After launching the 2018 Mustang in North America back in January, Ford has now updated the popular sports car for the European market.
Set to debut tomorrow at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, with customer deliveries beginning next year, it benefits from the same visual updates as its North American sibling. It can also be had in three new metallic paint colors – Kona Blue, Orange Fury, and Royal Crimson, and with a selection of different wheels.
For the 2018MY, the brand’s engineers have lifted the 5.0-liter V8 engine’s output from 410 to 450PS (444hp), as the unit also benefits from a higher redline, dual-fuel, high-pressure direct injection, and low-pressure port fuel injection system, which is said to increase low-end torque. Ford has yet to release the new performance details, but the car should be a tad faster than the one it replaces.
While the V8 has been massaged to deliver more power, the 2.3-liter EcoBoost has been downgraded from 317 to 290PS (286hp). However, thanks to the increased back pressure within the exhaust and the addition of the gas particulate filter, which allows it to comply with the Euro 6.2 emission standards, performance is said to remain on the same level as before.
The new 10-speed automatic gearbox is available on both engines, and the automaker has also upgraded the 6-speed manual, which comes with a twin-disc clutch, and a dual-mass flywheel for quicker gear changes and improved durability.
Europe’s 2018 Ford Mustang also benefits from additional drive modes, such as Drag Strip, which allows for fast launches, My Mode, with its customizable features, and Good Neighbor, which limits the exhaust’s noise at pre-programmed times of the day, so the sleep of those living nearby won’t be disturbed. The pony car has also been given an optional MagneRide Damping System that “can deliver a lightning-quick response to changing road conditions”, in the manufacturer’s own words.
A 12-inch LCD instrument cluster, similar to the one offered on the GT supercar, is found inside, in addition to the SYNC3 infotainment system that’s compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, LED lights, and more soft-touch plastics.
Ford says that the 2018 Mustang is offered with Pre-Collision Assist, Pedestrian Detection, Adaptive Cruise Control, Distance Alert, and Lane Departure Warning.