Ford Mustang GT: gunpowder

Whenever there is doubt, there is no doubt Sam (Ronin, 1998)

I haven’t walked around my old neighborhood in a long time. In fact, I haven’t been able to afford a leisurely stroll for a long time. But today is different. As I walk around, I brush an orange with my hands and leave the peels in the bins. At the traffic light in front of my old school, I throw the last bits of shell in the trash. The traffic light turns green but I don’t cross. I stare at the facade of the old building that is literally falling apart. I can hear the screams of children playing in the yard. I open the orange that refuses to unfold and breaks, soaking the bad ones with its juice. I stuff a half-broken slice into my mouth and lick my fingers as I keep looking at the school. Few times I could afford the luxury of taking an orange as a snack to school but the smell of this orange brings back the memory of one of those rare times. That’s why I’m here.

Susana, Susanita, freckled and fragile always with a red and blue skirt, always with a smile as if childhood were an analgesic, a drug, not the torment that brought me every hour of the day, every night without being able to sleep for the screams of my parents, for the cold and the pain. Susana asked me what I was eating. I looked at my hands in disbelief, thinking that if it wasn’t obvious: “An orange” I said “it’s good.” It was like a task that we had all set ourselves, not to get Susanita out of her happiness, to always be kind and seem happy. And Susana rewarded me with a giggle: “I’m glad,” she said, swinging as she always did to make her skirt come to life. I made the gesture of offering to her but she rejected it with a smile. “No thanks. Can I stay and see how you eat it? ” That was Susana. He liked to see others doing… things. And then that light so strong that it made me drop the orange, leaving a puddle on the ground. Susana’s kiss on the cheek. «See you Carlos. Here in fifteen or twenty years. I dont know.” And Susanita disappeared with one last fluttering of her skirt. I finish the orange and cross. Maybe today I can see Susana again.

What is the reason for the existence of sports cars? These are absurd, illogical, often uncomfortable, unwieldy and inefficient vehicles with small trunks that consume too much. These are cars that, in the face of the rationality of the hybrid, pose the epic of the hoarse sound of large and numerous cylinders arranged in a V and openly appeal to emotions, from the line of their bodies to their performance.

In the history of sports cars, the Ford Mustang occupies a historical place, not because of its exclusiveness, but precisely because of the opposite. And it is that Ford, one of the automobile manufacturers that most contributed to the democratization of this vehicle, also wanted to democratize the absurd sports. Envious of the glamorous image of European sports cars, then-Ford boss Lee Iacocca (of Italian descent, by the way) commissioned the design of an affordable sports car that could compete not only with Italian models but with the nascent and prohibitive race of American muscle cars.

American Sports

Since its birth, the Ford Mustang has projected that image of an American sports car that has lasted until today, even getting to know an electric version that has little to do with the original concept but that, as we saw, maintains some of its hallmarks. This time at MuyComputer we have been able to test the direct heir to the family, the Ford Mustang GT in its most traditional version with eight cylinders and five liters of gasoline.

Although this model has seen its appearance very modernized, the first impression on seeing the Ford Mustang GT is a true trip back in time for these Pony Cars that revolutionized the concept of sports cars in their day. It is a car with highly dynamic and sporty lines, large headlights, a wide grille and a body that breathes the same concept that took it back in 1966 to reach one million units sold.

For a sports car it is a large car, with a length of 4.8 meters it is almost as big as a Ford S-Max or a Hyundai Santa Fe. Furthermore, with a height of 1.38 meters it seems even more long. But it is also a wide car, with its more than 1.90 meters it is wider than the aforementioned S-Max or even the Galaxy and touches the 1.92 meters of 9-seater vans. This means that due to its dimensions it is not a comfortable car for the city or easy to park.

Aggressive

The imposing nose that conceals the eight-cylinder engine features an air intake grille on the bonnet, an imposing grille with the horse symbol in its central part and an aggressive apron finished in black plastic that even shows two aggressive protrusions . The passenger compartment starts far back to drop suddenly to the rear spoiler that crowns the boot. The large wheels underline the sporty line of this purely American sports car.

