Here's Why British V8 Mustangs Are Less Powerful Than Their American Equivalents

There has been much excitement among British petrolheads, as we’re finally, officially, getting the Ford Mustang on these shores. Today, Ford has revealed it’s received 2000 orders in the UK, and to celebrate, has conjured up some statistics to show exactly what those orders consist of.

Perhaps the most interesting thing to note is that British buyers who’ve been waiting years to buy their own Mustang have been placing orders for the all-American V8, with 70 per cent of buyers ticking that particular 5.0-litre box. It’s expected that once the initial wave of ‘Stang enthusiasts are out of the way, orders for the 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine will begin to rise.

It’s not all positive news coming out of Ford, though, as a number of people who’ve pre-ordered a right-hand drive Mustang have reported receiving a letter informing them their V8 makes slightly less power than originally intended. When converting the cars to RHD, the exhaust manifold had to be redesigned to clear the steering gear, making it more constrictive and robbing the car of a little power at the top end. Torque, acceleration and fuel consumption are reportedly not affected, however the advertised power figure has dropped from 416bhp to 410bhp

Elsewhere in the figures revealed today, 55 per cent of buyers have opted for a manual shifter, 80 per cent have gone for the ‘Fastback’ over the convertible, and 23 per cent have slapped Race Red on their cars. First deliveries are expected in November.