All-new Ford Mustang let off the leash

Having made the announcement two months ago, Ford has kept its promise by letting the reins loose on the all-new seventh generation Mustang at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Officially revealed in the early hours of Thursday morning South African-time, the internally designated S650 replaces the outgoing S550 that debuted in 2015 in what is believed to be the final generation Mustang not to utilise any form of electrification.

Billed as the “most exhilarating and visceral” generation Mustang ever made, the S650 continues the tradition of being offered as a fastback coupe or cabriolet in EcoBoost and GT trim levels, but with a dramatic looking new exterior claimed to pay homage to the 1964 original.

While still recognisable as a Mustang, Ford has increased the size of the grille in a design that resembles later Shelby and Boss Mustangs of the late 1960s and early 1970s, fitted new so-called tri-bar LED headlights and increased the roofline while at the same time shortening the rear overhang.

ALSO READ: Ford CEO confirms new Mustang’s premiere on 14 September

Sporting extended wheel arches and in the case of the GT, an air intake on the bonnet and wider vents on the flanks of the front bumper, the rear facia represents a more evolutionary look as it keeps the claw-like light clusters, while gaining a U-shape aperture in-between and a carbon fibre diffuser on the GT.

In another turnaround, the cabriolet, for now, only becomes available in GT guise with Ford remaining otherwise coy on details surrounding the soft-top mechanism and the time is takes to fold-down and up.

It did, however, confirm a one-touch activation process from closed to open using a single latch and still enough boot space to accommodate “up to two golf bags”.

Like the GT coupe, the cabriolet will ride as standard on 19-inch alloy wheels with the option of upgrading to 20-inch wheels. Entry-level EcoBoost models will make do with 17-inch alloys.

In total, the Mustang’s colour palette spans eleven hues, Yellow Splash and Vapor Blue being two new options, with three choices being available for the Brembo brake calipers; black, red and Grabber Blue.

A new addition to the Mustang range is the Dark Horse, which differentiates itself from the GT by being the recipient of a blacked-out mesh grille, a new lip spoiler and extended door sills, blacked-out head-and-taillight clusters, a more aggressive rear wing and gloss black detailing.

The Dark Horse’s bespoke touches conclude with dark anodised Dark Horse badges as opposed to the regular pony decals, a new rear diffuser and a model specific colour called Blue Ember Metallic not available on the standard Mustang or indeed the GT.

Arguably more extensive than the exterior are changes underneath the Mustang’s skin Ford claims has made the S650 the most advanced iteration ever.

Besides overhauling both the 2.3 EcoBoost and normally aspirated 5.0 Coyote V8 engines, the Blue Oval has recalibrated the General Motors co-developed ten-speed automatic gearbox, fitted a rev-matching function to the revised six-speed manual and quickened-up the steering.

In total, six driving modes now offered; Slippery, Normal, Sport, Track, Drag and Custom, along with a new feature called Remote Rev that allows drivers to rev the engine using only the key fob.

As before, both the EcoBoost and GT can be specified with the Performance Package that comprises a Torsen limited slip differential, tower brace front struts, 390 mm at the front and 355 mm at the rear Brembo brake discs and the optional MagneRide active suspension.

Bespoke to the GT though are Recaro sport seats, a secondary oil cooler, active exhaust system and additional vents behind the front wheel arches aimed at improving cooling.

More extreme is the Dark Horse, which not only gets the MagneRide system as standard, but also stiffer springs and anti-roll bars, a new rear wings with an integrated Gurney flap, 19-inch wheels wrapped in Pirelli PZero or Trofeo tyres and even more hardcore Brembo stoppers.

A Ford Performance front tower brace rounds the Dark Horse off, together with the mentioned ten-speed ‘box, or as standard, a Tremec six-speed manual not offered on the EcoBoost or GT.

Rivalling the underpinnings for mass changing is the interior, which Dearborn states has been designed around the concept of a jet-fighter’s cockpit.

A considerable step-up from the S550’s interior, the infotainment system and instrument cluster are now grouped together in a curved design similar to BMW’s Curved Display with the former measuring 13.2-inch and the latter 12.4-inches.

Along with new air vents, a centre console angled towards the driver and a steering wheel taken from the Mustang Mach-E, Ford has redesigned the handbrake and availed a B&O Play sound system to the GT.

New on the safety and driver assistance sheet is Active Pothole Mitigation, Evasive Steer Assist, Lane Cantering, Rear Cross Traffic Alert Barking and revised Traffic Sign Recognition as well as Adaptive Cruise Control.  

For the Dark Horse, metallic gloss inlays replace the usual silver, with the final addition being Bright Indigo Blue stitching on the steering wheel, doors, centre console, instrument panel, seats and gear lever. A twelve-speaker B&O Play sound system completes the unique adaptations.

As hinted at by the carryover four-cylinder and V8 engines, the S650 Mustang will produce more power and torque than the S550, though at present, Ford is remaining tight-lipped not only on the outputs, but also performance figures.

Not happening though is the rumoured hybrid version with claims alluding about a possible four-wheel-drive model being disproved.

Going on-sale in North America from around June next, expect the all-new Mustang to arrive in South Africa sometime before the end of 2023 should approval be given.

Before it arrives though, expect more special edition versions of the current S550 to emerge over the coming months, similar to the California Special and before that, the Mach 1 and Bullitt.