By Dylan Afuang
FORD’S WILDEST and youngest animals — the Mustang muscle car and Bronco SUV — descend from vehicle species that are seen as having rough and raucous personalities. These new versions boast of gadgets that aim to modernize, but still capture, the raw driving experience for which their nameplates are known. Could the new cars fulfill this promise?
On the snaking tarmac of the Clark International Speedway and the perilous terrain around the Sacobia River — both in Pampanga — media and content creators experienced the most advanced spawn of the Mustang and Bronco breeds brought here by Ford Philippines.
Now in its seventh generation, the latest Mustang is touted as the sharpest-handling among its iterations. Mustangs of yesteryear — particularly the 1965 original — gave birth to the American “muscle car” segment, or coupes whose powerplants result in superb straight-line speed, mated to chassis that exhibited relaxed, if not sharp, handling.
Two Mustang breeds are available locally: the 2.3L EcoBoost Premium Fastback (P3.499 million), and the 5.0L GT Premium Fastback (P3.999 million) whose V8 engine boasts 493hp and 567Nm of torque. Standard on both versions are rear-driven wheels, a slick-shifting 10-speed automatic transmission, Ford’s MagneRide Damping System, and Brembo brakes.
“Here, you can feel the difference in the car’s performance, ride, and handling,” Ford Philippines Managing Director Mike Breen boasted of the Mustang’s merits to the media.
Behind the wheel of the Mustang GT Premium, we found the car’s Active Valve Exhaust, which allows the exhaust to exhibit noises from somber to snarling, enhancing the driving experience beyond the V8 engine’s sheer turn of speed. With the “Track” driving mode activated, stability nannies weakened and the MagneRide system kept the car balanced amid spirited cornering.
Tracing its roots back to 1966, the latest Bronco, which the world first saw in 2021, is a revival of a rugged SUV nameplate that bowed down in the ’90s to make way for the more luxurious Expedition. Both legacy models promise off-road driving thrills, but with the former’s Sasquatch package, the Bronco expresses this more boldly.
The Sasquatch package comes standard in the sole variant available here, which is aptly called the Bronco Outerbanks with Sasquatch package (P4.998 million). The suite includes 17-inch alloy wheels shod in chunky, 35-inch mud terrain tires flanked by fender flares, and Bilstein shock absorbers and high-riding suspension.
“There’s nothing like driving the SUV that started it all for Ford in its element,” the executive said of the Bronco. The elements Mr. Breen referred to were the slippery rocky and lahar-coated trails, muddy hills, and the shallow river around and in Sacobia — all of which the SUV easily conquered.
Indeed, we witnessed the SUV’s “Goes Over Any Type of Terrain” (GOAT) selection of seven driving modes live up to its name. Front and rear locking differentials boosted the Bronco’s grip. The 360-degree camera offered a crisp view of the dips and ruts of the course. The Trail Turn Assist locked one of the vehicle’s inside wheels to make it perform a tight U-turn over the rocky trail.
Beyond their novel and functioning technologies, the endearingly rugged characteristics of Ford’s classic muscle car and off-roader remain.
