Hi there
If you don't know this then where have you being, but May 2014 I put a £1000 deposit down for the new Mustang, today I finally took delivery of the car. The spec is:
2015/16 Mustang GT PP
5.0l V8 415-425BHP / 390lb/ft
6 speed manual
3.55 ration with LSD
Brembo 6-pot front brakes with 380mm disc
Performance Pack, larger anti-roll bars, firmer springs, oil/rad coolers etc.
Premium interior pack, so RGB ambient lighting, dials, extra leather etc.
Custom pack, parking sensors, reverse camera, Shaker audio system, satnav etc.
Heated/AC sports seats with electric/manual adjustment
Auto wipers, lights, climate control, keyless entry and all that usual stuff.
Price paid: £35,385 with 15 delivery miles on the clock, pictures from picking up the car:
I did a close inspection, could not find any imperfections apart from some marks on the rear decklid, which did not bother me as I am replacing it anyway with a running pony version, same as pony badge on front of car as I dislike the fake filler cap on the rear.
I instructed my dealership not to fit plates as I did not want their large holders or my bumper drilling for the plates, which they agreed too. I also told them not to wash it but they said the car arrived to them looking filthy, I guess that is the issue with travelling on trains, boats and transporters for a few weeks. They agreed to get a valet guy in to do it professionally who would only use clean cloths etc, so I gave the go ahead just hoping I would not be confronted by a new car full of swirls as so many of them seem to have.
The valet guy however did find an issue with the car, I did not spot it until they pointed it out, unfortunately my drivers side window has a scratch in it, fortunately they have already ordered new glass and will fit it when the part arrives. They have also agreed to fit my Mustang side lower black decals as well once the recall part comes in for the wiring loom.
Upon close inspection I am amazed with the paint, so much so I no longer need to get the car detailed or paint corrected, some close up photos:
The magnetic paint is absolutely stunning, in dull light situations it looks just like a dark/deep grey and looks really nice. But under artificial lighting or sunlight the paint absolutely explodes with all the metallic flick in it and it is completely swirl and orange peel free, the paint work is absolutely stunning, one of the best I have ever seen on a car, it really is something else.
So what is it like to drive, well fire it up and the V8 makes itself very present indeed, it is kind of quiet on the outside, just a faint rumble unless you rev it to around 3000rpm. But in the car the engine sound is truly iconic and very true american muscle. So the noise is good, very good, it just needs to be louder, but I already have the exhaust to go on.
Driving at first it is like, oh my this is big, but then you starting turning the wheel and well it kind of shrinks around you and some of the big feeling is lost and when you do turn the wheel the car is very direct and response and the front-end on the car seems pretty damn good to be honest, but early days yet. Steering feel its not a 911 or the M3, but it is not lifeless by any means, I can certainly feel the road through it and in the sport setting the weighting is spot on.
Engine response is a little poor at first, all seems a bit laggy, I then selected sport mode, much improved, I then selected track/race and even better, throttle response is good and the power delivery is very smooth and impressive and it feels like the engine could rev forever, really is a very happy revvy V8 for sure.
I found a large roundabout just as things were getting cold and greasy and well tried normal, sport and race. The traction control system seems very intelligent, something I loved about the 911 was you could have that safety net but you had to get badly out of shape before it saved your ass and the Mustang in sport and race seems to let you have huge amounts of fun before it calms things down. In normal it steps in before a slide has developed at lower speeds. I have not tried wet/snow mode but it is supposed to work well, I might be finding out tomorrow as it is now snowing here.
Performance wise to early to tell the most I have done is rev it to around 6000rpm and then let the engine slow down by itself simply to ensure the valves are nicely seated. The clutch is very light but not so easy in 1st or 2nd, it is quite jerky, I am perfecting it but it seems a weak area of the car, I might if I cannot get it how I like it remove the clutch release spring to get a more linear pedal feel but lets see I've only put around 50-60 miles on the car yet. Engine torque in totally incredible, 5th gear 1000rpm and the car picks up and pulls and sounds lovely whilst doing so, trust me this car would drive around on a track or a country road in 4th gear no issues the engine response and pull is brilliant across the entire rev range. The gear change itself is gorgeous, it is actually a nicer gearbox than the 911, no joke the gear change is stunning, feels like a h-gate car and it just rifle bolts into place, seriously awesome work Ford on the engine and gear box, now just get better with clutches. The gearbox makes changing gear a joy, the clutch is a bit annoying in first couple of gears but hopeful I can remedy it by removing clutch assist spring, we shall see, will give it 1k miles just in case it is simply newness of the car.
Attention, even in the dark, people try to catch up to pull along side, or braking to slow down and see it. I took some photos in the petrol station and people were coming over commenting on what a stunning car it was, some new it was a Mustang and others had no idea, but attention it is getting for sure even in the dark.
