Caraganza Review 2024 Ford Mustang GT: A Loud, Proud Rebellion Against the EV Era

The world is changing and there is little we can do about it. And the older we get the more things we used to know become nothing more that faded memories. But we adapt, change with the times, move on.

We no longer get newspapers on our doorstep each morning, instead we get our news from Al Gore’s internet. In fact, that “Internet of Things” controls much of our daily lives now. Instead of five or six TV channels delivered through the very air we breathe, we can get thousands and thousands via a high-speed fiber optic cable.

And we are now told what to eat; no sugar, or gluten, or MSG. Hell, it wasn’t all that long ago it seems, when our breakfast cereals celebrated their sweetness adding it in their names: Sugar Corn Pops, Sugar Frosted Flakes. Our parents willingly fed us all that along bowls full of gluten without batting an eye. We never heard of such things as “food allergies” we just knew that some kids got constipation more than others and that was it.

And now, much like our food, we’re being told what to drive: no gasoline, no emissions, no V8s. It wasn’t that long ago when cars celebrated their power, proudly boasting cubic inches and horsepower like badges of honor. Our parents didn’t think twice about loading us into a car that could drink a gallon of gas just to get to the grocery store. We didn’t have ‘range anxiety’—we had real anxiety about whether or not dad was going to lay into the throttle and make us all feel like we were in an Apollo Saturn V on the way to the Moon.

Cars too have changed. They’ve become smaller, seeker, more fuel efficient, and more reliable. But as it turns out, it wasn’t enough. No, we’re killing the planet it seems. Emitting poison into the air dooming humankind to a dark future.

This has led to cars that are less reliant on dinosaur blood, and friendlier to Mother Nature. Now we have hybrids, and all-electric cars we can plug into the wall like we used to do with our toy train sets. Of course, I was against this transformation. But in the end the world listened to me about as well as my wife when I tell her what I want for Christmas.

So I’ve learned to adapt, change with the times. Yes, I’ve gotten used to hybrids and even all-electrics. Especially as they too have adapted; no longer slugs with uninspiring interiors, they can match the performance we used to have. A 0-60 time under 5 seconds, a sleek appearance, all the latest tech, yup those boxes are all checked. A newspaper that doesn’t leave ink stains on your fingers.

Then Ford sent me a reminder of how it used to be, and in some ways still is. It seems that Ford has remembered that some of us want our cars to breathe, to roar, and to shake the very ground beneath us.

The 2024 Ford Mustang is the seventh generation of one of America’s most celebrated cars. The last time I had a week with something with a “Mustang” badge it was the Mach-E which isn’t really a Mustang but an attempt to pacify the Save the Mother Earth crowd who still look down their collective crooked noses at anything that spews even a hint of poison into the air.

That uppity crowd no doubt hates this latest version of the Mustang. It’s as if Ford engineers snuck off to some sort of hidden skunk works near Dearborn and made something that goes against everything the Mother Earth crowd stands for then whispered to us “hey, check this out.”

This newest generation gets an exterior redesign, and a new interior with two digital displays that Ford says is inspired by a fighter jet. As in years past it’s offered as both a coupe and convertible and is available in five versions: EcoBoost, EcoBoost Premium, GT, GT Premium and Dark Horse.

Under the hood the Mustang gets two choices of powerplants: a 2.3-liter EcoBoost with 315 horses and the Mustang GT’s 5.0-liter Coyote V8 with 480. The Dark Horse bumps that up to 500. The standard transmission is a 10-speed shiftable automatic, with a six-speed manual available on the GT.

For my week they sent me the GT with the Performance package which adds larger wheels and performance tires, upgraded brakes, a tuned chassis, paddle shifters for the automatic which has shorter gearing.

God how I missed such a thing.

This thing looks like it should come with a warning label: May cause neck snapping and neighbors’ complaints. The aggressive lines, wide stance, and that shark-like front grille tell the world, “I’m fast, and I’m loud.”

It’s not just for showing off at Cars and Coffee, though.

