The Ford Mustang Thread

Heavy metal: Dodge Challenger Black Ghost vs Ford Mustang Dark Horse

The Challenger is dead, for now. Will the muscle car survive? We couldn’t leave California without a 1,300bhp grudge match

Rest in peace the muscle car? The Capitol insurrection’s got nothing on this. Amend the constitution! You can pry my V8 from my cold, dead hands.

Erm, no. Outside of California’s stringent tailpipe laws America is still potty for these things. Sales are steadfast and there’s a huge generation-spanning community. The reaction to our Challenger was universally jingoistic. Unprompted, they reel off the tale of the cop from Detroit. And because Americans are born able to discern model years and memorise engine codenames, anyone who stopped for a chat knew the Mustang we brought along to crash the Challenger’s funeral party was a bit special. Think of it like an M3 CS – sharpened, honed, dipped in choice options.

Black Ghost versus Dark Horse. The most malevolent sounding face-off in all car history? Well, strictly this isn’t a fair match. The Dodge is so old it’s being carved into the face of Mount Rushmore, while Ford’s latest, greatest Mustang is $40,000 (£32k) cheaper and 300bhp worse off. And we’re in the state of California, where the coffee is skinny, decaf and served in a recycled cup. Where every second car is that blobby computer mouse on wheels you know as the Tesla Model Y – 1,307bhp of heavy metal shouldn’t play well here.

But look where we are: downtown San Francisco. Thanks to an iconic car chase set on these very streets that was riddled with continuity errors, jammed with heroic stunts and unsullied by music, this idiosyncratically hilly city put Ford vs Dodge (OK, it was a Charger back then) on the automotive map.

 
Ford Mustang GT 60th Anniversary Package

Sixty years and seven generations after the Ford Mustang debuted at the 1964 New York World's Fair, Ford is celebrating the heritage of one of the most iconic vehicles in automotive history with a limited-edition Mustang 60th Anniversary package.

"We took inspiration from the original Mustang and applied some of the most special design elements to the latest in this limited production run," said Matt Simpson, Ford Enthusiast Vehicles general manager. "Mustang's design DNA has never been stronger or more enduring than this multi-generational tribute."

The Ford Mustang 60th Anniversary package is only available for the GT Premium with 5.0-liter V8 and will be available on both coupe and convertible models with either manual or automatic transmissions.

Building upon the iconic design cues that have defined the Mustang, it features a unique dash plaque and exclusive exterior features that create a special look and feel that brings classic accents of the original car that debuted in 1964 into the modern era.

"The design was directly inspired by the clean silhouette of the original car," said Stefan Taylor, senior designer. "During the design process, we looked closely at the finely detailed elements of the 1965 Mustang, like the fender badges and wheel center caps. Our focus was capturing the feel of the '65, while also staying true to the Mustang as the modern sports car that it is."


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All 7th-Gen Ford Mustangs Get 1965-Style Digital Gauges in Free OTA Update - The Drive​

It’s the Mustang’s 60th birthday, and Ford has a present for all owners of the current model.

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Age sneaks up on you, and today, the iconic Ford Mustang celebrates its 60th birthday. Ford has a party favor for those who have already shown up to a dealer to buy a Mustang, too: A retro gauge cluster styled after the 1965 model that started it all. Best of all, it's free.

The cluster was shown off in a video uploaded by Ford Product Communications Director Mike Levine, where he revealed Ford's main tribute to this Mustang milestone.

For a limited time, Ford will offer a 60th Anniversary Package for the 2025 Mustang, featuring Wimbledon White paint, 1965 GT-inspired badges, and graphics denoting its provenance from other angles.

Naturally, there'll only be 1,965 of these editions available, but if you've already bought your car, you won't be left out in the cold.

Climbing into the cockpit, Levine powers on the Mustang's dash to show a 1965-inspired setup for the digital gauge cluster.

The design is being delivered for free via over-the-air update starting today, meaning all current and future owners of seventh-generation Mustangs will have the option.

It's a great supplement to the '80s Foxbody-style cluster that Ford revealed before launch.

www.thedrive.com

All 7th-Gen Ford Mustangs Get 1965-Style Digital Gauges in Free OTA Update

The 2024 Ford Mustang pays tribute to the 1965 classic with a free downloadable gauge cluster that's available today.
www.thedrive.com www.thedrive.com
 
Living with a Ford Mustang GT Fastback: Conclusion

VERDICT

Many Mustang fans will no doubt be hankering after the new version that’s due to hit our streets later this year if all goes according to plan. But after spending three months with the current GT model, I was surprised at how nicely it has aged and how easy it is to live with on a daily basis.

And when those weekend road trips beckon, the Mustang really comes into its own. It’s not the fastest nor the sharpest sports car on the block, but if it doesn’t put a huge smile on your face, then I don’t know what will.

QUICK FACTS: Ford Mustang GT

Price: R1,142,900 (August 2024)
Engine: 5.0-litre normally aspirated V8
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power/Torque: 331kW and 529Nm
0-100km/h (Coastal): 4.8 seconds
0-100km/h (Gauteng): 5.5 seconds
Fuel Use Mixed: 15.2 litres per 100km
Service Plan: Optional

 
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