Your First Look at the 2018 Mustang! Plus a Mustang Rev Battle You Won’t Want to Miss [Video]

The 2018 Mustang is almost here! In this video, Roman and Andre head to Los Angeles to check out the redesign. Before that, they had the opportunity to speak with Mustang chief engineer Carl Widmann to see what’s all new for the 2018 model. The new car has been three years in the making, so this video is your opportunity to see the changes inside and out.

What’s all new on the outside for the 2018 Mustang?

The first thing that observers and potential buyers of the 2018 Mustang will notice is its revised styling. The front end has dropped about an inch and is wider in the grille, to achieve a sleeker and more aggressive aesthetic. That revamp goes all the way back to the fenders, including the new grille, new hoods, and new LED lights.

Around the back, the Performance Pack comes with a new spoiler for 2018. Ford’s also featured new chrome tips for the EcoBoost. It also has new tail lamps as well as a new rear fascia. On the V8, there’s a standard quad-tip exhaust, similar to previous Mustangs. For those who enjoy plenty of options for their wheels, the 2018 Mustang features 12 different options for wheels.

Among new features in the Mustang are updated powertrains. The GT sports a new 460 horsepower V8 – 25 horsepower more than the previous iteration, thanks to an increased compression ratio. Ford was able to up the compression ratio by including a dual fuel-delivery system with port and direct injection, a higher redline than before, and a new exhaust. Interestingly, it just so happens that the 460 figure is just 5 more horsepower than the Camaro SS. The EcoBoost engine’s horsepower rating stays the same at 310, but it gets a 30 lb.-ft. torque boost (to 350). Ford has decided to drop the V6, so the only two engine choices in this Mustang will be the 5.0L V8 or the EcoBoost. That’s no major loss, however, as the EcoBoost will get you from 0-60 in under five seconds. And the V8? Under four seconds.

The previous generation Mustang was the first generation that’s been sold around the world. Naturally, as you would expect, the V8 has a much higher take rate than the EcoBoost. However, that comes with a few notable exceptions. Interestingly, China buys about 95% EcoBoosts. South Africa and Italy are also big EcoBoost takers, at about 85% each. Contrarily, Australia is about 85% V8s, but that comes as no surprise, given their love of cars such as the Ford Falcon and the Holden Commodore. Whichever engine you ultimately choose, the new Mustang comes with cool features on the inside, as well as outside.

Your First Look at the 2018 Mustang
The 2018 features an updated interior, including new trim options and a digital intrument cluster. [Photo: Ford]

Interior features of the 2018 Mustang

A neat interior feature of the 2018 Mustang is a new, configurable instrument cluster. Now fully digital, the instrument cluster gives drivers the flexibility to switch between different views as well as take full advantage of the Track Apps feature. For those who aren’t already aware of what Track Apps is, it’s a feature that’s been on Mustangs for a few years now. It allows drivers to measure their performance skills and metrics, such as 0-60 and 1/4-mile times, G-forces and braking distances, among other applications.

2018 also brings a range of interior updates over the previous generation, including the optional red interior that’s shown in the video above. As far as gear levers are concerned, you can have the 2018 Mustang with either a six-speed manual – de rigueur for sports and muscle cars – or Ford’s ten-speed automatic, which is a bit less conventional.

Your First Look at the 2018 Mustang
The 2018 Mustang has a 12-inch digital instrument cluster, offering drivers an array of different display options. [Photo: Ford]

Pricing for the 2018 Mustang

The new Mustangs start around $26,000 – about the same as the previous generation. Now, as the Mustang really started the options trends, there’s a wide price band in which you could have yours. The Performance Pack is available in every guise on the Mustang, whether it’s coupe or convertible, automatic or manual. Other options include Brembo brakes, Recaro seats, MagneRide suspension, and so on. Depending on which options you choose, the price can creep up to around $55,000.

Want to hear the new Mustang? Check out the video below for a rev battle!

Paramount to the Mustang’s credibility is not just how it goes, but how it sounds. Check out the video below and judge for yourself just how well the new 2018 Mustangs rate on their sound. Personally – and I think most will agree – you just can’t beat the V8 in this particular application. Subscribe to TFLnow and The Fast Lane Car on YouTube for more news, views, reviews, and Mustang face-offs!