Ford Mustang Reviews

Richard Berry road tests and reviews the Ford Mustang EcoBoost Convertible auto with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

US-built V8 performers look the goods. Joshua Dowling runs a gangster four-door against a pony-car coupe.

Richard Berry road tests and reviews the Ford Mustang V8 GT and EcoBoost with specs, fuel consumption, and verdict at its Australian launch.

Joshua Dowling road tests and reviews the Ford Mustang with specs, fuel consumption and verdict at its Australian launch.

First drive of the new Ford Mustang V8 ahead of its arrival in Australian showrooms in 2015.To paraphrase Crocodile Dundee, now that’s a Mustang. Having tested the four-cylinder version of the 2015 Ford Mustang earlier in the day, it was time to get behind the wheel of the ‘real’ one: the 5.0-litre V8.I can’t repeat in front of a polite audience the exact words that came out of my mouth having floored the V8 Mustang for the first time, but suffice to stay I said it a lot.It’s a good thing Ford put big brakes on the new Mustang because you use them quite a bit to slow down -- just so that you can floor it back up to the speed limit again.I initially thought the output of the V8 was a bit ho-hum on paper. The power rating of 325kW (a bit over 400 horsepower in the old money) and the torque rating (the measure of an engine’s ability to overcome resistance, or pull a stump out of the ground) of 540Nm also didn’t look like much.That’s because the V8s we have back home in Australia -- in the Ford and Holden camps -- have more than this, so I went in with low expectations.But the Mustang is relatively light for a V8 muscle car (even if it is between 3kg and 40kg heavier than before) and boy does this thing haul.Better still, once the revs rise to 4000rpm, with its lungs full of air, the engine absolutely belts. It gets better the more you keep your foot into it.Follow me for a moment: it accelerates harder and more quickly the higher the revs go. Customarily, V8s have asthma attacks. Not this one. This all new 5.0-litre V8 is a bit special, regardless of its ho-hum numbers.We don’t have the 0 to 100km/h times yet because Ford doesn’t publish them. (It rightly argues that results vary too much between driver techniques, and road conditions).But it feels as quick as a Falcon GT. And that’s supercharged, the Mustang is not.Admittedly, this is a seat-of-the-pants feeling only. We’ll put timing equipment on it when it goes on sale in Australia in the second half of 2015.In the meantime, I’ve got some winding mountain roads behind the city of Los Angeles to enjoy.That said, ‘enjoy’ is a relative term. After just five minutes of enthusiastic driving I’m getting a sweat up, as if I’d just run up a flight of stairs.The Mustang V8 is a little heavier than the four-cylinder, especially over the nose, so you’ve got to work it harder to get around a bend.Don’t get me wrong: the chassis is brilliant. The North American press have declared it a revelation since it finally has independent rear suspension. Previous Mustangs had a rear end that could without exaggeration be traced back to the horse and cart.But it’s not as light and nimble on its feet as the four-cylinder Mustang. To be fair, we tested a four-cylinder with sport suspension, and a V8 with comfort suspension. Nevertheless, there was a stark contrast.Which means choosing between the four-cylinder and the V8 Mustang is going to create a dilemma almost as difficult as choosing between an iPhone6 and an iPhone6 Plus.It depends on whether you want to go quickly in a straight line, or have superior cornering ability.The diehards will buy the V8 no matter what. They’re the people that probably will buy a really big phone, even if it bends, just because it is a really big phone.But I can’t blame them. The sound of the V8 alone is glorious. If only Ford could make the four-cylinder to sound like that.

