You could really form a bond with Ford's latest Mustang in Convertible form. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Review

This seventh generation Mustang isn't really designed for the future. Instead, it mainly references the past, carrying over its engine and platform from the previous model. Ford wants to give its best-selling sports car a final stay of execution before this model goes the way of all combustion things - hence the sharper exterior and more modern cabin. So it's still authentic and if you loved it before, you'll love it now. Especially perhaps, in this Convertible guise.

Background

So here we are at the end of an era. This seventh generation Ford Mustang will almost certainly be the last in this iconic model line of hairy-chested muscle-bound US sports coupes and convertibles, which dates back to 1964. Not to be confused with the all-electric Mustang Mach-E electric hatch, which stands for everything most 'Stang owners would abjectly hate. "Investing in another generation of Mustang is a big statement at a time when many of our competitors are exiting the business of internal combustion vehicles" said Ford CEO Jim Farley at this MK7 model's Autumn 2022 launch. Except that this isn't really another generation of Mustang; more a far-reaching facelift of the previous model. The engines and suspension are basically the same as those of the previous generation design, which was launched back in 2015, as is the 'S-550' platform. So just how different is this MK7 Mustang from what went before? Let's check in out in Convertible form.

Driving Experience

There's not a lot of extra weight with this Convertible body style, so it should drive much like the Coupe. Which is good because Ford says that this is the 'most authentic and confidence-inspiring Mustang to drive yet'. That seems a contradiction in terms because an 'authentic' slightly unwieldy heavy-set Mustang experience hasn't been in the past been one to deliver much confidence - at least not on damp tarmac. But there's promise here because all models have a torsen limited-slip differential and the contents of Ford's 'Performance Pack', which gives you magneride adaptive dampers; big Brembo six-piston front calipers and four-piston rear calipers; and sticky tyres, the rears being 20mm wider 275-section items. This time round, Ford is only offering this Mustang Convertible with its 5.0-litre 'Coyote' V8, which has a new dual cold air intake but puts out a similar level of power to before - 446PS with 540Nm of torque. Most customers will choose the lightly updated version of the previous 10-speed torque converter automatic gearbox, via which the car gets to 62mph in 5.0s. Or you can still order an 'authentic' manual gearbox, but that pushes up that sprint time up to 5.4s. Top speed is restricted to 155mph. As before, the auto has been configured to work with a selectable 'Drag Strip' driving mode which irons out the torque and power drop-off you'd normally get between gear shifts, so it's just one seamless burst of acceleration. Other markets still get the base 2.3-litre four-cylinder EcoBoost 290PS unit, which has been updated with a fresh bore and stroke design and a new turbo.

Design and Build

As before, this Mustang Convertible's roof is fabric and must cover 4.7metres of car. To start the roof retraction process, you have to twist a roof-mounted handle though from then on, the process is electric. Another potential irritation is that this process can only work when the car is at a standstill. Nor is there the option of a wind deflector. The Mustang may not have changed drastically, but it's still a head-turner. The new front end makes it look more elegant than muscular, and the sheer bulk gives it presence. More than anything else, though, it's still likely to be a novelty on British roads, and with the canvas hood of this Convertible version up or down, it'll draw attention. It's inside though, that the changes you'll most notice with this MK7 model will prominently feature. Inevitably, this involves screen tech; a little disappointingly in a Mustang, analogue dials are no more, replaced by a 12.4-inch digital display (though you can configure it to show 'classic dials'). That's paired with a customisable 13.2-inch SYNC4 central infotainment monitor which of course can do a lot more than was possible with the previous generation screen and houses the optional 12-speaker B&O audio system upgrade that most customers will want. Arguably more significant than all of this is the improvement in cabin quality, though you still wouldn't mistake this for the interior of a premium German-branded rival. But maybe that's part of its appeal. Ford says the cockpit is more driver-focused and there's a thicker-rimmed flat-bottomed steering wheel and grippy sports seats. Everything else is as before, with cramped space in the back. Ford reckons the Convertible's 332-litre trunk (76-litres less than the Coupe) will take a couple of golf bags.

Market and Model

Pricing for this Convertible starts at around £59,000 this time round, for the manual 446PS V8 model, with an extra £2,000 to find if you want the 10-speed auto. That's £3,500 more than is required for the fixed-top Fastback body shape. The Mustang now offers 12 colour options including three new shades - eye-catching Blue Ember, Vapor Blue and Yellow Splash. Customers can also choose from Black or Red Brembo brake calliper colour options, plus a choice of two new 19-inch alloy wheel designs. As for drive assistance technology, well there are the expected next-generation Ford driver assistance features, like Speed Sign Recognition, Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go functionality, Lane Centring Assist, Evasive Steer Assist and Reverse Brake Assist. Another key feature is Active Pothole Mitigation, which continually monitors suspension, body, steering and braking input and adjusts suspension response accordingly. 'Stolen Vehicle Services' - a 'FordPass' function providing 24-hour support in the event of theft - is also new to Mustang. Owners can stay connected with their Mustang via the FordPass app in other ways, utilising remote features such as remote vehicle start and stop, door locking and unlocking, scheduling a start time, locating the vehicle, and vehicle health and status checks. 

Cost of Ownership

Take a deep breath here because as expected with a V8 Mustang, you're going to have to pay for your pleasures. The combination of nearly 1.8-tonnes of kerb weight and a normally aspirated 5.0-litre engine couldn't really deliver any other kind of end result. The efficiency figures aren't much different from those quoted with the previous MK6 model. This time round, they see the Convertible manage 27.4mpg on the combined cycle and 280g/km of CO2 - it's 282g/km in auto guise. That's only fractionally worse than the Coupe but still poor. It doesn't have to be like this: Mercedes, for example, has proved that an equally powerful V8 can produce returns up to 50% better than that. For the time being, Ford is no longer offering the alternative turbocharged 2.3-litre EcoBoost four cylinder engine option, which is supposed to deliver 50% better returns. This powerplant works with an 'Active Grille Shutter' that reduces aerodynamic drag at the front end.

Summary

So, the hairy-chested Ford convertible sports car lives on. For 'Stang enthusiasts, there's both joy and sorrow here. Joy that against the current zeitgeist, Ford has seen fit to extend the life of its iconic sports car. And sorrow that this is almost certainly its final curtain call - in combustion form anyway. If Ford had been serious about continuing this model line with the kind of feel and blood line an enthusiast would recognise, it would have created a properly new design for it; the brand's latest 'CD6' architecture that underpins the current US-spec Ford Explorer was ready and waiting for just such a thing. But what brand could commit to that in a market turning to Hybrids and EVs? Ford might well have ended Mustang production completely, but didn't want to quite yet because the old post-2015-era sixth generation version sold so well, garnering that series Mustang the title of 'the world's best-selling sports car'. So it is that we've got the facelift which you may or may not think does enough to deserve it's claimed 'MK 7' status. But at least we have it. At least you can still buy a proper Mustang. And at least the 'Pony Car' story will have one last chapter.