By Ross Ballot
It was a vacation at the tail end of chaos. The preceding weeks involved major life changes topped with major life changes. The timing was perfect. A summer weekend away in south Florida. A reprieve from reality. The trip snuck up on me. I packed a backpack and boarded a plane.
A few short hours later I was driving a rented Mustang convertible down one of the most beautiful stretches of road I had ever laid eyes on.
The weekend away with my wife was to serve as a few days of fun as much as it was to decipher we like Florida as much in the summer as we do in the winter. PBI’s Enterprise hub was my first stop after disembarking a relatively easy JetBlue flight. After driving a Mustang GT in California it only seemed appropriate to have a similar chariot in the Sunshine State. Before leaving the rental lot I had already dropped the roof, turned up the cooled seats, and began streaming a podcast via Bluetooth. This might not be the picture of a normal vacation, but this was exactly the kind of vacation I was craving. Coffee stop completed, I pointed east.
The jaunt from the PBI vicinity to the east-most road in this area of Florida was deceptively quick. Before realizing it a T-intersection was ahead and the only options were north or south. Needing to end up near Miami, I turned right. A straightaway lay ahead and I squeezed the throttle. The Mustang’s turbo motor spooled and pushed the roofless silhouette through a strip covered by flora. And then I sat in construction traffic for ten minutes. Luckily it quickly opened up after that and I was in for a treat.
It didn’t take long to realize that Florida State Road A1A is simply stunning. Entering the road via causeway near West Palm Beach, it’s fully immersive Florida. Palm trees. Houses like those you see in your favorite shows. Cars more expensive than many houses where you come from. Birds and lizards that wouldn’t be out of place in Jurassic Park. Then you round a corner and it gets even better.
Driving south the passenger side gets views of homes “like those in the movies.” The driver side is treated to an even better sight: the ocean immediately on the other side of the retaining wall. My jaw dropped. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Hurricanes and alligators be damned; this part of Florida was incredible.
I cruised the length of the A1A to the point at which a road closure rerouted me to the highway. I wasn’t mad; the nonstop breathtaking views and overabundance of drivers failing to use their turn signals was exhausting. Plus, I had been going sub-35 MPH for an hour already. I was ready to stretch the Mustang’s legs.
My experience with the 5.0 left me very pleased with Ford’s current pony-car. The auto trans left much to be desired but the Coyote shines so bright the 10-speed was almost irrelevant. But this was my first experience with the EcoBoost motor in the ‘Stang. As I reached the highway entrance I did what any sane automotive enthusiast would do: I put in Sport+ mode, tugged the left paddle to drop down into 2nd gear, pointed the nose to the horizon, and floored it.
Acceleration was actually pleasantly surprising. Not for the power delivery, but for the sound. Hearing a turbo whoosh and blow-off valve while driving a car with the Mustang logo on the steering wheel was more than amusing. Cruising speed happened sufficiently quickly and without drama. The engine is fine, if not slightly underwhelming, but the “this isn’t supposed to come from here” noise-association is hysterical. Over the course of the weekend I found myself repeatedly accelerating just hard enough to hear the turbo noises. Then I’d look at the hood, look at the logo on the steering wheel, and laugh.
So the motor might be fine “for what it is” but the transmission still sucks. The 10-speed simply has too many gears for its own good. Whereas in the 5.0-powered Mustang has enough torque to pull through a gear when the trans gets confused, the four-cylinder car doesn’t. The consequence is the transmission stumbling and tripping over itself in an attempt to maximize fuel efficiency. Turbo lag plus finding yourself four gears too high makes for a bad time. And while upshifts happen properly quickly under hard acceleration but downshifts are nearly unacceptably bad.
Yes, this was a rental; yes, it more likely than not had been beaten on prior to my time with it. But the transmission in the V8 car acted similarly. More than once the car downshifted into first coming to a light, bucking and rocking as if somebody new to driving manual transmission was trying to figure out what to do with the extra pedal and lever in their hand. But it wasn’t that; it was just the awful 10-speed trying to figure out what the hell to do with itself.