Joshua Dowling tests the new four-cylinder Mustang in the US before it goes on sale in Australia next year.Push the 'start' button on the new Ford Mustang and you expect the rumble of a V8. But what I have here is an eerie silence. I've grabbed the keys to a four-cylinder Mustang. And I can barely hear it.That's right. A four-cylinder Mustang.Ford has added a four-cylinder to the Mustang range to broaden the car's customer appeal and to meet strict fuel economy targets in Europe. Australia will get both the four-cylinder and the V8 when it arrives in showrooms in the second half of 2015, but I've grabbed the keys to the four-cylinder first because that's the one everyone is most curious about. Australians have had an aversion to large cars and four-cylinder engines since the asthmatic four-cylinder Commodore from the 1980s. Holden chopped two cylinders off the red six to create the Starfire four in a kneejerk reaction to the fuel crisis in the 1970s; in the end the four-cylinder used as much fuel as the six-cylinder because it had to work so hard to move the Commodore's weight. But times have changed and so has technology. The four-cylinder in the latest, sixth-generation Mustang (Ford also fitted four-cylinder engines to the Mustang in the US between 1978 and 1993) has new turbocharger technology and has almost as much power as the previous V8. BMW and other German car makers are also now getting epic performance from turbocharged four-cylinder engines. But this is a Mustang. Can you get away with four-cylinder sacrilege in an American icon? On first impressions, the answer is no. In stop-start Los Angeles traffic the four-cylinder sounds, well, ordinary. It sounds like a small French van, and not at all like a Mustang should. The side mirrors are also too small (here's hoping Ford Australia fits convex mirrors on both sides), making it hard to pick your way through the bump and grind. The bland standard seats are designed more for broad behinds rather than comfort and support. And you can forget the back seats; their only purpose is to somehow convince your life partner than you might, just might, be able to squeeze the kids in the back there. The Mustang suspension is too firm and busy over even modest bumps at suburban speeds. On the bigger bumps it almost made me motion sick. Fortunately, the traffic eventually clears and we find ourselves on the winding mountain roads behind Hollywood and into the great blue yonder. In another twist of fate, we don't have any traffic ahead of us, save for some aspiring Olympic cyclists on a morning hill workout. Only then does the four-cylinder Mustang start to shine. Rev the engine above 4500rpm and the small French van sound starts to develop some character, with a subtle engine growl. A small dose of the exhaust note from the Renault Megane RS275 or Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG would be a welcome improvement. At this point, I'd prefer to hear nothing at all than a weak attempt at an engine note. But all is quickly forgiven after the first series of twists and turns. The four-cylinder Mustang steers beautifully. Because the four-cylinder engine weighs less than the V8, there is less weight over the nose and better overall balance in the car front-to-rear. (For the tech heads, the weight balance is a near-perfect 52:48 for the four-cylinder and 55:45 for the nose-heavy V8).The suspension that was too firm around town is in fact just right once you hit the open road. It's nothing short of superb. Power delivery across the rev range is the other surprise. The power is there and ready, whenever you need it.Ford does not publish 0 to 100km/h times, but the four-cylinder is said to be only slightly slower than the V8. It certainly feels quick enough for most tastes. (We'll know for sure when we test it in Australia next year.) With less weight to bring to a stop (compared to the V8) the brakes have a sharp, responsive and reassuring feel. The Pirelli tyres on the "Performance Pack" model tested stuck to the curves like chewing gum to a thong on a hot summer's day. Before I know it, I'm grinning like a kid with a new toy. And I've forgotten what engine is under the bonnet. In fact, once you're on the move there almost no way for anyone else to pick the difference between the four-cylinder and the V8 versions of the Mustang. They both get dual exhaust pipes and the same good looks. For the anoraks among us, though, the V8 grille has a pair of vertical 'blades' and a GT badge on the rear, while the four-cylinder gets the Mustang 'pony' badge on its rump. Both models get the super-cool three-step indicators in the tail-lights, that light up from the inside out, one vertical bar at a time. Another piece of trivia: this car may be Ford's most recognised model globally, but it doesn't have a Ford badge on it anywhere. There's a tiny Ford logo stamped in the shaded area of the windscreen. With a car this good, Ford deserves to put a badge on it. Regardless of what engine is under the bonnet.

During a secret preview of the new model in Detroit two months ago, Carsguide got to sample the biggest baddest Mustang ever created, the current flagship, the Shelby GT 500.

