Published: November 12, 2017, 7:00 PM
Updated: November 21, 2021, 3:06 PM
A raft of new technology
There’s a whole raft of new technology in the 2018 Ford Mustang to bring it thoroughly up to date. It was designed with input from racers, enthusiasts, and video gamers. So what are some of the clever little features that you might not think about, but make it really stand out from both its predecessors and competitors?
By Mark Richardson
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The guy in the know
We talked with the Mustang’s Chief Engineer, Carl Widmann, to find out.
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Beating heart
For a start – literally – the starter button doesn’t just glow red at night, but its light pulsates until it’s pushed and the engine fires up. “It’s meant to be like the beating heart of the Mustang,” says Widmann, “and it really is cool.”
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Set the sound
The 5.0L V8 GT model has an exhaust sound that can be set for four different volumes by the driver: Quiet, Normal, Sport and Track. Each is progressively louder and more crackly.
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Good neighbour
There’s a “good neighbour” option for the exhaust sound that can be set by the driver: the car will automatically default to the Quiet option at preset times, such as in the early morning.
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Smoke show
All Mustangs now feature “line-lock,” in which the front brakes hold the car stationary while the rear wheels spin (this used to be a feature only on the V-8s). According to Ford, this “lets racers pre-warm their tires before the start of a race for better grip.”
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Not for public roads
But we all know it makes average drivers look cool at traffic lights and in parking lots. And it’s illegal in many parts of Canada to do this on public highways, and wears out your tires really fast.
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Inside and out
There’s even a little smoking wheel icon that spins in sync on the display when this is happening.
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Time well spent
The Ford design team spent more than 2,000 hours developing the look and features of the digital gauges display. Now that the Mustang is a global car, the display is available in 23 different languages.
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Magneride
The new chassis includes Ford’s optional MagneRide suspension for an extra $2,000: “It’s basically a fluid that runs through the damper, and you can change its configuration for how much force you can develop in the damper within a milisecond,” says Widmann. “It gives the driver this real connected feel that ‘I can do anything – I’m a great driver!’”
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Wheels and paint
There are a dozen different wheels available and 11 different paint colours, but the Orange Fury colour is all new for 2018.
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Before and after
The hood is 25 mm lower at the front than before, but the hood scoop vents were a special challenge to design. They must be effective, but they must not, by law, cause additional injury if the car should hit a pedestrian. The previous Mustang was not exported with hood vents because they couldn’t meet international safety requirements.
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Satin finish
Inside the cabin, much of the chrome “brightwork” around the dials and on the door controls is now replaced by “satin aluminum” trim, for a classier look. Not all, but most. The Mustang badge above the glove box is now embossed, not stamped, and took a long time to get just right.
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Extra power
One of the many tweaks to make the 460 hp V-8 engine more powerful was to use a spray-on liner inside the cylinders instead of a metal insert. The bore is now 0.8 mm wider because of this.
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Potent package
The 2.3L Ecoboost engine is shared with the sporty Ford Focus RS, but is recalibrated to account for the differences between the two cars. There’s no longer a V-6 engine available.
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Eagle eyes
All the external lights are now LED, and the only round light is the main headlamp. It’s tucked under the overhanging hood to give it a bit of a squint. “We wanted to give the car character and an eagle’s eye was the theme,” says Widmann, “so all over the studio, we had eagle’s eyes, raptor eyes blown up 5,000 times.”
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No amber in Europe
The amber light marker trim you can see on this North American car doesn’t exist in Europe. “They really don’t like amber,” says Widmann.
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Muscular haunches
One of the toughest design challenges was the rear fender – the “haunches” of the car. It’s one piece of steel that is stamped deeper than usual to make the Mustang seem wider at the back, and it includes two stamped creases to separate its curves. “It was ridiculously hard to do,” says Widmann.
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Spoiler alert
The rear spoiler is really just there for good looks. “We don’t want to upset the lift balance on the car, so we don’t want a lot of downforce, because it makes the front end come up. So we designed the wing to be neutral,” says Widmann.
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Looking good!
“There are people who like wings and people who don’t,” adds Widmann. Which are you?
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