Mustang’s Midlife Makeover

DEARBORN, MI – Ford’s ’18 Mustang gets upgraded engines and 10-speed transmissions along with a complete makeover from the windshield forward as part of a major midcycle overhaul.

Dropped from the lineup is the base 300-hp 3.7L V-6, but Ford promises an uprated 5.0L V-8 in the venerable Mustang GT and a higher-output version of the 2.3L turbocharged I-4 in all other models.

Ford isn’t specifying ’18 model outputs, but the 2.3L turbo in the all-wheel-drive Focus RS produces 350 hp and 350 lb.-ft. (475 Nm) of torque compared with 310 hp and 320 lb.-ft. (434 Nm) in the current Mustang configuration. The current 5.0L makes 435 hp and 400 lb.-ft. (542 Nm) of torque.

Mark Schaller, Mustang marketing manager, says the V-8 gets port and direct fuel injection, an increased compression ratio (from the current 11:1) and spray-in iron cylinder liners similar to those employed in the 5.2L V-8 in the Shelby GT350, boosting displacement slightly to 5.04L. The 2.3L is redesigned for increased torque and improved acceleration with wide-open throttle.

Both the 2.3L and 5.0L are mated to 10-speed automatic transmissions to improve fuel efficiency, replacing 6-speed autos. Manual 6-speed gearboxes are available with either engine; the V-8’s manual is beefed up with a twin-disc clutch and dual-mass flywheel to handle the higher output.

Performance chassis elements, including new shock absorbers, anti-roll bars and a cross-axis joint in the rear suspension, are standard on all ’18 Mustangs, with MagneRide active suspension optional. An optional GT quad exhaust offers variable sound.

Restyling Starts with Lighting

Adopting all-LED front lighting cleared the way for a lower front hood (now with hood vents standard on all Mustangs) and a leaner and meaner front appearance, says Melvin Betancourt, exterior designer. Headlamps get an “eagle eye” surround, while fog lamps are integrated into the headlight cluster, giving the lower fascia a more aerodynamic look and function.

New exterior colors for ’18 include Orange Fury, Kona Blue and Royal Crimson, the latter harking back to a similar favorite among ’67 Mustang buyers.

Inside, designers took aim at eliminating hard touch points, adding padding to the center console and upper door panels to soften spots where knees and arms tend to rest. Contrast stitching abounds, along with color-keyed perforated seating surfaces.

Updated interior in ’18 Mustang.

An illuminated ignition button with pulsating red lettering accents the cockpit where an all-new 12-in. (30-cm) digital LCD instrument cluster offers three views – normal, sport and track – along with memory function to allow drivers to record and review their drives and drive settings.

The current Mustang was introduced in 2014 as a ’15 model, for the first time featuring a fully independent rear suspension aimed at making the car more globally marketable. The ’18 Mustang, built at Ford’s Flat Rock, MI, Assembly Plant, goes on sale this fall.

[email protected] @bobgritzinger