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April 24, 2015

UPDATED: The 2015 Ford Mustang Roars into the Philippines (w/ Brochure)


UPDATE 1: The full brochure is now available below (4/26).

Two models. Two distinct characters. One car. This is impossible to achieve given a car’s components are shared across a range. But this is no ordinary car. This is a legend. This is an icon. This is the all-new 2015 Ford Mustang. Kicking off its arrival in style, America’s rolling tribute to the love for the open road is available in two variants, one that caters to the muscle car purist and one to the performance junkie. It’s Ford’s way of looking into the future of the pony car without breaking tradition with its storied past. And that will get any car lover’s attention.

Glancing at the video looping in the background of the rock concert reveal tells an unmistakable story: it’s designed by young people. No one from the Ford Mustang design and engineering team, from the lead exterior designer, the interior designer, the materials person, to the drivetrain engineer looked over forty, and yet, they instantly got the magic that makes the entire formula work. Front to side to back, it’s unmistakably Mustang with the long hood and fastback roofline. It acknowledges the past with the tri-bar rear lamps and the large, snarly grille, but it’s been thoroughly modernized with the chopped-up roof line and wide rear end.



As the first Mustang to be sold globally, engineers realized that it had to be at home on the Nurburgring as it is on the mean streets of Detroit. Ford accomplishes this with the new integral-link rear suspension which is specifically tuned for high-performance driving. In addition, the new double-ball-joint front MacPherson Strut suspension allows the fitment of larger, more powerful brakes. The front sub-frame is also stiffened.

The two characters of the all-new Mustang make themselves known depending on the drivetrain it has under the hood. For muscle car purists, Ford continues to make the 5.0-liter 32-valve V8 available. Featured solely in the GT Premium, it has an updated valve train and cylinder heads that push out the power output to 441 horsepower and 542 Nm of torque, making it the most powerful Mustang GT ever built. A new intake manifold meanwhile improves fuel efficiency. It has an electronic lock mode for controlled tire burnouts in the Track Apps menu.



Outside, it’s distinguishable by its functional hood heat extractors, honeycomb grille with black vertical elements, painted aluminum wheels, and a lip spoiler. Inside, it has an all-leather interior with power adjustment for the front occupants, heated and cooled front seats, rain-sensing wipers, and a machined-aluminum trim that runs the length of the dashboard. It’s also the only model to get a proper spare tire.

Meanwhile, performance junkies (probably new to the Mustang experience) will tend to gravitate more towards the new EcoBoost Premium model. This new state-of-the-art 2.3-liter 4-cylinder engine features direct injection and is turbocharged to offer quick and direct performance. It delivers 314 horsepower and 434 Nm of torque—figures that make it even more powerful than even the 2010 V8-powered Mustang.



Outside, it loses the functional heat extractors and rear spoiler, but otherwise looks aesthetically the same. It even has the same 19-inch alloy wheels but finished in Ebony Black. Inside, it leans more toward the younger crowd with its manually-adjustable, body-hugging Recaro front seats and the addition of the Gauge Pack that displays boost and oil pressure on the dash. The machined-aluminum trim is replaced by one that looks like a beaten metal trim commonly seen on vintage fighter planes.

The Mustang’s dual nature though is grounded on solid foundations which are shared across the line. Both Mustang models offer the convenience and response of a 6-speed automatic with SelectShift paddle shifters. It also offers automatic HID headlamps, auto dimming rear view mirror, cruise control and active noise cancellation for better long-distance driving comfort. Feature-wise, both have pony projector lamps, a push-button engine start/stop with MyKey, tilt/telescopic steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, SYNC with MyFord Touch, a 12-speaker Shaker Pro speaker system, and a reverse parking camera. Enhancing the driving experience is a selectable-effort power steering system with three modes, Selectable Drive Modes with four functions, and Track Apps. In terms of safety, they both offer 8 airbags including an industry-first passenger glove box airbag, blind spot indicators, anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution, AdvanceTrac electronic stability control, and tire pressure sensors.



