At the beginning of 2017 I was lucky enough to test drive the new Ford Mustang Convertible. I didn’t expect to have this car again until at least 2018 when a revised model is set to arrive in Ireland. But when Ford Ireland offered me the chance to get behind the wheel of their pony car again, I wasn’t going to refuse.
This time it was a ‘Grabber Blue’ Ford Mustang Coupé. Under the bonnet sat the 2.3-litre turbocharged four cylinder ‘EcoBoost’ petrol engine. Purists would call this Mustang-lite but the Mustang EcoBoost makes more financial sense for every day driving and to be fair this car is never short of drama.
My initial mortification of driving the most obvious car in Dublin eventually subsided and I began to enjoy this big pony. The week I had the car I happened to be doing a lot of city driving. You couldn’t call the Mustang a city car but soon I was skipping around corners and surging away from traffic lights with aplomb.
The Ford Mustang is cool. It’s impossible not to be seduced by its rawness and brute masculinity. Inside the build quality and design is nothing special but the steering wheel with pony logo, ‘ground speed’ speedometer and retro style buttons just keep reminding you this is a special piece of Americana.
On the road, the Mustang feels big and unwieldy at first. Visibility is not amazing to the rear but you soon get used to it. For sure, it’s never going to be as agile as a hot hatch but the handling is good for our European roads. It’s excellent for long distance travel with a refined interior ambience and it’s comfortable too.
The engine makes the car. I don’t know anything that sounds so strong and muscular as the 2.3-litre Mustang EcoBoost. Okay this one would be eclipsed by the Mustang GT with it’s mighty V8 engine (and €2350 motor tax), but Ford has still managed to bottle that classic muscle car sound and feeling in the EcoBoost.
The Mustang EcoBoost has 317hp and 0 to 100kmh is 5.8 seconds but because of the weight of the car it never feels exceptionally fast. But the way the car surges forward when you accelerate hard is pure magic. Pure muscle.
So how much does this all cost? The Mustang EcoBoost starts from €55,500 while the Mustang GT starts from €71,500. Standard equipment includes 19” alloys, sports style, part leather front seats, ambient lighting, xenon headlamps, rear view camera, cruise control, keyless start, Ford Sync 3 infotainment with Apple Car Play and Android Auto, and dual zone climate control.
The Ford Mustang is an absolute icon and it doesn’t take much time behind the wheel to be utterly seduced by the Mustang’s raw charm. An American muscle car on Irish roads might seem ridiculous but the Mustang will brighten up any commute. It’s not the last word in luxury nor a dynamic delight, but its charisma is priceless.
Caroline Kidd
Model tested: Ford Mustang Coupé EcoBoost
Price: €58,400 incl. options (Range starts at €55,500)
Engine: 2.3-litre turbo petrol
Power: 317hp
Torque: 434Nm
0-100km/h: 5.8 seconds
Top speed: 233km/h
Economy: 8l/100km
CO2 emissions: 179g/km
Motor tax: €750 per year