In the U.K., the Ford Mustang has only officially been available for purchase for eight years. Ford deemed it necessary to make its flagship model accessible worldwide, and though belated, we assume our friends across the pond are grateful for the gesture. Regrettably, stringent emission regulations in that region have a tendency to negatively impact performance, evident by the reduced power output figures of the five-liter Coyote V8 engine in the GT and Dark Horse variants. This means British buyers must relinquish some power in exchange for the privilege of driving a right-hand drive vehicle.
Ford Great Britain released the revised figures today: the Mustang GT offers 439 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque, a decrease of 41 hp and 17 lb-ft compared to the American version. Similarly, the Dark Horse model delivers 446 hp and 398 lb-ft, falling short by 54 hp and 20 lb-ft compared to North American counterparts.
Ford
Interestingly, the EcoBoost Mustang is not an option in the UK, which likely wouldn’t have suffered such significant power reductions. As a result, the GT is the most affordable Mustang at £55,585, equivalent to $70,352—while the Dark Horse ends up being nearly $13,000 pricier. This discrepancy is striking when compared to U.S. pricing, where the EcoBoost model starts at $33,160 and the V8 coupe at $44,950.
Nevertheless, locating naturally aspirated eight-cylinder options is much more challenging in that area, and the Mustang remains the most economical vehicle with a V8 engine, albeit detuned. Ford hinted to Autocar that they intend to launch the unrestrained 800-hp Mustang GTD for specific customers in the UK, with hopes of avoiding a similar power reduction. This level of power might seem excessive, but excessiveness is essentially the GTD’s defining trait, don’t you think?
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