Thanks to a new cylinder head featuring revised, straighter intake ports, Ford says the engine is more willing to chase the redline than the V8s from Mustang's past. Thumb the start button and it explodes into life with a quick spike of revs before settling into a lazy, offbeat idle – but that doesn't mean there's not a few tricks up its sleeve. With 325 kW (435 hp), and a chunky 542 Nm (400 lb.ft) of torque on tap, the V8 still dominates any Mustang drive. Finally though, the rest of the world has a slice of that all-American apple pie, and if our week in a bright red GT Fastback is anything to go by, Ford has managed to instill the latest pony with the same magic that's seen it remain a blue-collar hero for over 50 years.Īt the heart of the quintessential Mustang experience is a big, burbling V8 motor, and the 5.0-liter Coyote under the GT's hood doesn't disappoint. Even though it's never been a global car, the Mustang is a global icon. Since its launch in 1965, each new Mustang has carried a world of expectation not just from motoring enthusiasts, but from anyone who's seen one burble past, or been for a ride, or watched Steve McQueen hustle his car around the hilly San Fransisco streets in Bullitt.

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