After launching the 2018 Mustang in North America
back in January, Ford has now updated the popular sports car for the European
market.
Set to debut tomorrow at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor
Show, with customer deliveries beginning next year, it benefits from the same
visual updates as its North American sibling. It can also be had in three new
metallic paint colors - Kona Blue, Orange Fury, and Royal Crimson, and with a
selection of different wheels.
For the 2018MY, the brand's engineers have lifted
the 5.0-liter V8 engine's output from 410 to 450 PS, as the unit also
benefits from a higher redline, dual-fuel, high-pressure direct injection, and
low-pressure port fuel injection system, which is said to increase low-end
torque. Ford has yet to release the new performance details, but the car should
be a tad faster than the one it replaces.
While the V8 has been massaged to deliver more
power, the 2.3-liter EcoBoost has been downgraded from 317 to 290 PS.
However, thanks to the increased back pressure within the exhaust and the
addition of the gas particulate filter, which allows it to comply with the Euro
6.2 emission standards, performance is said to remain on the same level as
before.
The new 10-speed automatic gearbox is available on
both engines, and the automaker has also upgraded the 6-speed manual, which
comes with a twin-disc clutch, and a dual-mass flywheel for quicker gear
changes and improved durability.
Europe's 2018 Ford Mustang also benefits from
additional drive modes, such as Drag Strip, which allows for fast launches, My
Mode, with its customizable features, and Good Neighbor, which limits the
exhaust's noise at pre-programmed times of the day, so the sleep of those
living nearby won't be disturbed. The pony car has also been given an optional
MagneRide Damping System that "can deliver a lightning-quick response to
changing road conditions", in the manufacturer's own words.
A 12-inch LCD instrument cluster, similar to the one
offered on the GT supercar, is found inside, in addition to the SYNC3
infotainment system that's compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, LED
lights, and more soft-touch plastics.
Ford says that the 2018 Mustang is offered with
Pre-Collision Assist, Pedestrian Detection, Adaptive Cruise Control, Distance
Alert, and Lane Departure Warning.