Ford Mustang Mk6 (2015-2020): Renaissance era

The price of gasoline and the demands of crazy ecologists have almost ruined the most attractive branch of the evolution of cars on the planet. These are stylish and powerful pony cars, as they were called in the 60s. Perhaps their most famous representative is the Ford Mustang, a cult car familiar to every student from Berdychiv to Phnom Penh. Mustangs are rare in our region, the food is not the same and the space is not American. Why are they loved and why not so much, especially after 2015 with the release of the sixth generation and restyling in 2018?

Parents and grandparents. New Ford Mustang 6th generation

On December 5, 2013, a grand presentation of the new generation of the cult car took place simultaneously in Dearborn (Michigan), Los Angeles (California), New York, Barcelona (Spain), Shanghai, and Sydney, Australia. The assembly line in Flat Rock (Michigan) was ready to release the first serial copy only by 2015.

It was then that the 50th anniversary of the continuous production of the model since March 1964 was celebrated. The first original Ford Mustang was first shown to the public at the New York World’s Fair in April of that year. He was №1 among competitors, but the severe fuel crisis of the late 60s made its adjustments.

Motors have become smaller and less powerful, and the bright design has become less expressive over the years to be mainstream. After all, until the beginning of the XXI century, the Ford Mustang was unrecognizable. It was decided to return the former glory of the world’s best muscle car only in 2009. The fifth generation is based on the original design from the 60s and powerful eight-cylinder engines wrapped in a modern shell.

Ecologists came here and made a fuss about a very non-environmentally friendly V8. Then we had to get from the European warehouse Ford exemplary environmental engine EcoBoost, which was put on both Focus and Fusion. It was tucked under the hood of the sixth-generation Mustang as a base unit. And so that the audience does not get used to the sound of a real engine, the car was equipped with a sound emulation system that mimics the roar of a V-shaped eight.

Ford Mustang Мк6 at present days

Every year, Ford introduces a new version of the iconic Mustang. Probably the main goal of the company is to warm up the public’s interest in the car. Sometimes the changes are very small, sometimes they affect the technical part, but the foundations of the new generation were laid in 2013. This is the S550 platform with modified McPherson struts and a multi-link rear suspension.

Ford Mustang has gained fans in part due to the huge opportunities for personalization. This applies to the interior and body, as well as engines and gearboxes.

And prices, of course. If you want, buy a 2.3-liter Mustang with a 300-horsepower Ecobust, if you want, take a V-8 with up to 730 horsepower. In the first case, you pay a little more than $23,000, in the last – about $60,000 (Shelby GT 350, for example).

After the restyling, the Mustang received a lot of visible and not very visible at first glance changes:

1. Absolutely all complete sets, even with the basic four-cylinder motor, are equipped with LED optics. Both headlights and taillights.
2. The shape of the hood and front fenders has changed. The front edge of the hood was 20 millimeters lower, which gave a more formidable appearance to the entire front.
3. The redrawn shape of the radiator grille. In some configurations, the grille is edged with a chrome border.
4. 12 new versions of alloy wheels.
5. Optional LED fog lights have appeared.
6. In 2017, there was a great 10-speed automatic, which is available with both the base L-4 and V-8 of different power.
7. The power of all engines in the line has increased, as well as torque.

These are the most significant changes that affected the Ford Mustang in 2017. It is gratifying that the exterior almost did not touch, except for the front optics. Due to the evil squirrel, the Mustang became an even more convincing rival for the Camaro, Charger, and Challenger. Among the visible options are new alloy wheels in several paint options, however, it is interesting except that the crazy followers of the Ford Mustang.

What’s new in technology

It is simply impossible not to recognize the Ford Mustang visually. The designers managed to maintain the brand proportions and assertiveness of the first generation fastback, and even improve them. But now the restyled coupe can be recognized by sound. Even with the comic L-4 EcoBoost. All thanks to the active exhaust system.

An exhaust system with four nozzles has been developed for the V-shaped eight, and for the in-line eco-four with two. A special valve is integrated into the muffler, which affects the sound, but no power. In this way, you can adjust the active exhaust system – if desired, the engine will roar menacingly with all 8 cylinders, and can sigh softly when you do not need to attract attention. When you rob a bank, for example.

