Ford Mustang at 62: Still bucking, still ‘rel-EV-ant’
It seems that almost every month, there’s a new car or even a new auto brand that arrives on our shores.
The recent Manila International Auto Show served as the launchpad for a bevy of all-new cars (largely from The People’s Republic). But as technologically advanced as these vehicles are, only time will tell if any of these would reach the legendary status of the Ford Mustang, which celebrated its 62nd birthday this April.
Various Mustang car clubs commemorated this anniversary at the Calle Centrale showroom in Quezon City for a gathering called “Stangs at the Calle” last April 26, 2026. The event was officially supported by Ford Philippines, which brought along a fleet of Mustang Mach-E test-drive units, along with its mobile-service truck.
In an exclusive interview with Inquirer Mobility, Ford Philippines managing director Pedro Simoes talked about the importance of the Mustang nameplate to the “Blue Oval” and how the Mustang Mach-E stands out in the country’s accelerated march to electrified mobility.
Brand-defining
For Simoes, the Mustang serves as the company’s “halo car.”
“When you think about the Ford brand and you ask people what’s the first Ford car that comes to mind, Mustang is usually on top,” he said. “So more than just sales, it’s really what Mustang does for the brand – how it helps shape what people think about Ford and how people desire to have a Ford.”
In the Philippines, there are two variants of the iconic muscle car – the range starts with the P3,506,000 Mustang EcoBoost Premium with its turbocharged, 2.3-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve, inline-4 gasoline engine producing 314 horsepower and 475 Newton-meters of torque, which are coursed through a 10-speed SelectShift automatic gearbox.
The top-spec, P4,006,000 Mustang GT Premium packs a 5.0-liter, twin-cam, 32-valve, V8 gasoline engine with 487 horsepower and 567 Newton-meters of torque, which is also mated to a 10-speed SelectShift automatic. All models get a rear limited-slip differential, while the Performance Pack adds MagneRide electronic dampers, Brembo brakes and a 3.55 final drive.
“Mustang is one of the most iconic nameplates in the world,” Simoes said. “Being able to celebrate 62 years and being here with the owners is really something special.”
New era
But given that demand for electrified vehicles surged because of the huge spike in fuel prices caused by the U.S.-Iran conflict, Simoes said Ford Philippines is ready with the Mustang Mach-E.
“It is an expansion of the Mustang brand, so it’s not replacing what’s already there,” he said. “Times evolve, customer demand evolves, so it’s really about how we keep the soul of the Mustang alive, but give it in a way that probably appeals to the same customer, while also expanding the customer list of the Mustang.”
As of press time, there are two Mustang Mach-E variants – the newly introduced, P3,199,000 Premium RWD has a rear-mounted electric motor with 272 horsepower and 525 Newton-meters of torque, while the P3,499,000 Premium AWD has dual electric motors for 389 horsepower and 676 Newton-meters of torque through all four wheels.
When we tested the Mustang Mach-E Premium AWD, we found that it was a practical and eye-catching five-seater that was not only breathtakingly fast, but could also do up to 745 kilometers on a full charge.
mobile-service truck.
New form
Simoes said he has been using a Mustang Mach-E as a daily driver for the last six months.
“It is an amazing product,” he said. “It really has that soul of the Mustang in a shape that is different – you can fit your family, you can drive comfortably slow and, if you have an expressway, you can drive a little bit faster. It goes with the road conditions, but above all, it has that soul of the pony.”
Simoes added that the Mach-E can bank on decades of Mustang heritage to help it stand out from EV rivals, especially newcomers from China.
“We don’t slap the Mustang logo on any product, so that is something different than a lot of other EVs being introduced,” he said. “It has 62 years of legacy that helps to build on what the performance is, what the car should deliver and how happy it should make the driver feel when behind the wheel.”
Given Ford Philippines’ extensive range of Mustang Fastback and Mustang Mach-E models, expect this iconic nameplate to survive well into the electrified age.
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