Some will say that the 2024 Ford Mustang is not that different from the S550 model it replaces. And, from certain angles, they may have a point.
The S650 seventh-generation Ford Mustang is here, and unless you're a fan of the series, you might think that the Blue Oval company mostly performed a mid-cycle revision on the previous iteration and called it a good business day. Well, they would not be too far away from the truth, especially if you manage to get a hold of two Mustang GTs from different time zones and place them together.
If the two are also ready for a quarter-mile dragstrip brawl, that's even better – they might also answer the burning question of whether the upgrade is worth the extra greenbacks. After all, the 2024 Ford Mustang is also costlier than its predecessor – the EcoBoost Fastback starts from $30,920, and the equivalent Convertible is no less than $39k!
Of course, few people will actually buy the 315-hp EcoBoost – most of them will immediately level up to the 5.0-liter Coyote V8-equipped GT Fastback (for $42,495) or GT Premium Convertible ($52,515). It has up to 486 horsepower now, with the active valve exhaust, and maybe it hits the sweet spot because the 500-hp Dark Horse is not much more powerful but extra costly - $59,270 or $63,265 if you want the Dark Horse Premium. Anyway, if you want to measure your forces with the previous generation, then you can't go wrong with a 2024 Mustang GT.
Well, actually, you can – and big time. There is no need to take our word for granted, as we have an example. The videographer behind the Wheels channel on YouTube is a big fan of Mission Raceway Park in Canada and Bandimere Speedway in Colorado, but the allure of The Strip at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway sometimes gets the better of him.
That is especially true when The Strip witnesses a fraternal brawl between a white-as-dove 2021 Ford Mustang GT and a blue-as-the-sky 2024 Ford Mustang GT. Interestingly, savvy observers might guess the outcome of the skirmish early on – while the older S550 performs the traditional burnout without a care in the world, the S650 owner was more preoccupied with not tarnishing the fresh coat of paint rather than getting his rubber at optimal temperature.
As it turns out, that was a mistake – and it cost dearly. Not only did the S550 racer exit the start line much better than his opponent, but he also kept the lead until the end of the pass. Hence, the 11.98 versus 12.69 result was entirely logical, right? At least the S650 owner was sensible enough to recognize his mistakes, chose a lesser opponent for the second brawl – a modded FWD Honda Civic – and remembered to heat up the rear rubber properly. Naturally, he won the second skirmish!
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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