2016 Ford MUSTANG GT Convertible
October 1, 2016
By: Anthony Murdoch
What a way to spend a summers day, let alone a whole week! The 2016 Mustang GT Convertible I was able to test, equipped no less with the manual 6-speed transmission was a real delight. 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.
Now I admit that for the first two days with the Mustang GT Convertible, I was loving the 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, a little too much, and thus spent a lot on fuel. What a motor this is. If you are light on the throttle, it can actually return decent numbers considering the type of car it is. I saw at one point 9.2 litres per 100 Kilometres, on one highway one going around the speed limit of 110 km/h. This is not bad! However, put you foot into it and then the fuel sucking begins. 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 by accident. The 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 the top of the Convertible version, which was power operated and required just latching one small lever, was well made and of high quality. 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.
By: Anthony Murdoch
What a way to spend a summers day, let alone a whole week! The 2016 Mustang GT Convertible I was able to test, equipped no less with the manual 6-speed transmission was a real delight. 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.
Now I admit that for the first two days with the Mustang GT Convertible, I was loving the 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, a little too much, and thus spent a lot on fuel. What a motor this is. If you are light on the throttle, it can actually return decent numbers considering the type of car it is. I saw at one point 9.2 litres per 100 Kilometres, on one highway one going around the speed limit of 110 km/h. This is not bad! However, put you foot into it and then the fuel sucking begins. 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 by accident. The 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 the top of the Convertible version, which was power operated and required just latching one small lever, was well made and of high quality. 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.
