Top 5 Things To Love About the New Ford Mustang

Top 5 Things To Love About the New Ford Mustang

Sure, Ford has finally whipped the camouflage off its 7th generation ‘Stang’ as a fitting replacement for the successful 6th generation model which became an instant hit when it officially landed in Mzansi. Boasting more evolutionary than revolutionary design cues, the new Mustang will join the fierce fold where the likes of the BMW M4 Competition, Mercedes-AMG C63 S and Audi RS 5 live when it launches sometime in 2023.

While we’ve detailed the odds and ends of the Mustang here, we thought it best to highlight TopGear SA’s Top 5 features we love about the new ‘Stang.

1.No electrification here

At a time when rivals seem to be exiting the ICE market in favour of electrification, Ford has stayed true to what the Mustang has always been all about; burning petrol. So, the new model still packs the glorious 5.0-litre naturally-aspirated V8 engine and, erm, a 2.3-litre EcoBoost. The latter shouldn’t form part of the local lineup. Here’s to hoping…

2.Digitalisation: More screens, less clutter

Stepping inside, gone is the classic dashboard design and it’s been replaced by a more driver-focused cabin that’s further complemented by digital displays. These include a 12.4″ instrument cluster and a 13.3″ touchscreen infotainment system. As you’d expect, the latter offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The new layout, according to Ford, will appeal to the younger market, specifically those who grew up playing video games.

3.Remote Rev

Aha. While we think this feature is a bit of a show-off, the Remote Rev feature can save you time at the mall should you lose your Mustang in the parking area by following the sounds of the revving car. Yes, that’s learning 101 from me. How it works is that it lets drivers rev the car remotely by using the key fob, which is an interesting feature we’d love to sample when the Mustang arrives, if we’re honest. Poor guy seated in the car parked next to your Mustang…

4.Drifts, anyone?

As part of the Performance Pack, the Mustang will feature an electronic drift brake for some tail-happy fun when the situation allows. It’s quite straightforward. The electronic brake locks the rear wheels for a short stint to induce sliding and adjusts the Mustang’s acceleration input to maintain a drift.

5.A Dark Horse for the track

Dubbed the Mustang Dark Horse, Ford also announced the new sinister model that wields the same 5.0-litre V8 powerplant with 500 horses or 372 kW of power to the rear axle via a 6-speed manual transmission. It gets a host of exterior and interior tweaks and it’s available with the brand’s Handling Package. It’ll soon be joined by track-only S and R variants.