There’s a special kind of magic that occurs when you fire the naturally aspirated V8 of the 2025 Ford Mustang GT. It’s something primal, something beyond the rational. To try and decipher sensations like these, often only musicians are capable of conveying similar emotion. Like the immortal lyrics of Bob Seger’s Old-time Rock ‘n Roll. “Today’s music ain’t got the same soul, I like that old-time rock ‘n roll … That kinda music just soothes my soul.” Ditto modern motoring and the wonderful 2025 Ford Mustang GT V8 …
2025 FORD MUSTANG GT V8
That initial bark from the V8, settling into a lumpy, rumbly idle that sends all sorts of vibrations through the seat – it’s old-time rock ‘n roll. I’m blessed in this life to have experienced this unfettered feeling a few times. Let me take you back more than a decade, to 2014, when I attended the world launch of the sixth-generation Mustang in California. This was the first time Ford would produce a right-hand-drive model, so, unbelievably, us saffas cracked an invite to Hollywood.
Just the anticipation of driving the American icon on the very roads that birthed muscle-car culture kept me wide awake the night before. That, and the jetlag. And going bata-bata down the Sunset Strip, along the Malibu coastline and up into the canyons of Angeles Crest is an experience I will forever cherish. More so now that many of these areas have been devastated in the recent California wildfires.
60-YEARS STRONG
Fast forward to 2016, when a Carbon Grey 5.0-litre GT served as my wedding chariot. To be fair, it was more my wife and the bridesmaid’s car on the day. I’m sure she didn’t arrange a hair and makeup session elaborately far from the venue just so she could have one final blast as a single woman. In fact, I know that’s exactly what she did! Nevertheless, the whole wedding party was treated to the distinctive V8 exhaust note cresting the hill and dropping down into the valley. You couldn’t wish for a more memorable arrival .
Since that most special of days, I’ve been lucky to drive the Bullitt limited edition. And a host of preposterously over-powered modified versions. Plus, a couple of collector’s item classics from the ‘60s and ‘70s, too. The stage I’m trying to set here is that the 2025 Ford Mustang GT is not simply another test car. Just drive it for a week and forget about it. This pony and I have history. We’ve got memories. Mostly great, but also some bad ones. And that’s what genuine committed relationships are all about …
MOST SOPHISTICATED EVER
However, nothing quite prepared me for my reacquaintance with the 2025 Ford Mustang GT. Now into its seventh generation, this is undoubtedly the most sophisticated pony car to leave Ford’s Flat Rock factory to date. And it’s giving me all the same flutters of excitement from those years of shared history together. The Coyote 5.0-litre V8 has been massaged to 328 kW and 540 Nm, delivering a zero to 100 km/h sprint of 4.5 seconds and a top speed of: “Licence and registration, please sir.” This output is a smidge down on the 2025 Ford Mustang GT sold in the US, but that’s only due to our ropey fuel quality.
Nevertheless, raw, clean-revving power (with a peak at 7 000 rpm) isn’t what defines this 2025 Ford Mustang GT. It’s the uprated chassis. Ford’s engineers have achieved something remarkable here. The increased structural rigidity is immediately apparent. The car, while still comfortable, feels like it’s been chiseled from a solid piece of granite. Through corners, there’s a precision through the steering wheel that previous Mustangs could only dream of. No matter the mode, the steering weight builds progressively, communicating the road surface with clarity. And with Pirelli’s at each corner this is a pony that grips, and grips some more in the curves.
CABIN FEVER
Moreover, the cabin represents perhaps the most dramatic transformation. Gone are many of the retro-inspired toggles and analog dials. Replaced instead by a long digital display that stretches across two-thirds of the dash. It’s a bold, high-tech move that quashes any concerns about the Mustang losing its soul. Old-time rock ‘n roll enhanced for the digital age, like I mentioned earlier. And having spent an extended period of time with the 2025 Ford Mustang GT, I can only applaud how Ford managed to integrate modern technology, while still maintaining the Mustang’s essential character.
Furthermore, the new digital cockpit allows you to customise virtually every aspect of the driving experience. Want the gauges to show classic analog designs from the ‘60s and ‘70s? Done. Prefer a minimalist display focused solely on essential information? That’s possible, too. New My Mustang track apps are particularly impressive, offering real-time telemetry that would have seemed like science fiction to Steve McQueen in his original Bullitt Fastback.
FOR KEEN DRIVERS
However, and here’s what truly matters, despite all tech, the 2025 Ford Mustang GT, at its core, is a dyed-in-the-wool driver’s car. The ten-speed automatic transmission is perfectly matched to the revy V8. Peak torque sits at 4 500 rpm, but the ten-speeder is a joy because it always keeps you close to the optimum operating window. Moreover, there are steering wheel-mounted paddles when the mood strikes for manual intervention. South African pony cars come standard with the electronic ‘drift’ brake, similar to items found in dedicated drift cars.
Best of all, the exterior styling of the 2025 Ford Mustang GT has evolved subtly but effectively in its seventh generation. The front fascia is more angular and aggressive, with LED light elements that create a distinctive signature in everyone’s rearview mirror. I particularly like the new hood vents. They aren’t just for show, they’re a functional element that helps extract heat from the large engine bay. Our only criticism is we would’ve enjoyed a subtle rear wing on the boot lid. But the Dark Horse gets one of those.
THE VERDICT
And what about fuel economy, I hear all you sour so-and-sos asking? Well, let’s just say you don’t buy a 2025 Ford Mustang GT V8 to save fuel, now do you!? But for what it’s worth, you’ll see an average of about 12.5 l/100 km if you drive like a saint. And something closer to 15 l/100 km when Gone in 60 Seconds strikes. There are some efficient technologies, like engine deactivation technology. But the first thing you’ll do is turn that off because nobody wants to hear a Mustang stop/start at the traffic lights. Sies!
Nevertheless, the 2025 Ford Mustang GT isn’t just a car, it’s a 60-year love affair. It’s everything many car enthusiasts aspired to for decades and can now finally attain. Better still, it’s the continuation of an icon in an era increasingly dominated by electrification. This latest pony car stands as a brilliant testament to raw American V8 muscle, enhanced with sophisticated technology in a way that is natural rather than forced. Just like the Mustang that carried my bride and I on our wedding day, it’s more than just transportation. What you see here is a celebration of everything that still makes cars special.
THE FIGURES
- 2025 Ford Mustang GT V8
- Engine: 5.0-litre, V8 petrol
- Power: 328 kW @ 7 000 rpm, 540 Nm @ 4 500 rpm
- Performance: 0-100 km/h 4.5 seconds (tested)
- Tyres: 275/40 R19 Pirelli P Zero
- Economy: 12.5 l/100 km (tested)
- Transmission: 10-speed automatic
- Price: R1.3 million
DO YOU THINK THE FORD MUSTANG IS AN ICON OR A RELIC?
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