Technical specifications
Review Ford Mustang GT Convertible
We certainly don’t have to tell you that the Mustang makes many car hearts beat faster. We were there as quickly as possible to test the Mustang facelift of the 2018 model year. Our joy was even greater when our test car turned out to be the roaring 5.0 V8. We went out with this iconic pony car and had the day of our lives.
Motorizations
The new Mustang is available as a Fastback and Convertible. You can choose from two engines: the 2.3i EcoBoost with a power of 290 hp or a 5.0 V8 with 450 horses. In terms of transmission, you can choose either a six-speed manual or a ten-speed automatic.
Throbbing 5.0 V8
We were introduced to the facelift of the Ford Mustang through a test drive with the Mustang GT Convertible. The version with the 5.0 V8 under the hood, the GT. Even if you regularly have the opportunity to test a new car, such a monument of an engine still has something very magical about it. As soon as you press the start button, it’s like a thunderstorm breaks out. Even at low speeds, the Mustang 5.0 offers an intense driving experience, especially thanks to the burbling sound of the V8 in the background. In the Convertible, the soundtrack of this potent pony car comes into its own even more when you drive with the roof down. On the other hand, this performance-oriented exhaust with active valve is also equipped with a so-called “Good Neighbor Mode”. This mode ensures a “silent start” of the Mustang. For example, via the menu in the instrument panel, you can set the car to start between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. without the additional roaring start-up sound. Handy, for example, to keep the peace with the neighbors.
Automatic gearbox
Our test car was equipped with the 10-speed automatic transmission. You can drive fully automatically or shift gears manually using the shift paddles on the steering wheel. If you prefer to do everything yourself, you could also opt for the six-speed manual gearbox. Personally, we are fans of automatic transmissions, even on sporty cars. That is much more pleasant to drive. The transmission in this Mustang GT does its job well. You are always in the right gear and the gearbox shifts enthusiastically up and down. In our opinion, switching gears manually with the paddles does not offer much added value.
Lightning-fast acceleration
In terms of performance, this Mustang GT can deliver quite impressive figures. You can accelerate to 100 km/h in just 4.3 seconds. If you lean on the gas, the pony car starts up very quickly with the roaring raw sound of the V8 in the background. When you turn into the corners, you can feel that this car also has a reasonable weight. The top speed is about 249 km/h.
Iconic looks
On the outside, the Mustang facelift remains true to its roots. The bodywork looks more athletic, but retains the instantly recognizable character that has been refined over more than fifty years of production. The hood is slightly lower and has integrated air intakes. A reworked radiator grille at the bottom of the Mustang gives the pony car a cooler look and also improves aerodynamics.
At the rear, the bumper and diffuser were redesigned. You also see a quadruple exhaust that underlines the sporty character of the V8. Optionally, you can also opt for a trunk spoiler for a more distinctly sporty look.
Budget
Fastback:
-Mustang: 39,000 euros
-Mustang GT: 46,000 euros
Convertible:
-Mustang: 43,500 euros
-Mustang GT: 50,500 euros
Conclusion
The Ford Mustang GT Convertible has lived up to high expectations with its big V8 and roaring exhaust. The engine sounds great, regardless of whether you are pedaling on the tail or cruising quietly through the city. The iconic looks still look tempting and with the roof down this is perhaps one of the nicest leisure cars you can buy at the moment.
In this video you can hear the sound of the engine and exhaust of the Ford Mustang Convertible 5.0 V8. You can hear the start and accelerate in normal mode, sport plus mode, circuit mode, drag strip mode,…
Johan De Haes
Test driver
