GT first impressions (very first)

[mwillems]

My first impressions, in bullet form. To give it some background: my other cat is an Audi A4, tuned, with a 2l 4-cylinder engine. Before that I had a 2012 Camaro ZL1.

• Awesome fun to drive! This is one of the best cars I’ve ever owned.
• Not quite as much torque as I had expected. But still plenty.
• It’s heavy and it feels heavy. I don’t see that as a drawback at all: it’s just something I notice.
• It’s rear wheel drive and it likes to tell you so: the rear end does like to get away from you. But nothing problematic, if you’re a good driver.
• The convertible is clearly not as solid as a coupe. When you go over road unevenness like potholes, the car does like to shake its front end especially, and loose a little grip in the process. But again, for a good driver nothing to worry about: if anything, it makes it a more interesting drive.
• The electronics options are generally awesome, but the menu layout and structure is atrocious. Ford should have hired some Apple User Interface designers. I’ve been driving this car pretty much nonstop for the five days I’ve had it, and I still have to hunt to find where a particular function was again in the myriad of possible menus.
  This is not helped by the fact that you have many ways into configuration. There are menus, there’s buttons on the steering wheel, the Mustang button on the central panel… a convoluted mess. But again, not a problem and eventually, I’m sure we all learn where things are when we need them.
• A bigger problem is that many options are simply not available. For example, if you select sport mode, the only steering wheel mode available is sport. And it applies even if you custom mode, based on sports mode.
• I really wish there was a phone charger in the spot on the central console where the phone should sit. Which is next to the Power outlets. Now, I have to use a cable, and when I plug a cable into the bottom of an iPhone, the phone no longer fits in that spot.
• I am a little weary about all the information I’m sending to Ford. I’m all in favour of sending them diagnostics info, but I’m less delighted about sending them info of how fast I drive, how hard I brake, all that stuff. I wonder what they use that for. And yes, I know you can turn off categories, but that may come at a price.
• Software updates… I have not se to automatic because I’d rather like to know what the car will be updating before I actually update.
• Does rev matching actually work? I’ve turned it on, and I don’t notice it doing anything. This may well be because I rev match instinctively myself, having been driving standard transmission cars for almost half a century. Still, it would be nice to actually see it do something.
• It is nice to know that if I meet any amputees, I can take them as passengers in the rear seats.
• It is nice to know that I can choose the silent exhaust option, but it does not seem to be available in some modes. I haven’t quite figured out when it is and when it isn’t available.
• About that silent mode: when you start the engine, it is completely not silent for the first 10 seconds or so. It would be nice if those first 10 seconds could be silent too, because if I ever need to leave at 4 AM, my neighbours will be awake by the time the silent part kicks in…
• I was very pleasantly surprised by the gas economy during a 3 Hour ecent drive. Part highway, parts small roads. All driven in sport mode. I got 9.9 L per hundred kilometers as an average. 94 octane gas.
• This car is extremely comfortable. Much more than I had expected. It is very suitable for long drives, as long as you remember to fill up the gas tank.
• The Mode selector is on the left side of the steering wheel where it belongs. But that means that two steps through the central part of the diver display you need to use the up-and-down errors on the right side of the steering wheel, and that is less intuitive.
• It is a shame that the selected mode does not stay selected after restarting the engine. Not a big deal, but it would be nice. If I didn’t have to select sport mode every single time I start the car.
  
  
• I’m sure I will think of much more, but these were just my very first impressions!

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[Bassey O]

Great review. Good job and thank you. Seems fair, balanced and helpful as I await delivery. Keep up the good work. Any mods planned, or is it still too early?

 

[Starship Enterprise]

Try a strut tower brace...might tighten up your front end.

Enjoy your new car!

 

[D/\rK•650]

Enjoy . And welcome, glad your here.

 

[porphyre001]

Ha, get out of my head.... I have a coupe, but almost all the same thoughts, especially:

• Not quite as much torque as I had expected. But still plenty.
• It’s heavy and it feels heavy. I don’t see that as a drawback at all: it’s just something I notice.
• I am a little weary about all the information I’m sending to Ford.

I don't understand this at all:

• The Mode selector is on the left side of the steering wheel where it belongs. But that means that two steps through the central part of the diver display you need to use the up-and-down errors on the right side of the steering wheel, and that is less intuitive.

Unless non-USDM cars are different, you use the silver buttons in the left side to go up and down thru the drive modes. There's nothing involving the center infotainment or the right side up/down buttons.

 

[mwillems]

Great review. Good job and thank you. Seems fair, balanced and helpful as I await delivery. Keep up the good work. Any mods planned, or is it still too early?

Thanks. And yeah, a little early. We’ll see. C

Ha, get out of my head.... I have a coupe, but almost all the same thoughts, especially:

• Not quite as much torque as I had expected. But still plenty.
• It’s heavy and it feels heavy. I don’t see that as a drawback at all: it’s just something I notice.
• I am a little weary about all the information I’m sending to Ford.

I don't understand this at all:

• The Mode selector is on the left side of the steering wheel where it belongs. But that means that two steps through the central part of the diver display you need to use the up-and-down errors on the right side of the steering wheel, and that is less intuitive.

Unless non-USDM cars are different, you use the silver buttons in the left side to go up and down thru the drive modes. There's nothing involving the center infotainment or the right side up/down buttons.

Typos were due to the phone.
But there IS something: the center display, between the dials. To step through those, you need to go up/down on the RIGHT side of the steering wheel...

 

[robvas]

That 6 speed needs gears and that will fix a lot of heavy feeling and lack of torque

 

[Neggytive]

@Starship Enterprise The GT Ragtop should already have the strut brace and it is tied to the firewall IIRC

Ford took the phone charger out, another reduction in items to keep the profit up. 2024 cars had them

And the rear end, I have found that unless you are going straight ahead, any stomping on it while turning is going to give you an unexpected reason to go change your underwear. The back end slides on mine with very little notice, to the point I now won't lay into it because I an afraid the car will come around on me.

Turn off any and all telematics, Ford does not need any more info on you than it already has


GT cars, in the Euro definition are supposed to be comfy long distance cars with a good amount of power under the hood/bonnet

 

[OldCoastie]

Correct Strut will help, but what will really fix the convertible wave or flex are sub frame connectors, but this will stiffen your ride. I have owned many converibles and the all have this flex over bumps, and eventually you will get use to it, does not damage the car at all, just an unusual feeling if you never owned a convertible. My first automobile I drove was in High School in 1967 and it was a Buick Wildcat, that was like driving an aircraft carrier. But it was fast and great car. CHEERS....Best of luck you will love the vert....

 

[robvas]

Correct Strut will help, but what will really fix the convertible wave or flex are sub frame connectors, but this will stiffen your ride.

What ones are out there for the S550?

 

[OldCoastie]

Don't know about the 550, but have seen them being offered by LMR.,

 

[mwillems]

I forgot one little complaint... why does half the screen get covered with a volume graphic every time I nudge the volume up or down a little bit? It's SO annoying... covering half the map for two seconds... for the love of God, make it smaller and less obtrusive, Ford. I know when I am turning the volume up or down even without you showing me!!

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