Instrumented Test
If you ever want to not feel special in a Ford Mustang convertible, drive one in Hollywood. That is where we tested this bangin’ yellow 2015 Mustang GT ragtop. Alas, that’s also where many other Americans are testing Mustang convertibles of their own. Or more accurately, of Hertz’s own. Indeed, as eye-searingly yellow as ours was, we still felt like just one of the crowd, what with Mustangs as common as Jack Sparrow impersonators in front of the Chinese Theatre. And even with the “5.0” fender badges, GT buckle on the rear fascia, and the body-color diffuser nestled between its twin exhaust pipes, no one notices a Mustang GT convertible among the billions of non-GT rental Mustangs swarming Hollywood’s famously glittering boulevards and tourist attractions.
Of course, there’s an audible difference. The GT’s baritone rumble—particularly savory with the top down—is enough to justify the costs to purchase and fuel the GT over and above V-6 and EcoBoost models. There’s a performance story to tell, too, which is the whole reason we strapped our equipment to the car in this particular configuration. The skinny: It’s pretty quick.
Let’s get right to the numbers. Executive editor Aaron Robinson, who ran our Mustang through its performance paces, noted that the best standing starts could be achieved by dropping the clutch at 3900 rpm (revs are pre-programmable in the launch-control system); beyond that, it’s wheelspin city. Get it right, though, and the mile-a-minute benchmark arrives in just 4.7 seconds; you enter triple digits in 11.2 ticks. Two seconds later, you pass the quarter-mile mark at 110 mph. Had our test car been equipped with the available 3.55:1 rear axle, it might have been even quicker, although fuel economy would surely drop below the already-low 16 mpg we recorded.
At 3948 pounds, this convertible weighs 138 more than the last Mustang coupe we tested. But with 53 percent of the mass sitting atop the front wheels, its weight distribution actually gets closer to the magic 50/50 mark than the coupe, which carries 54 percent of its heft up front. Still, even equipped as it was with optional 20-inch wheels and summer rubber, the convertible mustered only 0.90 g on the skidpad with very little understeer, compared with 0.95 g for the coupe (or 0.98 g in the case of the 291-pound-lighter EcoBoost coupe).
Blame the convertible’s slightly compromised structure—we noticed perceptible cowl shake on our 2500-mile example. We’ll be interested to see whether the EcoBoost-powered convertible shares this car’s compromised grip level, which we’ll tell you as soon as we get our hands on one. In any case, it appears that the Mustang GT convertible is a better straight-line performer than back-road bomber.
That said, it’s quite enjoyable in the twisties, thanks to communicative steering and an innate ability to steer with the rear. We also appreciate the manual’s positive shift action—and the fact that, as a manual, it has shift action at all. The brakes yank the car down quickly, too, in just 157 feet from 70 mph, with linear pedal feel. The only drawback, really, is a stiff clutch that can quickly become tiresome in L.A. traffic.
A relaxed pace is when this car is at its best, thanks to its decent ride quality, reasonably calm top-down wind buffeting, and a 12-speaker Shaker audio system (part of a $1795 option package) that kicks ass no matter what the vehicle speed. The 2015 model’s impressive interior looks as good as ever in convertible form, the genuine aluminum dash trim gleaming alluringly in the Southern California sunshine. The sculpted front seats are outstanding, whether for short or long hauls; the rear chairs are nicely shaped, too, but legroom is nearly nonexistent.
Furthering this car’s touring (as distinct from sporting) proclivities is the short amount of time it takes to drop the power-operated top; we pegged it at less than eight seconds once you manually twist the handle on the windshield header and push the button. Raising the roof is almost as quick. Indeed, one could drop the top and put it back up again before the average red light on Hollywood Boulevard turns green. And it’s all done in utter silence.
It’s easy to see why so many folks like the Mustang convertible, with its affable personality, all-American good looks, and strong performance. All this goodness, however, doesn’t come cheap, especially in GT form: Our test example rang in at $48,890. Fifty large is serious coin for a Mustang, although it’s not unreasonable next to similarly speedy convertibles out there. If that seems like too much, there’s always Hertz—they rent Mustang GTs, too.
