The updated 2018 Ford Mustang will arrive in Australia mid-year with a more athletic look, improved capability and technology. The additional equipment comes at a cost with price increases between $4000 and $8793 depending on the variant.
For the MY18 Mustang, the exterior gets a lower remodelled bonnet and grille, a new upper and lower front grilles, and a new position for the bonnet air-intakes.
For the first time, the entire Mustang line up gets all-LED front lights including signature tri-bar lighting.
Down the back, the Mustang gets revised LED taillamps, along with a new bumper and fascia. GT models now feature a quad-tip exhaust as standard, along with a black rear diffuser.
EcoBoost variants see a fresh alloy wheel design, while the GT carries over the mesh design from the current model.
Orange Fury, Kona Blue and Royal Crimson have been added to the exterior colour palette.
Ford has attempted to deliver a more premium look and feel to the Mustang’s interior by improving touch points and visual cues. The centre console adds a new hand-stitched wrap with contrast stitching, padded knee bolsters and aluminium door handles, rings and bezels.
Ford’s SYNC 3 infotainment platform is standard on 2018 Mustangs, shown on an 8.0-inch touchscreen which also brings Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, reversing camera and Emergency Assist which automatically calls emergency services for faster response times in the event of an accident.
All Mustangs feature an all-new instrument cluster with an updated Mustang badge and there is a new key fob design – it’s all about the little things, right?
New shock absorbers and a new cross-axis joint in the rear suspension is said to increase lateral stiffness, while new stabiliser bars bring sharper response and handling.
MagneRide suspension technology has been added to the Mustang’s options list. Previously exclusive to the Mustang Shelby GT350, the MagnaRide damping system provides better lateral performance.
Ford claims the 5.0-litre V8 engine has been thoroughly reworked, with more power and the ability to rev higher than any Mustang GT before. The MY18 GT gets a 33kW power increase, taking the total count to 339kW. Torque comes in at 556Nm, a bump of 26Nm over the outgoing car.
The four-cylinder EcoBoost unit now delivers 224kW with 9Nm more torque, now 441Nm.
Both engines can be purchased with Ford’s new 10-speed automatic transmission. With a wide-ratio span and optimised gear spacing, this all-new transmission helps deliver higher average power for acceleration – improving responsiveness and performance. Drivers can also utiles paddles shifters.
Totally redesigned is how Ford describes the new manual transmission. In now incorporates a twin-disc clutch and dual-mass flywheel to increase torque capability and more efficient clutch modulation.
In a bid to lift the current three-star ANCAP rating, an array of Ford driver-assist technologies such as autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and lane-keeping assist will be standard on the updated Mustang.
2018 Ford Mustang pricing (excludes on-road costs):
Mustang EcoBoost Fastback (manual) – $49,990 (up $4000)
Mustang EcoBoost Fastback (automatic) – $52,990 (up $4500)
Mustang EcoBoost Convertible (automatic) – $59,490 (up $4500)
Mustang GT Fastback (manual) – $62,990 (up $5500)
Mustang GT Fastback (automatic) – $66,259 (up $6269)
Mustang GT Convertible (automatic) – $74,709 (up $8793)
2018 Ford Mustang – Key Factory Options
OTT Stripes – black $650
OTT Stripes (Fastback only) – white $650
Single-wing rear spoiler (Fastback only) $750
Recaro leather seats (Fastback only) $3,000
19-inch Lustre Nickel alloys (EcoBoost only) $500
19-inch Forged alloys (GT Only) $2,500
MagneRide Suspension $2,750
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