Comfort and toys, I am blown away, the seats are incredible support yet so comfy like a sofa, they are heated and cooled, but make the car a lovely place to be. Ride quality also to be frank is superb, it blows the M3 and 911 away for lower speed dampening, it glides over bumps, there is no harshness or noise or clunks, just great ride quality, but at higher speeds it does have that floaty/bounce feeling reviewers have mentioned, like the dampers are struggling to keep the car settled and the floating feeling I suspect is because the car sits quite high of the ground. Its nothing so major to be honest but it does cause the car to feel less dynamic and sporty and more touring/bouncy. I think the FRPP handling kit I have which lowers car 1-1.5" and uses firmer/uprated dampers along with lighter springs and larger anti-roll bars and more solid bushes will sort this issue out.
So its a wonderful place to be, the fact you can customise the dash, ambient lighting as the car has RGB LED's pretty much throughout is a cool touch, the interior is actually very nice, for sure nicer than my E46 M3 when it had an interior but it is not upto latest BMW 5 series and Audi quality but not far off, on the whole its very good, couple of cheap bits here and there like plastic around window/mirror controls. The stereo was a bit so so, but for whatever reason in default mode it is almost like the rear speakers are off, you cannot hear them, after playing with faders, bass, mid and treble I've got it sounding nice, better than the Bose in my 911 and it has a lot more depth and bass ability. Of course compared to latest 911, Aston, BMW, Jaguar systems it is not as good, but it is still damn good if that makes sense. The Sync 2 system is superb, my phone paired with it with no issue, the satnav is great, the features are great.
Once I have owned the car for longer I shall go into more detail and of course it won't be staying standard for long, those who have being following my post in the Mustang thread will know I have a garage full of parts. I was going to fit the gear knob tonight, but I cannot get the old one off, someone in the Ford factory must have got excited with the loctite.
Tomorrow looks like I shall be testing out snow mode:
I simply love driving it, even at 10mph it has a character and charm I am afraid other cars have not given me, it might not be as cutting edge as a BMW M4 or a Mercedes C63 AMG. But starting this up makes me smile way more than the European similar performance rivalling cars could its full of character and it drives damn good out the box more so than I was expecting, one more thing which surprised me the car has a lot more grip than my M3 has got in colder/damp conditions. I think the chassis has great potential just need to unlock it, but I am very happy, cannot wait for tomorrows drive to work even if the roads are snow covered.
Any questions just ask.
If you don't know this then where have you being, but May 2014 I put a £1000 deposit down for the new Mustang, today I finally took delivery of the car. The spec is:
2015/16 Mustang GT PP
5.0l V8 415-425BHP / 390lb/ft
6 speed manual
3.55 ration with LSD
Brembo 6-pot front brakes with 380mm disc
Performance Pack, larger anti-roll bars, firmer springs, oil/rad coolers etc.
Premium interior pack, so RGB ambient lighting, dials, extra leather etc.
Custom pack, parking sensors, reverse camera, Shaker audio system, satnav etc.
Heated/AC sports seats with electric/manual adjustment
Auto wipers, lights, climate control, keyless entry and all that usual stuff.
Price paid: £35,385 with 15 delivery miles on the clock, pictures from picking up the car:
I did a close inspection, could not find any imperfections apart from some marks on the rear decklid, which did not bother me as I am replacing it anyway with a running pony version, same as pony badge on front of car as I dislike the fake filler cap on the rear.
I instructed my dealership not to fit plates as I did not want their large holders or my bumper drilling for the plates, which they agreed too. I also told them not to wash it but they said the car arrived to them looking filthy, I guess that is the issue with travelling on trains, boats and transporters for a few weeks. They agreed to get a valet guy in to do it professionally who would only use clean cloths etc, so I gave the go ahead just hoping I would not be confronted by a new car full of swirls as so many of them seem to have.
The valet guy however did find an issue with the car, I did not spot it until they pointed it out, unfortunately my drivers side window has a scratch in it, fortunately they have already ordered new glass and will fit it when the part arrives. They have also agreed to fit my Mustang side lower black decals as well once the recall part comes in for the wiring loom.
Upon close inspection I am amazed with the paint, so much so I no longer need to get the car detailed or paint corrected, some close up photos:
The magnetic paint is absolutely stunning, in dull light situations it looks just like a dark/deep grey and looks really nice. But under artificial lighting or sunlight the paint absolutely explodes with all the metallic flick in it and it is completely swirl and orange peel free, the paint work is absolutely stunning, one of the best I have ever seen on a car, it really is something else.
So what is it like to drive, well fire it up and the V8 makes itself very present indeed, it is kind of quiet on the outside, just a faint rumble unless you rev it to around 3000rpm. But in the car the engine sound is truly iconic and very true american muscle. So the noise is good, very good, it just needs to be louder, but I already have the exhaust to go on.
