The 2024 Ford Mustang GT had me floored
Taking the 2024 Ford Mustang GT out for a first drive through the curves and over the crests of Southern California’s canyon roads was the perfect way to experience the nuances of this redesigned classic. And I was floored by how much fun it is. I expected it to be fun, to deliver speed and confidence. To feel alive behind the wheel. But it was even better. The V8 powered is engine is delightfully noisy and the GT’s rear wheel drive (as a proper sports car has) propels the Mustang with power and confidence.
It was pure joy.
The GT is the king of the hill of the all-new 2024 seventh generation Ford Mustang lineup. And it’s been made over from the ground up, with a completely new engine, interior design, exterior look, new everything, in both the GT model and the lower priced, lower power but just as fun EcoBoost edition.
Priced from $42K-$52K and available in a hard top or convertible, stick shift or automatic, I can honestly say, the GT is better than ever.
Related: The 2024 Ford Mustang EcoBoost is All-New, But is it Enough?
Winding Canyon Roads: Perfect Me-Time
I love driving, and often take a drive for no reason other than to listen to my favourite songs, or in the case of a Mustang, listen to the engine note, downshifts and engine revs.
So Southern California was the perfect place to test out the 2024 Mustang GT. Our route treated to the winding hills, narrow turns and steep descents of the Angeles Crest Highway just outside of Los Angeles.
Angeles Crest demands more of the driver and car than just speed; the road is narrow, with mountain walls on one side and drop-offs on the other. In some places there is no shoulder, in many places the curves are blind. It takes intense attention and a car that can hug each curve then quickly gain speed. And for the 2024 Mustang GT, it couldn’t be a better fit.
Related: Ford Mustang Shelby GT500: The Fastest, Most Powerful Mustang Ever
What’s New Under the Hood
For the 20204 Mustang GT, Ford redesigned its Coyote V8 engine to deliver a new sound and performance. Coyote is Ford’s performance engine, found not just in the Mustang but in other high powered vehicles, including the F-150.
The new engine increases horsepower to 486 – up from 460– and delivers 418 lb-ft of torque. This engine has higher air flow rates and delivers a custom V8 sound. It sounds amazing, especially to one who loves that Mustang sound!
In true purist fashion, it comes with a standard 6-speed manual with rev matching, but a 10-speed automatic is available, too. I was able to try both the manual and the automatic versions on our test drive.
Related: What Drives Her: Laurie Transou, Chief Engineer of the Mustang Dark Horse
What Else Is new on the 2024 Ford Mustang GT?
Pretty much everything. The Mustang has been completely redesigned for 2024, top to bottom. It has a sleeker, more refined yet still classic Mustang look on the outside. It’s more tech-forward on the interior. Gone is the aeronautical cockpit look with lots of toggles and buttons.
Added is a simplified design with a single-pane screen that spans the dashboard and holds most of the functions. This screen houses the driver information screen and the multimedia system that also has been completely redesigned for 2024 but still retains some of that cockpit feel with gauges and displays that let you know how you’re doing on the drive. If you have the chance to look away from the road, that is.
The Most Fun You Can Have With a Car?
And then, there’s Drift Brake. This drive mode releases traction control and powers the car through curves while letting the rear end slide. We learned drifting on a closed auto cross course with a pro driver, and that’s exactly how I would recommend you learn to use Drift Brake: Someplace safe. But when you do, it’s a blast.
How Does the Ford Mustang GT Compare to the Mustang EcoBoost?
With the 2024 redesign, they look mostly the same on the outside and are mostly the same on the inside. The engines are different, of course, and so is the drive experience.
The EcoBoost has ample power. Plenty. Even on roads like Angeles Crest, where driver skill and the car’s performance dynamics, like the MagnaRide suspension that keeps you steady on the road despite bumps and quick turns, the response when you tap the accelerator, and the quick and confident grip of the brakes, the Mustang EcoBoost is fantastic.
But the GT, which has a starting price of about $12,000 more than the EcoBoost, takes it up even more. The more powerful, more responsive, more pronounced. The GT is for the true enthusiast who needs the full iconic experience. Who might take the Mustang GT to the track and let it do what it was designed to do. Who will learn to use Drift Brake.
And who will plan all week for me-time and the roads they’ll take. Who will picture the curves, the hills and the blind corners with anticipation, not dread, and smile. The Mustang fan who needs to live the Mustang life.
Disclosure: I was a guest of Ford for this test drive. Travel and accommodations were provided but all opinions are my own. Additionally, A Girls Guide to Cars may earn a commission from affiliate links in this story.
