LONG-TERM UPDATE 9 | Looking back at 5,000km spent with our Ford Mustang GT CS

I am sad to report my carport is empty. After four months and exactly 5,414km the roisterous “Lucid Red” Mustang GT California Special has returned to Ford South Africa.

It was a memorable ride all right; one tinged with mostly good memories and a lot of fun along the way. Also, in an automotive world where turbocharging and electrification dominate proceedings, it was kind of special to spend so much seat time in a machine as unapologetically old-school. For at its core the Mustang remains a relatively simple beast with a large, naturally aspirated 5.0l V8 engine sending a shed ton of power to the rear axle: a tried and tested performance recipe that has done the US proud for decades. 

Though some will deride this objectively old-fashioned approach to going fast, the truth is it gives Ford's pony car a genuinely likable persona. It feels real. While so many of its competitors rely on manufactured exhaust notes and cabin sound symposers to extract fake drama to their homogenised power units, the Mustang broadcasts a bellow 100% authentic. This is no lead singer wannabe quavering through Auto-Tune; this is the Boss belting it out loud and proud and with feeling to a packed crowd at Giants Stadium. Dig?

Backing up this soulful timbre is a body design that commands similar endearment. As it stands, the sixth-generation is pretty much dead now (production ended in April 2023) with its seventh-generation replacement taking over in most global markets (expect it to land in South Africa soon). Despite this and the fact it was penned more than 10 years ago, the amount of necks it still manages to twist on a daily basis is, quite frankly, ridiculous.

From causing a frenzy of excitement at a local matric dance, to seeing pedestrians in every small town I ever passed through reach for their camera phones in awe, living with the Mustang GT is like living with some Hollywood A-lister constantly at your side; one who appeals to all sects and ages. I have been in faster cars, I have been in more expensive cars but not many of them can match this Ford's cachet and cultural gravitas. So if you are looking to make an impact for not much money — let's be fair, folks, R1,154,900 isn't a lot to pay for a performance car in 2024 — then this is the vehicle for you. Personally, I found it a bit much at times as I generally prefer to glide under the radar. 

One thing I did not tire of, however, was the kick offered by that aforementioned engine (though it needed a leaky valve cover gasket replacing in December). From firing past long lines of trucks on the N1 highway to ripping up mountain passes and performing numerous illicit burnouts around selected suburbs; there is no disputing just how big a role Ford's venerable Coyote V8 plays in the Mustang's appeal as a driver's car.

It's smooth, linear, refreshingly responsive and when pressed will rev effortlessly to its 7,500rpm red line. Though peak power is developed at 7,000rpm, there's no shortage of low down torque either; meaning you don't have to rev the nuts off it to make progress. 

The caveat here, however, is fuel consumption. With a smooth throttle and premature shifting you can squeeze out fairly decent numbers. On a long trip like the one I made to the Western Cape in December where you're sticking to the speed limit, you're not far off what a Toyota Corolla Sedan 2.0 XR will manage (the best I saw was 7.6l/100km). But make the most of the motor's rather addictive performance potential — as I did at Gerotek and Zwartkops Raceway — and, brother, you will see that 61l tank drain eye-wateringly fast.

Another missive worth mentioning is Ford's 10-speed SelectShift automatic transmission (which was, incidentally, co-developed with General Motors). Though this unit works well enough when trudging through treacly rush hour traffic in full automatic mode, I found it jarring and ponderous when using the paddle shifters during bouts of spirited driving.

While exploring the car's limits around Zwartkops Raceway in December, I found high RPM upshifts are generally dispatched with a disconcerting thud while rapid downshifts are accompanied with an unpleasant amount of lag, lurch and shudder. In fact, there were moments where my internal “mechanical sympathy meter” (finely tuned from all my time spent driving historic racing cars) swung dangerously into the red zone as it felt like the gearbox was struggling to cope with the cog-swapping demands placed upon it. 

All in all it is a transmission that detracts from the vehicle's talents when pushing on and often saw me short-shifting or even tapping off due to its jarring histrionics. Seventh-generation Mustangs in the US are available with a six-speed manual gearbox (with a rev-matching feature) and I sincerely hope it's offered on our local cars when launched. If not Ford will be doing not just the car but its customer base a disservice. 

Handling wise, the California Special proved a relatively sharp instrument certainly not shy of carving up the occasional mountain pass or indulging in an odd track day or two.