Twice Ford has sold the Mustang in Australia and both times it’s main role has been to support the Falcon. The first time it was officially sold here was in 1965 and 1966 when 209 Mustang coupes were imported and converted to right-hand drive by Ford. They were brought in to give visual credibility to Ford’s claim that the XR Falcon was ‘Mustang-bred’.The next time Ford Australia turned to the Mustang was in 2001 when it released the Mustang Cobra. Ford was going through a tough time in the market, the AU Falcon was being panned left right and centre and the Mustang injected some excitement into the brand when it was desperately needed.Ford’s plan was to sell 250 Mustangs per year, but it never reached those heady heights and it officially left Ford showrooms in 2003, although there were cars still on sale at dealers a couple of years after that.MODEL WATCH There’s no doubt that the Mustang was one of motoring’s all-time icons. It’s introduction in America in 1964 caused a sensation and sales soared to a level unimaginable even by the most optimistic of Ford’s marketing people. It was literally an overnight success. Subsequent models built on the initial success, but its glory began to fad in the 1970s when the focus swung towards fuel-efficiency, environmental friendliness and safety.A disastrous experiment with a four-cylinder model almost brought about the end of the Mustang in the mid-1970s, but there were enough die-hard Mustang fans within Ford to ensure it was kept alive through some very lean years. By the end of the 1990s the Mustang had a V8 again and was enjoying a renewed popularity and its future was assured with the 1999 model.Ford decided to spice up its local offering by bringing the Mustang here in 2001. The car that arrived here wasn’t just any Mustang, it was the Mustang Cobra, which was the top model in the US market and sold through SVT dealers. SVT was Ford America’s version of FPV here.Before it was sold here it was stripped bare by Tickford, the predecessor of FPV, and very competently converted to right-hand drive It was no cheap makeover. More than 150 major new components were made along with 200 minor parts and 250 documented processes. All up Ford invested $4 million in the project.The power was delivered through a sweet revving 4.6-litre all-alloy quad-cam V8 that pushed 240 kW and 430 Nm through the drive train. It was a silky smooth engine that emitted a low growl as a reminder of the potential that lay under the bonnet. The transmission was a Tremec five-speed manual that fed into a limited-slip diff on the way to the rear wheels. Underneath the Mustang boasted modified MacPherson Struts at the front and double wishbone independent suspension at the rear, the brakes were discs front and back with ABS, the steering was power-assisted.Ford offered the Mustang in coupe and convertible forms, and being a premium model, it had all the bells and whistles. Standard were leather trim, air-conditioning, power mirrors and windows, six-disc CD player, remote central locking, power driver’s seat, tilt steering wheel and cruise. The convertible had a power roof with a glass rear window.On the road it wasn’t the most sophisticated car; it’s handling was predictable without being particularly sharp and its ride was a little choppy, but its engine was a treat.IN THE SHOP The changes made to the Mustang by FPV improved it for Australian conditions. The engine is a delight. It revs freely and makes a great noise, which is probably the best thing about this Mustang. Inside it’s a little cramped given that it’s a big car and the quality of the interior trim and fittings isn’t great. Overall build quality is typically American, which means it isn’t as good as the Japanese or Europeans, but it seems to hang together quite well and few problems are being reported.Look for a service record and make sure the engine oil has been changed regularly.IN A CRASH Dual frontal airbags came standard in the Mustang, which provided pretty good crash protection. Standard ABS brakes and traction control, with reasonable chassis dynamics add up to a good level of primary safety.OWNER’S VIEW Peter Tollitt bought his Mustang Coupe in 2001 and says every day since has been an adventure. It is the longest he’s ever owned a car and even with 100,000 km approaching he says there is no car that excites him enough to make a change. He’s improved its looks by lowering it and fitting big billet wheels. He says there is nothing that comes close to the excitement of jumping in the Cobra everyday with Deep Purple pumping out at one end and the sweetest factory delivered exhaust note pumping out the other. He rates the handling improvements by FPV highly and says the performance is also great. He says it has been virtually trouble free and relatively inexpensive, particularly compared to his three previous HSVs. A broken clutch, a twisted driver’s side seat belt and a few minor throttle niggles in peak hour are his only complaints, but he says they pale in insignificance when compared to the upsides of the car.LOOK FOR • Head turning looks• Great exhaust note• Good performance• Average build quality• Cramped interior for sizeTHE BOTTOM LINE Great engine, average chassis and build quality, but it’s a MustangRATING 65/100

