Frankfurt 2017: Euro-spec Ford Mustang facelift revealed

The Euro-spec Mustang GT gets cosmetic enhancements and mechanical tweaks. 

Ford has unveiled the European-spec version of the Mustang facelift. The North American spec 2018 Mustang was revealed earlier in 2017 - and aesthetically, the Euro-spec model looks exactly the same. However, Ford claims that the Euro-spec model has been fine tuned to suit the local taste. 

The biggest change on the 2018 Mustang comes in the form of updated powertrains. The GT’s 5.0-litre V8 has witnessed a good 34bhp jump - escalating the total horsepower count to 444. On the contrary, the Mustang EcoBoost has undergone a drop in power - 286bhp vs 310bhp.

However, Ford claims that the power drop will not hamper the EcoBoost’s performance - as the company has incorporated an overboost function in the new available 10-speed automatic transmission. The very same gearbox is also paired up with the V8 GT. The standard gearbox setup on both the Mustang variants remains a 6-speed manual, which also has been tweaked for optimal torque delivery. 

The 2018 model gets an updated suspension, which is tuned for European roads - this includes new shock absorbers, and dampers. The updated car, in its V8 GT guise, also gets a standard active exhaust system - interestingly, with a ‘Good Neighbour Mode’, which basically tames the V8’s growl during start up. 

On the outside - the Mustang facelift gets subtle tweaks in the form of updated bumpers, redesigned headlamps and taillamps and a lower grille. On the inside - there is a new customisable information screen to replace the traditional analogue dials. 

India is one of the few markets where the right hand drive Ford Mustang is sold. It is very likely that this Euro-spec model will make its way to India next year - as UK is a right hand drive market as well. The Ford Mustang GT is imported to India via the CBU route.