Tooling alongside the canyon roads of Southern California’s Angeles Crest Nationwide Forest within the 2024 Ford Mustang GT, I’ve a mission: Expertise the various toys the brand new Mustang affords in each the coupe and the convertible. That’s a reasonably tall order as Ford throws all the things the fanatic driver may need at its seventh-generation pony automobile, in addition to a wholesome serving to of tech, and all of it improves upon an already nice sports activities automobile.

That toybox consists of efficiency gear and tech options, and most of the latter are enabled by the previous. A lot of it’s run via a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13.4-inch touchscreen which can be each powered by the Sync 4 infotainment system and the Unreal Engine that backs many video games. For extra on the screens, which add numerous tech to the brand new Mustang, take a look at this breakdown.

This GT is supplied the way in which I’d order my automobile: handbook transmission, Efficiency Package deal, magnetic dampers, and lively exhaust system.

2024 Ford Mustang GT

2024 Ford Mustang GT

2024 Ford Mustang GT

2024 Ford Mustang: Nonetheless a 5.0, however with extra energy

The usual efficiency components begin beneath the hood, the place there rumbles a great ol’ American V-8. It’s the fourth-generation Coyote 5.0-liter V-8 that’s outfitted with a brand new twin air consumption to feed twin digital throttle our bodies. In commonplace type, it makes 480 hp, up from 450, and 415 lb-ft of torque, up from 410. Add the non-compulsory lively exhaust system and output rises barely to 486 hp and 418 lb-ft. The exhaust prices $1,225, however it’s value each penny only for the look of the quad exhaust ideas.

It sounds fairly nice, too, as have Ford V-8s because the Sixties. Drivers can modify the sound via 4 ranges, beginning at subdued and ramping as much as a Monitor setting that Ford recommends solely be used at a racetrack because of the excessive decibels it will possibly belt out. Driving alone on a canyon highway, Monitor affords an acceptable soundtrack. When driving with anybody within the automobile, Monitor and Sport can drown out dialog. That’s a great factor or a foul factor, relying on who’s within the automobile with you.

2024 Ford Mustang GT

The sound might be skilled from outdoors the automobile as properly, however solely in automobiles with the 10-speed computerized. It’s referred to as Distant Rev and it’s the brand new toy Ford has added so house owners can showcase for the neighbors or at Vehicles & Espresso occasions. To activate it, distant begin the automobile by hitting the important thing fob’s lock button adopted by the beginning button twice. As soon as began, hit the lock then the unlock button and the automobile will problem a low rev. Do it once more, it should rev increased to the delight of onlooking gearheads. It’s an grownup remote-control model of the vroom-vroom sounds all of us made when taking part in with Scorching Wheels.

Energy supply feels very similar to it did within the outgoing automobile. The V-8 launches onerous off the road, revs willingly as much as 7,500 rpm, and scoots the Mustang GT from 0-60 mph within the low-to-mid four-second vary.

Attaining these 0-60 mph occasions with the out there 10-speed computerized transmission must be a chunk of cake, however it’s not really easy with the handbook.

2024 Ford Mustang GT

I pull into one of many many turnouts on a abandoned stretch of highway to check out one other toy, launch management. To activate the function, I hit the MyMustang button beneath the middle display screen then select Monitor Apps. There I can set the automobile to launch anyplace from 2,500-7,000 rpm. Somebody has set it at 4,900 rpm, in order that’s what I attempt first. I additionally use Monitor Apps to measure the 0-60 mph time. When the system says it’s prepared, I put one foot on the clutch and the opposite on the throttle, then dump the clutch. The engine bogs because the tires grip too onerous, and my 0-60 mph time is available in at a disappointing 5.8 seconds. I attempt once more at 5,500 rpm, and this time tire spin slows the time to six.1 seconds. Not prepared to press my luck, I determine that’s sufficient. It seems the revs had been possible set too excessive each occasions, as a Ford engineer later says 3,500 rpm is best for an unprepped floor like the road.

Whereas I’m on the giant turnout, I determine it’s time to attempt one other toy, the road lock, which is principally a burnout enabler. It’s additionally activated via Monitor Apps and requires a foot on the brake and one other on the clutch. I’ve to then maintain the OK button on the fitting facet of the steering wheel and make sure I need the road lock with one other press of OK. From there, a clock ticks down from 15 seconds, throughout which period the entrance brakes maintain and the rear tires can spin to their tread’s content material. Once more, I dump the clutch and a cloud of smoke instantly engulfs the Mustang. It’s an overt signal that I’m as much as no good, so I let off after possibly 5 – 6 seconds and anticipate the countdown to complete. I can’t think about how usually you’d have to purchase tires when you went the entire 15 seconds on a semi-regular foundation.

