2012 MUSTANG GT CONVERTIBLE: Hot to trot

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/04/2012 (5202 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Any connection I have concerning the so-called iconic stature of Ford’s 5.0-litre V8 comes courtesy of my brother, owner of three Mustangs over some 25 years, each fitted with the iron lump.

I always considered it a good engine — strong, reliable and with plenty of low-end grunt — but hardly worthy of near-mythic reverence. Then, again, I’m a cynic at heart.

But I’m also a motorhead and a product of my time, which means I love pony cars both old and new. So, while Ford’s resurrection of the 5.0L V8 in the Mustang last year — the automaker actually used the word “rebirth” — is pure hype as far as I’m concerned, I’m perfectly happy to go along for the ride.

You see, other than sharing the same displacement as the old engine, the 5.0L Ti-VCT (for Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing) eight residing under the hood of my 2012 Mustang GT convertible tester is like comparing Avatar with a silent film. Try 412 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque.

Plus, the rumble that emanates from the exhaust headers and out the twin tailpipes is an appetizer, tempting one to exercise the gas pedal a little more. The result is a guttural snarl that is obscenely awesome — pure aural seduction — with attendant acceleration that, unchecked, will inevitably have John Law sniffing at the Mustang’s hindquarters.

Manual transmissions mated to muscular engines can sometimes prove balky and not overly co-operative when hurried, which was the case with the GT’s standard six-speed manual. Blessed (?) with short throws and closely spaced gates, it was possible to miss the first-to-second upshift and hit fourth instead if the cue-ball shifter wasn’t firmly and deliberately handled.

Given the all-aluminum V8’s prodigious torque, however, all that did was slow the linearity of the power flow; it didn’t bog the engine. Downshifts, notably fifth to fourth, were equally problematic.

Conversely, considering the motor’s potential thirst, I found shifting from first to third an easy way to eke out a little more fuel economy. In fact, I averaged 11.9 litres per 100 kilometres during my week with the tester, not all that disappointing considering the V8’s performance. Aiding the cause is the tall sixth gear, which allows the Mustang to lope along at 110 kilometres an hour while turning about 2,000 rpm.

Easier than the transmission was the inherent drivability of the GT droptop. The car’s electric power-assist steering is properly calibrated to deliver quicker on-centre steering response, more effort at highway speeds and reduced effort when in low-speed parking manoeuvres. For 2012, the Mustang comes with selectable steering with a choice of three settings — standard, Sport and Comfort — allowing the driver to alter the steering effort.

Ride and handling are equally up to snuff thanks to stabilizer bars, spring rates and dampers all tuned for improved driving dynamics. Plus, standard AdvanceTrac electronic stability control, which complements the traction control and anti-lock braking system, helps keep the Mustang under control.

The tester was also equipped with the $1,700 Brembo Brake Package, a must for anyone considering a lap or two on a race track. The package includes platter-sized 14-inch Brembo vented front rotors, four-piston calipers and Z-rated 19-inch performance rubber, not to mention even more aggressive suspension tuning and changes the stability control system. Surprisingly, the GT didn’t ride like a giant roller skate.

As a convertible, the Mustang is not exactly the last word in top-down operation, lacking increasingly common features such as folding hardtop practicality or a hard tonneau cover to slide the roof under. There are two locking levers in the header that must be flipped and there is no audible beep to indicate when the power operation is complete.

That said, when in place, the vinyl top is snug and water-tight, and noise levels are perfectly acceptable.

Convertible models feature enhanced structural rigidity over the coupes, with lateral stiffness improved by a tower-to-tower front strut brace, stiffer V-brace, a stiffer secondary cross-member and a front Z-brace that connects the primary and secondary cross-members. A pillar-stiffening foam is also added to increase rigidity. The result is negligible cowl shake over rougher road surfaces, such as when traversing railway tracks.

The GT’s cabin proved to be a most comfortable environment for two, with well-padded colour-accented seats and a charcoal black interior that comes with the $500 Premier Trim with Colour Accent Package. The one-piece instrument panel is a soft-touch thermoplastic skin encasing the dark aluminum instrument appliqué and chrome-ringed gauges.

While almost all the controls and instruments seem logically placed, including the driver’s message centre in the instrument cluster, I do have a couple of nits to pick. The first is the readability of the zero-to-260-km/h speedometer as all of the numbers are compressed into a 180-degree arc, making it just a little too difficult to get an accurate read on the speed.

The second is the über-tiny backup camera display — part of the HID & Security package — located in the rear-view mirror.

Those, however, are minor annoyances in what is a well-sorted-out performance car. The Mustang GT is made for motion, whether eating up the kilometres in a long-distance trip or just taking it easy while cruising the main drag, listening to the sweet burble of the engine. (I won’t get into its obvious ticket-attracting acceleration.)

The sun-on-the-face, wind-in-the-hair experience afforded by the convertible version is a blissful bonus.

— Postmedia News

THE SPECS

Type of vehicle: Rear-wheel-drive sport convertible

Engine: 5.0L DOHC V8

Power: 412 hp 6,500 rpm; 390 lb-ft of torque 4,250 rpm

Transmission: Six-speed manual

Brakes: Four-wheel disc with ABS

Tires: P255/40ZR19 (optional)

Price: base/as tested: $42,999/$46,979

Destination charge: $1,450

Transport Canada fuel economy L/100 km: 12.2 city, 7.6 hwy.