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The Ford Mustang has always been every car fanatic’s poster boy, specially in India because right from 1964, the muscle car didn’t get a right-hand drive model and hence wasn’t available in our market, until now! It is the first muscle car in the Indian market and amidst the crowd of German roadsters, the Mustang stands out and is the most…
The Ford Mustang has always been every car fanatic’s poster boy, specially in India because right from 1964, the muscle car didn’t get a right-hand drive model and hence wasn’t available in our market, until now! It is the first muscle car in the Indian market and amidst the crowd of German roadsters, the Mustang stands out and is the most affordable 5.0-litre V8 you can get today in our country. We drive the Pony car from Goa to Bangalore to see how practical it is on our roads and for long distance touring in India.
The real craze for the Mustang amongst enthusiasts is because of the way it looks. The American carmaker changed the design direction after the second generation model that was not so muscle car focussed. However, starting from the fifth gen Mustang, the silhouette gave the essence of the original Pony. The latest gen model has become more sharp and lean thanks to the huge bonnet, a raked roofline and the new styling bits that gives it a retro feel.
The front profile is dominated by a huge grille with the Pony badge shining in the middle. The aggressive headlights with signature LED DRLs, black alloys and the three slat LED tail lights give it the racy appearance. The pronounced and thick body lines makes it look more muscular than ever.
The retro theme continues on the inside as well. The sizeable three-spoke steering with a circular horn in the middle gives you a hint of the 60s. The flat dashboard with circular vents and a huge instrument cluster with analogue dials adds to the classic feel of the Mustang. However, some might feel the styling is not that premium and contemporary compared to the Germans but the Mustang is meant to be this way.
The centre console comes with an action packed touchscreen infotainment system having a fantastic user interface shared with the new lot of Ford cars. It comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity that syncs your Smartphone seamlessly. The audio quality is crisp and rich but who needs to listen to music when there’s this beautiful symphony of the V8 engine.
The naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V8 engine is very tractable yet super thrilling on the straights. The typical NA V8 feel is there giving you a linear pull initially that gets progressive near the mid range and goes ballistic when you reach the redline. There is absolutely no flat spot in the entire rev range and the power gets stronger as the RPM needle rises, giving you a good dose of adrenaline while you are hard on the throttle. You just don’t feel like lifting off near the 7000 redline, the acceleration is quite satisfying.
Mated to this beast of an engine is a 6-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifts. The transmission is quick enough for part throttle inputs but pin the throttle to its limit and the cogs take a tad while to upshift. Manual mode is fun and very accurate if shifts are timed well and it doesn’t upshift on its own in the manual mode. 1st gear tops at 65 km/hr while the 2nd tops at 110 km/hr. The Mustang is quite a capable cruiser as well, doing 100 km/hr in top gear at a relaxed 1500 RPM.
One of the best aspects about the Ford Mustang is its exhaust note that justifies its muscular character. Push the button to turn on the engine and it settles to a rumble full of bass. When you are on the move, pin the throttle and it turns into a growl in the mid-range that later transforms into a beautiful loud V8 symphony, which is very satisfying and addictive.
It sounds the best when you are just resting your foot on the throttle between 3000-4000 RPM, feels like a lion is preparing to pounce on its prey. You can expect a real world mileage of 7-8 km/l on the highways, which is good considering the mammoth 5.0-litre V8 engine.