5.0 Reasons the 2015 Ford Mustang GT Convertible is a Dream Car

The recent Powerball jackpot led to millions of ticket sales and even more fantasies about how the winnings would be spent. Many of those likely had Lamborghinis and Rolls-Royces rolling through them. European cars are definitely worthy of dreaming about, but a certain Ford is a dream car, too. Yes, the 2017 Ford GT is something to which to aspire to have, but I’m not talking about that. I just know what it looks like. I haven’t driven it. However, I have had the pleasure of cruising around Austin, Texas in a 2015 Mustang GT convertible for six days. Even though it was a tangible reality to me, it was still a dream car. Here’s why:

1.) Ford Made It Out of the Stuff of Dreams

My father once told me that the first James Bond movie he saw in a theater was “Goldfinger” in 1964. At the time, he was a boy in Iran. Something about watching 007’s Aston Martin DB5 go wheel-to-wheel with a white Mustang convertible must’ve stuck with him through the next several decades. When I was a child, he took me with him to pick up a car he’d bought: a fixer-upper of a white 1965 Mustang ragtop with a red interior. I imagine he was just as excited bringing that car home as I was when I received the keys to the 2015 convertible model. I was taking part in Mustang history. In a way, I was also enthusiastic about a car like my dad when he was a child – what I was when he instilled a love of automobiles in me.

2.) It’s Attainable

Before the 2016 models came out, anyone with $47,100 could’ve made a Race Red S550 droptop equipped like the one I had their own. My tester came with 18-inch aluminum wheels, HID headlights, an Ebony leather interior, heated and cooled front seats, Sync with MyFord Touch, push button start, and the Line Lock feature. Options included adaptive cruise control and voice-activated navigation.

Granted, nearly $50,000 for a car isn’t within the reach of a lot of people, but it’s an amount that’s a hell of a lot easier to save up than what you’d need to get more stereotypical fantasy machines. That’s what I love about Mustangs in general. It’s possible for you to buy one, whether right now or eventually. Owning one is the best kind of dream to have because many people have the ability to take a Mustang out of their heads and put it into their driveways.

3.) It Gives You the Power of 435 Horses

Daydreams don’t always involve money. Sometimes they’re about something mundane, such as being able to sleep in on Saturday morning. Some fantasies are about having more power, whether that’s in terms of conquering bad habits or in the workplace sense of the phrase. The 2015 Mustang GT convertible is the automotive fulfillment of that desire. Its 5.0-liter V8 provided an ample and entertaining amount of power: 435 hp and 400 lb.-ft.

Although the steering felt heavy no matter which mode it was in, the clutch pedal didn’t require a great amount of force to depress. Moving the shifter through its six gears called for a firm and deliberate hand, but the throws weren’t exasperatingly long.

One of them caused the gate map badge on top of the lever to come unglued and fall off. That incident, along with the uneven gaps between the rear body panels and the sides of the trunk, was a sign that the Mustang was built in the real world, where quality issues exist.

4.) You Don’t See Its Combination of Traits Often

If you want a convertible with rear-wheel drive, V8 power, four seats, and a manual gearbox that’s not a Mustang for a price around that of my media tester, you’re either thinking of a Chevrolet Camaro or in the land of dreams. I had no problem with the auto in the 2015 GT coupe, but the enjoyable responsibility of being in complete control of the convertible’s shift points and forward motion nearly erased it from my memory.

5.0) It Allows You to Live Out Dreams

One thing I’ll never forget is, after pulling and twisting one handle and holding down a single button, driving with the fabric top down one night with my girlfriend sitting next to me. We both chose the music: the Phil Collins version of Genesis, the soundtrack to our relationship. She decided to let her long, silky dark hair flow in the wind. One thing neither one of us picked was a destination. We just cruised up Interstate 35. Before that evening, I had always driven cars with a purpose in mind. Go get this, take care of that. Driving just for the pure pleasure of it was a dream I’d never known I’d had – until I lived it in the Mustang GT convertible.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going out to buy a lottery ticket…

*** My 2015 Ford Mustang GT Premium convertible review vehicle had an as-tested price of $47,100. That included an $825 destination and delivery charge, and $4,475 in options, some of which were the $1,795 Equipment Group 401A (12-speaker Shaker Pro Audio system), the deletion of the rear spoiler (no charge), adaptive cruise control for $1,195, a $295 reverse parking aid, and a $795 voice-activated navigation system.

Window Sticker: 2015 Ford Mustang GT Convertible

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Derek Shiekhi

Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.

After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.

While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.

Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.

In addition to writing for a variety of Internet Brands sites, including JK Forum, H-D Forums, The Mustang Source, Mustang Forums, LS1Tech, HondaTech, Jaguar Forums, YotaTech, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts. Derek also started There Will Be Cars on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.