Ford Mustang GT Convertible

From Gotland to California in a Ford Mustang GT Convertible – a car that always tempts you to take the next trip

Some cars are quickly forgotten once you return the keys. The Ford Mustang GT Convertible is one of those cars that stays with you long after the engine has fallen silent. For me, the Ford Mustang is just such a car. Over the years, I've had the privilege of photographing and driving the model on some of the world's most incredible roads, from the coastal landscapes of Gotland and Gotland Ring to the Nürburgring and an unforgettable road trip through the western USA. Each journey has been unique, but the feeling behind the wheel has always been the same. The Mustang isn't just about a V8 under the bonnet. It's about freedom, experiences, and the desire to sometimes choose the longer way home.

An American icon

Few cars have left as significant a mark on automotive history as the Ford Mustang. When the model was unveiled on April 17, 1964, it not only changed Ford's model lineup but also created an entirely new car segment. The combination of sporty design, space for four people, powerful engines, and an affordable price became an immediate success.

Within the first 24 hours, Ford had already received over 22,000 orders. Less than two years later, over a million Mustangs had been built, and competitors were working feverishly on their own challengers. Chevrolet Camaro, The Pontiac Firebird, Dodge Challenger and Plymouth Barracuda were born in response to Ford's success. The car type even got its own name – pony car – named after the galloping horse in the Mustang's emblem.

More than sixty years later, the core idea is still alive. The long bonnet, short rear end, and distinctive taillights make a Mustang instantly recognisable. It has evolved technically through the generations, but has never lost its identity.

Fact: Ford Mustang

Premiere: 17 April 1964
First generation 1964½
Nicknames Pony Car
Manufactured examples Over 10 million
First generation officially sold in Europe: S550 (2015)
Engine in the test car: 5.0-litre V8 with 421 hp

The Ford Mustang GT Convertible has arrived in Europe

For many years, the Mustang was a car mainly seen in American films or at enthusiast meets. If you wanted to own one, it often had to be imported from the USA. Therefore, it was a big event when Ford decided to start selling the model officially in Europe.

The sixth generation was developed for a global market. For the first time, the classic American character was combined with modern technology and a chassis that performed significantly better on European roads. The Mustang still retained its V8 heart, but it felt more at home even on winding country roads than any previous generation.

It was also that generation I had the opportunity to experience during the late summer of 2016.

Ford Mustang GT Convertible on Gotland

When Ford offered me the chance to borrow a Mustang GT Convertible, I didn’t really have to think for too long about where the trip would go. The choice fell on Gotland, a place I've returned to many times over the years, both as a photographer and just to enjoy the scenery.

The ferry left Nynäshamn behind and a few hours later, open landscapes, limestone roads and coastlines that almost felt made for an open V8 convertible awaited. With the roof down, the late summer sun overhead and the characteristic V8 as background music, that special feeling that only certain cars manage to create settled in.

It didn't really matter if the road followed the sea, meandered through the forest, or passed by small Gotlandic communities. The Mustang made me want to keep driving, even when the day's photography was technically finished.

A car that makes you slow down

Many sports cars bring out the racing instinct. They encourage you to brake later, go faster and push the car a little harder into the next corner.

Mustang works differently.

It encourages you to slow down. To rest your arm on the door, listen to the engine, and enjoy the drive. The five-litre V8 has power in abundance, but it never needs to prove itself. Instead, it delivers a calmness and character that makes every mile feel relaxed.

The cabriolet version enhances that feeling even further. With the roof down, you become part of your surroundings. You can smell the sea air, hear the birds along the road, and experience the landscape in a way that's difficult to achieve in a standard saloon.

Two generations of the same dream

One of the trip's most unexpected highlights began with a spontaneous meeting.

On Gotland, I met the owner of a fantastically well-preserved red Ford Mustang Convertible from the first generation. When we parked the cars next to each other, the contrast became clear. Over fifty years separated them, but at the same time, the similarities were greater than the differences.

The modern Ford Mustang was bigger, safer and considerably faster. Yet, the same basic shape remained. The long bonnet, the muscular stance and the laid-back character meant you could immediately see the family resemblance.

Photographing the two cars together became one of the strongest moments of the entire Gotland trip. It felt almost like seeing history meet the present day.

Gotland Ring

One of the week's highlights was the opportunity to drive the Mustang GT on Gotland Ring. The track, with its significant elevation changes and technical corner combinations, is a perfect place to get to know a car outside of normal road driving.

The Mustang behaved confidently and predictably. It lacked the sharp steering response or uncompromising chassis of a pure European sports car, but that was never its mission either. Instead, it offered powerful torque, a fantastic engine sound, and a relaxed self-assurance that made every lap an experience.

However, it wasn't long before I was longing to be back out on the Gotland roads. There, with the sea as a backdrop and the roof down, the car truly came into its own. The Mustang GT was built to be enjoyed, not to chase tenths of a second.

