What do we know so far?

 

 

The All-Weather Mustang (AWM) is the project name for my new 2019 Mustang Ecoboost, and it represents the 14th Mustang to formally enter the Grand Touring Concepts stables, and it is the first time in over a decade we’ve had a 4 cylinder car on board.

 

This car represents an entirely new avenue of Mustang, the idea that the base model can be a true performer, and will rise above the shadows cast by the venerable Fox platform 2.3L Lima engine cars. GTC is of course not a real performance shop, the performance is real, but the business aspect is an inside joke, and this car is slated to be my personal daily driver, especially in the “off-season” of Canadian Winter.

 

The AWM moniker comes from the intent to truly drive this car as a daily, in all conditions, which is nothing new to some GTC cars, such at the 2011 Mustang GT Convertible, but also to flog it down the drag strip, smell brakes at the Auto-X, and destroy rubber on the street. Modifications will certainly follow testing, strategic and bang for the buck, all documented here on our website, and our youtube channel here:

 

YOUTUBE: Grand Touring Concepts

FACEBOOK: Grand Touring Concepts

 

Hopefully you’ll join me as we go from kilometer 0 to WOT throughout this project

 

 

–  Darren

 

With the introduction out of the way, what is the AWM specifically?

 

I selected a 2019 Oxford White EcoBoost Fastback after several years of observing the new for 2015 S550 Mustang chassis, overall the platform has made some great improvements and I was particularly keen to try out an EcoBoost for some variety in my Mustang ownership experiences.

 

Since this car was to be a “want” more than a need, I decided to choose very specific options, and not deviate from those core details. I wanted a largely basic build, but with a Manual transmission, Fastback, White in colour, and must have the Performance Package.

 

 

After a fruitless summer of skulking about the used listings and on the lot options, I visited the dealer that had sold me my GT500 in November of 2008, to see what their sales team could do to come up with a car for me. This timing was not precisely random, it was the tail end of the season, and the time when FoMoCo would always apply deep discounts to their cars, the Ford Family Pricing Event.

 

I relayed my desired options to sales, and we discovered that no vehicles in Canada met my requirements, in fact only two Manual transmission cars existed in Western Canada, the closest being a non-PP and over 2000km away. At this point I was carefully considering waiting for next year’s builds or deciding to look at differently equipped cars, and was pleased to hear that factory ordering was still available for the 2019 run.

This was a fantastic opportunity to get exactly what I wanted, but I had never driven an EcoBoost Mustang, or even seen one driven in anger, and was essentially looking to purchase one blind. I inquired if a EcoBoost car was available for a test, even if it was not as I wanted mine configured. About 20 minutes later I was on the local freeway stabbing the throttle of a 10-speed auto equipped fastback on Race Mode, assessing boost response, and general acceleration. It was all good, and the chassis was exactly what I expected given some experience with a 2015 GT I had rented when they first hit the market.

Back at the dealer it was time to check boxes and formalize the order, 100A (Base) Mustang FastBack, OW, PP, and 6MT. On 11 September 2018, it was officially ordered, and I was cautioned that it would be about 6-8 weeks until we seen the AWM.