Friday, October 3, 2014
Richmond Review · Page 13
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The Mustang: Still a rock star at 50 and convertible are still The Mustang is the rock star in the Ford lineup, within reach of the averso it was appropriate the age consumer. launch of the 50th anniInside versary version was held The last frontier in terms at the Sunset Marquis of design has been the Hotel, in California. interior of today’s modern This hotel is also celecars. Ford has done a brating 50 years and is Ford has done a good job of ensuring known for the many rock the Mustang feels and good job of ensuring stars who have stayed and looks upscale even on the played in the gardens and the Mustang feels and basic models. Standard central pool. looks upscale even on equipment includes The pop band One push button start and the basic models. Direction recently had keyless entry, a backup Zack Spencer a lineup of young girls camera and Bluetooth lined up outside waiting connectivity. The dash is meant to look to get a glimpse of the British lads. My like an airplane cockpit with separate stay featured only pretty cars lined up, pods on each side of the cabin. The trim no groupies. Regardless, the Mustang pieces that look like aluminum are the turned heads too. real deal. Toggle switches are provided Looks on the Premium trim levels to control The cars driven around Los Angeles and driver settings. Above that are all-new surrounding mountain canyons were switches to control the heat and ventilavery early production models (Cars tion systems and either a base 4.2-inch should be hitting dealerships by the end radio screen or the 8-inch screen on the of the year). Premium models. Included in the PremiThis new 2015 Mustang is hot, on all um package are leather seats that are levels. The car still has a long hood but heated and cooled. The back seats are the nose is blunt, with a forward-facing very, very tight. This isn’t a four-seater, grille. The front daytime running lights rather a tradition coupe with rear seats are three LED slashes that mirror the for only the smallest children. three vertical taillights. And the front Drive HID headlights are now standard on all The base V6 features a carried over Mustangs. The rear of the car is especialengine with 300hp. The new star of the ly sleeker, thanks to a dramatic lowering show is the introduction of a 310hp of the rear trunk deck, plus the width 2.3L turbocharged 4-cylinder featuring of the Mustang has been expanded to direct injection technology. This will be give the car a lower, wider stance. The the perfect engine for the person that Mustang is sold as a base V6 ($24,999) likes the idea of the Mustang’s styling or new EcoBoost turbo 4-cylinder but doesn’t want the fuel bill that comes ($33,499) and of course the might 5.0L with driving the 5.0L V8 in the GT. GT ($36,999), so the Mustang coupe This engine is very good; it has a lot of
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mid-range torque making the Mustang accelerate easily and it passes well on the highway. There isn’t the classic V8 rumble but this compromise is easy to take, knowing that this model has plenty of power for the average daily commuter. The true muscle car enthusiast will be attracted to the 435hp 5.0L V8. Power goes through either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic with paddle shifters on the steering wheel. The big change to the chassis is the introduction of an independent rear suspension and modified front suspension, plus bigger brakes. Carving through the canyons outside of L.A. was a treat, the platform is very forgiving and there is no longer any unstable mid-corner surprises found in the older cars, just a very sure-footed modern car. Verdict 50 years is a long time to continually produce a single car model. What comes out of this is a cumulative result that is
hard to beat. The engineers have done a great job of bringing the suspension into the modern world and the new EcoBoost engine will be very popular, once people try it. The old-school buyers will be attracted to the meaty V8 but often, sensible decisions prevail and the EcoBoost is a solid experience. The styling is stunning, inside and out. To be blunt, this car will be a homerun for Ford. There are two things I’d like to see improved. The seat back has no electric actuation, which means getting the right spot is hard to achieve. The second is the suspension in the GT can be a bit bouncy over city conditions but settles right down at highway speeds – pretty minor stuff for an all-new car. The Lowdown Power: 2.3L turbo 4-cylinder with 310hp, 300hp V6 or 435hp V8 Fill-up: N/A (city/highway) Sticker price: $24,999-$52,899 zack.spencer@drivewaybc.ca
Question of the Week After three months of raised speed limits on stretches of major B.C. highways, are you happy with the new limits or should they be changed again – up or down? Go to DrivewayCanada.ca to submit your answer. QUESTION
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Safety Tip: Fall can be a good time to get a deal on a new or used car, truck or SUV. If you’re shopping for a vehicle, look for the newest, safest one in your price range and check the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) website for vehicle safety ratings.
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Ford has done a good job of ensuring the Mustang feels and looks upscale even on the basic models
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