Turn the key, and the beast under the hood comes to life with a thundering bellow. Forget the electric car’s eerie hum; the Mustang’s V8 is an orchestra, a mechanical symphony that delivers a note of pure freedom and aggression. There’s nothing subtle about this car, and that’s the point. The exhaust note alone is a statement—one that says, “I could wake up the whole neighborhood if I wanted to, but for now, I’ll just keep rattling your fillings.”

It doesn’t just make noise though—it gives you that satisfying rumble, a deep bassline that reverberates through your spine and tingles down to your backside. It’s like the car is speaking directly to you, reminding you that driving can—and should—be exhilarating.

On the road the Performance Package adds to the madness, dialing in a tighter suspension, beefier Brembo brakes, and stickier tires that make you feel invincible, even if your skills aren’t quite there yet. You’ll take corners like you’ve suddenly developed a deeper respect for physics, all while grinning like a maniac. The steering is precise enough to shave a hair off a gnat’s backside, and the exhaust note…oh, the exhaust note. It’s not just a sound; it’s a sensation. You don’t hear this V8, you feel it—through your spine, your chest, and, most importantly, through your butt. Electric cars? Sure, they can accelerate quickly, but they can’t do that.

As for the interior, it’s got the tech—digital dash, fancy screens, and all that modern gadgetry you expect. But who cares when you’ve got this much power at your fingertips? The Mustang GT isn’t about touchscreen gimmicks; it’s about wringing every ounce of joy out of that V8, listening to it roar as you let the world know you’re still alive, still burning fossil fuels, and having more fun than anyone in a Tesla.

It’s middle finger to electrification, a glorious rebellion against the silent invasion of the EV brigade; as American as a bald eagle doing donuts in a Walmart parking lot. But sadly, the last of a dying breed still standing proudly as Camaro and Charger fade into oblivion.

Today’s electric cars? They’re the gluten-free, sugar-free kale salads of the automotive world—technically good for you, but utterly joyless. And just like those bland, flavorless meals that promise health but leave your soul empty, they’ve sucked the passion right out of driving. But the Mustang GT? It’s a reminder of what we once had, like those sugary cereals with cartoon mascots—joy in every bite, or in this case, every rev.

So, to hell with what we’re supposed to drive. The 2024 Mustang GT is the bacon cheeseburger in a world full of tofu. It’s loud, it’s greasy, and it’s gloriously bad for you in all the best ways. Because sometimes, life isn’t about being sensible—it’s about living. And nothing makes you feel more alive than a roaring V8 and the satisfying rumble beneath your seat and into your butt.

The 2024 Ford Mustang GT Premium Convertible
MSRP: $53,110
MSRP (as tested): $58,110
Engine: 5.0 V8 480 horsepower @7150 rpm, 415 lb.-ft torque @ 4900 rpm
Transmission; 10-speed shiftable automatic
Fuel Mileage (EPA): 15 city, 24 highway, 18 combined
Fuel Mileage (as tested mixed conditions): 19 mpg
Base Curb Weight: 3741 lbs.

Exterior Dimensions (inches)
Wheelbase: 107
Length: 189.4
Width, without mirrors: 75.4
Height: 54.8

Interior Dimensions
Passenger / Seating Capacity: 4
Total Passenger Volume (cubic feet)
82.8
Front Head Room (inches): 37.6
Front Leg Room (inches): 44.5
Front Shoulder Room (inches): 56.3
Front Hip Room (inches): 54.9
Second Row Head Room (inches): 34.8
Second Row Leg Room (inches): 29
Second Row Shoulder Room (inches): 52.2
Second Row Hip Room (inches): 47.4
Trunk Space (cubic feet): 10.3

Warranty
3 Basic Years / 36,000 Basic Miles
5 Drivetrain Years / 60,000 Drivetrain Miles
5 Corrosion Years / Unlimited Corrosion Miles
5 Roadside Assistance Years / 60,000 Roadside Assistance Miles

Greg Engle

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