Ford Mustang 2016 review

I'm the envy of 4000 Australians right now, behind the wheel of the Ford money can't buy.

That's how many people are in the queue for the new Mustang, a car made famous by dozens of movies, including Gone In 60 Seconds, but which is finally here after 50 years.

It's the first time in the Mustang's history Ford has built its iconic muscle car in right-hand-drive on a US production line. Earlier models imported in the 1960s and early 2000s were converted locally.

We'll spare you the technical differences, but it's like when you take a brand new electrical product out of its packaging and try to repack it, it's not the same as a factory-boxed item.

Why is it such a big deal -- and why is it so surprising -- that Ford made the Mustang for smaller foreign markets?

Because it costs almost as much to design, develop and engineer a right-hand-drive variant as it does the original left-hand-drive car -- but only about 5 per cent of the Mustangs made will be right-hand-drive, despite the strong demand Down Under.

Ford is no doubt relieved that its gamble to make a right-hand-drive model appears to have already paid off, however.

So many Aussies bought one before they even "saw it, sat in it, or test drove it"

The car giant figured it would only sell 1000 Mustangs in its first year here but demand is quadruple that.

Walk into a showroom today and place an order for a new Mustang and yours will be delivered before Christmas -- if you're lucky.

Which is why the chief engineer came all the way from Detroit for the local media launch of the new Mustang.

He wants to understand why we love the car so much and why so many Aussies bought one before they even "saw it, sat in it, or test drove it".

He also wants to reduce the waiting time -- but he's not making any promises just yet.

The Mustang factory in Michigan is already working flat out -- 22 hours a day, six days a week -- to meet global demand.

Some super-keen customers have found apps that enable them to track the progress of their Mustang

Australia-bound cars get sent to a shipping port in Baltimore before starting a three-month journey via the Panama Canal.

Some super-keen customers have found apps that enable them to track the progress of their Mustang -- once they find out what ship it's on.

Ford's not used to this kind of attention.

"The interest in this market has really surprised us … and we need to understand it better," said chief engineer Carl Widmann.

The reason behind the 12-month delay -- aside from the unexpected demand -- is that there are more than 100 unique parts big and small to make a right-hand-drive model.

When Ford forecast how many cars it would build -- decisions it must make a year in advance of going on sale, in the ramp-up to production -- it played it safe and only ordered a certain number of those 100 or so unique parts.

That's why Ford suddenly can't pump more right-hand-drive cars out of the factory. But they're working on it.

In the meantime, I have the keys to a new Mustang V8 to see what the fuss is all about -- and nearly crash it.

Not because of any over-exuberance on my part, but because this car turns more heads than a Ferrari -- and drivers of other cars are, unwittingly, nearly veering into me from their lane as they gawk.

The first surprise to me is that the comfort of the "sport" suspension isn't nearly as bad as it was on the original Mustang V8 tested in the US more than a year ago.

Ford engineers at the time said there was a reworked suspension on the way, and they meant it.

The V8 engine revs freely and sounds spectacular

The Mustang feels taut but not bone-jarring on Sydney's crumbling roads, it's the most comfortable "sport" suspension I've driven on.

Ford made the right call; the "comfort" suspension in the US model tested was too wallowy.

Once free of the city and suburban outskirts, the Mustang just gets better. The super-sticky and super-wide Pirelli tyres (the exact same type found on Ferrari, Porsche, Mercedes AMG cars and others) have an astounding level of grip.

The sharp and accurate steering feels more like a Mazda MX-5, not some muscle car beast.

The V8 engine revs freely and sounds spectacular. But if I'm honest, and being a bit picky, I'd love a bit more grunt at lower revs. The 0 to 100kmh times we recorded were okay (5.6 seconds). But our homegrown Falcon XR8 and Falcon XR6 Turbo sedans are quicker.

The turbo four-cylinder Mustang is the dark horse (pun intended). Although 90 per cent of orders are for the V8, the four-cylinder is in many ways the smarter choice.

Mustang fans have just coughed up whatever they're eating at such an outrageous comment, but trust me. The four-cylinder is no slouch, delivering 90 per cent of its peak torque at just 1720rpm, barely above idle.

The four-cylinder is a gem to drive, even if it doesn't sound the business (see breakout).

When it comes to performance, power is nothing without control

My favourite element of the new Mustang V8 though is the brakes. Massive race-bred, six-piston Brembo brakes give the big coupe the reflexes of a startled cat.

Many car makers customarily overlook brakes when it comes to performance, but power is nothing without control. It's a superb finishing touch. I'm just relieved Ford Australia's product planners appreciated them too, because they're optional in the US. The Mustang would be a lesser car without them.

The manual gearshift is not going to be mistaken for a Toyota Corolla's, but it's slick and smooth enough given the hardware underneath.

So, what's not to like? Well, at the risk of getting 4000 people offside, it's safe to say no-one makes the perfect car, no matter how close the Mustang is to perfection.

My biggest beef (aside from wanting a little more V8 grunt) is the lack of a digital speed display.

The digital screen can tell you literally dozens of elements about the car, from "air intake temperature", "vacuum pressure" and other intimate details enthusiasts will savour. You can also measure your own 0 to 100km/h time and braking distance (on a track, says the disclaimer).

Now Ford just needs to give us one more screen that says "speed".

Also, the panel inside the radio "volume" and "tuning" dials does nothing but make a creaking noise when you push it. Sounds like you've broken it but feels broken to begin with; it doesn't do anything.

Would these minor annoyances stop anyone from buying one? Not a chance.