2024 Ford Mustang GT

The 6-speed handbook transmission has a pair of efficiency goodies of its personal, specifically downshift rev matching and a shift mild. Each are managed via Monitor Apps, and the shift mild might be set anyplace from 4,000-7,200 rpm. The engine can wind all the way in which to 7,500 rpm, so why not set the shift mild on the prime finish? The shift indicator appears to be like completely different in several modes, presenting as a blue line on a crimson graph in Monitor mode and a bar that comes collectively within the center with the instrument cluster in its Fox Physique ’87-’93 theme. It’s useful in any case.

The handbook feels prefer it did within the sixth-generation S550 Mustang. It has a agency however not overly heavy clutch pedal and a brief shifter with optimistic engagement. It’s a pleasure to drive and it makes me really feel extra in tune with the automobile than any computerized can. I don’t get the possibility to attempt the 10-speed computerized within the GT, however Ford says it’s recalibrated to deal with the extra energy and to carry gears longer in Sport mode. I did attempt it within the turbo-4 Mustang EcoBoost mannequin, the place it carried out properly to maintain that automobile’s 315 hp on faucet.

The one tech-based efficiency function I don’t attempt within the GT is the brand new Drift Brake. It’s an digital parking brake that adjustments its strain based mostly on how onerous the motive force pulls the L-shaped parking brake deal with that rises from the middle console to entice the motive force. It really works as marketed, as I discovered on a closed course throughout my drive of the brand new Mustang EcoBoost.

2024 Ford Mustang GT

2024 Ford Mustang GT

2024 Ford Mustang GT

2024 Ford Mustang: Efficiency Package deal is the way in which to go

For many who need their Mustangs to deal with in addition to they speed up, the $4,995 Efficiency Package deal provides all the fitting goodies: wider 19×9 entrance and 19×9.5 rear gray-painted aluminum wheels that mount 255/40 and 275/40 Pirelli P Zero PZ4 tires, heavy-duty entrance springs, a chassis Ok-brace, a strut-tower brace, a rear wing spoiler, a Torsen limited-slip rear differential with a 3.73 axle ratio, sport suspension tuning with a bigger rear sway bar (33.3 mm vs 32 mm), and bigger brakes. The brakes include 15.4-inch vented entrance discs with Brembo 6-piston calipers and 14.0-inch vented rear discs with 4-piston calipers; these calipers can be found in blue, crimson, silver, or black. The bundle additionally provides the Drift Brake, a entrance tow hook, and a black-painted entrance grille.

The Efficiency Pack’s hi-po components and the magnetic dampers had been made for roads like these, however then once more we already knew that from the last-generation automobile. The brand new S650 Mustang retains the identical rear-drive platform because the outgoing S550 mannequin with principally the identical suspension tuning. The one actual variations are a stiffer steering column with a barely faster 15.5:1 ratio versus the outgoing 16.0:1 ratio, a shorter arm rear integral hyperlink from the GT500 to suit the Drift Brake, up to date tuning for the magnetic dampers, and new tires. The P Zero PZ4 is a comparatively new tire, and a Ford rep tells me it’s akin to the well-regarded Michelin Pilot Sport 4S.

It’s all very properly tuned to slay these mountain roads. The $1,750 magnetic dampers do a fantastic job of balancing sportiness and trip high quality. A Ford rep says they’re technology 3.5 and so they’re tuned to be simply as sporty as earlier than however provide extra consolation whereas cruising. They’re a should to make a sport-tuned Mustang livable each day. They group with the springs and stiffer anti-roll bars to restrict physique lean and provides the GT fast reactions to steering inputs.

I welcome the marginally faster steering ratio, however can’t say I can detect a distinction versus the final automobile. Nevertheless, I do sense extra steering suggestions because the automobile flows from nook to nook, and I choose the GT’s steering heft, which the EcoBoost lacks. Nonetheless, I maintain the heaviest of the three out there settings for probably the most stability.

2024 Ford Mustang GT

The Torsen limited-slip differential apportions the ability properly for acceleration out of turns with out making the GT oversteer. Whereas a very heavy throttle foot and/or the Drift Brake can kick out the rear finish, the default dealing with is impartial and secure, identical to the final automobile.

The 2024 Ford Mustang GT begins at $47,015 with our beneficial Premium trim. Versus the bottom GT, it provides 19-inch wheels, aluminum pedals, a heated steering wheel, a common storage door opener, extra soft-touch inside trim, ambient lighting, a nine-speaker audio system (as a substitute of six), wi-fi smartphone charging, a satellite tv for pc radio trial, power-adjustable entrance seats, and heated and cooled entrance seats. Add the $7,970 efficiency choices fanatics will need, plus the $1,595 vacation spot payment, and the full is $56,580.

That’s a wholesome chunk of change, however it buys drivers not solely a sports activities automobile but additionally a toybox of goodies. Expertise could also be pushing automobiles into the electrical period, however within the new Mustang, it’s getting used so as to add to the sports activities automobile expertise.

Ford paid for journey and lodging for Motor Authority to convey you this firsthand report.