Photo: Loder1899
The current Ford Mustang is the first one to be officially available in Europe, which means that a few decades too late, a lot of new markets are getting their first exposure to the whole 'muscle car' idea.
The Europeans are known for preferring nimbler sports cars that are more suited to the often narrow and twisty roads you can find there, but if the new Mustang's success in Germany - the most important market over there, no question about it - is anything to go by, the American model had a favorable reception. Right now, the Mustang is the fifth best-selling sports car there, and remember we're talking about a country that knows a thing or two about things that go vroom.
With so many of them on the road, it's no wonder the model caught the attention of a German tuning specialist. Loder1899 offers modifications for just a few brands and models - Aston Martin, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover - focusing mostly on cosmetic changes and less so on enhancing performance.
The company's package for the Ford Mustang GT focuses on three main areas: the front splitter, which is so discreet you'll really struggle to spot any difference from the stock EU-spec 'Stang - but will still set you back a nice €799 ($903); then there's the rear spoiler that also looks quite timid and comes with a hefty price tag - €1,199 ($1,355) this time; finally, we have the wheels, which come in different sizes (20 or 22 inches) and colors (silver, black, or matte black).
The first two are skippable, but there's no way that wheel design is going to remain unnoticed. And for all the wrong reasons. You can either quote an old telephone dial or a revolver's barrel for inspiration, but either way, they stick out like a sore thumb. But if you think differently, then know they sell for anything between €400 ($452) and €900 ($1,017) a piece depending on size and style. Times that by four for a whole set.
To its credit, Loder1899 also offers some performance tweaks, even though the tuner doesn't make it clear what the actual gains would be. So, for €3,492 ($3,948) you can get an exhaust modification with stainless steel x pipe and valve control, but only for the 5-liter V8 model. Both the V8 and the 2.3-liter EcoBoost version available in Europe can benefit from a K&N Generation II Performance Kit that boosts performance by an unknown amount.
Different markets will always have different philosophies, and that's great because it provides us with diversity. However, you don't have to be a hardcore American muscle car fanatic to see this Mustang package has drastically failed to improve the car in any way. You just need a pair of functioning eyes.
With so many of them on the road, it's no wonder the model caught the attention of a German tuning specialist. Loder1899 offers modifications for just a few brands and models - Aston Martin, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover - focusing mostly on cosmetic changes and less so on enhancing performance.
The company's package for the Ford Mustang GT focuses on three main areas: the front splitter, which is so discreet you'll really struggle to spot any difference from the stock EU-spec 'Stang - but will still set you back a nice €799 ($903); then there's the rear spoiler that also looks quite timid and comes with a hefty price tag - €1,199 ($1,355) this time; finally, we have the wheels, which come in different sizes (20 or 22 inches) and colors (silver, black, or matte black).
The first two are skippable, but there's no way that wheel design is going to remain unnoticed. And for all the wrong reasons. You can either quote an old telephone dial or a revolver's barrel for inspiration, but either way, they stick out like a sore thumb. But if you think differently, then know they sell for anything between €400 ($452) and €900 ($1,017) a piece depending on size and style. Times that by four for a whole set.
To its credit, Loder1899 also offers some performance tweaks, even though the tuner doesn't make it clear what the actual gains would be. So, for €3,492 ($3,948) you can get an exhaust modification with stainless steel x pipe and valve control, but only for the 5-liter V8 model. Both the V8 and the 2.3-liter EcoBoost version available in Europe can benefit from a K&N Generation II Performance Kit that boosts performance by an unknown amount.
Different markets will always have different philosophies, and that's great because it provides us with diversity. However, you don't have to be a hardcore American muscle car fanatic to see this Mustang package has drastically failed to improve the car in any way. You just need a pair of functioning eyes.
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