Rumble, roar of iconic Mustang pleases the senses

This review first appeared in the December 2020 edition of the Northern & Central California Cruisin’ News published out of Folsom, California – mg

Sacramento, California – There are some motor vehicles that are just brand models. There are others that are instantly recognizable consumer favorites. And then there are iconic vehicles, those that are drenched in history, nostalgia and universal affection.

The Ford Mustang attained iconic status long ago.

And I'm pleased to report that the recently tested 2020 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Coupe Premium (photograph by Charles Glover) retains all that which earned the Mustang its place in history ... with styling DNA dating back to the original 1964.5 Mustang and performance characteristics that one expects from this venerable coupe.

If I sound like a fan, well, I plead guilty. But really, it's more than that.  The Mustang has been following me around for most of my life.

As a very fortunate 10-year-old, I saw the 1964.5 Mustang with my own eyes at the 1964 Indianapolis 500 and at the World's Fair in New York later that same year.

There's more.  My mother grew up in a wooded holler of Kentucky and did not earn her first driver's license until she was 40 years old. She did it in a 1965 Mustang, which became my driver "training" car. I later obtained my first driver's license in high school, in yet another Mustang.  Over the years, I've driven scores of Mustangs.

The tested EcoBoost coupe ranked right up there with the best.  Priced just short of $40,000, the tester was generously equipped and handled with monorail-like precision.

The 2.3-liter, turbo-4 engine served up 330 horsepower in press-me-to-the-seat doses, and it was a pleasure to easily slip through busy freeway traffic with effortless ease.

To be sure, you can get Mustangs with lots more horsepower, but this particular power package gave my fastback coupe more than enough oomph to make me happy.

Best part of all: The note coming from the quad exhausts in the back.  Outside the vehicle, it was a roar.  Inside, the noise was a satisfying rumble that filled the cabin and sent shivers down the spine, a pleasing feel for multiple senses.

One bonus on the sticker: The tester scored a max five stars in every federal government crash test category.

Was mine the complete Mustang experience?  Well, I suppose a 760-horsepower Mustang GT500 would be a blast.

But for my money, the tested EcoBoost coupe was satisfactory and then some.  For me, it was a high point in the otherwise challenging year of 2020.