At least the extra gears make for good fuel economy. I did my whole trip from PBI to Miami via the A1A, to Coral Gables, back up to Miami Beach, back up to PBI and with a good 50 extra miles of exploration mixed in for good measure, all on half a tank of gas.
Handling was fine especially given the limits I didn’t push. The furthest I explored the car’s grip was going into a 90-degree right-hand turn that could be taken at ~35 MPH…at 20 MPH. The joke is that Florida roads are flat and straight. It’s true. But out on the highway or on more local roads the Mustang is a pleasure to drive. Almost laughably so. It doesn’t care what you do; in normal conditions it’s a normal car.
The sixth generation Mustang is the sweet spot for its class. Whereas the Camaro is cramped and compromised the ‘Stang is totally livable. And though the Chevy is the athlete of the crew, the Ford is still closer to the former in performance and driving dynamics than it is the big Dodge. Ford achieved greatness here. The Mustang might not have the handling capabilities or steering feel of the Camaro. It might not have the long-haul comfort and presence of the Challenger. But it’s sufficiently good at what both competitors are great at. And for that, it’s a hell of an achievement.
What shocked me most about my time with the Mustang is how livable a modern convertible is even in Florida in the dead of summer. The A/C kept us cold even on a sunny day in 98-degree heat. Cooled seats help. But it’s not just the strength of the HVAC system. We’re at the point now that a convertible roof isn’t a full-fledged compromise in how it insulates the occupants. The Mustang’s roof doesn’t seem to catastrophically ruin the car’s on-road driving feel and there’s virtually no cowl shake from the top when closed or even when open. The car doesn’t feel “floppy” like convertibles used to. With the roof up, it just feels like a car.
Shortly after starting my trip to Miami, I texted my wife: “Well, convertibles are officially amazing.” I meant it. Even in a rented, “small-motor” Mustang convertible, having the roof down enhanced every aspect of my drive from the West Palm Beach airport to Miami and back, and everywhere in-between. I thought and knew I would like convertibles. This confirmed just that. I’m hooked.
Being able to drop the roof is a game-changer. The sky is yours to stare at, anytime and anywhere. Even when it’s raining a bit you can stay dry given your speed stays up. And going places, going anywhere, feels like an event. In a convertible, a drive is a story waiting to happen. It’s never boring, never dull, never an experience like that in a car with a fixed permanent roof. If motorcycles hadn’t been invented, would-be riders would flock to convertibles. In a convertible, you live the feeling of where you’re driving.
The takeaway for me from my time with the Mustang EcoBoost Convertible this is that modern drop-tops are simply amazing. They create a fully immersive experience. You don’t just drive a road, you live it and its surroundings. Modern convertibles are nothing short of spectacular. The Mustang might not be the best at any single discipline, but it’s a brilliant car. Driving one on a gorgeous stretch of road was peaceful in a way I had never before experienced. It doesn’t get any better.
Kamil Kaluski
There’s a younger gentleman in my neighborhood that has done a few modifications to his Ecoboost mustang to make the wheeze-whoosh-pop turbo noises as obvious as possible. I’m not complaining as it is probably less obnoxious than the American Thunder™ I treat the area to when I roll the T/A out of the garage. Is there some kind of “sport” mode on the 10-speed transmissions? The six speed in my F150 had a sport button that made a huge difference in how it drove, and I know the 10-speed cars can be made positively crazy quick when tuned for the strip. A big intercooler and a tune on one of these seems to be a really cheap way to have 350hp to play with, but a ’13-14 GT would be a cheaper way to have ~400 hp play with. Ever is the problem with the lower rung pony car. For the cost of couple model years, you’re into the V8 for the same money.
There’s a younger gentleman in my neighborhood that has done a few modifications to his Ecoboost mustang to make the wheeze-whoosh-pop turbo noises as obvious as possible. I’m not complaining as it is probably less obnoxious than the American Thunder™ I treat the area to when I roll the T/A out of the garage. Is there some kind of “sport” mode on the 10-speed transmissions? The six speed in my F150 had a sport button that made a huge difference in how it drove, and I know the 10-speed cars can be made positively crazy quick when tuned for the strip. A big intercooler and a tune on one of these seems to be a really cheap way to have 350hp to play with, but a ’13-14 GT would be a cheaper way to have ~400 hp play with. Ever is the problem with the lower rung pony car. For the cost of couple model years, you’re into the V8 for the same money.