Nürburgring

A few years later, I once again had the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a Mustang GT. This time, I found myself on Nürburgring in Germany on behalf of the Swedish Auto Motor & Sports, where Ford has provided both a Mustang GT and a Focus RS for a comparative test on the legendary Nordschleife.

Driving the cars on the same day highlighted the differences between them. The Focus RS was aggressive, precise and built to attack every corner thanks to its all-wheel drive and sharp chassis. The Mustang had a completely different personality. It didn't encourage late braking or perfect lines, but instead offered thunderous torque, relaxed confidence and a V8 note that echoed through the Eifel forests.

It was a reminder that driving pleasure can take many forms. The Focus RS was about precision and uncompromising performance. The Mustang was about character, presence and the feeling behind the wheel. Two completely different cars, yet both capable of bringing a smile to one of the world's most iconic race tracks.

California through a Mustang's windscreen

The trip I might remember best was one I took with Gran Turismo Events. For just over a week, we drove around twenty Ford Mustang Convertibles through some of the most iconic landscapes in the western USA.

From Los Angeles, our journey continued to Las Vegas, out towards Area 51 and the legendary Extraterrestrial Highway, onward to the Grand Canyon, through Napa Valley and finally to San Francisco where we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge. We also made a visit to Six Flags Magic Mountain.

It was only there I truly understood why the Mustang had become a symbol of the American Dream. The long straight roads, the vast landscapes, and the relaxed driving culture suited the car perfectly. It didn't matter whether we were rolling through the Nevada desert, winding between the vineyards of Napa Valley, or following the Pacific coast. The Mustang always felt like a natural part of the surroundings.

I still remember the sound of around twenty V8 engines starting early in the morning, the evening light reflecting off the paintwork, and the long days behind the wheel where the road was as important as the destination. It was a journey that was as much about the people, the landscapes, and the experiences as it was about the cars themselves.

Over 20 years together with the Mustang

My relationship with the Ford Mustang began long before CarsCollection.com. In early 2005 I photographed the then brand new fifth-generation Ford Mustang together with Martin Westerstrand for Slitz magazine. With its modern interpretation of the classic 1960s lines, the model marked the start of a new era for the Mustang. When I recently went through old photo archives and found the pictures, I was reminded of how long the model has actually been present in my life, both in front of the camera and behind the wheel.

Since then, I've had the privilege of following the Mustang through several generations. On CarsCollection.com, I've previously test-driven both Ford Mustang Fastback GT 5.0, when the model officially returned to Europe with its classic combination of V8, manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive, and Ford Mustang Mach 1, one of the most focused and fun-to-drive versions of the modern Mustang. I was also at the international presentation of Ford Mustang Mach-E and later test-driven the model in Sweden.

When I look back now at the photos from the report in 2005, while also thinking about the test drives of the Fastback GT 5.0, Mach 1, Mach-E, and this GT Convertible, I realise that the Ford Mustang has accompanied me through a large part of my professional life. Each generation has had its own personality, but the feeling of freedom and the desire to take that detour just to drive a little further has always been there.

A car with a personality all of its own

There are faster cars than the Ford Mustang GT. There are sports cars with more advanced technology, sharper steering, and chassis developed with lap times as the highest priority.

Mustang never tries to be any of them.

Instead, it offers something that has become increasingly rare in today's car world. A large naturally aspirated engine, rear-wheel drive, and a relaxed character that encourages the driver to slow down rather than speed up. It’s not about impressing with numbers on a spec sheet, but about how the car makes you feel when you’re behind the wheel.

That's precisely why I still think the convertible version is the most complete Ford Mustang. With the roof down, all the impressions are amplified. The engine sound becomes clearer, the surroundings draw nearer, and every journey becomes a little more memorable.

More than a test drive

When I look back at the photos from Gotland today, I realise they tell a much bigger story than just a test drive of a new Ford Mustang GT Convertible.

They tell of a spontaneous meeting between two generations of Mustang. Of a few laps at Gotland Ring. Of a later reunion at the Nürburgring and of a road trip across the USA that still ranks among the best car journeys I've ever made.

It's quite fascinating that the same model has been able to follow me through so many different chapters of life and still always conveyed the same feeling.

Executive summary

More than sixty years after its premiere, the Ford Mustang continues to fascinate car enthusiasts worldwide. It has survived oil crises, changing safety requirements, and a fundamentally transformed automotive industry. At the same time, it has managed to retain what made it special from the very beginning.

For me, the Mustang will always be more than just a car model.

It's the sound of an American V8 on a late summer evening. It's the feeling of driving with the roof down along the coast of Gotland. It's a meeting between a classic red 1960s icon and its modern successor. It's the asphalt ribbon of the Nürburgring and it's mile after mile through the American West.

This is perhaps why the Ford Mustang still feels as relevant today as it did in 1964. It reminds us that the best road trip is rarely about how fast you get there.

It's about never wanting the road to end.