DRIVEN: Ford Mustang 5.0-litre GT Convertible

No matter how you look at it, love it or hate it, the one thing you can’t deny is that Ford’s Mustang is a true motoring  icon in every way.

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It is the world’s most-liked vehicle on Facebook (with more than 8 million likes), and has made more
than 9 000 appearances in TV, music and video games to date.

Since 1964, it has co-starred in films with Hollywood stars Will Smith, Nicholas Cage, Jason Statham, Tom Cruise and perhaps most memorably Steve McQueen – in the cult 1960s movie Bullitt.

And I would like to think that my eldest daughter somehow had some clue about any of this. She didn’t of course.

She is a teenager and is only concerned about wi-fi and herself, and probably in that exact order too, but she thinks the Mustang is cool.

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So cool in fact, that despite me being prepared to donate my kidneys to whoever would get me the exotic supercar car she wanted for her recent Matric farewell, she wanted a 5.0-litre GT Mustang.

This coming from a child who has grown up in a household that has seen some seriously hightech, superfast machinery come and go, did throw me off my game a little.

But barely had she and her date arrived at the pre-farewell cocktail party, did I actually begin to understand the allure of the Mustang.

There were some pretty impressive cars on show that night – as is the norm these days – but our bright blue Mustang Convertible stole the show.

And that’s when I realised that kids and adults alike see the Mustang for what it is, and that is a very cool and iconic car.

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They are not interested in the technology that is or isn’t in the car, or how fast it really is around a track or in
a straight line.

They want to be seen in it and for it to make the right noise courtesy of the 5.0 litre V8 naturally aspirated engine that uses sequential multiport electronic fuel injection and variable camshaft timing to produce a decent 306kW of power, along with 530Nm of torque.

But that is not to say the Mustang is all show and no go.

I had not driven the Convertible before and took the opportunity during the week I had it on test to throw it around a bit.

You have a perimeter subframe in the front suspension, which helps stiffen the front up while keeping the weight down.

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A double ball-joint front MacPherson strut system enables the use of large, powerful brakes, and, in the case of the V8 GT models, you get six-piston Brembo front callipers that ensure when you need to stop in a hurry, you do.

At the rear is an all-new integral-link independent rear suspension. The geometry, springs, dampers and bushings have all been specifically modified and tuned for the kind of performance a 306kW delivers.

And just when you think, well that is it, all engine and not much else, you see that you use the toggle switches on the console to quickly adjust steering effort, engine response, and transmission and electronic stability control settings from Normal, to Sport +, to Track and even Snow & Wet.

So, you can have a lot of old school tyre smoking fun in the car, and should you really feel the need to take your Mustang on the track – although I can’t see too many owners doing this – especially not with the Convertible, you can access various Track Apps that can be controlled via the steering wheel and viewed in the instrument panel.

And if you want to go drag racing or simply burn rubber because you want to, there is an electronic Line Lock system available only on the V8 that applies the front brakes and holds the car in place when you floor the accelerator, thus allowing you to warm the rear tyres for optimum grip off the line.

Only the Americans would put this as a standard feature in a production car, but it was fun to use.

I promise you Ford SA, I only did it once. For journalistic purposes of course!

So, for R955 800, is it the most civilised car on the planet? No. Is it jammed with technology? No.

But it is fun and it sure feels worth every cent when you are cruising around with a smile on your face because you are driving a car you want to drive, and chose to drive.

All models are sold with a fouryear/120 000km comprehensive warranty and five-year/100 000km service plan.