Ford Mustang GT Review
Car Tested: 2017 Ford Mustang GT; Road Test No. 782; Test Location: Goa – Bangalore
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 89.44 lakhs
The Pony car is finally here in India that offers oodles of performance and is practical enough as your daily driver
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.
Motor Quest: The Ford Mustang is currently in its sixth generation avatar that will get a facelift later in 2017. The first generation was launched in 1964 and since then it has been the favourite and one of the highest selling sports cars in the world.
The Ford Mustang has got a racy silhouette to it from the rear
Exteriors – 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 iconic three-slat tail lights makes the Pony look classy
The Ford Mustang is a pure eye candy that grabs tremendous attention
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 dashboard has got some retro design elements from the 60s
Interiors – 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 rear seats of the Mustang are not practical for adults
The interiors of the Mustang are comfortable to be in having a ton of convenient features
The driving position is not that raked which means it’s comfortable for long journeys as well as city driving. The ingress and egress is relatively easy and you don’t need to crouch down hard to get into the car. The front seats are very supportive and snug and the cushioning is suitable for long drives. The rear seats are strictly meant for kids since the legroom and headroom is tight for adults. It’s only usable for short stints in the city. Some of the key features include Pony projection puddle lamps, rain sensing wipers, dual zone climate control, power adjustable front seats, ambient lighting, etc.
The naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V8 engine is a gem to drive
Performance – 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.
Straight line performance of the Mustang is just ballistic
The unadulterated feel of the naturally aspirated V8 engine just tugs your heartstrings while you throttle it hard
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.
The versatile nature of the engine makes the Mustang an easy car to drive
The Ford Mustang also comes with some fancy tricks up its sleeve. There is a ‘Line Lock’ function to help launch the car without much hassle. You can toggle the settings in the MID and once you select Line Lock, press the brake hard until it gets activated, throttle it hard simultaneously and it locks the front tyres so that you can do a burnout which gives it better traction for launch. Leave the brake while pinning the throttle and it launches smoothly with a heavy dose of power and torque built up. 0-100 km/hr comes up in just 4.5 seconds if you launch it in the right way.
Our Goa to Bangalore drive required 4 full tanks of petrol
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.
The Mustang sticks to the road like a leech at high speeds
Driving Dynamics – You might expect a high-performance car like the Ford Mustang to have a hardcore track focused suspension setup but no. The Mustang is quite a versatile performance car when it comes to driving dynamics. It handles both the rough and smooth very well. The suspension is definitely stiff but it’s not back breaking and instead absorbs rough roads and undulations very well. Yes, big potholes and bumps will unsettle the car. The ride is flat and high speed stability is amazing, it hugs the road and moves like a brick. During our drive from Goa to Bangalore there were a lot of nasty bumps and speed breakers, we took them with an angle and the Mustang didn’t touch its underbelly anywhere. This is one of the most important aspects to consider while buying a performance car in India and the Mustang scores high in this department adding to the practicality.
The Pony car is quite agile on corners and handles like a dream
The ride and handling balance of the Mustang is sweet and manageable too on Indian roads
The steering comes with three modes – Comfort, Normal and Sport. In comfort mode, the steering feels light and easy to manoeuvre in city driving conditions and while parking. The Normal mode can be used in mixed driving conditions making the steering more weighty while the Sport mode makes tight and confidence inspiring while you are throwing the Pony around the bends. The handling is quite sharp and agile, the Mustang darts its nose into the corners keenly. The feedback from the wheel could have been better but it still is super fun around the twisties like we experienced on the ghats of Goa-Bangalore route. Braking performance is strong and it sheds speed very quick from triple digit speeds.
This badge on the dashboard gives you the essence of the original American muscle car
Safety and After Sales Service – Ford has provided quite a lot of safety tech with the Mustang including dual front airbags, side & curtain airbags, driver knee airbag, ESP, Traction Control, Hill Launch Assist and more. However, in the recent Euro NCAP crash test, the Mustang scored just 2 stars because of the lack of safety features for the rear seats. Though it scored 5 stars at crash test facilities in other countries. Ford has a wide network across the country but for the Mustang there are exclusive service centres in cities where the Pony is available. Parts won’t come cheap as it is a CBU model and components are imported to India.
Our 550 km long drive in the Pony made us realise how practical it is
Verdict – Our Goa to Bangalore drive in the Ford Mustang has made us realise and explore a new dimension of performance car driving on Indian highways. Yes, most of the sports cars available in India are not capable of doing such long distances on roads like ours. But surprisingly the Ford Mustang is a multi-faceted car that can be enjoyed on a race track, used on a daily basis and is practical enough for long drives in India. Yes, compared to the international market the price tag seems to be on the higher side but in Indian context, it is a sports car that offers good bang for your buck with that heavenly V8 engine and the feel good factor of owning the Pony car.
That aggression on the face catches a lot of attention on the road
What’s Cool
* Immense attention grabber, this muscle car just looks outstanding
* Comfortable cabin for the front passengers
* Power packed V8 engine that sounds thrilling too
* Versatile driving dynamics suitable for the track, city driving as well as highway driving
* The Line Lock system is a unique and interesting feature that helps you do burnouts easily
* The feel of the driving an American muscle car in India is satisfying
What’s Not So Cool
* Exhaust note is a bit muffled for a V8
* Rear passenger seats are cramped and not usable for adults
Alternatives: Audi TT, BMW Z4, Mercedes SLC
Taking the Mustang through the thick n thin of Indian roads was quite thrilling
2017 Ford Mustang Specifications
* Engine: 4951cc, Ti-VCT, V8
* Power: 401 PS @ 6000 RPM
* Torque: 515 Nm @ 4250 RPM
* Transmission: 6-speed AT
* Fuel Consumption: 8 km/l
* Fuel Type: Petrol
* Suspension: McPherson Struts (Front), Integral Link Independent (Rear)
* Tyres: 275/40/19
* Brakes: Discs (Front), Discs (Rear), ABS
* Safety: 7 airbags, ABS, EBD, ESP, Traction Control
2017 Ford Mustang Dimensions
* Overall length x width x height: 4784 mm X 2080 mm X 1391 mm
* Wheelbase: 2720 mm
* Ground clearance: 137 mm
* Fuel Tank Capacity: 60.9-litres
It was a fun yet thrilling experience taking the Mustang on a long road trip