Since 2012, close to 500 Mustang have already found their way to Filipino homes, creating a loyal and powerful following that no other car can come close to in such a short time. The all-new 2015 Mustang shouldn’t only continue that tradition but expand the muscle car’s appeal even more. Not only is the Mustang much powerful than ever before, but it’s gotten smarter and much more modern. Purists who still want to have a 5.0 V8 would like to know that the GT Premium retails for P 2,999,000 while performance junkies who want to get into the Mustang lifestyle will be surprised that entry comes in at just P 2,499,000. Both models begin selling in May.











14 comments:

  1. MEH. Only DOMs who grew up in the 60s & 70s like Tito Butch Gamboa and Ford fanb0is like AM would salivate over this car.

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    Replies
    1. ^This might not sell well in PH, but pound for pound this could be one of the best in its class in PH market...

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  2. Replies
    1. Agree... manual shifts are great on sports cars... but with heavy traffic in PH, who needs a sports car? Maybe just in Clark speedway or BRC...

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    2. I believe automatic makes driving much easier. But I think it should be offered too, considering there's still a market for it. Just like in the States, you've got the option to choose whichever you want. And most of the manuals come as standard and automatic as an option.

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  3. @ anonymous 1:09AM
    have you been to america lately?.. There are still multitudes, me included who drives manual in the U.S. We even have tons of manual sportscars there - miatas. M6, Acuras, mustangs included.. dont you know that?..

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  4. got mine over the weekend and am over the moon with joy over having it. GT V8 Anniversary edition. though its without any plates yet so my driving range is kinda restricted :)

    the torque is amazing .

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    1. me too, i just got mine yesterday and i will get another one next week and additional next month.

      My plate number is unrestricted so i can enjoy a ride.

      The N-m is spiderman!

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  5. me too, i just got mine yesterday and i will get another one next week and additional next month.

    My plate number is unrestricted so i can enjoy a ride.

    The N-m is spiderman!

    ReplyDelete
  6. my impressions after driving it around the block a few times:

    1. entry for the front passengers is okay though the frameless glass windows can take some adjusting to and the door opens really wide.
    2. entry for back seat occupants is a tricky affair and even small kids will have a hard time sitting in the back for any extended periods of time
    3. grabbing the seatbelts will take some acclimatization because they are in located in the b-pillar which is way behind the driver and the passenger
    4. being able to start the engine using the key fob is great and then once you get inside you have do a few more button presses to let all the instrumentation become functional
    5. the toggle switches only go forward. for example if you are in normal mode and you click it up you go to sport, then track then wet/snow then back to normal. you cant go backwards hence you must keep clicking to get back to where you wanted to go if you missed it.
    6. the throttle response between normal and sport+ is markedly different. i didn't dare try Track mode (which turns traction control off)
    7. the paddle shifters are a bit finicky and its hard to see the gear number in the small screen between the speedo and the tach
    8. don't really need to use the paddle shifters because the engine has gobs of torque. in fact, i got caught out because the transmission holds the redline in sport mode (in the transmission lever not driving mode). it doesn't upshift automatically in this manual mode.
    10. the hood is very long but its got enough sight lines that parking and turning isn't an issue
    11. the side view mirrors are kinda small but because they are convex i find them better than the flat side mirrors in the explorer. you can see more of what is behind you
    12. Ford sync is a bit more responsive than what is in the explorer but there are no additional features on the head unit except the physical buttons
    13. you can change the colors of the dials and cup holder lights but only when it is nighttime ----- weird.
    14. the pony puddle lamps only work at night but they are very cool
    15. the sound of the engine is amazing and the acceleration is really strong . but i didn't really get to a chance to stretch its legs due to the limitations in driving because of the aforementioned plate number issues
    16. it goes over humps well enough that i wasn't too scared about scraping the bottom of the car but steep driveways will give this car a problem
    17. distance to empty on a full tank said 400km hahaha. there is no way in hell that is realistic.

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  7. i didnt like the super low slung driver's seat. (im small haha)

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  8. HI Ulysses,
    I am planning to have one-for the 5.0 this December 2015. Do you have any idea what are the available colors for the 5.0.
    Thanks a lot Ulysses.

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    Replies
    1. Is this a trick question? It's in the brochure scan above.

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    2. Thanks Ulysses for the reply..Its no a trick..the brochure is okay i understood that..but you posted a picture of Deep Impact Blue...

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