By mid-afternoon with nearly 850 km behind us, we were north of Pittsburgh and I needed to stretch my legs and clear my head for a bit. The Mustang’s seats – aggressively bolstered (though not as much as the optional Recaros), nevertheless prove to be very comfortable even on this 1,200+ km day. The adaptive cruise control is a very welcome feature on the long slogs of Interstate as well. And that Shaker stereo sounds really good when the convertible is all buttoned up.

Reaching home again in Southern Ontario, it was dusk. A full day consumed on the road and the brief daydream several hours ago, imagining a career change to long-haul truck driver, seems woefully lonely and exhausting despite the open-road freedom.

We drove a total of 2,775.5 kilometres in total, the Mustang and me. It ran flawlessly the whole time and delivered a final average fuel consumption rate of 9.9 L/100 km – not bad for a 435-hp V8 that spent a few days being flogged going up and down the Appalachians. Set up as this car is with convertible top, premium features and that automatic transmission, the Mustang GT becomes an impressive grand touring machine and could reasonably be considered instead of a BMW 435i convertible or Audi S5 convertible.

But if I could do the trip again, I’d prefer a Mustang GT Coupe with that Performance Package, and I’ll take it painted black, please.

Warranty:
3 years/60,000 km; 5 years/100,000 km powertrain; 5 years/unlimited distance corrosion perforation; 5 years/100,000 km roadside assistance

Competitors:
Audi A5/S5
BMW 435i
Chevrolet Camaro
Dodge Challenger

Goin’ places that I’ve never been.
Seein’ things that I may never see again
And I can’t wait to get on the road again.

“On The Road Again” – Willie Nelson

Pricing: 2015 Ford Mustang GT Convertible Premium
Base Price: $48,399
Options: 6-Speed Auto Transmission, $1,500; Engine Block Heater, $150; Adaptive Speed Control, $1,600; Reverse Park Assist, $350; Navigation System, $800; 50th Anniversary Package (19” wheels and tires, floor mats, trim), $1,700.
Destination: $1,650
A/C Tax: $100
Price as Tested: $58,249

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