Prise open the Mustang’s vast door and you’re greeted by a cockpit that really is quite a departure from what went before. Digital dials are nothing new for the Mustang, of course, but the unsentimental replacement of the old car’s bar-bell-shaped instrument cowling, at the extremities of which sat a collection of pixels that depicted a traditional tacho and speedo, is stark.
In its place sits a flat, 12.4in display that verges on feeling overbearing. It’s a paired with another, even larger touchscreen atop a centre console that’s angled 10deg towards the driver in BMW fashion. If you like superbly vivid graphics and bright screens, then you’ll enjoy the digital amphitheatre that Ford has created apparently with feedback from millennials and Gen Z-ers in the company, but for us it marks an erosion of the Mustang’s straightforward, old-school charm.
The migration of almost all commands to the digital realm is at least reasonably effective, and the climate control icons are a permanent fixture, running along the bottom of the central display. If the in-house software isn’t for you, the integration of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is also slick, and Ford has thankfully resisted the temptation to do away with a physical volume dial.
There’s also huge potential for geekery. From the steering wheel you can bring up data for fuel-air mixture, air intake temperature, differential oil temperature and so on. From the central touchscreen you can also summon digital interpretations of the dials of older Mustangs, such as the SVT Cobra sold between 1999 and 2001.
In terms of architecture, it is otherwise business as usual. On acquaintance the Mustang has a likeably intimidating aura. The scuttle is high, the bonnet endless and, in a mere coupé, a dashboard this expansive could only have originated in the US. The steering wheel is big, the optional Recaros of our test car are enormous and there’s a pervasive sense that you’re sitting inside something designed to feel indomitable. Even the drive selector for the 10-speed auto is super-sized.
Perceived quality is a slight but definite step up from the S550 generation. There is still a lot of plastic, but mouldings are more interesting, the fit is a little tighter than before and the textures are decently varied. Equally, at £70,000 the atmosphere still leaves something to be desired. BMW’s M2 is hardly the last word in material lavishness, but it is markedly more mature-feeling than the Ford and you get the sense its cabin will age more gracefully.
There’s little wrong with the Mustang in terms of functionality, however. The driving position is decently versatile and the optional Recaro seats, though lacking in electric back-rest adjustment, are just as suitable for B-road blasts as they are for motorway miles. The rear seats are somewhat less versatile, and while nicely sculpted, are clearly intended either as extra luggage space or for small children. Knee room back here is notably tighter than even in an M2. Meanwhile, boot space splits the difference between an M2 and M4. At 381 litres, you get similar to that found in a C-segment hatch, which is more than enough.
