Once upon a time, some 54 years ago, car enthusiasts could choose from seven powerful American two-door coupes (most of which were also presented as convertibles). All were equipped with rugged V8 engines and each discovered at least 40,000 units. buyers per year. Almost all cars (and automakers. . . ) are gone, only Ford’s Mustang remains the emblem of the “pony car” for 2024 and beyond.
These reduced style numbers reflect a shrinking visitor base. The Mustang can still attract more than 40,000 visitors a year, as can Dodge’s Challenger. But the Chevrolet Camaro struggled to succeed at 25,000 sales in 2022, and if you calculate the number of rentals/fleet consumers for each of those cars, it’s evident that its visitor pool is rarely what it used to be. That’s why, along with increasingly stringent emissions criteria favoring electric vehicles, Chevrolet and Dodge have canceled their functional coupes, even as Ford has reinvested in the Mustang with a significant set of updates for 2024.
We’ve covered the tweaks made to the 2024 Ford Mustang when it launched last year. Now we’ve driven it and we can see those adjustments manifest behind the wheel. The most significant innovations come in the form of a complex 12. 4-inch virtual gauge. set and an optional 13. 2-inch central touchscreen. Both presentations feature the newest PC chipsets, making everything from the clarity of the indicator to the animations a visual delight to interact with. Ford also removed the manual weather controls and incorporated them into the touchscreen, but thankfully has retained a compromised volume knob.
The tech upgrades are more than visual on the 2024 Mustang, adding a new “drift brake” setup added to the car’s functions on Mustangs supplied with the Performance Package (yes, even the 2. 3-liter models). This complements existing modes like ‘sport’ and ‘track’, although the stylish animations when switching between modes come straight from the Forza driving game. Kids from the ’80s will also enjoy the “Fox Body” indicator organization that can be invoked in all its glory in block form. Sirius XM channel 8 with the optional 12-speaker Bang and Olufsen audio formula and will be just one tie away from 1987.
If you’d rather pay attention to the Mustang’s engine than the Duran Duran’s, Ford offers a $1,225 “active exhaust with performance valve” formula for the 2. 3-liter turbocharged EcoBoost four-cylinder engine and 5. 0-liter V8 found in the GT and Dark Horse models. Our control car had the EcoBoost with this option. The engine makes 315 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque, and it feels more than capable of motivating the 3,800-pound convertible, even though the most competitive exhaust configurations (there are four) create “engine” noises that obviously come from the engine. . .
Even with the smallest engine, the Mustang can be ordered with 19 x 9-inch wheels.
Exhaust creative notes aside, the new Mustang feels more responsive and confident than ever, even with the base engine. Our test car was also supplied with the optional MagneRide active suspension formula ($1,750), and between that generation and the fastest steering ratio in all 2024 models, the car featured confident dynamics that brought a smile to our faces on our favorite winding roads. MagneRide offers comfortable ride quality and controlled frame roll, depending on the riding mode, making it a must-have option for under $1,800.
Updated frame lines give the Mustang a more rugged, Camaro-like appearance.
Sure, the 2. 3-liter engine is rarely as fast or as attractive as the 5. 0-liter V8 with a six-speed manual transmission (the four-cylinder only comes with Ford’s 10-speed automatic), but for genuine world use cases. , where traffic and fuel prices are very genuine challenges, a 315-horsepower coupe with 21 city, 29 highway and 24 mpg combined comes across as a guilty pick unless you hit the track where you can really exercise the V8 GT’s 480 horsepower (or 500 hp in the Dark Horse).
Mustang convertible trunk offers 10. 3 cubic feet of shipping space
Speaking of accountability, the 2024 Mustang stays true to its sports coupe origins, which means limited rear seating area and shipping capacity. Full-size adults will place the front seats in a location that prevents full-size adults from feeling them. And while the coupe’s frame offers a moderate trunk area of 13. 3 cubic feet, our convertible can muster just 10. 3 cubic feet. It’s probably smart that only two other people can comfortably have compatibility in this car, especially for weekend getaways that require luggage.
Vintage Grabber Blue paint contrasts with 21st century prices for all-new 2024 Mustang
The other big news for the 2024 Mustang is the price. . . that has become important. Last year, Ford’s pony car started at $29,165 for the coupe or $34,665 for the convertible. The new car now starts at $34,110 for the coupe and $43,540 for the convertible (all charges include destination fees). Our check car, with the aforementioned features and contrasting red seat belts, charges $53,485, without the V8 engine.
Advanced generation and enhanced functionality don’t come cheap. . .
Blame it on inflation, the price of the newly added computer chips in the Mustang, or simply the truth of Ford’s monopoly on American sports coupes. Whatever the reason, the value of the 2024 Ford Mustang means you want to appreciate it as such. The world’s last pony car.