Welcome To The UK, Please Drive On The Left - Ford Mustang 2.3T Ecoboost (Part 4)

Cockpit remains firmly, ahem, blue collar, but there’s lots of fun to be had via launch control, an ‘accelerometer’ and an acceleration timer

An Ecoboost with the performance pack will start from $27,165 in America, with the Gt (the V8) another $6930, the convertible another $5500 and an auto $1195. Dollars will probably turn into pounds as your Mustang travels from Flat rock, Michigan to Folkestone or Middlesbrough, and if Ford can price them this way, they’ll be what Mustangs always have been, and always should: a performance bargain. There’s nothing else like it on the market, and if they can price it unlike anything else too, buyers will forgive a lot. Ford won’t talk numbers officially yet, but it’s likely to bring just 10,000 to Europe in the first full year, with between 1000 and 2000 of those right-hand-drive cars for the UK. Suddenly, Ford is the niche player, only needing to chip away a tiny percentage of its premium rivals’ sales with its polarising, love-it-or-hate-it product for it to be a success.

2015 Ford Mustang 2.3L EcoBoost steering wheel

In a clever stunt, Ford opened ‘pre-registrations’ during the Champions League final for the first 500 cars, 130 of which are for the UK. The 500 ‘sold out’ in 30 seconds and in total 9300 people registered. Don’t read too much into that: these will be either Mustang die-hards, or blow-hards who have no intention of putting their money down. But around the country, even before there’s an official price or ordering process, people are going into dealerships with a cheque and saying they’d like one, please. If you want one, and it turns out that Europe does still want the Mustang, you might be advised to get to a dealer too, and soon. Because Ford might soon have a ‘problem’ that it hasn’t had in Europe – and the Mustang hasn’t had in the US – for a while, one that will do its confidence and image no harm at all: a waiting list.

All fast Fords should have seats like these. In fact, they generally do…

When Ford did coupes…

Ford Capri

Say ‘Capri’ and no Brit thinks of the posh Italian island after which Ford’s Euro version of the pony car was named. With us for 17 years from ’69 to ’86, with 1.8m sold. NOT a European Mustang: a 1.3-litre four was an option.

Ford Cougar

In ’98, Ford replaced the Probe with another mis-named model. Sharp styling, practical cabin, and Mondeo underpinnings meant it was a decent drive. But the tide was already turning away from expensive cars from mainstream makers. Died ’02.

Ford Probe

This was going to be the new Mustang, until Ford wised up. Cue unfortunate proctological name. Sold in the UK from ’92 to ’97. Steve Coogan’s reptilian sales rep Gareth Cheeseman drove one (‘she’s a beauty…’) and pretty much killed its image.

Ford Puma

Now this was more like it, with the fun and affordability that fi rst made the Capri a hit. Sweet-handling Fiesta chassis, Yamaha-developed engines, New Edge styling, and uncrap name. Rare Tickford-bodied Racing Puma was even better.