I honestly think the EcoBoost and 5.0L cars are for different buyers entirely. There may be some overlap, but they go about their purpose so differently that they almost feel like entirely different vehicles altogether. Can’t go wrong with either…
And yes, there’s a sport mode on the 10-speed. Multiple, actually. It helps, but only somewhat.
I suppose most of the world doesn’t actually look at every car model and think of ways to make it put out more power while simultaneously trying to figure out if you can go faster for cheaper, but I don’t claim to understand that part of the world.
I think I might really enjoy that engine in a different car, but a Mustang without a V8 just feels wrong. It’s like taking a big bite of what you think is ice cream, only to realize it’s actually whipped potatoes. I mean, potatoes are great, as long as you’re not expecting ice cream. In that case, they suck.
Haha…you’re not wrong, but if you haven’t had a mashed potato cone you might not know what you’re missing (if you’re into such a thing, of course)
If I didn’t have such a rigid preconceived notion of what I think a Mustang should be, then I’m sure it’d be fine. The only non-V8 Mustang I’ve ever driven and enjoyed was a 1st-gen with the inline six, which wasn’t sporty at all, but somehow satisfying. My college roommate’s GF had a Fox-body convertible with the NA 2.3 four that was so disappointing it was laughable. The 3.8 V6 wasn’t much better, and the later DOHC 4.0 that was adequate motivation for Explorers was likewise (unsurprisingly) only adequate in the Mustang. That one always felt more like a truck engine to me. I never had the chance to sample the 300-hp 3.7L V6, though I felt that of all sub-V8 options, it was likely the best, despite the V6 being one of my least favorite engine configurations.
I had a 2012 hardtop with the 3.7. The engine was the best part of that car: Sounded good (not 5.0 good, but more than acceptable), fast-ish, and pretty decent highway fuel consumption. The rest of the car was trouble though. Bad enough that I was more than happy to send it packing after 3 1/2 years.
When my son was about 9 years old, we were at a restaurant that had complimentary soft serve ice cream. I was still eating my dinner when he sat down with a bowl of vanilla. He turned his head away for some reason, and i plopped a blob of my mashed potatoes into his bowl.
He didn’t hit that bite right away, but when he finally got to it, his expression was incredible.
You all may smirk at the straight roads in FL, and damn the Mustang Rental Edition for being at the wrong end of the range, but to a European who follows US car culture in major outlets such as this one here, this kind of trip still is, kind of, on my automotive bucket list. I live in a country where a convertible is basically perceived as a useless toy, and where much of the country is traveled in “single lane highways” with a lot of enforcement, so being allegedly underpowered is not damaging the experience too much.
Hope your life is going to be sorted out, somehow.
Much thanks. Luckily a Mustang convertible in Florida is a (reasonably) inexpensive way to experience both.
Just so there’s no misunderstanding, you do know not to reach any meaningful conclusions about US car culture from my behavior, right?
No, I derive conclusions about that culture from the people who worship you.
Who told you about them? That’s supposed to be a secre… Oh, car stuff. Metaphor. Never mind, then. Everything’s fine.
I’m disappointed. This whole post about driving a Mustang on A1A, and not a single Vanilla Ice reference.
I’ll try harder next time.
https://images.genius.com/caa0313ee523a95d7c3daf896f940503.400x300x19.gif
Ross wasn’t rolling in a 5.0 though (or was that someone else)
I know it’s not a 5.0, and that is a glaring shortcoming, but it is a droptop and he was on A1A. I can’t hear A1A without thinking of Ice Ice Baby. It would seem he also drops a reference to it in Rollin in my 5.0, which is apparently a song itself, and not just a line in Ice Ice Baby
Dude was all about his Fox body and A1A Beachfront Avenue.
I know it’s not a 5.0, and that is a glaring shortcoming, but it is a droptop and he was on A1A. I can’t hear A1A without thinking of Ice Ice Baby. It would seem he also drops a reference to it in Rollin in my 5.0, which is apparently a song itself, and not just a line in Ice Ice Baby
Dude was all about his Fox body and A1A Beachfront Avenue.
