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The Ford Mustang is a milestone in the automotive history.
And also, a Hollywood’s favorite.
There are more than 3.800 recorded cinema or TV appearances.
Although in Europe we are familiar with the Mustang name
it’s the very first time in the model’s 50 year history
that it will be officially imported.
The Mustang is remembered as a movie star.
For most of us it is the exciting muscle car
that holds the leading role in some of the most epic car chases ever filmed.
Few really know that in fact the Mustang was a pony car.
The term describes a 2 doors/ 4 passengers coupe with a sporty-oriented image.
Made in USA, impressively styled and reasonably priced
To reduce cost
the factory used any hardware in stock, from ordinary family cars
Muscle cars were more expensive
equipped with a V8 engine, of course
as the emphasis was on performance and power.
Ponies could be tuned and turned to muscle cars.
The factories also used to offer pony and muscle versions of the same model.
Ford does the same with the latest Mustang
offering the pony 2.3 Ecoboost and the GT, the true American muscle…
Power comes from a V8, made from light alloys
featuring wild cams and variable timing for both the intake and the exhaust valves.
It revs up to 7.000 rpm and develops 421 PS and 54 kgm of torque.
The design is influenced by the original 60's Fastback.
Retro and modern elements are perfectly combined
to give the car an impressive and confident stance
The Mustang is greatly respected on the highway.
Other cars move immediately out of your way and then run after you to take a picture.
She loves to the focus of everybody’s attention.
She is destined to live in the spotlight.
If you are not, you’d better find yourself another car.
The modern Mustang defines itself as a focused sports car, ready for trackday use.
The instruments cluster provides the driver with plenty of critical information
such as inlet air temperature, cylinder heads temperature
oil pressure and temperature.
It also features the Track Apps.
A data logging system with g-meter and lap timer.
Some may question our decision
to take a big and heavy American coupe for a track test.
But it seems we made the right call.
The interior is all about matching the dazzling American design
with the European quality and technology standards.
The result falls short of the standards set by the European premium brands
but is decent if you take into consideration the price
in comparison to a 400+ PS BMW, Audi or Mercedes.
Either way, it feels special
and this is what finally counts in a car like this.
We have reached our destination, we are at Serres city.
We have an issue with the tires.
They are heavily worn
and we have to change them before going to the track tomorrow.
Ford has sent us a fresh set
but I’m afraid not exactly the proper one.
It is Pirelli’s Zero Rosso.
According to Pirelli, it is a compromise between performance and comfort.
It’s not really a tire for track use as the sportier Zero
originally fitted to the car from the factory.
If you work as an automotive journalist in Greece,
the town of Serres is the heaven.
Some of the country’s most wonderful landscapes and challenging roads
are just a ten minutes drive away from the city center.
And of course, there is the best circuit in the Balkan region.
It is 3.186 m long and 12 – 15 m wide,
and complies with the FIA regulations for F3 single seaters.
Seating position is good
with regard to the steering wheel, the stick and the pedals
although it isn’t as low as you would expect from a coupe.
The Recaro bucket supports the body perfectly.
Lever’s travel is short.
It moves precisely from one gear to the other.
Some extra strength is needed for really fast shifts.
Ford claims that the Mustang GT launches to 100 km/h in just 4,8”.
Top speed is limited at 250 km/h.
The brakes are strong. Really strong.
The huge extra Brembo discs and calipers
fitted to the cars of the European market
offer linear pedal feeling and unbelievable strength.
The steering is fast and precise.
Just 2.6 turns from lock to lock.
You don’t fight the car.
It changes direction easily, with slight hand movements.
Drive it gently into the corner, and it tends to understeer
just like the 2.3 Ecoboost.
Performance-wise, it’s on a completely different level compared to the Ecoboost
You have to drive both to realize the difference between a pony and a muscle car.
It’s not just the power. The V8 adds character.
It’s not easy to match the lap time of the Ecoboost.
The V8 adds more weight to the front,
which makes to car easier to understeer when you carry more speed into the corner.
You can use the power to change the balance
but it’s difficult to do so without finally oversteering.
The Ecoboost was relatively easy to push to the limit.
This is quite a challenge.
Despite the power and the weight
the chassis is surprisingly gentle with the tires.
So, we have a second chance against the clock.
It’s half a second faster than the 2.3 Ecoboost.
To be honest I was expecting it to be a bit faster.
But it’s really a tough car to drive on the limit.
It is unsettled almost at every corner.
The V8 adds approximately 70 kg over the front wheels.
Suspension’s set up changes
necessary to compensate for the understeer caused by the front biased weight distribution
made the chassis edgy.
No doubt, it’s a driver’s car.
Driving it fast against the clock is a real challenge.
It’s not fair to compare the Mustang with other cars of the same horsepower
because none of them cost only €48.000.
For that money,
the Mustang GT is definitely the most fun to drive car you can get.