At the rear we find the classic three-element light clusters positioned on the sides of the rear, which the electric version has also inherited. The GT badge stands proud in the center on a circular plate and represents a declaration of intent and almost a way of life: that of a Gran Turismo that has survived decade after decade into an era of electrification without losing an iota of personality. . Two double exhaust pipes seem to underline that this car does not rely on electricity to move but only to ignite the spark of the five liters of gasoline that cyclically fill its cylinders.

The set is a sports car that does not go unnoticed easily, but neither does it display its sportsmanship with that excessive self-confidence sometimes bordering on the bad taste of some American sports cars of the past. You can see that there is a certain care to maintain a more “European” aspect while not giving up lines that are fully recognizable in a saga that has been bringing smiles to drivers from all over the world for 60 years.

A lot of space… in front

When we open the huge door that gives access to the interior of the Mustang, the impression is peculiar since there are elements that seem taken from a classic model and, on the other hand, touches of technology that take us back to the 21st century. In any case, it is a spacious interior, with large sports seats for the occupants of the front seats and finishes that mix hard but tactile plastics and synthetic leather with stitching like the one found on the dashboard, central tunnel or on the handbrake and shift lever bellows.

One of the modern touches that we find in the interior of this Ford Mustang GT is undoubtedly the screen that replaces the instrument panel. It is 12 inches and is configurable to display different types of information. It is framed by a fairly deep plastic molding that draws two circles joined by a rectangle in a shape inspired by the dials for speed and revs that we would find in a Mustang of other times.

This screen can be configured and changes the way of displaying the information depending on the driving modes we choose. Thus, if we choose the circuit mode, the indicator clocks disappear and we will have a revolution indicator in the form of a horizontal bar that occupies the entire upper part of the screen. The rest of the information, including in this case the temperature of different parts of the engine, what gear we are using and the speed figure, is shown at the bottom.

Classic details

The most classic aesthetic details can be seen, for example, in the switches found in the lower central part of the dashboard, next to the power button. With these lever-type switches we can activate the hazard lights, activate or deactivate the traction control or select the aforementioned driving modes. A little higher and sunk in the dashboard we find the eight-inch screen that corresponds to the infotainment system.

It is a more outdated system than the one found in its relative, the Mustang Match-e, for example, but it is more modern than that of the previous generation Mustangs since it has the SYNC3 system compatible with Android Auto and Apple Car Play. . It has a fairly intuitive operation although the graphics is somewhat outdated, but in reality that matches the more “classic” elements of the car and on the other hand we have no complaints about its functions.

The front passenger seats are large and comfortable with a very “American” aesthetic. Maybe too big to wrap effectively around the curves especially because of the faux leather material that is a bit slippery, but nothing that is uncomfortable if we don’t really push the limits. On the other hand, they are soft and have a lumbar adjustment so they are very suitable for many kilometers.

On the other hand, the seats in the back are small and uncomfortable and do not have head restraints. Even so, there is enough space for two not too tall adults who will in any case be less sacrificed than in other 2 + 2 sports cars, thanks above all to the large size of the Mustang that allows there to be a little more space for the legs than in other alternatives. They are not suitable places to make long trips in any case.

Nice trunk

With regard to the trunk, the Mustang also takes advantage of its size and its American car line. The capacity is very wide, no less than 408 liters (which we can find in a medium SUV, for example) that open almost completely when the tailgate is raised, so access almost to the bottom is easy. In the model we have tested there is part of the trunk behind the wheel arches that is occupied by an imposing subwoofer that contributes to the bass performance in the stereo.

But despite the fact that the appearance of this Ford Mustang GT, both on the outside and on the inside, transports us to the muscle and pony cars of the 60s, the peak of any test of a car like this is to drive it. And the beginning of the experience is to press the power button. At that moment is when the car shakes off the lethargy vibrating to the sound of the eight V-cylinders dancing on the aluminum cylinder head under the enormous hood.