My recollections of Mr Ice’s finest work may be a little hazy at this point, (and even Ice Ice Baby I don’t remember that many lyrics.)
“Finest”? Are there gradations of utter dreck?
It can always get worse…
Happily I don’t think I had exposure to his other stuff, and definitely no recollections!
Can someone explain to me how a Camaro is cramped? Is it just ergonomically bad?
regards,
Confused Kei car and small hatchback owner.
It’s a combination of bad space utilization, large interior panels, and just feeling really claustrophobic from having high sills and really small windows.
That’s it precisely. I once drove a 2012 model as a rental (not my first choice) and was surprised at how stiflingly confining it felt. I mean, having my left arm in a sling with a broken wrist for the second half of the trip didn’t help matters, but even before that the interior seemed unpleasantly circumscribed.
Ah, so like a ‘Murican Audi TT
I expect the TT has better rearward visibility and lower window sills; that’s only speculation.
On a side note, it’s funny to hear people referring to sills meaning the cars window line, when I hear “high sills”, I more think of the arse-head-leg procedure involved in getting into an S2 Lotus exige.
My only experience of TTs is the MK1 and that felt like a landbound u-boat.
On a side note, it’s funny to hear people referring to sills meaning the cars window line, when I hear “high sills”, I more think of the arse-head-leg procedure involved in getting into an S2 Lotus exige.
My only experience of TTs is the MK1 and that felt like a landbound u-boat.
Now you’re being sill-y.
In defense of the mk1 TT, at its debut in 1998 we all just thought what a rather novel and extreme design it was, only mildly deviating from the show car – look at other cars introduced that year that were, imo, rather well designed: E46, Focus mk1, Peugeot, even old New Beetle. Nobody foresaw that all cars will have these design features in 15 years, and there would even be 130% scale models with four doors called “GT”.
The only car that was as radical that year was the Multpila, though. Now I just put the Multipla and the TT into the same drawer, oh my…
If by radical, you mean having the visibility of the 1917 Offenhauser Golden Submarine, but with extra MK4 Golf stodge, then yes.
Yes, that is a rather radical design, too, but I meant “that year” not that year.
If by radical, you mean having the visibility of the 1917 Offenhauser Golden Submarine, but with extra MK4 Golf stodge, then yes.
it also depends of the height of the occupant. I have been noting the video commercials from automobile manufacturers exposing the interior with an occupant to illustrate the roominess of the interior. they plainly use actors of somewhat less stature then the “average” buyer in order to present awesome interior space with immense amounts of headroom. the chrysler 300 interior is quite nice however, the claustrophobic “feelings” of the close in panels and diminutive side and rear windows and huge rear pillars caused a no sale for me. No such issues with a convertible unless the top is up. having driven an MGB in the south florida area in traffic probably made me paranoid about a lack of visibility but it is always good to know when some fool is about to engage your rear crush zone.
My dad had a 2010 and it was bad for all those reasons. The 2018 I rented in Feb was probably even worse. That rental was an SS and it was actually pretty brilliant to drive: power, handling, surprising efficiency. But did the stylists ever ruin and squander the good work the engineers did…
The Camaro has less rear seat space than a small hatchback, and a lot less luggage capacity
Most coupes, and even a few saloons do, but the front seats are usually pretty accomodating, even in smaller coupes.
I have a ’98 lincoln mark VIII out in the garage done with a few mods. I enjoy driving the hot rod lincoln. it has a trunk capacity for two coffins, good rear seat comfort, and an engine that is adequate. It has quite a few good points and a few bad points. It generally replaced the motorcycle the doctor ordered me to finally get off of.
I had tried the mustang, the camaro, the dodge coupes over time, all were filled with road noise to the point of discomfort and/or rode like a buckboard on a cattle trail. when you age to 70ish these things begin to matter. few thing are more thrilling that driving Glenwood Canyon on I-70 or the Black Canyon of the Gunnison in a convertible. I may have to revisit the mustang convertible with a turbo motor. sounds better than adequate.