The 2018 Ford Mustang Ecoboost Coupe Premium. |
"What engine does it have?"
"Two-point-three-liter Ecoboost turbo four."
He made a face. He's 20. He's allowed.
"A four in a Mustang? I didn't know they did that."
"They did from 1979-82", I said, conveniently leaving out the whole sorry 1974-78 Mustang II affair. I also left out the 1984-86 Mustang SVOs, which were also fire-breathing 2.3-liter turbocharged fours. He's 20, they're almost 35. It'd be too much explaining.
Instead, I just took him for a ride.
2018 Ford Mustang Ecoboost Coupe Premium. |
I won't write the first word that escaped my future son-in-law's lips. Let's just say he was surprised. Sixty miles an hour comes from a standing start in five seconds, give or take two-tenths. A few years ago, the vaunted 5-liter Mustang GT couldn't accelerate like that. The 2018 Ford Mustang GT we reviewed back in April, can...in fact, 0-60 is possible in 3.9 seconds. But it starts at $39,095. The Ecoboost? $30,600.
Those of us who are not numbers freaks could probably be very happy with the Ecoboost and $8,495 in the bank.
2018 Ford Mustang Ecoboost Coupe Premium interior. |
Now, let's let that sink in for a moment. All the above...including horsepower that would have been available only in the Mustang GT a few years ago (and Corvettes a few years before that)...for $30,600---or roughly six grand less than the average price of a new car in America as of this writing.
That, my friends, is essentially the deal of the century. In a seriously fast, seriously quick (two different things) sports car that also gets an EPA estimated 20 miles per gallon city and 29 highway.
Our tester came with some extra cost options:
- Equipment Group 201A (Premier trim with color accent group, premium floormats with accent stitching, voice-activated touchscreen navigation): $2,200.
- Triple Yellow Tri-Coat paint: $495.
- Ten-speed SelectShift automatic transmission: $1,595.
- EcoBoost Performance Package (a 3.55 Torsen limited-slip differential, 19-inch low-gloss Ebony Black-painted aluminum wheels, summer-only tires, engine-spun aluminum instrument panel, larger brake rotors with four-piston fixed calipers): $2,495.
- Safe & Smart Package (Pre-collision assist with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping system, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning with brake support and rain-sensing wipers): $1,495.
- Enhanced Security Package: $395.
- Shaker Pro Audio System: $895.
- MagnaRide Dampening System: $1,695.
Put all that together with $900 destination and delivery charge and the bottom line still is a strong value for the performance: $42,765.
The 2018 Ford Mustang Ecoboost Coupe Premium proves that a big ol' lump of iron between the front wheels is no longer the only---or even the best---way to go fast.