First drive impressions

[Artill]

There's a Lepton near Huddersfield

but far too many speed cameras there to get any where near 0.9 Leptons!!

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[Gryphon]

Hey Ben!

If you get a chance to, could you look at my initial test drive review as well?

http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31952

It'd be nice to compare notes. The interesting thing is that we seem to agree on some inviolable traits of the car, and yet seem to have reached such totally opposite conclusions on others. I'd like to pick your brain for a bit and see why that is. It just goes to show how stupidly subjective car impressions are, and how the same car can make two people feel the same in two completely different ways.

 

[matt020876]

Had a test drive at John Grose Ipswich on Saturday - I didn't stop smiling - immense! Cant wait for my mine to arrive neat spring/summer.

 

[benanderson89]

Hey Ben!

If you get a chance to, could you look at my initial test drive review as well?

http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31952

It'd be nice to compare notes. The interesting thing is that we seem to agree on some inviolable traits of the car, and yet seem to have reached such totally opposite conclusions on others. I'd like to pick your brain for a bit and see why that is. It just goes to show how stupidly subjective car impressions are, and how the same car can make two people feel the same in two completely different ways.

I'll go through your points here:

The Mustang feels HUGE on European roads.

You say that you drive a Focus, so maybe that's why it feels so big. My family has always had some form of big car. We've got two SUVs right now, and my dad before the SUV always had large saloon cars like the Audi A6 and Peugeot 406. So I'm used to large cars. To me in England the car was perfectly fine. Its actually smaller than a Mazda 6, for example. Once the mirrors are set-up you can see all four corners of the car perfectly.

The steering is VERY light in every mode

It is very light, but I noticed it weigh up when I was at... less than legal speeds. ;) But I found it very precise and direct. Only minor inputs were needed to make the car turn.

The suspension is REALLY soft

Solid as hell suspension doesn't mean it'll handle or grip better - with a car like the Mustang it'll probably have the outside wheels in a corner lift off and lower the contact patch of the tyre. Ford got the suspension just right with the Mustang considering its size and weight, and it'll grip very well. As I said in my first impressions, at speed the body roll is progressive and controllable. So I'm more than happy with it, it drives like a well sorted GT car. I had less extreme body roll in the Mustang then I did in a 335i M-Sport!

The power was a little underwhelming

I felt the same because we in Europe drive a LOT of Turbo cars. BUT, the Mustang is normally aspirated, so you need to be stupid high in the rev range and once I did that, I got the crazy shove I was expecting. When I was up at 5000rpm and stomped my foot, the tyres could spin very easily. Its a big American V8, you need to work it HARD. By the sounds of it you didn't work it hard enough to get the massive shove from the engine. It has 500Nm of Torque, it WILL push you back if you make use of it properly.

I've had experience with my Friend's Dodge Charger (he lives in Texas), so I already knew how to get the most out of the Mustang when I test drove it, and to me its a great sports car.

 

[Artill]

The impressions from the first drive, and the different way people feel is interesting. My first impressions were closer to Ben's than Gryphons.

It does feel large, but it wont take long to adjust to the width. And then it will feel completely natural.

The steering was fine even in normal mode. The suspension i thought was firm, but just the right side of too firm. My comparison is with my Monaro. Its firmer than that, and given the poor state of our roads i really dont want a car that gets all upset over pot holes etc. If Ford had given us a choice i would have gone for 18 inch wheels, and lost the huge front rotors.

As for Power, i am sure Ben is right, its down to the turbo'd cars so many people drive now, and of course the weight. Sadly i was only able to test an Auto, so i dont know what the manual will feel like, but again, i assume it will be similar to the Monaro. The Mustang is around 100kg heavier, but has quite a bit more power. The beauty of a large V8 and a manual box is that the car will be equally happy pottering at 1,000 rpm, making a great burble, or heading for the red line, and its all down to you putting it in the right gear for the what you want.

One thing i am sure we can all agree on though is that the Mustang is better than i had hoped. And there are endless parts available to alter it to be a bit more how you want it, if you feel the need.

 

[wimbrow]

first impressions

Hey Ben!

If you get a chance to, could you look at my initial test drive review as well?

http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31952

It'd be nice to compare notes. The interesting thing is that we seem to agree on some inviolable traits of the car, and yet seem to have reached such totally opposite conclusions on others. I'd like to pick your brain for a bit and see why that is. It just goes to show how stupidly subjective car impressions are, and how the same car can make two people feel the same in two completely different ways.

hey Gryphon and Ben. both very good reviews ! car reviewer level. i test drove a MT and an AT GT in the states 2 months ago for about an hour and a half on all kinds of roads in seattle and pretty much agree with your impressions even though they were somewhat contradictory on several points. i cant speak for you 2 but my experiences in driving cars always relates to what i am currently driving. i've had lots of cars from porshe 911's to ford galaxie 500, camaro's, bmw 3 series , mx5 ,expedition, jeeps etc. and i loved them all. i always seem to want to go from a big car to a small car ( which always feels like it handles great! ). i am currently in a 3 series and when i test drove the s550 i thought it felt very composed and a " lazy v8" compared to the 335d with 580NM torque at 1500 rpm, so you had to push it to feel the fury, which i really enjoyed, again. its all realative isn't it? cant wait for mine due in april/may black on black GT MT fastback

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