2024 Ford Mustang GT - Bottom Line Review

EIGHT POT PETROL PROMISE : Seemingly withstanding the avalanche of social responsibility, resource conservation and the demise of its emulators there is a new generation of American muscle pony car. After all, what could be more Uncle Sam express than the gallop of wild horses.

Eschewing the prestige makers' conversional embrace of twin turbocharging and all-wheel drive, to surgically better lap times, the 2024 Ford Mustang GT returns as the hamfisted sledge hammer, which doesn't mind many manners.

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WHAT: 2024 Ford Mustang GT Premium high performance sport coupe. The seventh generation S650 "Pony Car" returns as a fastback or convertible, succeeding the S550 'Stang of 2015-2023. It is powered by either turbocharged inline-4 or atmospheric V-8 double overhead cam petrol engines.

Standard Mustang GT Power: "Coyote" engine family. Longitudinal port and direct injected 5.0L DOHC 48 V petrol V-8 cylinders + Getrag MT-82 6-speed manual helical transmission + rear E-LSD.

• 486 hp @ 7250 r.p.m. / 415 lb-ft @ 4450 rpm, 7500 rpm redline

• For Comparison's Sake:
  • = +26 hp, -5 lb-ft vs. S550 Mustang GT 5.0L
  • = +33 hp / +9 lb-ft vs. G87 BMW M2 6-speed
• Power & Drivetrain highlights
  • square bore & stroke alloy block
  • twin air-intake
  • arc wire plasma lined cylinder bores
  • NEW FOR '24 added port fuel injection
  • 6 speed Getrag manual helical transmission
  • 3.73:1 Torsen limited slip rear differential (opt. Performance Pack)
  • NEW FOR '24 electronic hand parking brake
  • Active dual exhaust x 4 modes: Quiet, Normal, Sport, Track

WHAT (A) STYLING DIFFERENCE: Hank's Pony Car rose to the level of a fine wine in its most recent S550 iteration. The new S650 'Stang keeps it just fresh enough with some re-arranged character lines, body flaring and lighting without trampling on the sport coupe's heritage.

A more pronounced spill-over hood with sharper outer creases adopts a center power dome punctuated by a forward twin duct. Larger gloss black honeycomb segmenting fills the grille and air dam slots and more formidable double folded corners, the latter feeding air to the front brakes. Wrap around lateral segmented DRLs / directionals lie atop recessed segmented LED headlights each with outboard boomerang DRLs. Pedestrian directional indicators have been relocated from door mounted wing mirrors to fore of the front wheel arches.

While the beltline body crease front to rear wheel arch top is retained, the cheatline crease is lost for a full Coke bottle shape. Owing to greater rear quarter panel flaring the lower side spats also gain in flaring. The roof retains the same tandem twin cowl bumps and sharp raked shape, frameless door windows, pillars and C-pillar kink included.

The rear deck lid, with descending mid-section, hosts a deeper concave crease, while the raised spoiler wing features kinks at the folded edges. The bottom edge is now fully colored and outboard triple segment directional arrow tips are slimmer. The upper bumper cover canopies a middle license plate bowl. The lower rear fascia splits off into lateral cantilevers cradling reflectors and twin exhaust pipes at each corner.

• "Easter Egg" Warning: Silhouettes of Seven Gen's of Pony Car lined up at bottom of backlight.
  

WHY: Eight piston American 2+2 muscle now exclusively from Dearborn.

WHEN: On-Sale (in the U.S.) since Autumn 2023

WHERE: Ford new vehicle dealers

WHERE MADE: Dearborn, Michigan, U.S.A.

WHERE TO: The 2024 Ford Mustang GT manual is an out of the box street racer and canyon carver ready to do daily driver duty. While the tested Performance Package is shod with Pirelli P-Zero summer performance rubber, a winter rated shoes should match well with the selectable Snow Drive Mode and the limited slip rear differential once the snow plows rule the roads.

