It’s finally here! The 2015 Ford Mustang, which has been a topic of discussion for the past few months, finally made its debut at the Ford headquarters today. This launch comes after numerous spy shots and leaked details made the wait easier for the rest of us.
There has been reductions made to the length and height of the car but it will get a wider track. The new Mustang’s design has been inspired by quite a few interesting things, Steve McQueen, a panther and a fist breaking through glass are on that list. The sixth-generation pony car retains the current Mustang’s wheelbase. These changes to the design and dimensions have changed the appeal of the car, making it look more agile and aggressive. We have talked about the 2015 Ford Mustang at length earlier.
The car borrows plenty of cues from the old one, the long hood and sloping fastback are still there and so is the trapezoidal grille which rounds of the front of the car. The hood features an assertive power dome and functional heat extractors, while the headlights on the GT feature three LED "gills" reminiscent of the slats near the headlight housing on the original Mustang. The triple LED taillights and blacked-out surround is something new to talk about, while the rear end is further set off on the GT model with a stand-alone "GT" badge. A body-coloured diffuser and a set of twin tailpipes round out the changes to the 2015 Mustang's rump.
Ford has completely changed the Mustang's cabin, giving it the look of a truly modern product. The material quality is better to a great extent, and the overall layout is more stylish and easier to figure out. A long strip of metal spans the width of the dash. Other dash materials include leather, complete with contrast stitching, and soft-touch plastics. It will also gain creature comforts found in most luxury cars, such as radar cruise control, blind spot warning and a sensor key. The center stack on the car was fitted with the Blue Oval's optional MyFord Touch system, the infotainment technology's first appearance in a Mustang. Ford has fitted the new model with a set of secondary analog controls for the HVAC and audio. The steering wheel is slightly smaller in diameter overall, and features a wide assortment of buttons controlling everything from the audio system and Bluetooth to the TrackApps and instrument-cluster display.
Drivers will have three engines to choose from: updated versions of the current 3.7-litre V6, which gets a projected 300 horsepower, and 5.0-litre V8, with 420 horsepower, as well as a new 2.3-litre EcoBoost four-cylinder that gets a projected 305 horsepower. Ford will also offer updated six-speed manual and automatic transmissions. Final numbers for horsepower and fuel economy will be released later. It also gets independent rear suspension for the first time.
Now comes the interesting bit. Ford is, for the first time, offering a right-hand-drive version for the United Kingdom and Australia, and the company will market the car more heavily overseas. The new Mustang, whose design pays homage to the iconic 1968 version, will be the first to be built in right-hand-drive on a Ford production line.
Ford's new muscle-car will be available with four-cylinder or V8 power when it arrives in Australian showrooms by the end of 2015, priced from about USD 45,000 (Rs 27.78 lakh). So this means, an Indian release may not be far away.
