THIS IS THE Ford Mustang Fastback powered by the 5.0-litre V8 petrol engine, which hit Irish shores in 2016.
This year is the first time since the iconic nameplate was launched in 1964 that the iconic muscle car has been available in Ireland with the steering wheel on the right side.
But is it too ‘American’ for us? Is it just too loud and in your face for us to be comfortable driving it around?
When I went to pick up the car I was worried that people would think I was a bit of a show-off in my flash car, but once I took it out on the Dublin roads I was delighted with the reaction.
The car got lots of big smiles and thumbs up and a few people even came up to me to have a look at the car and tell me that it was gorgeous.
The Mustang seems to be a loveable, grin-inducing car. A little ray of sunshine bursting through the more staid crossovers and saloons that populate our roads.
Perhaps it had something to do with the bright, sunny ‘Triple Yellow’ paintwork.
But it’s not just the paint colour that is eye-catching. The price is pretty attractive too. You can have a 415hp 5.0-litre V8 powered Mustang from just €71,500 or €55,500 for the 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine.
But even this test car version with all the option boxes ticked and features like the silver painted 19-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels; climate front seats; rear parking sensors; satellite navigation; premium audio system and chrome window framing cost just €74,300.
I say just €74,300 because its rivals like the Audi RS 5 Coupé, BMW M4 Coupé and the Mercedes C63 AMG all come it around €100K for entry level versions. So by comparison, even with the €2,350 annual road tax, the Ford Mustang looks like a bargain.
But it is worth it?
Leaving looks aside, as you are either going to love it or hate it (I love it), the Mustang is good fun to drive. It is very tail-happy and loves to flick its rear out as much as it can.
Of course, this is helped by the ‘Track’ driving mode, which fully disables traction control. There’s even a ‘Line-Lock’ function which electronically locks the front brakes allowing you to perform smoky burnouts without the car moving. Much fun! Just don’t do it at the traffic lights.
Keep the car in ‘Normal’ mode, however, and it exhibits good manners and is pretty compliant. There are a few negatives: at speed the car feels a bit crude, and not so surefooted on bumpy Irish roads. There is a lack of feeling through the steering wheel and there is some wind and tyre noise.
However, when you put your foot down and feel that acceleration and hear that engine you forget all about the negatives. Plus the manual gearbox has a lovely, precise, mechanical feel to it. It’s a joy switching thought the gears.
Rear passengers may not be so happy. While this is a big car, the rear leg and head room is limited – although you will be able to get two kids in the back and the boot is rather spacious and deep.
The interior is stylish too, with lots of retro detailing, cool toggle switches and leather-covered everything. This test car came with the Ford SYNC 2 infotainment system with 8-inch touchscreen, which I found very easy to operate, even if the screen did show far too much information.
There are a few cheap pieces of switch gear and the leather seats squeak against the transmission tunnel but those seats do come with heating and cooling functions, so you can keep your butt air-conditioned whilst you are sweating buckets driving in Track mode.
Another thing that I liked about the Mustang was that it actually had really good visibility. Even though the driving position was quite low down I could see the end of that massive bonnet.
With the B-pillars being so far back I could see all around the car and it made up for the limited view out of the small rear window.
Overall, this is a fun car to drive and it looks fantastic but it has more than one trick up its sleeve. It can be loud and brash when you want it to be but it can behave itself too – and whilst room for passengers is limited you can carry a fair bit of cargo and get two child seats in the back.
It’s not the most luxurious or comfortable car out there but for a model this well specced, at this price, it does seem like a good deal compared to its rivals. And I think that those looking to buy an American muscle car will forgo the comfort in favour of the style, power and noise.
Is this the right car for you?
If you are looking for a car full of character and charm that offers value for money as well as being fast and powerful – and you don’t have adult passengers to carry around – then this may be the car for you.
However, if the Mustang is not your cup of Joe but you do want a powerful V8 car that is a bit left field and not everywhere on our roads then you should look at the Lexus RC F, which is priced from €106,950.
However, if you want something that’s in the same price range as the Mustang but with more room for passengers then you should have a look at the BMW M240i Coupé, which starts at €58,470.
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