The Coyote is hungry. The beast hasn’t swallowed enough kilometers yet and consequently the countless liters of petrol that I put in the tank run out before I even realize it. Every tiny drop of 98 octane that is sucked up and transformed into noise and oversteer is yet another confirmation that the great American frontier is the emotional image that doesn’t care about the passing of time.

Words Andrea Albertazzi / Photos Alessio Becker

I step on the gas once more. The hood rises, always ready to show off its muscles. The silence that a moment before filled the air all around is now invaded by the unmistakable growl of the V8. The revs increase in a not too frenetic way, but the mechanical and acoustic pandemonium that explodes a few centimeters from my body envelops and moves me with violence, transmitting sensations that you can never get enough of. The Coyote – the engine, of course – is hungry. The beast hasn’t swallowed enough kilometers yet and consequently the countless liters of petrol that I put in the tank run out before I even realize it. I can’t blame it and in fact I’m grateful for the simple fact that every tiny drop of 98 octane that is sucked up and transformed into noise and oversteer is yet another confirmation that the great American frontier is the emotional image that doesn’t care about the passing of time.

The seventh generation Ford Mustang is exactly what it should be. Its unmistakable shapes remain, with a fastback (or convertible) body, 2 very comfortable seats and 2 at the back pretty usable in the real world, a large bonnet up front and two pairs of exhaust pipes at the rear, always ready to give the right voice to every movement. The GT is as always the model par excellence, tamed enough not to threaten to break your neck at the slightest pressure on the throttle, but at the same time capable of raising dust when things get serious. The comfort on board remains the one you appreciated back then, accentuating the grand touring nature also shown to the old continent with the introduction of the previous gen, which saw it officially arrive on the European market for the first time. Only now everything has been further modernized, both to make on board cohabitation more practical, but also to extricate oneself from the almost infinite possibilities for customization when it comes to the various driving modes at disposal. We will return to this in a while.

For now I intend to enjoy the essential aspect that comes to mind as soon as I hear the word Mustang. That pony always stands out in full view in the center of the front grille, now surrounded by sleeker headlights. You immediately identify it as the new model, however it is not distorted, with the biggest differences perceptible above all in the rear area. Here it says GT and there is no doubt that this is a car designed to travel long distances in an exciting way. The road in front of me is wet, the winter tires and the desire to disinhibit traction control will do the rest. I know, with a Mustang it is advisable to gain a lot of confidence before wanting to feel like Steve McQueen at all costs.

On the left portion of the steering wheel there are the buttons that allow you to move between the various driving modes, including Normal, Sport, Circuit, Low Grip and Drag Strip, while in the small and plasticky central console you can set the individual parameters and make the driving experience personalized to the smallest bit. The two digital displays, one of which is an 8” touch screen, are the brains that allow you to keep an eye on what you really need, at least until I start moving frenetically. I can’t be delicate, it’s the car itself that forces it on you the moment you exclude every hint of common sense. I put my right foot down and it feels like I’m aiming for the grey sky above my head. A fraction of a second and after seeing the digital needle of the rev counter rise, the rear wheels finally find some grip and we start chasing 7,250 rpm.

The 10 gears of the Selectshift automatic transmission come into play in very different situations, where a low number of revs rewards a more relaxed drive. Right now it’s a tug-of-war between second, third and fourth. And trust me, when I manage to put it in fourth my hands are sweating, despite the zero degrees outside. Maximum concentration, equal only to that pinch of madness added on top of a load of recklessness. In the meantime the road has become narrower, appropriately deserted, but with treacherous strips of fresh snow on the sides. I know I have to stay in the middle as if I were on rails, but try explaining that to a Ford Mustang. Staying straight is out of the equation and that’s exactly what makes me so excited.

I leave the gearbox in automatic mode and while the Pirelli Sottozero tires thank the slipperiness of the asphalt, the 540 Nm of torque are that boost that transforms the 1,760 kg of the GT into something much more agile than expected. Let’s not beat around the bush, first of all everyone knows that the road behavior of a muscle car – or rather, a pony car – will never be similar to that of a Porsche or any European sports car, but if that’s the thing you’re looking for, the new Mustang maintains that star-spangled character that transforms any moment spent driving into a proper experience. A frenetic experience, if you’re not gentle with the gas.

Nothing is predictable here and everything shines in the reflection of the glorious 5-liter that swallows air and then throws it out, but be careful not to think that fun is purely the result of risk, because we have MacPherson suspension at the front and Multilink at the back, which allow you to approach curves without necessarily start praying. There’s also a Torque Vectoring Control feature, essential in the differentiated management of the torque on the wheels of the rear axle. In short, curves are not a problem at all: it’s just a matter of slightly anticipating the movements, at least if you’re traveling with traction control off and on today’s ungrateful tarmac.

I haven’t told you yet that the Sync 4 infotainment system is incredibly rich, much faster and more precise than ever. There are 12 speakers then, which even though they have an exceptional quality I leave in religious silence. The music is different and is the one orchestrated by the longitudinal V8 maestro, stage director and ultimate protagonist even when in the city I set all the parameters to Normal, promptly leaving the exhaust in Circuit mode. Do I want to wake up the neighbors when I come back home late at night? Done. Do I want to entertain the children who point out to me when they see this wonderful yellow GT pass by instead of a boring Golf? Done, but the overgrown child is me and I have never had so much fun.

American cars, these at least, are the last bastion of sports cars that are now outdated. A frontier that has always existed and continues undaunted even where the current automotive landscape is following the market numbers as the only law, fashions that last less than the seasons and destined to be forgotten with the arrival of the next social media hit. The Mustang, even if it ceases to exist tomorrow, will always be the Mustang. There is no mistaking it, because it is the embodiment of the wild spirit of a world of another time. The moment you sit in the driver’s seat and close the door you are catapulted into a dimension where time seems to have stopped.

Right now, at this very moment, I don’t miss anything. Ok, a few extra liters of petrol – maybe for free -wouldn’t be bad, but how could I ever complain? And remember that in Europe the new Mustang V8 has a starting price of €58,000, while the automatic starts at €61,000. Are you thinking what I think? Less, but much less than its competitors on the old continent. If instead we analyze the situation from a pure price point of view, with a similar figure, you are taking home a European model that is not even remotely comparable. The manual transmission is even more enjoyable. The fact of having a third pedal, to feel like you are in complete control of that race of rpm towards a red line appropriately positioned high up, in the name of natural aspiration, decibels and performance that puts the involvement factor first, an aspect that is not only important, but vital when talking about sports cars.

I firmly press the throttle and the rear decides to point to the right. I knew it was coming, but I couldn’t imagine the direction of that diagonal swerve. I turn in the opposite direction and then the other. I do it three or four times because in the meantime the gas remains flat out, with the tires that shortly after resume biting the wet asphalt. In that moment, the 446 horses begin their gallop, the 540 Nm sweep away any uncertainty and the hood settles, letting the contours of the road in front of me to define. I point toward the horizon, for that smaller, distant and hidden point, where I am sure I will find more bread for the Mustang’s teeth. And succeeding in such an undertaking, 60 years after the very first incarnation of this driving philosophy, is something that defines you as an integral part of the legendary American frontier.

FORD MUSTANG GT SELECTSHIFT

Engine V8 cylinder, 5.038 cc Power 446 hp @ 7.250 rpm Torque 540 Nm @ 5.100 rpm

Traction Rear-Wheel-Drive Transmission 10-Speed Automatic Gearbox Weight 1.761 kg

0-100 kph 4,9 sec Top Speed 250 kph Price from€61.000