The four-cylinder Mustang went even further. There is a separate audio system, which is responsible for the sound of the exhaust. All because Ecobust does not sound like a native V-engine, neither 6-cylinder nor 8-cylinder. By the way, V-6 was removed from the line of engines in 2017.

But the V-8 has become a little more powerful, and it’s not about the firmware of the electronic engine control unit, which suffers from many European manufacturers. The pre-reform engine gave 437 forces, and the new one was taught to show as many as 460.

The engine was upgraded in several directions. First, cast iron sleeves were removed from the cylinder block and laser-coated sleeves were installed. This increased the piston diameter from 92.3 to 93 mm and the working volume from 4,950 to 5,035 liters.

But that’s not all. Secondly, the diameter of the plates of all 32 valves increased, and thirdly, the degree of compression was raised from 11: 1 to 12: 1. Hence the significant increase in power.

The only downside is that the new Ford Mustang is no longer refueled with second-class gasoline. Fuel requirements have also increased in the power supply system, as eight more injectors have been added to the old distributed injection scheme to supply fuel to the combustion chamber.

A new 10-band hydromechanical automatic transmission has been developed with General Motors, and it is also fitted to the new Mustang, as is the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. For fans of mechanics, there is a six-speed transmission on the handle. It is installed mostly by the most powerful configurations of the Mustang.

And rightly so, because the 10-speed automatic works perfectly with the turbocharged, but not quite consistent with the powerful eight-cylinder engines. Neither of these automatic transmissions can wake up two steps at once, believing that the switch will be smoother. And if the driver is not as interested in the smoothness of switching as the dynamics, the machine is not interested.

In terms of sales, only 6% of buyers in the US choose manual transmission, but specifically for them in the new box sold:

However, not only fans of the manual transmission, but also other owners can be proud of the fact that the Ford Mustang is 100% American. The coupe is assembled exclusively in the United States in Michigan. However, the engines on the conveyor are imported from Canada. But this is also North America, right?

The suspension also did not remain unchanged. The rear anti-roll bar became a millimeter thicker in cross-section, which made the feedback on the steering wheel much sharper. The design of the rear hinges of the shock absorber struts was also replaced, and the front McPherson replaced the shock absorbers with others with improved characteristics.

Richer configurations come with a default MagneRide suspension with active shock absorbers. Its peculiarity is that it does not allow you to lose control and squander the torque on a bumpy road. Michelin Pilot Super Sport 4 branded rubber simply sticks to the surface at any speed. Even when the chassis hits bumps and bumps, the active shock absorbers compensate for the amplitude of the oscillation and increase the coefficient of adhesion to the surface.

Salon and equipment Ford Mustang Мк6

In principle, the Mustang does not have the overriding task of transporting four people and their luggage in comfort. The interior is designed according to the 2 + 2 coupe formula, the rear seats are nominal, but they are available and more comfortable than the Chevy Camaro. If it is possible to name convenient two poles with headrests. But even the basic front seats are very comfortable and not inferior to ergonomics luxury models. In addition, there is well-designed lateral support and lumbar support.

A pair of Recaro sports seats will be more expensive in the front, where the support is even more pronounced and the lumbar support is adjustable. Other chairs can change parameters by four positions. In the center of the seat is covered with wear-resistant fabric, in top cases there is both eco-leather and leather in combination with fabric.

In any case, no matter what equipment you get, the front passengers will feel like a god in Odessa – there is enough space for legs, the ceiling in front has a decent height, and the steering column is regulated by removal and angle.

The trunk in the hardtop version (with a hard roof) can take only 382 liters of luggage, and the volume of the trunk of the convertible – is 320 liters. The rest is occupied by a removable roof. Engine noise in the cabin is not a problem, but the advantage of all without exception Ford Mustang.

No one was going to insulate the cabin from the juicy V-8 exhaust.

Interior materials are varied – from hard plastic in inexpensive Mustangs, to carbon (often inappropriate) inserts in the interior panel and door cards.

The best option is aluminum trim of medium configurations, as carbon is expensive and requires extra investment, which could be spent on more useful things. For example, on safety options.