And it is difficult to resist, after these first puffs of air through modern direct injection and the four valves per cylinder that make up the explosive mixture together with the old gasoline, not stepping on the accelerator to see how easily they rise from revolutions the 450 horses that grow impatient before us. It is not until after a while that we acclimate to that vibration that gently but strongly cradles us when we decide to put first gear.

V8 sound

Although the sound of a V8 that makes all motor enthusiasts enjoy, Ford is aware that on the other hand it can be annoying for people who are nearby. For this reason, in the Ford Mustang GT it is possible to activate a silent mode that is even programmable at certain times through an active valve in the car’s exhaust system that significantly reduces the noise we produce. Then, far from the neighbors, we can deactivate it and continue with our music.

In this regard, it should be noted that one of the elements that we liked about this Mustang that proudly wears the plaque of the 55th anniversary of having stepped on the asphalt for the first time is the sound system called Shaker Pro. This equipment Through its twelve speakers and the aforementioned eight-inch subwoofer they compete with the purr of the V8 when we are on the road. That is why it is important to find the correct musical pairing, in our case and before hitting the road with our blue Ford Mustang GT we chose AC / DC Thunderstruk… and the rear view mirror starts to vibrate.

In the midst of a logical electric revolution, getting behind the wheel of an evolved V8 is quite an experience. Acceleration is firm even at low revs and the thrust of the 529 Nm of torque provided by the engine is very noticeable. Between 1,000 and 7,500 revolutions, everything in between is absolute fun. The gear change is fast and very precise, just like in a real sports car. It is of the synchronized type so that by reducing the car it will automatically increase the revolutions when we take one gear to put another one and thus make the clutch discs do not suffer and the car can pull faster.

Driving modes

On the motorway and especially on roads that do not have asphalt in perfect condition, the sports suspension perhaps transmits the irregularities of the terrain too much. It is solved by setting the damping in the most comfortable mode. Although it is not a car that is distinguished in that section, the good seats and the aforementioned regulation can allow us to turn it into a vehicle with which to do many kilometers.

When we face somewhat more difficult roads, it is when the car shows its true personality. We really liked the traction control, which is one of those that accompanies more than imposing your will and can even be adjusted to partially allow a certain loss of grip that will help us to make the car dance in the tightest curves. In any case with the driving assistance systems to the maximum the car is still a lot of fun, which is not very common.

The different driving modes make this Mustang a real toy. Not only did we find a way to improve grip on wet ground, but within the most dynamic modes there are no less than three (Sport, Sport + and Track) that modify the sensitivity of the accelerator, the hardness of the steering and even the sound of the exhaust but also Launch Control mode has been introduced to get the car to start from standstill instantly.

Finally, talking about consumption for a car like this is almost absurd. We are talking about a car that has to fill 5,000 cubic centimeters of gasoline to move the crankshaft. So it is not uncommon even with some care that we exceed 15 liters per 100 kilometers. Nothing we don’t expect from such a great V8 engine. The only problem is that having a 61-liter tank the autonomy is quite limited (especially if we let ourselves go and increase those 15 liters of consumption almost without realizing it).

Conclusions

Sitting behind the wheel of a Ford Mustang is always a pleasure, especially if it is a model with a “traditional” V8. And sitting behind that big and impractical hood invites us to reflect and come to the conclusion once again that cars like this lead us to the most atavistic of motorsport history, of how our relationship with these machines often transcends mere transport function. How a car is able to move us and excite us.

For this reason, and although we are convinced of the need for the electric revolution to have cleaner skies, we also believe that there must be room not only for nostalgia but also for emotions. I do not think we should let go of that link with the car that has accompanied us since its origins in which certain bodies make us turn on the street to admire its lines or to close our eyes for a moment and listen to the purr of a V8 from others time. And if from time to time we can sit behind the wheel, leave the city and share emotions with them, then better than better.