Hold your horses! The new Ford Mustang GT is galloping to the UK

Fire the barbecue up and get yer cowboy hats on lads and lasses: Ford’s seventh-generation Mustang GT is heading for Europe, bringing with it an updated version of the ‘Coyote’ V8 alongside a new cockpit, new tech, and a new suit, with prices starting at £55,585. 

Beginning with that engine, the 5.0-litre modular block has been augmented with new software and hardware, equating to 439bhp and 398lb ft of torque. It should also maintain a sub-four-second sprint to 60mph.

Its engine features a new induction unit, supported by dual air intakes and a dual throttle body design. Other changes include a forged steel crank and new camshafts. It’s all terribly nerdy, but should result in a more refined power delivery across the rev range. 

The new suspension kit should also unlock quicker steering while rev-matching sorcery has been supplied to work in tandem with a choice of six-speed manual or 10-speed automatic transmissions. 

You also have the option of upgrading to ‘MagneRide’ active suspension, which monitors the road conditions “one thousand times per second” and supplies fluid whenever necessary. OK, but a thousand times per second seems like overkill. Wouldn’t 300 be enough?

Anyway, shielding all this is a reworked body, featuring 19-inch alloy wheels and equally-sized calipers behind the Brembo stoppers. The V8’s rumble will now also be channelled through an 'Active Valve Exhaust'. 

As for the body shape itself, the horizontal front bumper sits beneath a traditional three-section bonnet. This then leads toward a sleeker roofline and back down to shorter rear overhangs - a nod back to the proportions of the very first Mustang model. 

You also get larger grille openings, new LED headlamps, extended exhaust pipes and a remodelled rear diffuser. It all looks much more complex than the comparatively simple sixth-gen, but still unmistakably pony. 

There are 12 exterior paint finishes to choose from, including three new shades of 'Blue Ember', 'Vapour Blue', and 'Yellow Splash', while the brake calipers can be dolled up with the Mustang logo. 

All this mechanical goodness is then divided and accessed through six various driving modes: Normal, Sport, Slippery, Drag, Track, and a customisable setting to tailor the car to your specific setup. Since there’s no given name, you can christen it with whatever friendly moniker you fancy. Say, Elmo?

You even get a new e-drift brake which locks the rear wheels to help anyone pull off some mighty drifts, and can be accessed within the redesigned cabin, featuring a more tech-focused, driver-centric approach than the outgoing model.

The old-school double-brow dashboard has been traded for a glass-clad centre stack, and the now flat-bottomed steering wheel sits in front of a 12.4in digital cluster. The primary infotainment unit is a 13.2in screen and comes with Ford’s latest SYNC 4 system.

Then, covered around all that is a new interior grain pattern, bespoke to the Mustang’s leather seats and paired up with soft-touch plastics. You’ve also got a range of trim and upholstery finishes available to truly individualise your Mustang, just as you can with the Mach-E SUV. 

Ford has also ditched most of the physical switchgear (boo) and integrated these into the infotainment screen, freeing up the centre console with room for a storage compartment and a wireless smartphone charging pad. Last, but not least, the new Mustang also comes with a Bang and Olufsen audio system comprising a 12-speaker and subwoofer pairing. Anyone for a session of Pink Floyd-themed carpool karaoke?

Jon Williams, the general manager of Ford Europe, said: “The new Mustang is everything that our customers expect from an undisputed automotive icon – and then some. Surprising, connected technology really complements and elevates performance enhancements that will win the hearts of a whole new generation of drivers.”

2024 also marks the 60th anniversary of the Ford Mustang, with over 10 million units sold during that time. And now this seventh-generation model will look to continue the Mustang’s strong position in the sports car segment, which is probably going to continue until another Chicxulub-sized asteroid heads for Earth. But who knows, maybe we’ll have evacuated using Coyote V8-powered space rockets by then. One can only speculate.