HOW ROADWORTHY: There is no getting around the age old distinction that a pony muscle car is the sledgehammer to the performance sport coupe's scalpel. As if the parked car alarm activating Active Exhaust on the 2024 Ford Mustang GT isn't sufficient evidence, there is the driveline pounding on upshifts.

The Power:

Ford wisely budgeted for strengthening, breathing (through new dual air intake boxes and throttle bodies) and oiling - cooling upgrades to the "Coyote" family twin-cam atmospheric V-8, nearly rendering the S550 Shelby GT 350 5.2L flat-plane crank Voodoo un-missed. Now displacing 307 rather than the old push-rod 302 cubic inch, hence "Five Point Oh" liters, it has cemented world class status. Consider the 7250 r.p.m redline or the horsepower figure just a few away from the half grand mark.

Most of the slop has been excised from the Getrag six-speed manual transmission. The clutch travel is a relative pal in congestion, short in travel, disengaging just barely above the release travel. Smooth downshifts are nearly guaranteed by gearbox rev-matching, which, though defeatable, needs be accessed by the infotainment display, rather than by a more convenient dedicated switch.

The optional Performance Pack's shorter 3:73:1 Torsen limited slip differential gear multiplication provides more accessible grunt in the first two cogs, with less of a torque drop-off in the upshifts (thought still more than with Ford's 10-speed slushbox).

• +/- The lift up to engage, lift up again to disengage machined aluminum electronic parking brake takes some getting used to, but seems well suited to Drift mode.
• -1 The shifter gets slightly notchy as transmission temps rise

The Modes:

• Drive modes x 6: Normal, Sport, Slippery, Track, Drag Strip, Custom
• Track Apps: Acceleration timer, Brake performance, Lap timer, Performance shift indicator, Drift brake, Line lock, Launch control, Rev Match
• Active Exhaust settings - Quiet, Normal, Sport, Track (accessible only via My Mustang settings in media display)
• Detailed gauge cluster operational data

• THE CONTROL: Even with the small block V-8 cast of aluminum and sitting aft of the front wheel axis of the 2024 Ford Mustang GT, the driver is aware of this Pony's avoirdupois. Although the staggered width Pirelli P Zero rear rubber won't easily be broken loose, there is a jiggling sensation that goosing the throttle in an apex might accomplish just that.

The jury is still out on the variable damper flow of the Magneride system. Some frost heaves imparted a calm ripple while divots still dispatched crashing, divulging ample sway bars. Under a frantic hustle, spring rates exhibited more sway than preferred. Steering wind matched the Mustang GT's heft, though the announcement of tire grip is rather filtered.

Whereas the S550 'Stang optioned with Track Packs saw Brembo big brakes only up front, the latest Pony Car's Peformance Pack throws some monoblocs in the back as well. Thus equipped the pedal pressure rewards performance inputs which impressive stopping power.

The 2024 Ford Mustang GT is the heavy mallet to the laser scalpels that descended from Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft racing. That doesn't stop this highway hooligan from being an absolute hoot.

HOW FAR: 18 combined miles per gallon fuel economy; 368 highway miles range

HOW BIG/ LITTLE: This latest 2+2 Mustang's wheelbase is carried over, therefore despite the sizable footprint, the cabin space aft of the B-pillar remains space challenged. Even equipped with the thick optional Recaro thrones, front occupant space isn't a problem until reaching to the distant B-pillar for the shoulder belt.

Two less formidable adults can eke out considerably more knee room than in the unsusable second row of a Toyota GR 86. Both Mustang's driver and front passenger seats fold and slide for ingress, and sturdy seat back latches helps in egress. Yet the ducking in and out evokes a spelunking adventure.

