Ford Mustang unveiled in India; launch by mid-2016

The Ford Mustang is touted as the car that gave birth to and popularized the ‘pony car’ in the United States. It became so popular that it prompted other manufacturers like Chevy and Dodge to follow suit but still, the Mustang remains one of the most popular muscle cars of all time, the world over. And now, it is about to make its foray into India. Ford India today unveiled the Mustang at the Jawaharlal Nehru Weightlifting stadium in Delhi just days before the Auto Expo. The Mustang will make it to Indian shores in the second quarter of the year. 

The Mustang will come to India only in the top-of-the-line GT trim. It gets the quintessential 5.0-litre Ti-VCT V8, which makes 435PS of max power and 542Nm of peak torque. This engine will be mated to 6-speed Select Sift Automatic transmission with optional paddle shifters. It will be available in convertible and fastback versions and, compared to the older Mustang, is a completely modern car. 

The suspension it employs now come with a double-ball-joint MacPherson strut up front along with a stabilizer bar whereas the rear suspension is independent, a first in a Mustang. It is also the first time in fifty years that the Mustang is being offered with right-hand-drive. The brakes on the GT are Brembo discs with six-piston calipers up front and four-piston calipers at the rear. The Mustang EcoBoost, however, has to make do with standard disc brakes all round.

The GT comes with a host of performance features like launch control, Electronic line-lick which essentially lets you burn up your rear tyres by locking the front brakes, four selectable driving modes, and selectable-effort power assisted steering. Other safety features like dual stage front, knee and side airbags, Advance Trac electronic stability control, and independent tyre monitoring system are all offered as standard on the GT model.

The Ford Mustang GT is expected to be launched around the Rs 1 crore mark. When launched in India, the Mustang will lock horns against the Porsche Cayman and the BMW M3 and M4.