Muscle car fans will find this of interest – the new sixth-generation Ford Mustang is set to see an official local introduction in 2016. The news came on an unassuming banner hidden on Sime Darby Auto Connexion's (SDAC) stand at Asia Klasika last weekend, where a selection of classic and modern Mustangs were on display as part of the pony car's 50th anniversary celebrations.
We're expecting it to arrive here sometime in Q1 then. It's a bit of a wait, but right hand-drive evaluation - which began in August - will only see market deployment sometime mid next year at the earliest. We're likely to follow after Australia, which is set to be the largest market for the new pony in this part of the world.
All new from the ground up, the S550 Mustang swaps out the retro styling its predecessors (notably, the S197) have used since 2005 for Ford's latest Kinetic design language, giving it a sleeker, more modern look. The new car is longer and wider than before, makes use of independent multi-link rear suspension for the first time on regular Mustang variants, and will also be available in right-hand drive for the first time.
We can expect two versions to go on sale here, led by the baseline unit with the 310 hp and 433 Nm 2.3 litre EcoBoost direct-injected turbo four, which is based on the 2.0 litre unit seen on the Focus ST. This pretty much negates the need for the naturally-aspirated 3.7 litre Cyclone V6 that pushes out "just" 300 hp and 379 Nm (which we won't be getting).
The other version for Malaysia will be the range-topping 435 hp/541 Nm 5.0 litre V8, the top choice for the unwavering, die-hard muscle car aficionado, rare as that may be here. It remains to be seen whether we'll be getting the GT or GT Premium variant of the flagship - matters little, really, since the 2.3 litre will be the relevant offering for this market.
So, how about that – a turbocharged, road tax-friendly, right-hand drive Mustang sold through official channels. Excited? We were in Sydney last year covering the official unveiling of the new Mustang - see full details, a mega gallery, finalised power figures, videos explaining the car and a video of the event itself.
No comments:
Post a Comment