Forget Starbucks jumping the gun on fall with its August pumpkin spice lattes, it’s already Christmas for car fans.
The 2015 Ford Mustang is finally rolling down the assembly line at Ford’s Flat Rock, Michigan, plant. The Blue Oval has been taking Mustang orders since May, so customers have been waiting quite awhile to get their cars.
The first cars will likely hit showrooms in time to mark the Mustang’s 50th anniversary, although Ford missed the original “1964 1/2” model’s April 17 launch date by a few months.
Unlike that first-generation model, the 2015 Mustang will be traveling pretty far. Ford plans to sell the car in 120 countries, an even engineered a first-ever right-hand drive model to reach buyers who recognize the authority of the Queen.
A new Mustang is always exciting, but that’s particularly true of this sixth-generation model.
For 2015, the Mustang received its most substantial redesign in years. Ford excised the last remnants of the “Fox” platform that dates back to the 1970s, and equipped every Mustang with independent rear suspension, ensuring that the new model will be a sports car, not just a muscle car.
Related: 2014 Ford Mustang vs 2015 Ford Mustang
That may upset drag racers, but Ford appeased them with an electronic line-lock feature for the V8-powered Mustang GT.
However, the most controversial feature may be the new 2.3-liter turbocharged EcoBoost four-cylinder engine. It’s not the first four-cylinder ever offered in a Mustang, but the notion of a small-displacement pony car just doesn’t sit right with some people.
Still, with 310 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque, the EcoBoost should be able to get out of its own way. It joins a 3.7-liter V6 with 300 hp and 280 lb-ft, and a 5.0-liter “Coyote” V8 with 435 hp and 400 lb-ft, both enhanced versions of the 2014 Mustang’s engines.
Those updated mechanical bits are wrapped in new styling that maintains some retro details, but has an overall look that’s thoroughly modern. Keep your eyes peeled.
