- New Mustang ‘delivers enhanced engines’
- 10-speed autobox with five-litre power
- Sharper driving dynamics, advanced assistance
COLOGNE, Germany – Ford today revealed a new Ford Mustang for Europen claimed to have sleek new styling, engine and suspension upgrades, more driving assistance and more customisation options.
“The still instantly-recognisable, powerful, Mustang profile,” Ford says, “now delivers a sleeker, more athletic appearance, enhanced with diode lighting technology, and a choice of 11 bold exterior colours and new alloy wheel-rim options.”
The revised Mustang will be the fastest-yet to 100km/h with the five-litre engine developing about 340kW and delivering it through a new 10‑speed automatic transmission.
Given that not everybody enjoys the bellow of a performance exhaust, especially in the suburbs at night, Ford has included an “active valve” system called Good Neighbour mode.
‘MUSTANG PASSION’
Driving assistance technology includes crash and pedestrian recognition and lane-keeping and vital performance data will be delivered through a 30cm digital instrument cluster.
Ford SA was unable to say when, or which, Mustangs might arrive in South Africa.
Steven Armstrong, Ford group vice-president and president for Ford Europe, Middle East, and Africa, told Carman’s Corner in a media communication:
“Europe’s passion for the Mustang has proved greater than we imagined – almost 30 000 are on Europe’s roads. Few cars can deliver such a combination of heritage, style and performance to such a wide audience.
“The new Ford Mustang offers the most compelling package yet.”
The cars’ vented bonnet profile has been lowered and the grille design made “sharper, more assertive, and with better aerodynamics.
The rear bumper and diffuser element have been “remodelled” though still accommodate four exhausts from the V8 engine. A spoiler can be added to the boot lid.
READ MORE Mustang features on Carman’s Corner
Headlights, daytime running lights, indicators and the model’s three-dimensional, tri-bar, tail lights now have diode technology; diode foglights are an option among a wide range of such ancilliaries.
New 19″ forged alloy wheel rims can be ordered from a range listed as Nickel, Ebony Black and Polished Aluminium.
Soft materials now line the doors, whose releases are aluminium, and the centre console has a new hand-stitched soft wrapping with contrasting stitching.
Other options include leather trim for heatable/chillable front seats; the steering-wheel can come with a heating element. Right-hand drive customers can opt for a black-leather Recaro racing seat.
Ford’s five-litre V8 has been further developed to deliver more power and a higher rev limit. Anticipated peak power of 340kW comes from a new dual-fuel, high pressure, direct injection fuel system said to increase low-end torque.
The 2.3-litre turbocharged EcoBoost Mustang promises about 220kW with an overboost kicking in briefly under hard accelleration. It also spins a 10-speed autobox whose electronic control system has a choice of drive modes to handle a Sunday cruise to a drag strip.
Paddle-shifters are standard.
MANUAL SIX-SPEED, TOO
Matthias Tonn, the Mustang’s chief programme engineer with Ford Europe, told The Corner: “Typically, when you shift gear, you give up time. The Mustang’s new 10-speed enables the engine to deliver peak power and torque while up-shifting for faster acceleration and seamless performance.”
There is, however, the option of a manual six-speed gearbox for the five-litre turning a twin-disc clutch and dual-mass flywheel for longer durability and quicker gear-changes. Launch control is standard.
If you are into motorsport either model can have “electronic line lock”- you can spin the rear wheels to warm the tyres while stationary.
Recalibrated shock-absorbers, Ford says, have improved cornering stability, the rear suspension has been stiffened with a cross-axis joint to reduce movement at each corner that can cause body flexing. Thicker anti-roll bars also standard.
‘FOLLOWING’ CRUISE-CONTROL
Two new drive modes are offered to match electronic stability control, throttle response, auto gear-shifts, steering and exhaust damping – the original Normal, Sport, Track and Snow/Wet modes continu.
For the first time “following” cruise control will be offered.
The Mustang will also have Ford’s Sync 3 communications and entertainment to connect smartphones, audio, navigation, and aircon through voice commands and its own 20cm touchscreen. The system will be compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Deliveries in Europe will start in 2018.
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