If the 5.0 hasn’t long left, it’s our duty to ride it hard and let those ponies gallop
The 2024 Mustang is more refresh than redesign – Ford wasn’t going to mess with success. The S650 platform (previously S550) has been stiffened and the body sees more creases, with the biggest change at the rear where the trunk and taillights sport a dramatic concave design – a nod to the ’67 Mustang Fastback. There’s also an all-new three-element headlight design. All successful updates that give the ‘Stang more edge and attitude. The $1,950 Black Pony Package bestows black wheels, black roof, and black mirror caps, while blacking out all trim and badges.
The $6500 Performance Pack on this tester adds the body-coloured rear wing, extended front splitter, gloss black grill, electronic hand/drift brake, larger Brembo brakes with six-piston front calipers, 19-inch wheels, stiffer front springs, staggered summer performance tires, K-brace, strut tower brace, thicker rear sway bar, limited-slip differential, and unique tuning for the chassis and stability controls. It’s purely a handling package targeting those who might want to track their GT; there’s no power gain.
Under the bulged hood with functional air extractor is the rev-happy 5.0L DOHC Coyote V8 featuring new twin air-boxes and twin throttle bodies. Other tweaks include duel injection, a new left-side exhaust header with better flow, and forged connecting rods. With the optional $1495 active performance exhaust the Coyote V8 now packs 486 horsepower and 418 lb-ft of torque. And I know this exhaust is worth every penny because my long-suffering wife, who’s not big on loud pipes, hates it. There is a quiet mode that might not wake your neighbours in the morning. A ten-speed automatic is optional, but this tester is fitted with the standard six-speed Getrag MT82 gearbox. Spec’d as such, the GT is all killer and no filler.
Mustang loyalists might be irked to see their beloved’s cabin has entered the digital age. Gone is the classic twin-brow dash, replaced with two billboard-style free-standing screens: a 12.4-inch gauge cluster for the driver and a 13.2-inch central touch display. Ah, but nostalgia lives! There are a number of gauge displays to choose from, including a digital rendering of the original Mustang, and my fave, the Fox-body cluster (1979-93) which is the clearest and easiest to read of the lot. To quote Alanis Morissette, isn’t that ironic.
Overall, this new system works well. Ford’s SYNC 4.0 infotainment is easy to learn with its clear graphics and phone mirroring, although with all the HVAC functions stuffed into the screen, I’m missing physical controls for temperature and fan control; same old story, stuck on repeat. There are a few hard shortcut buttons below the screen, one of them being the Pony button that gives quick access to performance tweaking functions via the main screen.
Interior build quality has improved significantly: the Mustang cabin is no longer a low-rent experience. There are more soft-touch surfaces, some nice stitching, a new flat-bottom steering wheel, and good-looking carbon-textured plastic trim. This tester has the fabric-vinyl seats which, while a little squishy, offer a decent blend of support and long-distance comfort. A $2,900 interior package adds dual-zone climate, decent nine-speaker audio, six-way power driver’s seat with lumbar, heated front seats, multi-colour ambient lighting, and SiriusXM with HD radio. Standard safety kit includes blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert, rear parking sensors, front collision mitigation, auto LED headlights, and lane-keeping.
Press the start button and the 5.0L comes to life with a vocal blatt, then settles into a burbling idle that announces the GT’s intentions in no uncertain terms. This car is loud. All the time. But it’s such a good loud, one has to forgive it for drawing the occasional scowl from weary passersby. It’s a fabulous unit, delivering its power in a scintillating, escalating rush that only a naturally aspirated engine can bring. Sure, we’re not getting the mid-range kidney-punch of the modern turbocharged V8s from Europe, but this DOHC V8 chases its 7,500 rpm redline like a cheetah on a gazelle. Playing along perfectly is the six-speed Getrag transmission. The stubby shifter slots into each gear with a quick and satisfyingly mechanical precision. The clutch is light and linear, and with auto rev-matching activated, whipping up and down through the ‘box is a delight that, along with the V8 bellow, are experiences perhaps not long for this world.
Ford quickened the Mustang’s electrically assisted steering ratio from 16.0:1 to 15.5:1 for 2024, but it still feels pretty numb. The vacuum-operated brake booster gets replaced by an electronic unit. Out on a winding back road, this GT with Performance Package shows quick turn-in and carves a grippy path through the bends. Yes, it still feels big and bit unwieldy, but it sure doesn’t lack for engagement and entertainment.
Sport mode firms up the steering a bit, quickens throttle response, opens up the exhaust and loosens the stability control. The Torsen limited-slip rear differential puts the power down when exiting tight bends, but not without allowing just the right amount sidestepping squirm. Track and Drag modes tailor the dynamics further, and there’s a custom mode which allows adjusting all the parameters to your liking. Swap through the five modes (Normal, Sport, Slippery, Track, Drag) and you’re treated to a cool Mustang animation that corresponds to the selection. Track Apps measures acceleration, lap times, braking performance and calls up Launch Control and auto rev-matching on downshifts.
An uber cool feature that comes with the performance package is the drift hand brake, that while looking like a good ‘ol manual one is actually an electric unit. It functions as a regular hand brake, but yank on it while in motion the Stang will lock its rear brakes, allowing for smokey sideways shenanigans. Ford says “for track use only”. Want to torture those rear tires some more? Line lock clamps the front brakes, enabling smokey burnouts.
How much is the 2024 Ford Mustang in Canada?
The 2024 Ford Mustang 5.0 GT starts at $48,500. Added here is the $6,500 Performance Package, the $1,495 active exhaust, and a few other bits and bobs that bring the bottom line to just a tick over $60,000. I call that a performance bargain for an end-of-an-era legend barking thrills along decent day-to-day civility.
When this seventh-gen Mustang lives out its lifecycle, will that be the end of the ICE pony car? For now, we say the best thing about this Mustang GT is that it’s still here. So thank you, Ford, for keeping your icon alive. And for improving it, ’cause this new ‘stang is certainly better than the last one. If the Mustang 5.0 GT is indeed heading to the barn for the last time, well, it’s our duty to ride it hard and let those ponies gallop.
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