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YARMOUTH PORT, Mass. – Seven decades after wowing the American public with its introduction at the New York World’s Fair, the iconic Ford Mustang, especially in GT Convertible trim, still arrested attention as I drove around the seasonally packed roads of Cape Cod.
The loud – driver-adjustable sound quality and level – burbling exhaust of the big V8 announced the 2+2 (two roomy bucket seats up front, two tight seating areas in the rear) had arrived, whether I was slowly making my way through a crowded seaside town like Chatham or blasting up the Mid Cape Highway.
The new, seventh-generation 2024 Mustang GT Convertible like I drove shares the galloping stallion in the grill with its 61-year-old ancestor, but everything else about this pony car is different, thoroughly modern, filled with technology, amenities and features not even conceived by American auto consumers in the 60s.
Power to the people
Just saying the words “Mustang GT Convertible” brings up mental images of the Ford 5.0-liter V8 engine under its hood. In this iteration, the powerplant has a cast-aluminum block and head with plasma-transfer wire arc cylinder liners; steel oil pan; double overhead camshaft layout; 12:1 compression ratio, and dual-port direct fuel injection.
The combination of these components produces 480 horsepower and 415 pounds-feet of torque which then moves through an optional ($1,595) Getrag MT-82 10-speed automatic transmission before getting to the rear wheels.
When the accelerator is pushed, the 2024 Ford Mustang GT Convertible MOVES! Make no mistake, the Mustang delivers the performance promised by its sounds. According to Car and Driver testing, it reaches 60 miles per hour from rest in 4.2 seconds, and it feels like it gets stronger, faster as it accelerates.
In terms of fuel economy, though, the Mustang GT is a throwback. I saw 18.3 miles per gallon during my week in the car, about the same as the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s rating of 18 mpg (15 urban, 25 highway).
And, unlike some of its predecessors, this Mustang handles this power, and roads of challenging designs, with aplomb.
Mustang GT Performance Package not what you think
It was 10 years ago that the Mustang transited from a solid rear axle to fully independent suspension and subsequent generations have seen further refinements in ride and handling. The review model included the optional ($5,295) GT Performance Package which had nothing to do with increasing straight-line speed, as it most likely would have in previous generations (or have been simply a paint-and-stripe package).
The GT Performance Package is all about fortifying the Mustang’s platform for better handling and braking. Included:
- Brembo Brakes: Larger brakes with six-piston front calipers and performance linings
- Torsen Limited-Slip Differential: Improves traction and handling, especially during spirited driving and on track.
- Wider Wheels and Tires: Typically include 19-inch wheels with summer-only 255(front)/275(rear)/40R19 performance tires
- MagneRide Damping System
- Heavy-Duty Front Springs, K-Brace, and Strut Tower Brace: Enhance chassis stiffness and handling.
The remaining chassis components include double-ball-joint MacPherson-type struts with stabilizer bar and aluminum control arms up front and integral-link independent setup with coil springs and stabilizer bar in the rear.
The braking system includes electronic brake booster; four-sensor, four-channel anti-lock (ABS); AdvanceTrac electronic stability control; drift brake (part of Performance Package), and electronic parking brake. The Brembo brakes included with the Performance Package bring 15.35-inch vented rotors and six-piston calipers up front and 13.97-inch rotors with four-piston calipers in the rear.
All the pieces work. The Mustang GT Convertible handled any road I threw at it with ease, smoothly negotiating the downward drive from the cliffs overlooking the Atlantic into downtown Wellfleet or along the Cape Cod Bay twisting road just outside the quaint village. The ride was stiffer than today’s sedans and SUVs, but not the bone-jarring buckboard-like experience once the hallmark of these types of vehicles. In essence: the 2024 Ford Mustang GT Convertible was a pleasure to drive – especially with the easy-to-lower-and-raise top stowed behind the rear seats.
Full suite of ADAS
Standard on the Mustang is the Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist umbrella of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) which brings Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with cross-traffic alert, evasive steering assist, intelligent speed assist, lane-keeping system (with lane-keeping aid, lane-keeping alert, driver alert, road edge detection, and blind spot assist) and reverse brake assist.
The review model added Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist+ (as part of a $2,800 option package including navigation) which featured adaptive cruise control with stop & go and lane centering, evasive steering assist, and a connected navigation system with SiriusXM Traffic and Travel Link.
Inside modern features all around
The intimate cabin of the Mustang GT Convertible – with the top up; down opens up the interior to the world – includes a central 13.2-inch color LCD touchscreen at the heart of the navigation-equipped infotainment system. The wireless Apple CarPlay (and Android Auto) worked perfectly and the home screen allowed me to monitor phone calls and messaging along with the navigation map and SiriusXM satellite radio channel – something most other vehicles do not (generally have to choose between the Apple CarPlay screen and the other screens; this was far more useful).
The front buckets featured heating and power adjustment for the base (seatbacks were manually adjusted). The adjustable leather-wrapped steering wheel is also heated. Speaking of heat – and cooling – the Mustang GT has dual-zone automatic climate control.
This is a comfortable car, once which envelopes its driver and passengers, as a sports car generally does.
Riding the range in a Mustang
Ford offered five models of its revised 2024 Mustang. The base EcoBoost with four-cylinder, turbocharged engine, carried a $33,515 price while the top-of-the-range Dark Horse was $62,230.
The review model I drove, the 2024 Ford Mustang GT Convertible Premium started at $52,880 and added $14,960 in options and a $1,595 destination & delivery charge for an as reviewed-price of $69,435.
For someone looking to have fun in the sun and making a statement wherever they drive, the Mustang GT Convertible delivers.
Next week TBR Drives the 2025 Volvo XC90 Plug-in Hybrid three-row SUV
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