2015 Ford Mustang: Top 10 Features for America's Transformed Pony Car

When it comes to iconic and exciting American nameplates nothing trumps the Ford Mustang, and after five decades and several million sales Ford is giving loyal pony car fans a 50th birthday present in the form of an all-new 2015 Mustang. 

The transformative nature of this redesign can’t be overstated, as everything about the Mustang has changed — for the better. The pressure on the Mustang team to get this car right was incredibly high, not only because the competition is sharper than ever but because there’s a massive, established Mustang fan base with its own expectations as to how the car should evolve. The Mustang designers and engineers had to walk a fine line between advancing the car’s capabilities without alienating existing owners and intenders.

They nailed it.

Let’s take a look at the Top 10 traits that make the new 2015 Ford Mustang the most promising pony since it debuted 50 years ago.

10. Standard Features: 

The 2015 Mustang’s starting price is up $500, to $24,425 with destination charge. For that price you get the base 3.7-liter V6 delivering 300 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. Yet the standard feature count on the new Mustang makes that price feel like a bargain. Push-button start. Paddle shifters for the 6-speed automatic. Revised clutch and synchro settings for the 6-speed manual. HID headlights and LED taillights. Twice as many air bags. A new independent rear suspension and redesigned double-ball-joint front suspension. High-strength steel in the body that provides 28 percent more torsional rigidity, and larger brakes for all three versions of the new Mustang. That’s a lot of new content for $500.

9. Lean and Mean: 

Despite all these new standard features, including several high-tech safety systems and a new independent rear suspension, the 2015 Mustang retains a 200 to 400 pound advantage over the equivalent Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger. Given the Mustang’s consistent history of being the featherweight (if not the most advanced) American coupe within its competitive set it’s reassuring to know Ford only bumped the 2015 Mustang’s weight by less than 100 pounds. The fastback now weighs in at 3,500 pounds for the  four-cylinder or V6 models and 3,700 pounds for the V8. The convertible body style adds approximately 100 pounds.

8. 21st Century Suspension: 

The Mustang has officially stepped into the modern era by upgrading to an all-new independent rear suspension on every model. This suspension works with the new double-ball-joint front suspension and stiffer platform to reduce body roll during acceleration, braking and handling maneuvers. A Performance Package can be added to the 2.3-liter and 5.0-liter Mustangs to further stiffen the suspension and improve braking performance. If all of this sounds like stand-issue redesign stuff, well, it is. But the execution of these upgrades on the 2015 Mustang has substantially transformed the car’s driving demeanor. The lighter 2.3-liter EcoBoost version is particularly striking in its handling balance and overall confidence, emphasizing a sporty nature that feels more Stuttgart, Germany than Flat Rock, Michigan.

7. Fab Four: 

While the Mustang’s base engine for 2015 remains a V6 the biggest drivetrain news is the turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder, offering 310 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque. This engine is rated at 21 city mpg, 32 highway mpg and 25 combined mpg for the 6-speed automatic transmission (the manual is rated at 22/31/26 mpg). A combination of 300-plus horsepower and 30-plus highway mpg is worthy of respect under any circumstances, but the broad, usable torque curve of this engine, and how it delivers that torque in a refined manner, is what makes the 2.3-liter EcoBoost arguably more compelling than the 5.0-liter V8. The new Mustang also offers multiple driving modes, and when placed in “Sport” or “Track” mode this four-cylinder engine responds quickly to throttle input. The 2.3-liter Mustang starts at $25,995.

6. 435 Horsepower: 

For traditional Mustang fans that can’t cope with a four-cylinder version Ford still offers the 5.0-liter V8 in GT models. Rated at 435 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque, this is the most powerful GT engine ever. It can push the car up to 155 mph while delivering the deep exhaust burble V8 fans know and love. Unlike the 2.3-liter Ecoboost Mustang that corners like a European sports car, the V8 GT will feel quite familiar to existing Mustang owners. As with four-cylinder models, the V8′s independent rear suspension improves cornering confidence, particularly over broken pavement. But between the heavier engine and V8 suspension tuning this version feels more muscle car than sports car. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, especially if you’re an old-school Mustang fan that likes the current car just the way it is. The 5.0-liter starts at $32,925.

5. Electronic Line-Lock: 

In the spirit of classic Mustangs and V8 performance, Ford has added a new feature to the 2015 Mustang that old-world fans will surely appreciate. Taking a page from the drag racer’s handbook, the new Mustang GT has an electronic line-lock feature to fully apply the front brakes while releasing the rear brakes. This makes it easy to heat up the rear tires for maximum traction when competing in eighth-mile or quarter-mile drag race events. Of course this feature could also be used for doing smoky burnouts outside of a track facility, but we’re certain Mustang owners would never abuse the technology in such a flagrant way on public roads…

4. Advanced Technology: 

The line-lock feature is part of a larger set of Track Apps and driving modes accessible through the Mustang’s steering wheel buttons and dashboard toggle switches. A central display screen between the gauges lets drivers configure an electronic launch mode, balancing horsepower against traction for maximum acceleration. Other available high-tech features include adaptive cruise control with collision mitigation, blind spot warning, reverse park assist, voice-activated navigation, 911 Assist emergency calling and Ford MyKey technology for parents to limit engine performance and audio settings when their children are driving. Load up a 2.3-liter EcoBoost Mustang and you can hit almost $40,000, while a loaded 5.0-liter GT can approach $50,000, but at those prices both will include a long list of advanced safety and luxury features.

3. Going Global: 

For the first time in its 50-year history the Mustang will be a global Ford product. That means Mustang fans from Hamburg to Hong Kong will be able to order their own version and pick it up at the local Ford dealer. For decades Mustang fans have shipped the cars across the planet, but always on their own dime and only after navigating various customs and government regulations that could take anywhere from 10 days to 10 years. Like Cuban cigars and Voodoo Doughnuts, the Ford Mustang’s forbidden nature has only elevated the car’s mystical aura, which has international fans waiting with bated breath to place orders. There’s no telling what level of total volume the car will manage once international production and distribution is up to speed, but given the Mustang’s global popularity it’s possible demand will indefinitely outstrip supply.

2. Impressive Interior: 

The interior layout remains true to Mustang heritage, with a symmetrical, elevated dash pad ahead of the driver and passenger, a two-pod instrument cluster and a three-spoke steering wheel. Real aluminum accent trims and toggle switches give the cabin a premium feel while a smaller dashboard provides more knee room. There’s also an industry-first knee air bag for the passenger that’s incorporated into the glovebox door. The shifter has been moved closer to the driver while the cupholders are further away, providing clear access to the shifter without fear of upending your strawberry malt. There’s also standard memory recline for the front seats, meaning they go back to where they were set after you flip them forward for rear seat access. Speaking of rear seats, headroom back there limits them to children or small adults.

1. Trademark Mustang: 

Despite the most radical redesign in the car’s 50-year history, the 2015 Ford Mustang still looks and (at least in GT form) drives like a classic American coupe. The long hood, short rear deck and fastback roof remain. Trademark tri-bar taillights, featuring sequential turn signals, harken back to the original car, as do the door lines and prancing horse emblem. The 2.3-liter Ecoboost also still looks like a Mustang, inside and out, but it drives far better than any previous version. Or any previous — or existing — Camaro and Challenger for that matter. This the the new benchmark in handling for an American coupe, and it will be interesting to see how it measures up to the best from Europe and Japan. If Ford wanted to expand the Mustang’s appeal beyond its traditional customers — without losing the car’s established fan base — mission accomplished.

Culled from: forbes.com