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Star Wars inspires new Mustang
How do you make an iconic product relevant to a new generation? Ford combined the Mustang with an icon of science-fiction, writes ARTHUR GOLDSTUCK
The new Mustang includes a number of advanced features that other high-end vehicles have embraced on the road to a self-driving future, and a few that are unique to the Mustang:
- Adaptive Cruise Control and Distance Alert: helps drivers maintain an appropriate distance from the vehicle ahead. When that vehicle slows down, so does the Mustang, if it gets closer than a safe following distance.
- Pre-Collision Assist and Pedestrian Detection: designed to reduce the severity of frontal collisions involving vehicles and pedestrians. In some cases, it can even prevent such collisions, partly through sounding an alarm when a potential impact is detected.
- Lane-Keeping Aid, applies torque – car-speak for additional force – to the steering wheel to steer the vehicle back into its lane.
- Lane Departure Warning, warns drivers when they unintentionally drift out of lane – detected when the car crosses a lane divider without the driver signalling intention to do so.
- Real-time adaptive shift-scheduling, allows the transmission to adapt to changing conditions and select the right gear in any situation. Steering wheel-mounted paddle-shifters also give drivers more physical control.
- Active Valve Performance Exhaust technology, allows drivers to adjust the intensity of the Mustang’s exhaust note to suit their mood and the driving scenario. It also reveals the Mustang designers’ sense of humour: they have introduced a “Good Neighbour Mode” that can be programmed to limit the exhaust noise at set times of day to avoid disturbing neighbours.
The infotainment and dashboard screens include a customisable, digital, 12-inch LCD instrument cluster behind the steering wheel. The cluster configuration automatically changes depending on current Drive Mode, and can be set to display a range of gauges in any of seven colours.
An 8-inch touch-screen in the centre of the console features Ford’s SYNC 3 communications and entertainment system, which offers smartphone connectivity, navigation, climate control and voice commands. It connects to Apple CarPlay or Android Auto on handsets, giving drivers or passengers access to Siri and Google Assistant via the car.
Technology enhancements even extend to the instantly recognisable three-dimensional tri-bar tail lights: they now feature LED technology, as do the headlights, daytime running lights, and indicators. The front headlight bezels also take their inspiration from Star Wars: they have also been restyled to reflect the trapezoidal shape of the upper grille.
In other words, one could say, Darth Vader has come over to the light.
* Arthur Goldstuck is founder of World Wide Worx and editor-in-chief of Gadget.co.za. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram on @art2gee
Click here to read about how the Mustang pays homage to pop culture, and to read about its availability.
