I’ve just been driving Ford’s Mustang in both Coupe and Convertible form, both 5.0-litre V8’s with the benefit of a new 10-speed automatic in lieu of the old six speeders, both with the benefit of manual shift paddles. One can quickly see why the Mustang is our top-selling sports car under $80,000 – it now offers enormous presence, power, performance, technology and equipment but with a substantial lift in price – the V8 Coupe auto now $66,259, the V8 Convertible auto $73,338. Power and torque is up, it revs harder to 7500 revs yet the 10-speeds means it’s more relaxed cruising running 1600 revs at 100k’s. The driving of this big lusty V8 is very rewarding while the aural delights from 4 exhaust modes is inspiring to say the least. Only disappointment is road noise intrusion through the rear wheel arches on the Coupe. The new digital dashboard is a big step-up although some of the switchgear on the centre console still lacks refinement. The somewhat firm ride is offset by seats offering great comfort and adjustment. Ford’s Michigan Plant does a nice job of assembly however it doesn’t have the overall polish of a European sourced sports model but then again the price is still relatively sharp given its level of sports performance. As they say ‘the best bang for your bucks on the market.’ And of course in several weeks we’ll see the Ford Performance Mustang Supercars take to the track in Adelaide for the first time which will give Ford’s iconic pony car a real boost. I’m David Berthon

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