Driving at first it is like, oh my this is big, but then you starting turning the wheel and well it kind of shrinks around you and some of the big feeling is lost and when you do turn the wheel the car is very direct and response and the front-end on the car seems pretty damn good to be honest, but early days yet. Steering feel its not a 911 or the M3, but it is not lifeless by any means, I can certainly feel the road through it and in the sport setting the weighting is spot on.
Engine response is a little poor at first, all seems a bit laggy, I then selected sport mode, much improved, I then selected track/race and even better, throttle response is good and the power delivery is very smooth and impressive and it feels like the engine could rev forever, really is a very happy revvy V8 for sure.
I found a large roundabout just as things were getting cold and greasy and well tried normal, sport and race. The traction control system seems very intelligent, something I loved about the 911 was you could have that safety net but you had to get badly out of shape before it saved your ass and the Mustang in sport and race seems to let you have huge amounts of fun before it calms things down. In normal it steps in before a slide has developed at lower speeds. I have not tried wet/snow mode but it is supposed to work well, I might be finding out tomorrow as it is now snowing here.
Performance wise to early to tell the most I have done is rev it to around 6000rpm and then let the engine slow down by itself simply to ensure the valves are nicely seated. The clutch is very light but not so easy in 1st or 2nd, it is quite jerky, I am perfecting it but it seems a weak area of the car, I might if I cannot get it how I like it remove the clutch release spring to get a more linear pedal feel but lets see I've only put around 50-60 miles on the car yet. Engine torque in totally incredible, 5th gear 1000rpm and the car picks up and pulls and sounds lovely whilst doing so, trust me this car would drive around on a track or a country road in 4th gear no issues the engine response and pull is brilliant across the entire rev range. The gear change itself is gorgeous, it is actually a nicer gearbox than the 911, no joke the gear change is stunning, feels like a h-gate car and it just rifle bolts into place, seriously awesome work Ford on the engine and gear box, now just get better with clutches. The gearbox makes changing gear a joy, the clutch is a bit annoying in first couple of gears but hopeful I can remedy it by removing clutch assist spring, we shall see, will give it 1k miles just in case it is simply newness of the car.
Attention, even in the dark, people try to catch up to pull along side, or braking to slow down and see it. I took some photos in the petrol station and people were coming over commenting on what a stunning car it was, some new it was a Mustang and others had no idea, but attention it is getting for sure even in the dark.
Comfort and toys, I am blown away, the seats are incredible support yet so comfy like a sofa, they are heated and cooled, but make the car a lovely place to be. Ride quality also to be frank is superb, it blows the M3 and 911 away for lower speed dampening, it glides over bumps, there is no harshness or noise or clunks, just great ride quality, but at higher speeds it does have that floaty/bounce feeling reviewers have mentioned, like the dampers are struggling to keep the car settled and the floating feeling I suspect is because the car sits quite high of the ground. Its nothing so major to be honest but it does cause the car to feel less dynamic and sporty and more touring/bouncy. I think the FRPP handling kit I have which lowers car 1-1.5" and uses firmer/uprated dampers along with lighter springs and larger anti-roll bars and more solid bushes will sort this issue out.
So its a wonderful place to be, the fact you can customise the dash, ambient lighting as the car has RGB LED's pretty much throughout is a cool touch, the interior is actually very nice, for sure nicer than my E46 M3 when it had an interior
but it is not upto latest BMW 5 series and Audi quality but not far off, on the whole its very good, couple of cheap bits here and there like plastic around window/mirror controls. The stereo was a bit so so, but for whatever reason in default mode it is almost like the rear speakers are off, you cannot hear them, after playing with faders, bass, mid and treble I've got it sounding nice, better than the Bose in my 911 and it has a lot more depth and bass ability. Of course compared to latest 911, Aston, BMW, Jaguar systems it is not as good, but it is still damn good if that makes sense. The Sync 2 system is superb, my phone paired with it with no issue, the satnav is great, the features are great.Once I have owned the car for longer I shall go into more detail and of course it won't be staying standard for long, those who have being following my post in the Mustang thread will know I have a garage full of parts. I was going to fit the gear knob tonight, but I cannot get the old one off, someone in the Ford factory must have got excited with the loctite.
Tomorrow looks like I shall be testing out snow mode:
I simply love driving it, even at 10mph it has a character and charm I am afraid other cars have not given me, it might not be as cutting edge as a BMW M4 or a Mercedes C63 AMG. But starting this up makes me smile way more than the European similar performance rivalling cars could its full of character and it drives damn good out the box more so than I was expecting, one more thing which surprised me the car has a lot more grip than my M3 has got in colder/damp conditions. I think the chassis has great potential just need to unlock it, but I am very happy, cannot wait for tomorrows drive to work even if the roads are snow covered.
Any questions just ask.
Get it on the track 