The 2015 Ford Mustang has been completely redesigned with new sheet metal and new engine options.FAST FACTS* Model: 2015 Mustang EcoBoost Premium* Exterior color: Black* Interior color: Ebony* Engine: turbocharged, 2.3-liter four-cylinder* Horsepower: 310* Transmission: six-speed automatic* Fuel economy: 32 mpg highway, 21 mpg city* Dealer: Mountain View Ford* Price (as tested): $34,465
About once a decade, Ford goes back to the drawing board to keep the Mustang polished and packed with modern automotive goodness.
This dutiful brand maintenance has kept the original American pony car relevant for 50 years.
The all-new 2015 Mustangs have begun arriving at Chattanooga-area dealerships, and we were able to snag a test car with the new four-cylinder, EcoBoost engine from Mountain View Ford.
Most Mustang purists will gravitate to the top-of-the-line GT trim, with its full-throated V-8, 5.0-liter, 435-horsepower engine. But the four-cylinder EcoBoost Mustang is the breaking news in this product cycle. There's still a six-cylinder Mustang available - and it's the least expensive - but many of those cars will end up as fleet units, according to industry sources. Ford is betting the EcoBoost model will appeal to a new generation of pony car buyers for whom a turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 310 horsepower and gets 32 miles per gallon highway sounds, well, irresistible.
We, too, were eager to see if a turbocharged four-cylinder Mustang could deliver the goods.
As supplies of the 2015 Mustangs ramp up in the Chattanooga area, customers will have a selection of engine and trim-level options, with base V-6 starting at $24,425. The EcoBoost four-cylinder starts at $25,995 and the GT with the V-8 powerplant starts at $32,925. Our well-appointed tester, an EcoBoost Premium with automatic transmission and several desirable option packages, has an MSRP of $34,465.
STYLING AND FEATURES
The 2015 Mustang has a lower and wider stance than the previous body style. The fascia, which features swept headlamps and a long, sculpted hood, has a more menacing look. Otherwise, the body lines are a little more rounded than before - especially the rear deck - which results in a more modern, upscale look. It's almost as if Ford intentionally left the new Mustang in the oven a smidge longer so the lines in the sheet metal could soften like melted cheese. While there are still 1960s era styling cues - most notably the fastback profile and three-bar taillights - the new Mustang has a 21st-century vibe.
This week's test car, provided by Doug Cawood of the Mountain View Ford dealership, is a black-on-black beauty. If you haven't driven a Mustang lately, your first impression is likely to be: "Dang, that's a long hood?" Most of today's cars have stubby front ends with hood lines that plunge away from the windshield. By contrast, the Mustang's hood is massive and relentlessly horizontal.
The interior of the new Mustang has a the feel of a jet cockpit. My favorite detail is a metal badge on the dash that commemorates the 50th anniversary of the model with the words: Mustang, Since 1964.
The new Mustang's dash has a shorter top shelf than before which leads to a more open, airy space for front-seat occupants. Chrome accents on the speedometer and tachometer are nice touches, as is the aluminum trim that bisects the dash. Outside, there's a puddle light that emanates from the side mirror that casts the outline of a running horse on the pavement beside the driver's-side door - classy.
The 2015 Mustang 2.3L Premium comes equipped with the SNYC voice-activated communications and entertainment system, which controls your Bluetooth-enabled devices and MP3 player. Heated and cooled seats come standard on the EcoBoost Premium, as do 18-inch machined aluminum wheels, LED fog lamps and sequential rear turn signals.
Our test also comes equipped with several desirable options, including voice-controlled navigation ($795) and a 12-speaker Shaker Pro Audio system, a bone-rattling hi-fidelity unit that adds $1,795 to the bottom line.
DRIVING IMPRESSIONS
Car and Driver says the EcoBoost 2.3-liter Mustang will scoot from zero-to-60 mph in 5.2 seconds. Meanwhile, Motor Trend has reported a zero-to-60 mph time for the Mustang GT at 4.4 seconds. That's a meaningful difference if your plan includes challenging Chevy Camaro owners at stoplights, but its negligible in everyday driving.
The GT, however, will always have muscle car intangibles such as break-neck launches and a lusty exhaust note. The 2.3-liter EcoBoost has a bit of base in its voice, but it doesn't compare to the pipes in the V-8. Manual transmissions are standard on all Mustang trim levels. Our tester has a six-speed automatic, a $1,195 option.
On our test drive in downtown Chattanooga, the new Mustang felt much tighter and quieter than before. Much of the improvement in ride comfort and stability is no doubt due to a new independent rear suspension. Our test car tackled a stretch of uneven pavement on King Street with ease.
BOTTOM LINE
Ford first introduced a turbocharged, four-cylinder Mustang in the mid 1980s, but it fizzled after a two-year run. Small engine technology has come a long way since then, though, and the new EcoBoost seems to be a perfect fit for the four-passenger coup.
The beauty of the 2015 Mustang is that be ordered as a V-8 muscle car for baby boomers, or an Ecoboost four-cylinder for a younger drivers who want more of a tuner-car experience.
Either way, don't bet against a 100th-anniversary Mustang arriving in showrooms in 2064.
Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6645. Follow him on Twitter @TFPCOLUMNIST. Subscribe to his Facebook updates at www.facebook.com/mkennedycolumnist. Dealers may contact Kennedy to suggest a vehicle for review.