Classic muscle cars were defined by their brawny V-8s, but it's not necessary to buy the V-8 to get brawny performance out of a modern muscle car if you buy a new Mustang — with its available turbocharged four-cylinder engine.
It makes more power than classic-era Mustang V-8 engines — including even the 1970 Boss 302 Mustang's engine. And that engine was — at the time — one of the highest performance V-8s you could buy, period.
But the times have changed.
What It Is
Mustang is the Coca-Cola of cars; everyone knows what it is, even if they aren't car people.
Ford has been building them continuously since 1964, making them the only muscle car to have survived not only the muscle car era of the '60s but also the Disco era, the Reagan era and the Ricer era of the '90s (featuring cars with flashy but futile race inspired cosmetic enhancements) — and still be alive and kicking today.
Its primary rivals, the Dodge Challenger and the Chevy Camaro, both got canceled and were later resurrected.
Prices start at $26,670 for a base coupe with 310 horsepower, a turbocharged, 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine and a six-speed manual transmission.
The V-8 GT — with 460 horsepower — starts at $35,630.
A top-of-the-line Bullitt GT — named after the famous car chase movie featuring Steve McQueen — stickers for $47,810.
It comes with an even more powerful version of the GT's V-8.
What's New
A High Performance package for Mustangs without the V-8 is now available.
It boosts the power of the 2.3-liter engine to 332 horsepower and includes a heavy-duty Torsen limited-slip differential in the rear axle with 3.55 ring and pinion, heavy-duty cooling, machine-faced 19-inch wheels and 40-series ultraperformance tires, upgraded brakes and suspension, active exhaust baffling, additional gauges and numerous interior and exterior styling upgrades.
It's basically a GT — for a lot less.
What's Good
The four-cylinder Mustang outperforms every classic-era, V-8 powered Mustang.
The V-8 is still available for even more performance.
It has usable back seats and a surprisingly roomy trunk.
What's Not So Good
Center console storage cubby is tiny and hard to access because it's set back too far in relation to the driver.
Under the Hood
The Mustang's standard 2.3-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine makes 310 horsepower, which is not only more power than a '70 Boss 302's 5.0-liter V-8 made (290 horsepower) but also more than a '95 Cobra R's 5.8-liter V-8 made (300 horsepower).
And the '95 Cobra R was a race car that Ford didn't sell to the general public.
It didn't have air conditioning, a radio or even back seats. And it wasn't quicker than a 2020 base Mustang with air conditioning, back seats, power everything and a great stereo that anyone can buy.
With the performance package, the 2.3-liter engine's output rises to 332 horsepower.
If that's not enough, the GT offers 460 horsepower — 480 in the Bullitt GT.
Either engine can be paired with a 10-speed automatic in lieu of the standard six-speed manual transmission.
On the Road
Even without the performance package, the standard, as-it-comes turbo Mustang gets to 60 mph in the high four-second range — a time any classic-era V-8 muscle car (and the '90s-era Mustang Cobra R) would have been envious of.
Just for reference — and to dispel nostalgia for the good old days — a '70 Boss 302 Mustang did the 0-60 mph run in 6.5 seconds.
With the upgrades, the four-cylinder Mustang can get to 60 mph in the midfour-second range.
That is almost as quick, seat-of-the-pants-wise, as the V-8 powered GT.
But the 2.3-liter Mustang does quick more affordably.
At The Curb
One of the Mustang's appeals is its recognizability. Everyone knows what it is — and most people like it. It transcends ages and genders. It's as beloved by people who like sporty cars as it is by people who like ferocious cars. It succeeds by alienating almost no one.
Though nominally a compact-sized car, it is very roomy with 45.1 inches of front seat legroom (more than most sedans) and a decent amount of backseat legroom (29 inches) for a car of this type.
It also has a 13.5 cubic foot trunk — about the same size as a midsized sedan's trunk — but in a much better looking package.
Inside, you'll find a melding of retro-themed styling elements such as '60s-style fonts for the speedometer and the iconic galloping pony logo, which is also projected as a hologram underneath the open doors at night. You'll also find modern technology such as selectable driving modes, LED mood lighting and the FordPass Connect suite of apps (keyless/remote start, 4G Wi-Fi and smartphone access to various functions).
Also available — and without having to buy the more expensive GT — is a new MagneRide automatically adjusting suspension system that dramatically smooths out the ride of this latter-day muscle car.
The Rest
In addition to costing less to buy — and feed — than the V-8 GT, the 2.3-liter Mustang should also cost less to cover — a big consideration for the younger buyers who are the Mustang's target audience.
The Bottom Line
If you haven't driven a four-cylinder lately, maybe you should!
Eric's new book, "Don't Get Taken for a Ride!" is available now. To find out more about Eric and read his past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.
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