Granted, the game has moved on in the past couple of years and rivals from Germany and Japan offer a more sophisticated driving experience, but on the whole I found the burly Mustang a lot of fun to drive. Well, up to a point. Relatively slow steering (16.6:1 is no great shakes by contemporary standards) endowed with not much feedback and a hefty kerb weight (+1,750kg) means that you have to keep your wits about you when exploiting the limits of engine and the adhesion of those Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres. Ripping along at 10/10ths can start to see the suspension struggle to keep body movements in check; particularly through more snaking sections of asphalt and across lumpier surfaces.

Dial your pace back a bit and the Mustang GT CS immediately feels more enjoyable and noticeably more cohesive. Again, if you're looking for an all-out sports car then this Ford won't be for you. However if you want a gran turismo that can do more than just barrel along in a straight line all day, then you'll be well pleased by its broad spread of strengths. It rides nicely too; those adaptive dampers generally doing well to soften the blows dished out by Gauteng's ever-worsening road network. Look, I'm not saying this pony car is a Rolls-Royce, far from it, but for what it is, the California Special feels remarkably settled. 

The cabin exuded a similar degree of polish. Though there are parts of it that feel a bit low rent in places (the hard scratchy plastic used on the centre console springs to mind), build quality felt solid and everything well pieced together. And unlike in the last two Blue Oval products I spent a lot of time in (the previous generation Everest and new generation Ranger) there were zero trim rattles or buzzes to get on my nerves. Sound insulation proved equally impressive with negligible amounts of road/wind noise ingress when cruising at the national limit — another string in the Mustang's distance-gobbling bow.

What was distracting at times, however, was the bottom chromed spoke of the steering wheel that reflected the sun into my eyes for a period around midday. On the trip both to and from the Cape I found it so bad I actually had to wrap it with my Buff neck gaiter. 

The rest of the interior ticked all the requisite boxes with amazingly comfortable seats (heated and ventilated up front), an excellent driving position and plenty of standard tech. Though I missed having an inductive charging pad to keep my phone juiced, I delighted in the crisp digital instrument cluster (the layout of which changes depending on what Drive Mode you're in) and Ford's eight-inch Sync 3 infotainment system fully compatible with Apple CarPlay. Though the latter had one of two connection hiccups, it generally did a stellar job, allowing easy access to all my favourite Apps with zero latency issues. The Bang & Olufsen Premium audio package has been well documented in previous posts but suffice to say it remains a headlining feature of the California Special experience. 

Despite its sporty nature the Mustang proved surprisingly practical; its large boot easily devouring not only all my holiday baggage but also four large and heavy Persian carpets. There were also times where, with the rear jump seats folded flat, I could squeeze much more ungainly items inside it. Four MX-5 wheels? Check. An aluminium gravity ladder and a few 5l tins of paint? Check. A disassembled MX-5 soft-top and a large box of suspension components? Check. Other than my mountain bike which, let's be honest, I was too lazy to dismantle, there wasn't a situation where I found myself wishing for something bigger. 

All of which makes this Detroit pony car a perfectly acceptable daily driver proposition, provided you haven't spawned any kids. Even then, with dual ISOFIX points on the back seats, you can throw one back there if you really have to. Though I would say it's still better suited to singletons or couples. Travelling two-up you won't have issues.

Rapid, versatile and chock-full of character, the Mustang GT California Special proved to be an immensely capable coupé despite its age. As I mentioned before, you can buy more sophisticated vehicles but most will cost more and come less generously appointed in standard guise. This makes the Ford rather good value in my eyes, as you seemingly get the best of both worlds: ample performance and luxury with all the bells and whistles. Running costs aren't cheap though (especially if you explore the upper echelons of the rev range and commute in heavy traffic), so do factor in the higher than average fuel spend if you're looking to put one in your garage. Well, if you can find one.

Only 100 of these special edition Mustang models were brought into South Africa and as far as I can tell, all have been accounted for. So if you're sold on one, your best bet is to peruse the online classifieds. Otherwise simply get the standard Mustang 5.0 GT; it's essentially the same car minus the decals, larger fixed rear wing, five-spoke alloy wheels, side air-scoops and exaggerated front splitter. Alternatively just wait until the seventh-generation model gallops into town. Either which way, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

2023 Ford Mustang GT California Special: Update 9

ODOMETER ON DELIVERY: 9,008km

CURRENT ODOMETER: 14,422.6km

AVERAGE CONSUMPTION: 10.1l/100km 

PRICE AS TESTED: R1,154,900

PRAISES: A feel-good coupé offering storming performance, good driving dynamics and a whole lot of comfort to boot

GRIPES: Not cheap to run. Frustrating 10-speed auto 'box is a disappointment and detracts from the car's talents. Soon to be replaced by new seventh-generation model.