THERE has been a lot of buzz around the new Ford Mustang's imminent arrival thanks to it being available with, for the first time, right-hand-drive and as part of the company's general showroom line up on these shores.
The first chance to get a close look at the Mustang and to book a test drive will be at this weekend's Irish Golf Expo, held at the Eikon Complex at Balmoral Park, the new exhibition centre at the site of the old Maze prison near Sprucefield.
TrustFord is a partner of the golf event and the Ford dealer will have its full range of cars on show, with the Mustang as the centrepiece.
The Mustang debuted in 1964, a slice of automotive Americana that was already on its way to iconic status even before Steve McQueen immortalised it by driving a 1968 Mustang 390 GT in the famous car chase in Bullitt.
Ford has never officially imported the Mustang to Britain and Ireland and while its image has always held a certain appeal, it has traditionally fared poorly in comparisons with European rivals, which tend to have more sophisticated chassis and engine set-ups.
This time the Mustang, designed from the outset as a 'world car', will be genuinely competitive with cars like the BMW 4 Series, Audi A5 and Nissan 370Z.
Two engines will be offered. There is a 5.0-litre V8, which fits the Mustang's muscle car template far more convincingly than the alternative, a 2.3-litre four-cylinder.
The pre-orders would seem to back that up, with around 70 per cent of UK buyers choosing the bigger engine. The V8 produces a very healthy 410bhp and 386lb/ft and covers the 0-62mph sprint in 4.8 seconds, making it something of a performance bargain at a starting price of £32,995.
The 2.3-litre is no slouch, however. Its 313bhp and 320lb/ft mean it can do 0-62mph in 5.8 seconds. It costs from £29,995.
'Fastback' coupe and convertible bodystyles are available - the soft-top adds £1,500 - and the standard six-speed manual gearbox can be swapped for an automatic transmission in exchange for another £1,500.
:: The Irish Golf Expo is at the Eikon Complex, Balmoral Park, Lisburn on November 28 and 29. For more information on the TrustFord and Irish Golf Expo partnership and to book tickets visit www.irishgolfexpo.com
