One of my favourite elements from previous dalliances with the 5.0 Ford Mustang has been the initial getaway from that V8, a naturally-aspirated lunge that threatens to light up the tarmac beneath it. Admittedly there’s a slightly laboured initial couple of hundred revs before the V8 really gets into its stride, the resultant punch rocking the whole cabin in a fantastically dramatic surge of forward, muscular momentum. With the modified V8 in the Alpha Male, I don’t need to wait for the initial lag to dispense. There isn’t any. The pick-up is monstrous – I can’t really think of another way of putting it – the opening strike becoming more and more volcanic and speed ballooning in unison as the revs continue to rise, the soundtrack that earlier threatened to blow open the garage shutters now dangerously close to rupturing an eardrum, if not time itself. The unremitting surge that flows into a weighted punch is a monumental blow to the senses. So much so that, on my first attempt, I back off just to get my bearings.
Take two I’m braver, throwing caution – and potentially a front splitter upright – to the wind by winding the power up gradually but decisively, the speed rising urgently with each upshift through the short-throw gearbox. There’s a dash of notchiness to the manual pot in the lower gears – a mark of that increased torque perhaps? – but the engine is so muscular, any fluffs are quickly cast aside with another titanic burst of speed and, what sounds like, mocking laughter. Or perhaps it’s generator scything through the V8’s deep-based growl.
I’m momentarily lost by both the enormity of the V8’s additional grunt, the savage delivery thereof and the resultant speed I’m trying hard to ignore on the speedometer, that I’m almost oblivious to the suspension-crippling speed bump approaching us fast.
I stand on the middle pedal, downshifting as fast as I dare to scrub as much speed as I can in the space and time physics will allow. The driven rear wheels begin to squirrel as I do so, though only gentle inputs to the steering are needed to keep the Mustang bridled. I had expected that, with work done to the drivetrain, suspension and exhaust system, the brakes would also receive a tune-up, only for Franz to assure me that the Brembo callipers are perfectly strong the way they are. He’s not kidding. Travel in the pedal is almost non-existent, but there’s no snatch either as the Brembo callipers slam into either side of the massive discs. Deceleration is strong as a result, but mercifully very progressive. I’m not sure what I would have done had the rear axle tank-slapped.
Disaster is averted as we creep very gingerly over the speed bump, exasperated looks from motorists behind me – who have now caught up – coming thick and fast. The realisation that such a situation could arise again builds a knot of tension in my stomach as I begin to accelerate more cautiously this time. Again, sitting next to me, Franz can only smile, clearly amused by my momentary panic.
“Braking is strong but mercifully very progressive. I’m not sure what I would have done had the rear axle tank-slapped”
Coincidentally, I’ve suddenly gone right off speed runs, so our drive back to base camp takes in some of the more winding and technical stretches between roundabouts in the industrial park. I don’t mention it aloud, but I’m not expecting the Alpa Male to handle particularly well. How could it with 19 piece of carbon fibre hindering the turning circle and steering range? To my surprise, the balance – even despite the additional weight – is quite impressive, the weight through the steering as consistent as the stock model, and the agility under cornering just as neutral. Not that I dare throw the wide-body Alpha Male into the corners with anywhere near as much vim as the stock Mustang of course, but it’s impressive to see just how manoeuvrable this air-suspension clad brute can be when driven at five-tenths. So too the steering.
Response from the front wheels is well-balanced if perhaps weighted a little more intrusively when up to speed. Ironically, it’s the nimbleness and impressively flat cornering prowess of the sixth gen Mustang that became it’s biggest downfall, many – myself included – wondering if the blue collar nature of Ford’s most famous pony car had been lost in the mix as efforts were made to improve the handling. With its more vitriolic power delivery and impressive but asterisked ability through the corners, I doubt this would be a problem for the wide-body Alpha Male.
“It feels genuinely nimble. And fast. And wild. And nerve-wracking. And, well, crazy”
I’m met, on our way back to Simon Motorsport, by several more speed bumps, and – in one particular harrowing moment – a bus that somehow can’t see Darth Vader’s weekend repmobile in its wing mirrors. I must be honest, while I’m saddened that my time with this fiery V8 demon has come to a close, I’m also secretly relieved. No doubt the thrill of driving a Mustang that looks as demonic as it sounds will appeal to many, but the intricacies involved in doing so can prove exhausting: the prospect of your $75K bespoke, over-fendered muscle car – complete with slammed suspension – meeting its grizzly end on a high kerb or aggressively angled speed bump lingers in your mind constantly, and it does make me wonder how this beast would have performed if I hadn’t lost my nerve so early on. Rather well I’d be willing to guess, given that the balance and deft capability of the handling was not the soggy bag of blancmange I feared it might be. On the contrary, it feels genuinely nimble. And fast. And wild. And nerve-wracking. And, well, crazy.
Not too long after I’ve climbed out of the Recaro seats and watched the air suspension being slotted back into ‘kiss the asphalt’ mode than I’m relaying my thoughts on the drive to Franz. There’s another smile, and even – maybe – a sense of relief, given that the Alpa Male will be sold onto a new owner in the not-too distant future and that a commission to build a sister Mustang is already in the team’s pocket. Whether this next dream build will also become a nightmare remains to be seen though. Not that it matters. As Franz coily mentions, it’s all been worth it in the end. I certainly can’t argue that.
