Ford is taking the Mustang back to the beginning but also pushing the muscle car into the future at the same time.
The original 1964 Mustang was designed to appeal to the ‘Baby Boomer’ generation that wanted motoring freedom and something very different to what their parents drove. This new 2023 Mustang is trying to generate the same appeal, but instead of using a V8 engine like the ‘64 model Ford is using technology.
The blue oval has revolutionised the cabin design for this new model, ditching the now-famous ‘double brow’ dashboard design to free up space for a pair of large screens that offer up more versatility and information for the driver.
There’s a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and a 13.3-inch infotainment touchscreen that are incorporated into one continuous element in the high-grade models. This new design has been developed to try and give the Mustang more youthful appeal, as Ford’s market research showed buyers wanted more smartphone-like technology.
And it’s not just for show, by switching to an all-digital set-up Ford has been able incorporate more options for the driver, including no less than six different instrument displays - Normal, Sport, Track, Calm and Fox Body Day and Night. The Fox Body themes are a throwback to the 1980s Mustang, with virtual representations of the car’s round analog dials, with the Day setting featuring white graphics and the Night switching to green.
The exterior design of the new Mustang is also designed to appeal to younger buyers with an “edgy” look that features a more angular front end and sharper lines down its flanks and across the rear.
Ford will continue to offer both the V8-powered GT and four-cylinder EcoBoost engines and for this new-generation model has created two different front end designs to give the pair more visual separation. The GT gets a bigger upper grille with ‘nostrils’ on either side as well as a functional bonnet vent, while the EcoBoost gets a new angular grille which is smaller.
Both cars get new ‘tri-bar’ daytime running lights that visually tie the new grille together and are meant to tie into the rear of the car, where the iconic tri-bar taillights have been updated with a sleeker new design.
The 5.0-litre V8 is the fourth-generation of the Coyote engine, it has been redesigned for this new model. It now features individual throttle bodies for the first time, as well as dual air-boxes, which Ford claims is enough to make it the most powerful naturally-aspirated V8 ever fitted to the pony car.
The EcoBoost 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine is an all-new design and will be the only other engine available at launch, despite rumours Ford is working on a hybrid Mustang.
The good news for driving purists is the V8 remains available with a six-speed manual gearbox, with the option of a 10-speed automatic (which is the sole transmission paired with the EcoBoost).
The new Mustang features Brembo brakes in three different sizes, depending on various model grades, but the bigger change is the introduction of an all-new ‘Electronic Drift Brake’ which is another creation to lure in younger customers.
Ford admits until now the Mustang’s performance has been characterised by acceleration and track times, but with the rise of drifting in recent years it worked with US drifting champion, Vaughn Gittin Jr to develop this new ‘drift brake’. It effectively replaces the electronic park brake with a lever that allows for the driver to more easily lock the back wheels to help him or her drift the tail of the car.
Ford also claims it has improved the steering feel with a new, faster steering rack, which is connected to a new-look steering wheel that features a more modern design with flat-bottomed rim.
The new Mustang is scheduled to arrive in Australia in late 2023 but pricing and specifications havn’t been revealed by Ford Australia yet, so stay tuned for details in the future.
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