Top Mustang News of 2016

The Wild, the Classic, and the Rumored: 2016 Certainly Had its Fair Share of Ups and Downs in the Mustang World

You could say that 2016 will go down as a year where the Mustang proved that you can never quite predict what a pony car will do, once unleashed in the wild.

Of course, we say that in the metaphorical sense. Then again, maybe not when you consider that one of the biggest Mustang stories in 2016 involved a police chase in Los Angeles, with the driver and passenger engaging in a ton of wild antics.

THE BIZARRE & UNEXPECTED

The incident, which we covered extensively here at TMS, lasted over an hour and included everything from the suspects doing donuts on Hollywood Blvd. to taking selfies while fleeing police. The thing that baffled people most during the entire ordeal was how skilled the driver was behind the wheel. Of course, we later learned that the driver had actually learned some of that during military training.

And that wasn’t the only Mustang spotted in the wild over the past 12 months that has shown the car in a negative light. In addition to the dozens of Mustang Cars & Coffee fiascos in 2016, we also learned that the S550 has some pretty admirable foes to contend with. Take, for example, a drag race between the Mustang GT and the BMW M2 where the Ford pony car proved to be no match for the new BMW coupe.

CLASSICS & SHELBY GT350

Still, most of the memorable moments in 2016 for Mustang were far more shining, like the ‘71 Mach 1 Mustang unveiled by fabricator Lyle Vass, which actually was born out of a car missing most of the metal from its quarters, floor, and cowl. Another showpiece that captured our attention in 2016 was a 1967 Mustang owned by Ron Lyon. The 560-horsepower mod, which took 18 months to build, could be one of the hottest Mach 1s we’ve seen to date. The team at Ringbrothers also dazzled us with a ‘66 Mustang with 600-plus horsepower, which at one point had an eBay listing of $229,000.

The year of 2016 was also a period where we began to appreciate the Shelby GT350 even more, while continuing to weigh in on whether it’s actually worth that $54,570 price tag, in comparison to a model like the Boss 302 and Roush Stage 3 Mustang. The general consensus among most was that the new Shelby is definitely worth the money, and will likely become a collectible down the road.

BUILDING ON THE FUTURE

Speaking of the Shelby GT350, we were also teased with a hot Targa model of the car, courtesy of an illustration created by a guy named Chip Smith. As TMS writer Matt Carpenter pointed out, we can’t imagine someone cutting the top off of a new Shelby GT350. But the idea is definitely intriguing.

This past year was also filled with speculation about the next-generation Mustang, which is expected to make its debut in 2020, two years before the new model was originally scheduled to launch. Specific details on the next-gen Mustang have been sketchy. But we’re certain that the future Ford pony car will be driven by far more technology and more fuel-efficient engines.

Although, based on another story that broke in 2016, it’s clear that Ford has already made significant progress making the S550 Mustang more fuel-efficient. In a real-world test comparison, Automobile found that their Ecoboost test model exceeded its listed EPA by more than four miles a gallon, for a total of 29.5 mpg. The Mustang GT tested better than its listed EPA as well, with a 22.3 mpg compared to its EPA listing of 19 mpg.

So, maybe the biggest takeaway from 2016 is that while the S550 is definitely one of the most impressive Mustangs to date, the Ford pony car is poised to only get better down the road.

Chime in with your thoughts on the forum. >>