After eight years and many fun, fast iterations, a new pony prances into Ford's lineup for 2024. This is important news, as the Ford Mustang is the last car they are producing across their entire brand portfolio, including Lincoln. And they keep it not without reason. The Mustang nameplate is legendary with a history dating back over half a century. It has a devoted fan base that cares immensely about what each new version of the car brings.
Fortunately for them, especially during this time when crossovers are king, the 2024 Mustang brings a lot of things for them to love. From looks to tech, to performance and some interesting new quirks, the new Mustang proves itself worthy of carrying the name that has garnered it such a loyal following. Here's why we're confident that this following will stick around.
The Next-Gen Ford Mustang Has A Badass Styling And Updated Technology
What makes us love the styling of the new Mustang is the fact that Ford did not attempt to reinvent the wheel, so to speak. Forbes described it best: "Evolutionary, not revolutionary." Wrapped in its new sheet metal, the car is still very obviously a Mustang. The familiar trapezoidal front grille is now larger, with straight lines that give it a cleaner, more upright appearance.
The signature three-bar sequential tail lights remain on the aft of the car as well. This time around, however, the rear fascia is given a new character line, with the back end being cut inward. Critics will say that this draws inspiration from the new Hyundai Elantra. We'll just say it's Ford's interpretation of the latest automotive design trend. Either way, we love the car's imposing new looks that still manage to keep the traits that make it unmistakably Mustang.
Inside, the Mustang seems to catch up with the competition. While it previously had features such as a digital gauge cluster and Ford's SYNC infotainment system, these features have only now been upgraded to make it the most advanced car in the muscle car class. The base model gives you two large displays: one before the driver which acts as the gauge cluster, and the other sitting above the center stack where the infotainment resides. Higher-level trims, on the other hand, receive one wide, continuous bezel housing both the gauges and an upgraded 13.2-inch center display.
Another thing that has us oozing over the interior tech is the fact that the center display makes use of Unreal Engine 5 graphics. While this isn't unheard of—it was Rivian who first introduced the gaming engine to the infotainment vertical—it's a welcome sight to see come from a consumer-oriented brand like Ford.
With The Next-Gen Ford Mustang, The V8 Ain't Dead
With more and more auto manufacturers making commitments to electrification, including Ford, the question if the folks in Dearborn would include a V8 engine, let alone an internal combustion engine at all, had lovers of muscle biting their nails. They can now let out a collective sigh of relief, for Ford made the decision to keep the much-loved 5.0 V8 along for the ride.
Now coupled with new, innovative technology in the cabin, drivers can continue to enjoy hearing the rumbles and burbles coming from the tailpipes. It's a killer combination that draws the best from both the past and the future.
We Love The Next-Gen Ford Mustang's Drift Brake
Apart from the futuristic infotainment system, the new Mustang has other neat features that would be a challenge to find on other cars, even those in its segment.
To preface, another automotive trend that had all enthusiasts worried, not just muscle car fans, was the near-exponential rise of the electronic parking brake. Although it's no better or worse than manual parking brakes, their automated application and release make it almost impossible to do fun things that require the use of a handbrake, like drifting or doing donuts. Unfortunately, Ford decided to hop onto this trend with the new Mustang. Not all is lost, however.
As a compromise, Ford introduced something known as the "drift brake" on GT models, developed with drift legend Vaughn Gittin, Jr. On the outside, it looks just like a traditional handbrake. Beneath the surface, though, there are no mechanical linkings between the handbrake lever and the emergency brake itself. Just as in lower-level trims, the mechanism is electronic. In this case, it operates by replicating the controllability found in a traditional handbrake. Moreover, it serves to be more effective than a traditional handbrake, applying "four or five times more pressure than something you can do with a conventional mechanical hand brake." Looks like there really is no outdoing the benefits brought on by technology.
The Next-Gen Ford Mustang Shows That Ford Really Cares
Above all else, it's clear that this new Mustang is a testament to how much Ford cares about the customers they serve. Think of it as a redemption arc following Ford's decision to axe all cars but the Mustang from their entire company portfolio. Of course, it was sad to see well-loved models like the Fusion, Focus, and Fiesta end production in the United States.
Yet, on top of deciding to keep the Mustang in the first place, in developing the new Mustang, Ford demonstrably paid extra attention to consumer demands, particularly those from enthusiasts. They made extra investments in technology specific to the Mustang and defied industry trends by keeping a V8 powertrain on the options list. All this makes it a particularly special version of an already storied nameplate.
Sources: Ford