Guest post: We get our first look at the 50th anniversary Ford Mustang

With pictures having been leaked from an American magazine and the Mustang’s debut at the Detroit motor show, there has been a lot of buzz surrounding the new Ford Mustang. One of the biggest surprises is that it will be made available in the UK in a right hand drive version for the first time in over four decades. This is part of Ford’s new initiative known as the ‘One Ford’ plan, where it seeks to create cars which are marketed across the globe.  Ford claims this does not mean that the character of the Mustang gets diluted for the international market and they are not making a global Mustang, more that they are taking the Mustang concept onto a global platform.  The current model Mustang is highly successful and is the base concept of the new Mustang so this should be an interesting new car to watch.

How similar is this new car from the previous model though?  While the wheelbase remains the same, there have been some radical changes made to this new Mustang. The biggest change is that Ford has finally got rid of the live rear axle which most car manufacturers stopped using 3 decades ago. In place of this live rear axle there is now a completely independent rear suspension, while the front has been adjusted to fit with this, with a new lighter front sub frame. While the breaks have also been enlarged and a new limited slip diff & torque vectoring system are also new features. All of these features promise to improve ride and steering greatly.

Another interesting new feature is the completely new 305 BHP 2.3 litre, four-cylinder Eco boost engine. While no figures about fuel economy have been released, it is expected to better the old Mustang’s 3.7 Litre V6 by about 10%. This will not be the only engine, with a 5 Litre V8 with 420 BHP also available, although it will be replaced to a 500 BHP engine within 18 months.

The technical aspects are not the only things that have changed about the new Mustang, aesthetically it is different too, it has gained a more dynamic look, being made both wider and lower, with the drawn in middle of the car expanding to accommodate the heavily prominent wheel arches. They have not refined the look of the car too much though and Moray Calum, Ford’s design director has stated the understanding that to keep the signature look of the Mustang ‘there needs to be a lack of subtlety to the front end- like a fist flying through the air’, something which the new Mustang clearly reflects, keeping with its character of the classic American sports car.

Not to be forgotten is that there also is a convertible version, which looks reminiscent of the classic 1964 Notchback mustang. The convertible comes with a stylish fabric roof which takes just 7 seconds to be put down, due in part to the updated electric mechanism replacing the old hydraulic system.  It will be launched at the same time as the coupe, although the coupe is expected to have the majority of sales. Soon to be sold …. This new Ford Mustang (click here) looks like a great new introduction and finally being able to drive a right hand drive version looks like an exciting prospect for a great many British car enthusiasts.