Mustang V8

We get behind the wheel of Ford's Iconic Muscle car....

Wow! This has been a long time coming. I’ve always loved the Mustang, but with the steering wheel on the wrong side of the car and the infamous American build quality there was never a Mustang that I would actually want to own. But what about the new right-hand drive S550, will that change my mind…?

Well, in short, yes! Yes it has! It actually wins you over long before you get anywhere near the driver’s seat too. Just looking at the new Mustang makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end – that long sculptured bonnet, those wide hips, and those fat rear tyres are just intimidating. Couple these to the evocative details such as the three bar lights, the iconic pony on the grille, and, most importantly, the ‘GT’ and ‘5.0’ badges, and you know you’re in for a treat!

Yes, that’s right – this is the range-topping GT version, complete with whopping 5.0-litre V8 engine. Fire it up and the huge motor roars like a muscle car should. But inside the cabin it’s actually nice and quiet. In fact, inside the new Mustang things are all familiarly European. And that’s a good thing, trust me. Having driven a few early US imports, I can report that the difference in the interior is like night and day. The UK cars feature the touchscreen Sync2 system, have solid-feeling retro-style toggle switches, a much nicer dash layout, and generally have a more quality feel to the interior. In comparison, the US versions I have driven feel quite cheap and tacky, but this I like, a lot!