Stay tuned for long-term updates on my experience running this Ford Mustang GT Convertible over the next couple of months! It’s a 5.0-litre V8 with 460bhp and a six-speed manual gearbox, capable of 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds and a top speed of 155mph.
While emissions are 276g/km for CO2, the combined fuel economy figure is given as 23.3mpg, but you’d be lucky to see in that in normal around-town driving. Having said that, the top end fuel economy is given as 28mpg, however on a 200-mile round-trip from London to Birmingham I got fuel economy to well over 31mpg! And the proof of that is in a short video on my channel: YouTube.com/BrownCarGuy – just search for #BCGFordMustang on YouTube and Instagram for regular updates.
What most people don’t realise is that a V8 is barely stressed at motorway speeds, for example if you drive at a constant 70mph, you’ll be doing around 1700rpm, try that in a normal four-cylinder and it’s usually between 2500-3000rpm. Smaller engines are working much harder in that scenario. Having said that, when some modern economy cars can do twice as much on a long wrong, 31mpg is good only in a relative context.
Relative in the sense that when you’ve spent over £80 filling up the tank and painfully returned your wallet to your pocket with trembling hands, once you get back in the car, start it up, hear the bark of a beast awakening, and the thrum of its reverie settling to the bassy throb of indiscreet potency, your silly grin will wipe away the grief of money departed, and it will take every inch of self-control to fight off the temptation to pull a massive burnout right out of the gas station – sorry I mean petrol station, but you see how the Stang makes you go all American!
This is priced at around £50,500, but it has the optional – and must-have – magna-ride switchable clever suspension that keeps the ride stable on most surfaces, though it will express annoyance at speed bumps and deep ditches. Fork out £1650 for that.
And you know what, dig a little deeper for the Custom Pack 4 fitted to this pony car finished in Iconic Silver. For another £2,365 you get a 12-speaker B&O 1000w stereo (which is thumping by the way and retains clarity and bass even with the roof down), sat-nav, cooled and heated seats (which mean you can drive it with the roof down even when it’s cold!) and the 19-inch forged alloy wheels.
I do miss the cue-ball white gear knob and the Torque Thrust style wheels of the Bullitt edition. And maintain that the Coupe body is overall a better-looking car than the Convertible, until that is, you drop the roof. It folds complete flat into a cavity behind the rear seats and does rob a little bit of boot space and you lose the flexibility of extra space from folding rear seats, but there’s still very useful cargo space. The rear seats are for kids or small people. The front is perfect for six-foot plus long-legged me.
I’ve always loved classic and modern Mustangs, but what’s it like to actually live with one? Stay tuned to find out!
BrownCarGuy.com
YouTube.com/BrownCarGuy
Facebook.com/BrownCarGuy
Instagram.com/ShahzadSheikh
Twitter.com/Shahzad_Sheikh
