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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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Online and linked to a PPS number. Also, a revamp would significantly increase turnout rates
@David Healion: and rolling so you can change address or be added to register at any time of year. Once the PPS number is used that shouldn’t be a problem.
@Jane: pps is not enough. Any person working or long enough in the State can have a PPS number.
But only citizens can vote in Referendums.
@Good Early: Not true, legal residents of all nationalities can vote in the local elections, legal residents of EU nationalities can vote in the European parliament elections, Irish and British citizens can vote in the general election, only Irish citizens can vote in the presidential election and referendums.
@Conor Black: agree, that’s why said only citizens can vote if Referendums.
PPS is fine for the others, but not enough referendums
@Good Early: passport number could be used
@Seamus Mac: Not everyone has a passport.
The system thats there works once it’s all done in time & not at the last minute. I’ve moved house over the years & part of the process is changing to the local Register when I move. Not a blind panic 2 weeks before I need to vote.
@⚡ Seánie ⚡: I know several people in both camps in the recent referendum who got two voting cards for different polling stations. They all used them to vote twice
We also had foreign nationals registered who had no right to vote.
As we have no specific figures this is worrying. It’s seriously undermines our democracy.
The government should automatically enroll all citizens once they are 18 and post a voting card. No duplicating registrations. Whether people vote is another thing.
I received two polling cards. First one was correct, second one had my name on it, but my next door neighbours address. So I could have voted twice couldn’t I? I’m never asked for ID at the polling station probably because it’s local and manned by local people. All they do is put a line through the address when you show the polling card. If I’d gone again hours after I’d voted, I could have voted a second time probably.
@Rachel Giles: I know several people who got two cards and did vote twice. It’s poses a serious threat to out democracy
@Rachel Giles: Getting two voting cards doesn’t entitle a person to vote twice. If your name is only on the Register once, and they send out two voting cards in error, and you try to vote twice, you will be caught and this is a criminal offence.
@Rachel Giles: or you could have been arrested !
My Son who is 19 had a vote in the equality marriage referendum but had none in the 8th amendment referendum . He did not move house at all . No polling card came . Why was he taken off !
@Elaine O’ Brien: the same happened to my mother and when she got onto them she was told she had to prove she was Irish! She worked in the hse and was born and lived in Ireland all her life. It’s a joke
@Elaine O’ Brien: you don’t need the polling card to vote. Did you check the register to see he wasn’t on it?
@Sandra: checking the register isn’t 100% fool proof. My son didn’t show on it because we were searching for him using HIS name and address, he got a polling card with HIS name on it but next doors address so we never would have found him on the register
@Elaine O’ Brien: Just because you don’t get a polling card, doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t have a vote. Your name might be on the register of electors and that gives you the right to vote. Check the register online on your local County Council website. There is a facility to register on it also. Not sure how they monitor registration for who can and can’t vote in different elections when registering online!
@Elaine O’ Brien: No polling card does not mean he was taken off the register
You can pay your car tax & dog license online but not change your address on electoral register online.
The whole political system needs total reform. Just because the local teacher or publican can appear on TV and in interviews before a general election spewing out well rehearsed party rhetoric doesn’t make him/her any more competent for the higher level jobs in gov. We need capable and proper qualified people in gov to get a competently run country and unfortunately that excludes most of the current shower of chancers we’ve got in the dail.
@Adrian: totally agree with you. Especially in the case of allocating ministers’ positions, people should have, not just a qualification, but experience in given ministry.
@Adrian: I totally agree. Anyone elected should have mandatory training in economics and public policy. They only seem talented at talking shite and paying themselves. Most jobs require qualifications. We wouldn’t let a teacher become a doctor without qualifications. It’s a joke
Still a half measure as we need an electoral commission as well with the power to put some order on the current chaotic process
The register as it stands gives many opportunities for fraud
The UK system isn’t quite as efficient as presented (though it’s undeniably better than the Irish one). You have a central entry point online, but it still gets sent to the local councils for semi-manual processing, which is fine but seems an unnecessary step, and can lead to issues where some councils are better organised and more efficient than others. If you have a specialised division centrally that does nothing else obviously they’re going to be better resourced and better trained.
Do what they do up North,you have to submit your National Insurance Number to register,going door to door to update the register is too much for one man these days given the population explosion etc.
When my father died they took my name off the register also despite the fact that I registered tre Gaelinn, had to go to the local courthouse and deal with some snooty officials to have it restored and no apology from them either.
There is significant problems with voters register. I have two polling cards for people who have died. Note highest vote yes in DBS in country yet second lowest turn out ie 54%. This has more to do with the voters register than apathy.
How long after you leave the country can you retain the right to vote??
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