It’s hard to imagine a car that has made a more spectacular debut than the Mustang did in April 1964. Stories abound of Americans queuing at dealerships just to get a look at the snappy new car; there’s even a story of a truck driver driving through a showroom window so distracted was he by the ’stang. Another goes that one buyer slept overnight in his car, right there in the showroom, while his bank cleared his cheque.Demand was such that sales outstripped production by 6000 vehicles by the end of the first day of sales. Its success was assured.Can you think of any car that has caused such a commotion on launch? I can’t, but I can tell you that 40 years on the Mustang turns heads today just as much as it did back in 1964.Now doubt about it the Mustang today is the most popular classic car, bar none. It’s also one of the most practical classics, comfortable and reliable with a simple mechanical package and a ready supply of parts.In the early 1960s Ford needed a sporty car to combat new models from rival carmakers, and the quickest way to do it they decided was to tweak the Falcon underbody a little, throw in some Fairlane engines and transmissions, and top it off with a sexy new two-plus-two body.Production started in March 1964, the launch was at the New York World’s Fair in April; the rest is history.MODEL WATCHThe first Mustangs are referred to as ’64 ½ models because they were introduced in April 1964, halfway through the 1964 model year.American model years traditionally begin in the August of the preceding year, so the 1964 model year began in August 1963.Those ’64 1/2 Mustangs came in coupe and convertible variants only, the fastback wasn’t introduced until the ’65 model was unveiled a few months later in August 1964.Initially engine choices were a 170 cubic inch six-cylinder engine, an ‘economy’ 260 cubic inch Windsor V8 which came with a two-barrel carburettor, and two 289 cubic inch Windsor V8s, a low compression with four barrel carburettor and hydraulic valve lifters, and a high compression ‘ho-po’ with four barrel carburettor and mechanical lifters.In 1965 the six was enlarged to 200 cubic inches, and the 260 cubic inch V8 was replaced by a two-barrel 289.Transmission choices for the six consisted of three-speed and four-speed manuals, there was a three-speed manual for the 260 cu. in. V8, and four-speeds for the 289s. All except the ‘hi-po’ 289 could be ordered with Ford’s Cruise-O-Matic three-speed auto.The suspension was basic, consisting of upper and lower control arms, coils and an anti-roll bar at the front, and semi-elliptic leaf springs at the rear.Manual steering was standard, but power steering was an option.Brakes were drums all round, but power assistance and front discs were available as options.Like all American cars of the time there was a long list of options available – trim, wheels, tyres, brakes, power steering to name just a few – and it needs careful study to fully understand.Subtle changes were made to the Mustang at each model change. They were mostly confined to the grille, badges and rear quarter panel ‘air scoop’ trim.BREAKING THE CODESMustang enthusiasts talk in codes, which refer to the engine fitted to a car. It’s a letter, the fifth digit of the car’s VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) that is stamped on the inner guard on the left side of the engine bay, and on the warranty plate, which is on the rear face of the left hand door.The codes are: U – 170 cu. in six (1964); F – 260 cu. in. V8 (1964); D – 289 cu. in. four-barrel carb. V8 (1964): K – 289 cu. in. hi-po V8 (all years); A – 289 cu. in. four barrel carb. V8 (1965/66); C – 289 cu. in. two barrel carb. V8 (1965/66); T – 200 cu. in. six (1965/66).It’s important to understand them, and check them, because they effectively determine a car’s value.IN THE SHOPThe first thing to understand about the Mustang is that it’s a 40-year-old car and like all old cars it will probably have plenty of problems.We all like to dream of finding a pristine one owner low mileage car, but the reality is that most of them have been driven into the ground by owners who never thought of them as classics.Hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst. That way you won’t be disappointed with what you find, and you might even be delighted when you don’t find as many problems as you expected.The early Mustang entered the classic car world quite a long time ago, so most of the good cars have been snapped up. There are some good, low mileage cars left in the US, but they’re now bringing top dollar as owners come to realise their worth.Most of the cars that are left are the ones that have had a hard