2018 Ford Mustang Convertible First Look: The Blue Oval’s Refreshed Droptop

Ford said the top would come off soon. Literally days after revealing updates for the 2018 Ford Mustang along with pictures of the coupe, the automaker today has released the first images of the convertible.

Among the changes for the 2018 Mustang are a new face with a lower hood and narrower headlamps that some have suggested give the car a droopy look. Designer Melvin Betancourt said the new vents, front fascia, a lower valance, new upper and lower grilles, LED headlamps and smaller but brighter fog lamps make the car fresh. The rear also has been updated with tweaked taillights that mimic the headlight’s chevron styling element as well as quad exhaust tips from the 2016 Shelby GT350.

While it is nice to see the convertible, the car we are eager to see is the next Shelby GT500 Mustang, especially as FCA has been teasing us with the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon that will be lighter, meaner, faster, and more powerful than the current Challenger Hellcat. The Demon will be unleashed in April at the 2017 New York Auto Show.

The 2018 Mustang drops the V-6 engine but will tweak the 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder to improve torque. Meanwhile, changes to the 5.0-liter V-8 will increase both horsepower and torque. The increases will be modest but Ford is not providing figures yet.

Of note: a new 10-speed automatic transmission as well as the revised six-speed manual with a twin disc clutch and dual mass flywheel, borrowing the tech from the GT350. And the ride should be improved with the addition of MagneRide suspension technology. To make it roar, the Mustang has optional active valve exhaust to boost the sound.

Ford officials say the latest Mustang can be customized more than in the past, including new paint colors, revised packages and options, and the data presented on a new 12.0-inch digital instrument cluster. Safety features include Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection.

This is the sixth generation of the Mustang, which was introduced for the 2015 model year as a global vehicle. The  public can check out the refresh and decide for themselves if they like the new look as Ford kicks off a tour of more than 50 regional auto shows across the country before the 2018 Mustang goes on sale in North America this fall.

Photos in this story include the 2018 Ford Mustang Coupe.

 

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