StangBangers Road Test: 2014 Ford Mustang GT: 49 Years to Perfection

LONG ISLAND, N.Y. - July 28, 2013 - PRLog -- The 1964-1/2 Ford Mustang pony car hit the road as an immediate hit, and the hoofbeats continue to this day. No matter the obstacles in its path (competitors, gas shortages, ill-conceived plans of being replaced by the Ford Probe, etc), the Ford Mustang has always evolved to keep up with the times. The 2014 Ford Mustang represents almost 50 years of constant refinements. To say “improvements” seems almost harsh, because there are many enthusiasts who to this day believe the 1964-1/2 was perfect.

The 2015 Mustang will be a clean-slate redesign, which presents an incredible challenge to Ford designers/engineers, since the 2014 model to many (us included) is pure perfection. Driving our Kona Blue 2014 Mustang GT “5.0” around town further reinforced this feeling. No matter where we drove it, the Stang simply stopped people in their tracks. That’s saying something, since the last major redesign happened in 2010.

Walking around the newest Stang, we couldn’t think of a single thing we would improve upon. The 2010 redesign was a dramatic update to the 2005 retro redesign, which had completely caught everyone off guard, most notably Chevy and Dodge, who worked feverishly for years to resurrect the Camaro and Challenger. The Mustang engine in 2010 was a carryover, and 2011 brought back the “5.0” badge and powerhouse engine thumping out over 400 HP. The taillights were not universally loved, but the 2013 nip/tuck fixed that.

Ford was wise to offer leather Recaro seats as an option all of the newest Mustangs. While an expensive option to select, and they are not power (so manual adjustments), we cannot imagine ordering a new Mustang without them.

The 5.0 engine is arguably the sweetest engine to ever reside between the shock towers of a Mustang. It not only rockets you to 60 MPH in 4 seconds with little effort, but sounds like an 8-cylinder symphony while doing it. My 5 year old son, during a test drive, actually asked me to turn off the radio, so he could better hear the engine. It sounds incredible at idle, and just keeps sounding better as the revs climb. It reaches legal speed limits far too easily, so driving enthusiasts will no doubt seek out local race tracks to let the Stang stretch its legs a bit.

Our tester came equipped with the Track Pack, which includes 19” wheels/tires, Brembo brakes, and a shock-tower brace, which is overkill for anything you can do on the street (legally), but will give you an edge over standard Mustang GTs on the track.

Speaking of the brakes, we thought back to the old pushrod 5.0, which pumped out a then-noteworthy 225 HP, and made due with smallish front disk brakes and rear drum brakes. Yes, drum brakes. The new Brembos bring the car to halt with the immediacy of throwing an anchor out back.

The previous generation 5.0 Mustangs also sported 15” aluminum (“turbine”) wheels, finally moving up to 16” Pony wheels in 1991, and 17-inchers as an option in 1995. As part of the Track Pack, our tester had 19” wheels, which kept the car firmly planted to the road, and filled out the wheel wells quite nicely.

Redesigning the Mustang for 2015 is no trivial task. Everyone loves the 2014 Stang, and believes that Ford Motor Company is hitting on all cylinders. However, Ford is in a position where they need to come out with a revolutionary 2015 Mustang which will keep the previous generations of Mustang fans happy, while generating interest with the younger generation, all while being a true world car (sold all over the world), while also making sure to make more horsepower and torque while gulping less fuel. No easy task, that’s for sure.

No matter what happens in the future though, the 2014 Mustang GT will always represent 49 years of American automotive engineering and manufacturing at its best!

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