life, possibly a crash or two, been fixed by back yard mechanics, and have generally been neglected. Expect to find plenty of rust, bad smash repairs, shot mechanics and stuffed trim.The good news is that parts are readily available at quite reasonable prices, so anything and everything can be fixed. No car is beyond salvation, it all comes down to the depth of your pockets.When checking for rust lift the carpets and check the floors, there’s every chance the floors will be rusted through. The rear floors are particularly prone to rusting, so check there, and check the right front floor, under the heater on a LHD car, as most heaters leak and rust eventually sets in.Check the sills carefully for rust, inside and out. It’s a relatively simple fix on coupes and fastbacks, but it’s not so easily repaired on convertibles because the sills provide much more of the body structure on a soft top than they do on the hard tops.Check the boot floor as these rust as well, and check the usual locations in the bottoms of the doors, bottoms of the front guards, and the rear quarters.Rust, even extensive rust, doesn’t mean the car can’t be repaired, but the more rust the greater the cost of the repairs.Mechanically the Mustang is pretty robust, the problem is simply one of age and miles done. The Windsor V8 is a sweet little engine and is pretty tough, but expect it to have worn bores, rings, and bearings. If it hasn’t been rebuilt, then plan on doing it.If you do rebuild the engine do all in your power to keep the original engine and resist the easy way out of replacing it. A ‘numbers matching’ car will always be worth more than a car of mixed heritage.Same with the transmissions. Both the auto and the manual ’boxes are robust, but will most likely need to be rebuilt.There’s nothing sophisticated about the brakes, steering or suspension. All do the job quite well, but will almost certainly need to be rebuilt if they haven’t already been done.Inside, expect the trim to be split and torn, the plastics broken or missing, but the good news is that they’re all readily available from suppliers here or in the US. Trim kits are available in original materials, patterns and colours to recover seats, all interior hardware can be sourced, right down to the smallest part.Electrics are a problem with the Mustang. They’re not as unreliable as the infamous Lucas electrics, but don’t expect instruments and other electrical equipment to work properly.Conversion techniques have improved out of sight over the past 20 years or so, and there are lots of dodgy older conversions out there that don’t steer or stop the way they should. Carefully check the conversion, look for poor welding, cut and welded steering arms, large turning circles that indicate potential problems.Cars that were converted back in the 1970s and ’80s should be taken to an expert for a thorough check of the conversion to make sure they’re safe.LOOK FOR• extensive rust and bad crash repairs• worn out engines, gearboxes, suspension, steering and brakes• split or torn trim• dangerous right-hand drive conversions• six cylinder models now fitted with V8 engines• ready supply of affordable genuine or reproduction parts• check the code

There are only two things you need to know about Ford's new muscle-car star. It has a Mustang badge on the bonnet and a thumping V8 to back it up. It's not the best car in the world and it costs at least $85,000, but nothing much matters beyond the bold, brutal basics.The Mustang is like a Harley-Davidson motorcycle - both are made in America to time-honoured recipes - and they do their job. People who want a Mustang or a Harley don't really want anything else. They know there is nothing to match the potato-potato-potato rumble of Harley's big-twin powerplant, and nothing to match the muscle-car magic of a Mustang. Other cars may be faster, cheaper and much better finished, but they're just not a Mustang.Allan Moffat, Bob Jane, Norm Beechey and Ian Geoghegan proved this during the touring-car wars of the 1970s. So did actor Steve McQueen when he jumped a 'Stang through San Francisco during the great car chase in the 1968 cult movie Bullitt. John Bowe is adding the newest Aussie chapter to the Mustang legend Down Under, scoring the car's first GT Production victory last month in a Bud-backed return to racing.No one - least of all the people who have turned the latest Ford coupe into a sellout success - really expects a Mustang to match the boogie blast of a Subaru WRX or the final finishing of a Mercedes, despite its 4.6-litre quad-cam V8 and that meaty bottom line. They're looking for old-time muscle-car magic, a 21st-century time machine, and a fast Ford to give the brand back some of the bragging rights that have been lost to poor planning and political correctness in the 1990s.The story of the 2001 Mustang isn't as simple as it looks. It has taken nearly five years to get it on the road in Australia, and too many excuses have been made