Ford Mustang launches in Europe

It may be one of the most recognisable American car brands, but as of 2014 Ford are hoping Europeans will consider it one of their own, so much so that the company launched it in Barcelona, Spain simultaneously with six other cities across four continents.

The design of the new Mustang follows the style-guide proven in previous generations with a few modern twists; a low roof height and wide stance, sloping fastback rear and a contemporary execution of the ponycar’s signature shark-bite front-end. The three-dimensional tri-bar rear lights hark back to 1964 original.

But the most notable ingredient in the new Mustang’s arsenal is an all-new 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine, which delivers the kind of turbocharged performance of a modern BMW 3 Series with the fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions demanded by European customers. Thanks to a unique new intake manifold and turbocharger housing the new power unit delivers 306bhp and 407 Nm of torque – more than a match for BMW’s 335i.

It’s a thoroughly modern engine too featuring direct injection, variable cam timing and turbocharging mated to an automatic transmission featuring steering wheel-mounted shift paddles. A manual gearbox is provided as standard while a 5.0‑litre V8 engine is also available delivering 420bhp and 529 Nm of torque.

The new Mustang features all-new front and rear suspension with a new perimeter subframe to stiffen the front structure. The geometry, springs, dampers and bushings all have been specifically modified to suit European tastes, so the company promises it will drive as well as it looks.

Its dynamics can be adjusted to suit road or track driving at the flick of a switch, altering steering effort, engine response, transmission and electronic stability control settings using the new ‘Selectable Drive Mode’.

There’s also torque vectoring on the rear wheels to optimise traction and stability, while launch control is available on manual transmission models.

Inside there’s a quorum of Ford’s latest SYNC technologies including Voice Control and touchscreen control of the infotainment system, while in Europe customers will be offered a navigation system with an 8-inch colour screen in conjunction with a premium 12-speaker sound system.

Details of the Mustang’s pricing, specification and launch date will be announced later in the year.

Written By

Steve Davies

Steve is an investor, private equity advisor and former Partner at KPMG, PwC and Bain. Most importantly he's a life-long car enthusiast, mountain biker and active sports enthusiast. He designs and builds technology platforms and is the architect behind Transmission.