2024 Mustang GT Convertible First Test: The Original Pony Car Experience

We guarantee you won’t have any fun in this V8-powered Mustang convertible.

Shoppers at the marketNew 2024 Ford Mustang You encounter an amazing variety of configurations. Prospective buyers can choose from fastback and convertible body styles, as well as three engines and two transmissions. There’s also an incredible amount of customization options, from paint and wheels to high-end performance hardware. So what’s the best way to buy a Mustang? We’re here to tell you that the Mustang GT Convertible offers an engaging take on the small car experience, if only in some waysNew generation model S650 We want improvements.

What’s driving like?

The Mustang GT’s 5.0-liter V-8 produces an impressive 486 horsepower and 418 pound-feet of torque, making this convertible muscle car a…0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds. Our test car was equipped with the available active valve exhaust, which was loud enough to wake up the heavens. Ford also lets you listen to engine music outside the car, thanks to a new Remote RPM feature that uses the key fob to press the accelerator from a distance. Your neighbors won’t like you, but the local car and coffee companies sure will.

The Mustang GT Convertible isn’t just a noise machine;A very fun car to drive On a winding road. The S650’s updated steering tuning contributes to precise control, and the Pirelli P Zero PZ4 tires provide plenty of grip. All that rubber, plus a limited-slip rear axle and Ford’s available MagneRide damping system, ensures secure handling through hairpins and sweeping corners. Put your foot on the ground and the Mustang GTI will have no problem unleashing its massive power.

Although we love everything about the Mustang GT Convertible, the driving experience is far from perfect. There’s a lot of cowl roll, and its body structure feels rough due to road imperfections. The car’s 10-speed automatic transmission doesn’t like to shift quickly between gears, and will often refuse to downshift via the paddles if it decides the revs aren’t in the sweet spot. (However, it becomes more predictable and rewarding once you get used to its behavior.) When driving fast on poorly maintained roads, some unpleasant vertical body movements can outweigh some of the GT convertible’s well-controlled rides.

If you can live with the rickety hood and other quirks, overall the Mustang GT convertible is a decent cruiser. Even with the GT Performance Package’s sporty chassis tuning, ride comfort at low speeds is better. As long as the roof is down and the exhaust is cranked to its highest setting, there’s nothing to distract from the exhilarating, free-spirited character of this high-performance convertible.

Fun braking and drifting

One neat feature that Ford included in the S650 Mustang is the electronic handbrake, which is modeled after the old manual handbrake. Not only does the lever activate the electric parking brake, it’s also part of the Drift Brake mode available on the Mustang GT.

To use it, you put the car in track mode and tap the pony-shaped button on the center console to bring up a menu that lets you enable the drift brake. Assuming you’re in a safe (and hopefully legal) position, press the accelerator and use the handbrake to turn the car. We found this mode to be great for taking cool turns, too. As long as there is rubber on the wheels, the fun is endless.

Is the new interior design good?

Ford’s dual-curved screen looks a bit extravagant for the cabin of a small car, so no one can accuse the 2024 Mustang GT Convertible of lacking high-tech features. Large dual curved displays (12.4-inch fully digital instrument cluster and 13.2-inch touchscreen) dominate the dashboard. The displays feature the usual features you’d expect from a modern production car, like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, but what interested us most was the configurable dashboard. The key to fully enjoying this car is to enable the retro-style instrument design, reminiscent of the 1987-1993 Fox Body Mustangs, and indulge in nostalgia.

Once you look away from the high-resolution screen, it quickly becomes clear that the rest of the interior isn’t as modern as one would hope for the next-generation Mustang, even though it is an improved version of the previous-generation Mustang. platform. The materials still aren’t quite premium, but we think some buyers will find the scent and feel very familiar.

Aside from the quality of materials, another glaring weakness of the Mustang GT Convertible is that the driver must manually twist the handle to open the roof before it can fold it electronically. Additionally, the car has to be at a complete stop for the roof to collapse or open, which can make things difficult if you want to get some sunlight while in motion (or get out of it quickly).

Is the Mustang GT Convertible an achievable value?

The 2024 Mustang GT Convertible starts at just over $53,110, which seems like a lot of money for such a small car, until you look at what’s on the market for the hottest performance cars on the market. Left exposed. The Camaro will be discontinued after 2024, and although the Mazda MX-5 sells for much less than the Ford, it only comes with a four-cylinder engine and two seats. The BMW Z4 Roadster starts slightly higher than the Mustang at $54,595, even with its base turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Other models with folding roofs, from the Audi A5 to the Porsche 718 Boxster, are much more expensive.

At $66,270 with options, our test car fell into the realm of performance convertibles. However, this Mustang GT comes equipped with many customization options and go-fast parts from Ford, giving it the street cred to back up its brand. The GT Premium High package, priced at $2,900, adds a B&O audio system, illuminated door sill plates, color-coded interior and exterior trim, a safety package, Ford’s Co-Pilot360 driver assistance package, and memory for the driver’s seat and turn signals. Indicators. Since Ford still charges for the automatic transmission, that’s an extra $1,595.

The most expensive option on the list is the GT Performance Package, at $4,995, which adds improvements like aggressive-looking black accents, chassis upgrades, a Brembo brake package, and an electric parking brake handle. However, the package does not include the magnetic damping system or the active valve performance exhaust system, which must be optioned separately and cost $1,750 and $1,225, respectively. Red brake calipers with white decals add $495, and carpeted floor mats add $200. These options are welcome, but we bet just adding a performance exhaust will be enough to capture most of the excitement.

Those expecting refined elegance and panache of a Mustang GT convertible, even with its $66,000 price tag, won’t find it. However, if you are looking for a bold, exciting and enchanting outdoor experience, this is money well spent. The S650-generation Mustang doesn’t offer a radically different experience compared to the previous S550 platform, but opting for a V-8-equipped convertible is the way to go for the classic Mustang experience.