Safety Ford Mustang Mk6

Knowing mostly young and hot audiences who buy new Mustangs, Ford has taken security systems and accessories that make life easier for the driver. Here’s what Ford has to offer in terms of safety:

1. Audible warning when leaving the lane.
2. Pre-deceleration and audible warning when an obstacle is detected at the front or rear.
3. Rear parking sensors.

In addition, there are a lot of optional active safety features depending on the configuration, which we will discuss below. And now the ratings of crash tests. NHTSA has awarded the new Mustang Mk6 five stars for overall safety:

1. Frontal impact with a full overlap – 5 stars, only the hood, front trim, headlights, side members and bumper with power beam were damaged.
2. Side impact with deformation of doors, glazing and thresholds – 5 stars.
3. Side impact with sliding – 5 stars.
4. Roof strength and roll-over safety – 5 stars.
5. The probability of overturning is 9.3%.

Prices and configurations Ford Mustang

We will not consider special and anniversary versions of the Mustang here. There are many of them, and they are produced in small editions almost twice a year. These versions differ in interior trim, body decor, engines. For example, in 2021 it is planned to release a Ford Mustang with a 6.8-liter V-8 engine, which the coupe will share with the F-150 pickup.

The standard EcoBoost, EcoBoost Premium, GT, GT Premium and Bullitt look like this.

EcoBoost, from $26,400

Even the name of the version makes it clear that under the hood is a 300-horsepower 4-cylinder supercharged engine. It is based on a 6-speed manual, and for an additional fee will install a 10-speed automatic transmission. Despite the lower step in the line of Mustangs, the complete set is equipped with:

EcoBoost Premium, from $31,410

It has the same but differs in that it has 18-inch wheels, leather upholstery, updated interior trim, electric front seats, a nine-speaker audio system, dual-zone automatic climate control, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, and also an 8-inch touch screen with Sync 3 infotainment system.

GT, from $35,355

The GT trim really makes the Mustang more powerful. They are equipped with 18-inch wheels, 5.0-liter V8 (460 hp), front seats with electric drive, and rear parking sensors.

A manual transmission is standard, and an automatic is an option. GT Premium adds comfort settings similar to EcoBoost Premium, and this option costs about 40 thousand.

Bullitt, from $46,595

The Bullitt version differs from the GT in many ways in the body decor elements. Changes include the Highland Green color option inherent in Dark Bullitt, special wheels, various Bullitt logos. The Performance package will be mandatory for Bullitt. And thanks to the modified intake manifold V8 Bullitt received a 20-strong increase to 480 liters. The torque remains the same, 569 N∙m.

Fellows and opponents

There are simply no Ford Mustang competitors in the Europe, but there are enough in America.

1. Dodge Challenger. Dodge pays tribute to the retro style, although he sells a version with a modern 707-horsepower supercharged V-8. It has brighter graphic personalization tools. This is a classic sports coupe in its purest form.
   
2. Chevrolet Camaro. Mustang’s eternal competitor. Extremely sharp handling, no compromises on power, but ergonomics at the level of a sports car, while the Mustang is more of a car for every day.
   
3. Dodge Charger. If when buying a Mustang you were stopped by the lack of four doors and a normal rear seat, a conscious trunk, you should go to a Dodge dealer. Dodge Charger is a family man’s pony car, although there is no shortage of power.
   And here’s what. Mustang in this company is the cheapest. This includes the basic equipment with a four-cylinder Ecobust.

What’s in the dry residue. Is the Ford Mustang worth buying?

The bright design and loud exhaust of the Mustang attract mostly young audiences. There are already enough cars of this model in Europe to find any detail at human prices. The problem of bad roads is not relevant to him, but with fuel, you need to be pickier, especially in the case of the V8 engine.

Pros:

1. Sufficient power for both L-4 and V-8.
2. Comfortable suspension and a bunch of equipment options in the cabin.
3. The retro style of the cabin is successfully combined with modern concepts of comfort.

Coins:

1. Tight rear seat.
2. The full benefits of technology and the engine – only with the Performance package.
3. Heavy wide doors and difficult access to the rear seat.

If you do not want more from the Ford Mustang than a powerful Muscle Car can, it will definitely justify the money invested and will be a great companion, even on daily trips, even in amateur ring racing. And then, the Mustang is a legend.