No V6, more powerful EcoBoost L4 and Coyote V8, 10-speed automatic transmission, and an ugly front fascia. That’s, in a nutshell, how the redesigned 2018 Ford Mustang rolls.
The mid-cycle update for the S550 Mustang leaked earlier today and, to the surprise of the ‘Stang crowd, it morphed America’s favorite pony car from a masculine sportster into an unlovely creature. On the upside, the Ford Motor Company hasn’t messed up the interior too much with this minor refresh.
You still get a Mustang plaque on the passenger side of the dashboard. You also get Dacia-like air vents, too many buttons on the steering wheel, and aluminum-like trim here and there. The only notable additions are two gauges located in the middle of the dashboard, as well as a digital instrument cluster.
On the technological front, the big news is MyMode with memory, a function that remembers the driver’s driving preferences. Ford’s Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection is on the menu too. Taking a cue from Chevrolet’s sixth-generation Camaro, the facelifted Mustang is available with MagneRide adaptive dampers as part of the Performance Package. In the S550 model line, only the Shelby GT350 and GT350R shipped with MagneRide 'till now.
Having lost its 3.7-liter Ti-VCT due to poor take-up rate, the 2018 Mustang is available with either the 2.3-liter EcoBoost or the 5.0-liter Coyote. The Blue Oval hasn’t offered any output figures at the present moment. What Ford is willing to tell you right now, however, is that the EcoBoost is torquier and the Coyote gets port and direct fuel injection, just like the Five-Oh V8 in the F-150. The Vee-Eight also boasts an increase in compression ratio (12:1 compared to 11:1), which translated into a higher redline and more ponies.
The real star of the show is the addition of the 10R80 transmission. Developed by FoMoCo and GM, the 10-speeder can be matched with either of the two engines. Paddles mounted behind the steering wheel allow the driver to row through the gears by his own accord. Last, but not least, the 2018 Ford Mustang GT can be kitted with an active valve exhaust system similar in design to Chevrolet’s Gen 6 Camaro dual-mode exhaust system (i.e. NPP).
“The new Mustang is our best ever, based on more than 50 years as one of the iconic sports car in America and now, the world,” explained Joe Hinrichs, the president of Ford of the Americas. “Tapping Mustang’s enormous fan base, we’re bringing the new Mustang straight to the people – and introducing the new car across multiple social media channels, reaching millions.” Oh, and by the way, Ford somehow convinced Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson to endorse the company’s “most advanced Mustang ever.”
Sales in the U.S. are due to kick off this fall.
You still get a Mustang plaque on the passenger side of the dashboard. You also get Dacia-like air vents, too many buttons on the steering wheel, and aluminum-like trim here and there. The only notable additions are two gauges located in the middle of the dashboard, as well as a digital instrument cluster.
On the technological front, the big news is MyMode with memory, a function that remembers the driver’s driving preferences. Ford’s Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection is on the menu too. Taking a cue from Chevrolet’s sixth-generation Camaro, the facelifted Mustang is available with MagneRide adaptive dampers as part of the Performance Package. In the S550 model line, only the Shelby GT350 and GT350R shipped with MagneRide 'till now.
Having lost its 3.7-liter Ti-VCT due to poor take-up rate, the 2018 Mustang is available with either the 2.3-liter EcoBoost or the 5.0-liter Coyote. The Blue Oval hasn’t offered any output figures at the present moment. What Ford is willing to tell you right now, however, is that the EcoBoost is torquier and the Coyote gets port and direct fuel injection, just like the Five-Oh V8 in the F-150. The Vee-Eight also boasts an increase in compression ratio (12:1 compared to 11:1), which translated into a higher redline and more ponies.
The real star of the show is the addition of the 10R80 transmission. Developed by FoMoCo and GM, the 10-speeder can be matched with either of the two engines. Paddles mounted behind the steering wheel allow the driver to row through the gears by his own accord. Last, but not least, the 2018 Ford Mustang GT can be kitted with an active valve exhaust system similar in design to Chevrolet’s Gen 6 Camaro dual-mode exhaust system (i.e. NPP).
“The new Mustang is our best ever, based on more than 50 years as one of the iconic sports car in America and now, the world,” explained Joe Hinrichs, the president of Ford of the Americas. “Tapping Mustang’s enormous fan base, we’re bringing the new Mustang straight to the people – and introducing the new car across multiple social media channels, reaching millions.” Oh, and by the way, Ford somehow convinced Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson to endorse the company’s “most advanced Mustang ever.”
Sales in the U.S. are due to kick off this fall.