- Handling improvements provide incredible grip
- An engine note that’s tuned just right
- Upgraded interior suits the Mustang’s mechanical refinements
- Despite brake upgrades, they still feel a bit mushy
- Grippy Pirelli P-Zero rubber improves handling, but will need replacement sooner
- This Mustang might pose a serious hazard to your driving record
- Base Mustang GT Coupe MSRP: $27,995 (+ $850 destination & delivery)
- Track Pack option: $1,400
- Engine: 4.6 liter V8 with cold air induction, producing 315 hp, 325 lb-ft torque
- Five-speed manual transmission
- Standard AdvanceTrac stability control, traction control and ABS
- 19” Pirelli Summer tires
But skip the lengthy equipment list and you’ll notice one important thing when you’re roaring down the canyons: this Mustang sticks! From turn-in to exit, the car feels glued to the road, stubbornly holding its line with tenacious adhesion. The live rear axle’s pesky snapping tendencies are absent—at least at the speeds we were driving, though a closed course might reveal more—and the drive is so confidence-inspiring you might just think you’re Parnelli Jones without even triggering stability control.
Brakes are powerful (though they feel a bit softer than we expected), and the 4.6 liter V8’s sweet rumble is tuned just right, thanks to the sound tube that pipes the engine’s induction system into the cabin. And that’s a good thing, since Ford engineers quieted down the interior and reduced the Mustang’s drag coefficient, while boosting horsepower to 315 and upping redline by 250 rpm.
Other improvements include an upgraded instrument panel and more soft touch interior materials, but die-hard Mustang enthusiasts who opt for the Track Pack will appreciate the refinements made to this Mustang’s handling. And while the Track Pack seems a bargain at $1,495, just remember you ought to make allowances for your tire budget: once you start pulling Gs on this Mustang, you won’t want to stop.
