Born at the dawn of the golden age of muscle cars - six decades ago to be precise - the Ford Mustang has a legend that needs no introduction.
Even those that aren’t really into cars get excited at the mention of Elanor and Bullitt, and among those of us that do, well, it’s that Coyote V8 engine and tail-happy rear-wheel drive configuration that seal the deal.
We recently got to spend just over three months with a Mustang 5.0 GT Fastback, and to say we were incredibly sad to see it drive off would be a huge understatement.
The Mustang is not perfect, but it does excel at things you might not expect it to, although there are a few niggles too.
But primarily, it is a car that tugs violently at the heartstrings.
Despite having been on our roads for eight years now, in which time it became our best-selling sports car with an average 84% market share, it still turns heads and attracts admiring, often envious, glances from those that spot it in parking lots.
The styling of the sixth-generation Mustang has aged really well if you ask me, blending just the right amount of classic and contemporary but without following any fickle design fads that would have made it look dated by now.
Its 5.0-litre normally aspirated V8, with 331kW and 529Nm, is a blissfully raucous lump of metal that will make you want to cruise all day, seeking the quietest back roads and longest routes home.
Taking 5.5 seconds to prance from 0-100km/h at Gauteng elevation, the GT is pretty brisk, but it’s far from being the fastest sports car on the block. That sonorous V8 soundtrack more than makes up for that in my book though.
Its adjustable exhaust flaps also allow you to adjust the intensity of its bellow by pressing the Mustang icon on the steering wheel and there’s even a ‘Quiet’ mode for those occasions when you want to be a good neighbour.
The Mustang really excels as a touring car for gobbling up miles on the open road and we took it on many Sunday road trips, amid a busy schedule, to areas around Cullinan, Hartbeespoort and Magaliesburg.
The Mustang GT has a surprisingly comfortable ride quality, and although the suspension is characteristically firm, we never found it to be harsh or punishing in any way.
Keep in mind that this rear-wheel-driven sports coupe is quite tail-happy and you will need to keep your wits about you when flicking it through corners with any kind of gusto. That said, the traction control does help to limit slippage in most cases, assuming you leave it activated.
If you’re a purist motor-head that appreciates precise and agile handling, then this car is not for you. But if you’re not regularly driving on a race track or mountain pass, is the Mustang’s lack of handling finesse really such an issue?
As a weekend tourer and everyday sports car, the Mustang really does seem to have it taped.
We were also surprised by how easy it was to live with, in the everyday urban grind. Not only because it rides comfortably, but because it’s easy to get in and out of, by sports car standards at least, and the seats are comfortable.
There are a few things that take getting used to. It has a really long bonnet - as a muscle car should - but there are no front parking sensors so you really have to pay attention when pulling into parking spaces. The 10-speed automatic gearbox can also get a bit jerky at parking speeds, like a bucking bronco rearing to hit the open road.
The cabin, you could say, looks a little dated, but the upside is that most of the important audio and climate functions still have physical controls. As for the digital side of things, the GT comes with an eight-inch Sync3 central touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity and voice command. The instrument cluster is digital but its graphics mimic a classic binnacle in a lovely way.
Being a V8 Mustang you’d expect it to be something of a gas guzzler, and in the urban wastelands it certainly can be, where the readout can easily creep above the 20 litres per 100km mark if you’re not careful.
But at a steady 120km/h it is surprisingly frugal, and on a recent highway trip, it drank just 8.3 l/100km. Overall consumption for the duration of the test was a touch over 15 l/100km.
VERDICT
Many Mustang fans will no doubt be hankering after the new version that’s due to hit our streets later this year if all goes according to plan. But after spending three months with the current GT model, I was surprised at how nicely it has aged and how easy it is to live with on a daily basis.
And when those weekend road trips beckon, the Mustang really comes into its own. It’s not the fastest nor the sharpest sports car on the block, but if it doesn’t put a huge smile on your face, then I don’t know what will.
QUICK FACTS: Ford Mustang GT
- Price: R1,142,900 (August 2024)
- Engine: 5.0-litre normally aspirated V8
- Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
- Power/Torque: 331kW and 529Nm
- 0-100km/h (Coastal): 4.8 seconds
- 0-100km/h (Gauteng): 5.5 seconds
- Fuel Use Mixed: 15.2 litres per 100km
- Service Plan: Optional
IOL Motoring