INDIANAPOLIS — I completely get the heritage of the Mustang that debuted in 1964 as an answer to a growing generation of Baby Boomers who wanted something more special than their parents’ full-size sedans and wagons. Classic long hood, short deck proportions, most delicious with a fastback roofline, and a muscular V8 engine cemented the Mustang’s legend. With the redesigned 2024 Mustang GT, Ford readies its famed pony car for the next decade.
There’s no mistaking our test car with the Bronze Package that recasts the Mustang’s classic bust. Styling dresses the previous generation’s heritage-inspired, wide butt proportions with six LED headlamps, red Brembo brake calipers, and fastback roofline. Around back, a large spoiler and angled six-bar taillamps with sequential signals cop attitude. It’s not an entirely new design, but there’s a techy edginess to it that feels more contemporary.
I always liked the understated refined look of the Mustang Bullitt, made famous by a chase scene against a Dodge Charger, in Steve McQueen’s movie by the same name, but this one’s Bronze Appearance Package is a close second. It includes bronze 19” alloy wheels, grille pony, rear GT logo, and 5.0 badges on the front fenders. Red brake calipers peek out from behind the wheels. The package looks elegantly understated with our car’s Dark Matter Gray metallic paint. It feels less boy racer and more debonair gent — a proper sporting machine for adults.
Sophisticated drivers will find the interior meets their station as twin infotainment screens dominate the dash, but hover above stitched dash coverings, Recaro sport seats with red belts, heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, and 12-speaker B&O audio system that’s as happy thumping Olivia Rodrigo as venting Maria Callas’s pipes. Phones connect and charge wirelessly via Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a console pad.
Flatscreens allow drivers to customize their gauge graphics from a dominant tach bar for track days to a pared down version with center speedometer for daily commutes. On the center screen, drivers can change drive modes that tune the suspension, steering, and throttle from “Normal” to “Sport” and “Track.” A row of icons configures the active valve exhaust system from thunderous boom to a quiet mode for sneaking. It also comes with crash avoidance systems that include automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, blind spot warning, and cross traffic alert with autobrake.
Fans of all eras will relish the 5.0-liter “Coyote” V8 planted under that long hood. It produces a galloping 486 horsepower — routed to the rear wheels through a 6-speed manual transmission. And, it’s not some vague arm-breaking manual either. This one has the mechanical precision expected from a Supra or Audi. Click-click, snick-snick. Driven with a light touch, drivers should expect 14/23-MPG city/highway.
In no mode would I consider the four-wheel-independent suspension soft, but MagneRide damping that adjusts shocks instantly switches between rock-firm and relatively compliant, allowing the car to transform between backroads and city streets. The long wheelbase allows the car to ride nice whether driving to work or hitting long stretches of highway.
Ford must keep the Mustang faithful happy while evolving the car for more refined tastes. Done! If you’re a fan of early Mustangs with their big style and bellowing engines, you’ll love it. Or, if you’re currently driving an Audi or Nissan Z and wondering what you’d think of the Mustang, you’ll be pleasantly impressed. It’s a legend upborn! As for price, a base Mustang with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine starts at $30,920. Our GT with Bronze Package hits $61,620.
Storm Forward!
Send comments to Casey at AutoCasey@aol.com; follow him on YouTube @AutoCasey.
Likes
- Retro-modern style
- MagneRide Suspension
- Coyote V8
Dislikes
- Firm commute
- Fuel economy
- Tight rear seat
2024 Ford Mustang GT Premium
Four-passenger, RWD Coupe
Powertrain: 5.0-liter V8, 6-spd trans
Output: 486hp/418 lb.-ft. torque
Suspension f/r: Adaptive Ind/Ind
Wheels f/r: 19”/19” alloy
Brakes f/r: disc/disc
0-60 mph: 4.5s
Fuel economy: 14/23 mpg city/hwy
Assembly: Flat Rock, MI
Base/As-tested price: $30,920/61,620
