Is the facelifted Ford Mustang worth the wait?
IS THIS one of the fastest facelifts ever?
Barely a year after finally going on sale in Australia, and a little over three years after its international debut in six key cities around the world, including Sydney, Ford has revealed the heavily revised version of its sixth-generation Mustang pony car.
Now, if you are one of the eager punters awaiting delivery of your MY17 coupe or convertible, don’t fret. Production hasn’t even commenced yet, and the new-look and re-engineered sportscars won’t land on our shores until sometime in the first half of next year.
However, if you are going to have to wait up to six months or even longer for your GT V8, is it perhaps wiser to hang in there for the full 12 months or so for what is shaping up to be a palpably better machine?
Let’s take a look at what’s happened to the model Ford itself has dubbed “the most advanced Mustang ever”.
For starters, the entire nose cone now somehow has a sadder face, due to it being positioned lower than before. Sadder? Maybe we mean angrier too, joined by a reshaped pair of all-LED headlights that have also dropped in sympathy, along with a more beaked bonnet, sleeker grille, and restyled bumpers. The latter feature different shapes for the foglight housings and air intakes.
If you happen to be following the MY18 Mustang, you might notice the wider LED tail-light motif, fresh diffuser, and matte black valance. V8 versions will score a new quad exhausts. Ford also went to the trouble of redesigning the spoiler and exterior mirrors.
Nothing too earth shattering there, then. Frankly, most onlookers will almost immediately pick new from old by the Orange Fury paint job that is the hero hue. There are also an array of revised alloy wheel styles to choose from.
In some markets, there’s bigger news under the bonnet, thanks to the deletion of the 3.7-litre V6, but as this engine never made it to Australia, that’s really just a moot point.
Of more interest are the updates set for the 233kW/432Nm 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbo unit, principally to increase torque output, while the 303kW/525NM 5.0-litre V8 that more than three quarters of Australian Mustang buyers have so far chosen has been “thoroughly reworked”, according to Ford. What the final outputs are have yet to be revealed.
With increased power and the ability to rev more highly, the V8 in particular ought to be quicker and more exciting. It sees what the company describes as a new dual-fuel, high-pressure direct injection and low-pressure port fuel injection system, that also happens to benefit economy as well as lower-end torque response.
In both engine variants, there have been substantial changes to the transmissions.
The six-speed manual V8 adopts a twin-disc clutch and dual-mass flywheel to improve pedal modulation and torque capability, while the six-speed auto has been junked for an all-new 10-speed unit (co-developed with General Motors), complete with different driving modes according to the mood of the person behind the wheel. Invariably, Ford claims the new self-shifter improves everything – power and torque delivery to the rear wheels, acceleration, shift times, frictional losses and efficiency.
To handle all that extra oomph, the MY18 Mustang’s suspension has undergone quite a bit of modification, with all versions adopting different shock absorbers, a revised cross-axis joint in the rear suspension and updated anti-roll bars. All are in the name of greater stiffness and rigidity for better handling. And, to improve comfort, the company’s magnetic damper system will be made available on some versions. Buyers will also be able to tick an enhanced exhaust noise box, allowing the note and volume to be adjusted for the amusement (or bewilderment) of occupants.
Following Audi and Volkswagen’s lead, the Mustang will also offer all-LED digital instrumentation, as per the Ford GT supercar. It will include a 12-inch screen with the ability for customisation of the dials and other vehicle function items.
The quality and presentation of the cabin takes a much-needed step forward, with padded knee bolsters added, hand-stitching for the dash top and console, increased use of aluminium trimmings in areas such as the door handles, revamped upholstery patterns and hues, and Ford’s latest multimedia infotainment system. Drivers will also be able to save their favourite settings for items like the steering and suspension, and there’s even the availability of a steering wheel heater.
Arguably the biggest advance in the MY18 Mustang, however, is the standardisation of active safety technology such as AEB Autonomous Emergency Braking, distance alert, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist. With the introduction of these, the facelifted version’s dismal two-star ANCAP crash-test rating should rise to at least four stars, though of course nothing has been tested as yet.
As before, both two-door coupe and convertible versions will be offered, with no changes at all to the latter’s electrically folding roof operation. Later on a petrol-electric hybrid for the four-pot turbo may arrive, but for the time being, this is the extent of the changes to Australia’s favourite sports car.
More aggressive styling, improved performance, lower consumption, better handling, a smoother ride, a higher-quality cabin, greater safety… all are very worthwhile improvements.
Daniel Gardner GoAuto.com.au
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