The sixth-gen Ford Mustang is getting its awaited facelift
for the 2018MY. The mid-life refresh brings on a tweaked face, courtesy of the new headlights, redesigned front bumper,
a wider front grille and a resculpted bonnet that’s 20 mm lower. At the back, we
see new C-shaped rear light clusters, the diffuser that is now finished in
black, and in the GT, a small rear wing.
The big news is that Ford is focusing instead on the 2.3-litre EcoBoost and the 5.0-litre
V8 versions which now gain a new 10-speed automatic gearbox option.
The manual gearbox that’s paired with the 5.0-litre
V8 has also been upgraded with a twin-disc clutch and a dual-mass flywheel
while the new ten-speed automatic is said to offer faster shift times and
responses than the outgoing six-speed automatic.
The V8 engine itself is also getting a refresh,
gaining a direct injection and port fuel injection which makes it more frugal
and more powerful at the same time but Ford hasn’t provided any figures yet.
The 2.3-litre EcoBoost is also going to offer more torque than before.
Other revisions include the addition of an optional
digital cluster with a 12-inch screen instead of the traditional analog gauges,
offering three separate views –normal, sport and track mode. A new active valve
exhaust system allows the driver now to adjust the soundtrack of the
V8-equipped versions while Ford has also given the 2018 Mustang a range of
active safety systems such as Pre-Collision Assist with pedestrian detection,
distance alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist and Driver Alert
System.
The new Ford Mustang also benefits from new shock
absorbers, a new cross-axis joint in the rear suspension which allegedly
increases lateral stiffness and new stabilizer bars to further sharpen the
car’s responses and handling character. MagneRide adaptive dampers are also
available as an option for the first time.
Inside, the interior now features “improved touch
points” which is another way of saying softer plastics at the driver’s
immediate vicinity, and visual cues aiming to give a more premium look. These
include a new hand-stitched wrap with contrast stitching and padded knee
bolsters in the center console, with the door handles, rings and bezels now
finished in aluminum.
Ford will launch the new 2018 Mustang in North
America this fall, so stay tuned for the full details.