• For Comparison's Sake:
  • +1.1" inch wheelbase, + 9.4" inches length vs. G87 BMW M2
  • -3.2" inches 2nd Row legroom vs. G87 BMW M2
    

HOW USEFUL: √ Shallow, high liftover trunk; √ 50:50% split folding 2nd Row seat backs activated by cabin release straps

• For Comparison's Sake:
  • Nominal cargo capacity: -5% vs. G87 BMW M2

HOW SAFE: √ 8 airbags; √ IIHS - Not tested; √ Surround view cameras; sonar front & rear park warning;

• Ford Co-Pilot360: √ Forward vehicle emergency + Pedestrian avoidance braking; √ Blind spot & lane departure warning; √ Rear cross traffic braking; √ Auto high beam headlamps; √ Rain sensing windshield wipers
  • Available Co-Pilot360 Assist Plus (included on test vehicle): Adaptive cruise control

HOW PEOPLE FRIENDLY: If there is a part of the newest Ford Mustang which smugly defies heritage it is the wide dual contiguous display. Replacing the S550's twin cowl, though variably digitized, instrument cluster with a jumbo-tron is a head scratcher. The variable graphics are enhanced and color resolution has been elevated. However, as a nod to newest batch of empty nesters, who were raised on Fox body 'Stangs, there is a selectable replication of the 1987-1992 Fox body green on twin black dial cluster.

The low driving position relative to tall cowl has been retained, but the latest available Recaro front buckets have learned to avoid pinching the human torso. Padded panels and shiny simulated metallic accents and that machined e-handbrake lever extol quality, yet low grain graphite plastics and un-convincing ersatz carbon fiber confess a budget dictated. Low clutter is evidenced by a center console entirely devoid of switches. MyFord media UX was always very good, and although not yet fully conversant the latest Sync 4 comprehends operational requests admirably.

√ 6-way manual ventilated leather Recaro front sport bucket seats, leatherette rear seats; √ 2 power windows, full express; √ 2-Zone automatic climate control; √ Heated tilt, telescoping leather steering wheel; √ Power folding wing mirrors; √ Comfort approach access keyless entry.

Cool Gizmo(s): ♦ 12.4" inch panorama tablet LCD digital instrument cluster (contiguous with 13.2" inch touch LCD infotainment screen); ♦ selectable 1987-1992 Fox Body simulated green on black dial gauge cluster; ♦ Variable color ambient cabin illumination; ♦ Mustang galloping Pony puddle lamps.

Details Done Right: ♦ Aluminum pedal covers; Perforated leather + simulated leather seating; ♦ Red safety belts; ♦ Padded dash top, upper door cards, center console saddle + tandem contrast stitching; ♦ Aluminized door pulls, climate vent bezels, shifter head top; ♦ Simulated carbon fiber accents

Nearly Non-Descript: Pale MyMustang center console button

HOW CONNECTED: √ Dash-top panorama 13.2" inch MyFord Sync4 2-pane capacitive touch tablet LCD infotainment screen (contiguous with 12.3" LCD instrument cluster; √ GPS cloud based native Navigation w/ voice commands, guidance; +1 Large icons; +1 Extensive voice commands; √ Voice learning hands-free communications; √ standard 9-speaker, 360 W streaming audio & HD radio; √ USB-A x 1, USB-C x 1, 12V x 1, Qi vented inductive charging shelf, bottom center stack

HOW AUDIBLY: √ 12-speaker, 900 watt, 10 channel DSP B&O Play audio; √ Streaming audio^{(via bluetooth)} ; √ HD Radio

• +/- Audio playback not soulfully deep and slightly shrill

HOW "APP" -LICABLE: √ wireless Android Auto / Apple Car Play smart phone projection; √ Amazon Alexa assistant; √ FordPass Apps; √ FordPass Connect remote key & tools

• +1 Extensive MyFord Sync4 voice commands for climate, audio, voice to text SMS and navigation inputs

By Subscription: √ 3 years Connected Navigation; √ Sirius XM Traffic, Metro Weather radio & TravelLink apps (5 yrs. included); √ Wi-Fi hot spot x 10 devices (4G LTE by Verizon Wireless)

HOW MUCH: $61,620 = as tested 2024 Ford Mustang Premium suggested retail price (includes $Performance Pack, Recaro front bucket seats and Active exhaust).

WHAT'S MISSING: Cabin B-Pillar mounted front seat power seat belt arm, Infotainment UX isn't "wake up" phrase conversant, yet.

ANY COMPETITION: BMW M2: +1 build, finish, brakes, fuel economy