The Mustang is About to Punch Above its Weight
Rear-wheel drive? Check. Limited-slip differential? Check. Big V8 in the front? Check. A nameplate that is iconic and brings a massive history behind it? Check. Around 500 hp? Check. Smoky burnouts that can turn $1,000 tires to ash in a matter of seconds? Check.
Now, you may be thinking that I’m talking about the Mustang, right? Especially since this is The Mustang Source? Actually, I am talking about the Mustang, but I am also talking about two other cars that have the exact same formula as the Mustang. The F-TYPE Jaguar, and the brand-new Mercedes-AMG GT.
While both would consider themselves 911 rivals, I’m here to tell you that with the formula stated above, they are more Mustang rivals than 911 rivals. Don’t get me wrong — the two exotics are definitely nice and I can’t wait to drive them soon, but they don’t really follow the same principle as the 911.
Walk with me for a second. Porsche has created the ultimate sports car: the engine is at the back, you can get a bunch of scaffolding in it, AWD, and a whole host of other goodies to give you the best precision tool possible to tackle any track known to man. These other two don’t.
They aren’t track monsters. They can go to the track and run it, but they aren’t set up to shave tenths off your lap times. They are, instead, made to put a massive smile on your face while you roast the back tires that are squealing like a little girl just trying to be heard over the V8 cacophony that’s coming out the back.
And that’s what the Mustang does. It’s not set up to be the ultimate sports car. It’s not set up to be a track monster. It’s just there to make you have the biggest smile possible while going through a turn somewhat sideways. And that’s what puts it in the same class as the Jag and the Merc. It has the same formula, and abides by the same rules.
However, unlike its counterparts, the Mustang offers the same amount of joy and ridiculous noise that the other two have for a fraction of their respective prices. I get annoyed whenever a manufacturer comes out and says it is planning on taking on the 911. The only thing that makes these two 911 rivals at all is the price.
There are two types of buyers in the sports-car market. One who wants to be amused all the time, and the other who wants to talk about lap times to his dwindling set of friends. The Mustang, like the AMG and the F-TYPE, are in the former category.
The new Mustang is going to set the world on fire, and I know that’s a bit presumptuous to say since most people haven’t even driven one yet, but it’s about to punch way above its weight, and I have a feeling it’s going to win.