2015 Ford MUSTANG GT
August 18, 2015
By: Anthony Murdoch
I have to admit that I have never been a fan of 'muscle cars' so to speak, always finding them brash, crude, bulky and not very well endowed in the styling department. My mind has been changed! I have seen the light and I now understand the appeal of the tried and tested formula of a big honking V8 up front driving the rear wheels via a manual transmission, a formula that when well put together can only be described as intoxicating.
Now I admit that for the first two days with the Mustang GT, I was having a hard time liking the car. It felt big, bulky, had poor visibility out front and back and was just not what I imagined a sports car to be like. But on day three with the Mustang things changed, drastically. For 2015 Ford completely redid the Mustang, with a complete new chassis including a 'hooray and finally' independent rear suspension, and interior, as well as a revised 5.0 litre 'Coyote' V8, which now pumps 435 horsepower on 93 octane fuel with a metal twisting 400 lb-ft or torque on tap as well. These are muscle car numbers.
What clicked for me in changing my mind about this car was it's sheer brute force. It pulls in any gear, and you have to be careful not to overdue it at stoplights or be prepared to have your head snapped back or roast the rear tires. The new GT comes with four driving modes which I fiddled around bit. They all change the steering and throttle calibrations to suite the setting chosen, which are Normal, Sport+, Race, and Rain/Snow. Honestly, I left the car in Sport+ most of the time. It was a good compromise between Rain/Snow (which deadens the throttle completely) and Race which turns off all stability and traction control. Race mode is just too risky even on dry roads as with over 400 hp on tap, the rear tires break easily and when in Sport+, the traction and stability control keep things fun while the car stays in check.
The six-speed manual transmission was a gem to use and I had great delight in its positive action and short and precise throws. Clutch action was smooth and on the lighter side for such a powerful car. Smooth action is required to prevent bucking, but I got used to it pretty fast.
My test car was equipped with the GT Performance package, which includes a 3.73 limited slip differential, rear spoiler delete, and special 19 inch black alloy wheels with summer tires, strut tower brace, heavy duty suspension, Brembo 6-piston front brake calipers with bigger rotors, and a special gauge pack (oil pressure & vacuum). This package costs $3700. Get it, don't skip it. It is worth every penny! It is only available on the manually equipped cars and turns a good handling big car into a really good handling big car.
Other options on my car included upgraded Recaros racing seats, as well as adaptive cruise control and navigation. The as tested price for my ride as $55,000. This may sound like a lot but is less then what a lot of guys pay for not even fully loaded F-150's. I consider it a sort of bargain.
The interior of the new Mustang is really ahead and has gotten a lot better. I found that it was a nice place to spend time and quality was very good.
The handling of the new Mustang now has a more European feel to it, and I find is very well balanced. Steering feel was very good, and I found it to be very sporty. Overall, Ford has a good product with the 2015 Mustang. It is a hit both in styling and the driving department.
By: Anthony Murdoch
I have to admit that I have never been a fan of 'muscle cars' so to speak, always finding them brash, crude, bulky and not very well endowed in the styling department. My mind has been changed! I have seen the light and I now understand the appeal of the tried and tested formula of a big honking V8 up front driving the rear wheels via a manual transmission, a formula that when well put together can only be described as intoxicating.
Now I admit that for the first two days with the Mustang GT, I was having a hard time liking the car. It felt big, bulky, had poor visibility out front and back and was just not what I imagined a sports car to be like. But on day three with the Mustang things changed, drastically. For 2015 Ford completely redid the Mustang, with a complete new chassis including a 'hooray and finally' independent rear suspension, and interior, as well as a revised 5.0 litre 'Coyote' V8, which now pumps 435 horsepower on 93 octane fuel with a metal twisting 400 lb-ft or torque on tap as well. These are muscle car numbers.
What clicked for me in changing my mind about this car was it's sheer brute force. It pulls in any gear, and you have to be careful not to overdue it at stoplights or be prepared to have your head snapped back or roast the rear tires. The new GT comes with four driving modes which I fiddled around bit. They all change the steering and throttle calibrations to suite the setting chosen, which are Normal, Sport+, Race, and Rain/Snow. Honestly, I left the car in Sport+ most of the time. It was a good compromise between Rain/Snow (which deadens the throttle completely) and Race which turns off all stability and traction control. Race mode is just too risky even on dry roads as with over 400 hp on tap, the rear tires break easily and when in Sport+, the traction and stability control keep things fun while the car stays in check.
The six-speed manual transmission was a gem to use and I had great delight in its positive action and short and precise throws. Clutch action was smooth and on the lighter side for such a powerful car. Smooth action is required to prevent bucking, but I got used to it pretty fast.
My test car was equipped with the GT Performance package, which includes a 3.73 limited slip differential, rear spoiler delete, and special 19 inch black alloy wheels with summer tires, strut tower brace, heavy duty suspension, Brembo 6-piston front brake calipers with bigger rotors, and a special gauge pack (oil pressure & vacuum). This package costs $3700. Get it, don't skip it. It is worth every penny! It is only available on the manually equipped cars and turns a good handling big car into a really good handling big car.
Other options on my car included upgraded Recaros racing seats, as well as adaptive cruise control and navigation. The as tested price for my ride as $55,000. This may sound like a lot but is less then what a lot of guys pay for not even fully loaded F-150's. I consider it a sort of bargain.
The interior of the new Mustang is really ahead and has gotten a lot better. I found that it was a nice place to spend time and quality was very good.
The handling of the new Mustang now has a more European feel to it, and I find is very well balanced. Steering feel was very good, and I found it to be very sporty. Overall, Ford has a good product with the 2015 Mustang. It is a hit both in styling and the driving department.
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