and too much time has been wasted along the way. But at least the process will also put Ford's mighty F-Series trucks back in action here later this year. The local model is the V8 Mustang Cobra with all the fruit, but it still takes a detour through Tickford at Broadmeadows - home of the XR and FTE Falcons -- to get it ready for right-hand drive and local conditions. Tickford does a masterly job on the wheel switch, though it still can't compensate for poor cabin quality, which is closer to a $15,000 Hyundai Accent than a $90,000 Benz or BMW.Still, the Mustang is loaded with air-con, a six-stack CD sound system, central locking, electric windows and mirrors, tilting steering wheel, twin airbags and leather trim. It also has anti-skid brakes, alloy wheels and some of the most comfortable sports buckets, with electric assists on the driver's side, on the road today.Leaving the best until last, the new-age Mustang has a cracking quad-cam V8 that must be fitted to the next Falcon. It's a lightweight design and has "only'' 4.6 litres of breathing space, but still punches out 240kW of power and 430Nm of torque. To put that into perspective, the Falcon XR8 has 220/435 with Tickford tuning; Holden's SS Commodore 225/460 and the flagship HSV GTS 300/510. But all of those V8s are much bigger, the Holden grunters by more than a litre.DRIVINGThe Mustang is surprisingly good to drive.Why a surprise? Because plenty of other hi-tech road rockets fail to deliver the same sort of raw, involving feedback or straightforward rumbling enjoyment as the old-fashioned 'Stang. You'd expect it to do the business, if only from the number of smiles, waves and "goodonyamate'' calls when you drive the car.The Mustang definitely delivers, but its "baby'' 4.6 needs encouragement to give its best and dip below seven seconds for the 0-100kmh sprint. It takes at least 4000 revs to really get it moving, but the howl approaching the redline at 6900 means it's a trip worth taking.The engine always dominates the Mustang experience, from the first muted burble to that runaway roar, like all the best muscle cars. It allows the 'Stang to cut through traffic, or run and gun on twisting sprints, but wasn't too punishing at the pumps and would be close to 10 litres/100km on a long freeway run.The feisty Ford has "only'' five gears, whereas lots of sporties now have six, but the change is relatively light and direct. The clutch takes muscle, but the steering compensates with good feel and plenty of power assistance and the anti-skid brakes are powerful without needing more than a solid shove.The cornering grip is terrific; response to the wheel is eager and the 235x45 tyres have plenty of grip. You know the Mustang is heavy and the long nose can make it hard to sight the apex, but it's easy to balance the steering and throttle in an old-fashioned way.Modern all-wheel-drive turbo rockets are quick, but you don't get the same involvement in the action. The Mustang needs a driver who is prepared to work with the tools, not rely on the tech torque to get the job done.The other surprise is the feel. I expected at least a degree of shake and rumble, and it is there in the Mustang convertible, but the coupe was as tight as a Falcon and the test car had no squeaks or rattles. Even so, the cabin is a big let-down and the boot a disaster.Inside, the Mustang's chintzy stick-on Cobra badge, plastic quality and parts fit would disgrace a $15,000 Hyundai. The seat trim is cheap and thin, pieces of metal are exposed, the steering column sometimes fouls your legs and the carpet is thin and nasty. The boot is tiny and tough to load, though the cramped rear seats fold down to increase the space.The horn is pedestrian, the headlights are OK, the car is tough to park, requiring a huge turning circle, and I'd much prefer an old-fashioned three-spoke Mustang wheel in place of the four-spoke Ford parts-bin model. But does any of that really matter? A Mustang is a Mustang and that's all that matters.Ultimately, it's a bloke's car and they love it. It's not the sharpest tool in the box, but there are times when a blunt instrument is best for the job.RATING: 4/5THE BOTTOM LINE: It's a Mustang, and that's enough.FORD MUSTANG COBRAPrice: $85,000 as tested (manual coupe)Engine: 4.6-litre V8 with twin-overhead camshafts and fuel injectionPower: 240kW at 6000 revsTorque: 430Nm at 4750revsTransmission: Five-speed manual, rear-wheel driveBody: Two-door coupeDimensions: Length 4653mm, width 1857mm, height 1354mm, wheelbase 2573mm, tracks 1525/1515mm front/rearWeight: 1557kgFuel tank: 60 litresFuel consumption: Average on test 12.8 litres/100kmSteering: Power-assisted rack-and-pinionSuspension: Fully independent with front MacPherson struts and rear multi-linksBrakes: Anti-skid four-wheel ventilated discsWheels: 8x17 alloyTyres: 235x45 ZR17Warranty: 3 years/100,000kmRIVALSMitsubishi Lancer Evo VI from $79,900HSV GTS from $91,250Ford TS50 from $75,000Audi TT Quattro from $82,950