, plus an emergency-assistance function – but increasingly common driver aids like autonomous emergency braking, active cruise control and blindspot/lane-change warnings aren't on the menu. It is yet to be assessed by the ANCAP crash-test regime.


WHAT'S INSIDE?

The Mustang is quite long and wide but it's not that roomy inside, even by two-door standards. The two-seater rear bench is distinctly short on leg space and head room is also tight – most adults will find it a short-stint proposition at best.

The boot isn't a natural at dealing with bigger, bulkier objects – the shortness of the bootlid itself means the opening is quite small – but you get a reasonable 383-litre capacity to fill and the versatility of a 50/50 split-fold back seat. That coupe cliche – a weekend away for two and their luggage – is well within its capabilities.

The news for front-seat occupants is fundamentally good. The low, rakish glasshouse means the atmosphere is somewhat snug but it's not cramped or unreasonably difficult to see out of. The six-way power seat and two-way steering adjustment mean most drivers will be able to get perfectly comfortable, though the slim-hipped will crave more seating support from the seats. The instruments are legible (if a little naff – the speedo is called a 'Ground Speed Indicator') and the switchgear and Ford's familiar Sync touch-screen system are easy to master and use.

The more esoteric side of the Mustang's cabin is a little hit and miss. The old-school steering wheel with its pony badge and the double-humped dash shape successfully evoke that Stang character and give it a real sense of occasion but the materials have something of a low-rent feel. The toggle switches on the console feel, in particular, feel cheap to the touch.


UNDER THE BONNET

The GT's 5.0-litre V8 isn't the biggest stick in the muscle-car shed. Chrysler gives you a 6.4-litre V8 in its 300 SRT, Holden gives you a 6.2-litre V8 in its Commodore SS models and HSVs go to town with a supercharged version of that engine.

In isolation, there's nothing to be disappointed about. Its 306kW power and 530Nm torque peaks are healthy figures for a 'little' V8 and it propels the GT with plenty of aggression. Full-throttle endeavours reveal some urgent response and – if you keep the pedal floored – a sustained, intensely gratifying surge, plus the kind of unburstable low-rev flexibility that matches perfectly with the requirements of lazy day-to-day driving. The six-speed manual isn't super-slick but has positive shifts and a progressive, well-weighted clutch feel. It makes the right kind of heavy-metal sounds, too, albeit at a lower volume than some alternatives.

The downside of the GT is totally unsurprising – it's a powerful V8 that weighs more than 1700kg, so it likes a drink. Manual modes rate a mediocre 13.1L/100km on the official scale; autos do a little better with 12.6L/100km.

Our test average on our combined urban/highway loop landed reasonably close to the claim (13.7L/100km) but saddle the GT with stop-start traffic or drive it hard and you can expect substantially higher numbers.


ON THE ROAD

The GT is a sporting coupe but its size and weight mean it's not a truly scalpel-sharp corner carver. Push it hard on a really tight, twisting and lumpy road and it can feel somewhat ponderous at times.

That doesn't mean it's not a good thing to drive. The steering is a little short on feel but it turns in positively, stays flat and has a predictable, surefooted balance. It puts its power to the ground confidently and the GT's Brembo brakes have plenty of bite. On all but the most tightly sinuous roads it's a blast.

There are no obvious ride or refinement nags to sour the taste. The suspension's sporting focus means you get a faithful reading of the road but most lumps and bumps are dispatched with a surprising lack of fuss. While it doesn't threaten to achieve luxury-sedan levels of quiet, it's not unreasonably hard on the ears.


VERDICT

The GT's safety-tech shortcomings, the V8's thirst for fuel and the cheap, chintzy cabin atmosphere mean it's no model of sophistication or restraint in 2016. Nor do its underbonnet or on-road credentials reset current muscle-car benchmarks.

But none of that really matters in the wider scheme of things. The Mustang looks good, sounds good, goes hard and is fun to drive, and backs up its robust emotional appeal with red-hot value and no-hassle ownership. Those who've shelled out for one, or are waiting to, aren't just buying into an automotive legend, they're getting a great modern muscle car as well.


2016 Ford Mustang GT Fastback

HOW MUCH?: From $57,490

ENGINE: 5.0-litre V8

POWER: 306kW/530Nm

ANCAP RATING: Not yet rated

FUEL USE: 13.1L/100km

OUR SCORE: 7.0/10



Scoring breakdown

Value: 8/10

Performance: 8/10

Economy: 1/10

Safety: 7/10

Handling: 8/10

Comfort: 7/10

Connectivity: 8/10

Space: 6/10

Servicing costs: 6/10

Resale value: 10/10

Overall rating: 7/10




THE COMPETITION

Chrysler 300 SRT

Holden Commodore SS-V

HSV Clubsport R8 LSA

Nissan 370Z

http://www.drive.com.au/new-car-revi...30-gp6z5v.html