Are you California dreaming with this special Mustang?

WHAT A TIME it is for the Ford Mustang. Celebrating its 51st year in production, the quintessential American muscle car appears to be as popular as ever. Okay there were some slow times in the '80s and '90s where many models seemed to lose their essence - almost trying to look more European or Japanese - but since the 2005 revival of its Americana roots, we love how each incarnation is progressively tweaked and thus improved. Imagine, if you will, Michael Bolton's career in car form and you get the general picture.
This year has seen the introduction of three engine types - the 3.7-litre V6, 2.3-litre EcoBoost and a five-litre V8. Guess which one we had to go for? Not only did we, like the proverbial kid in a candy store, pick out the top-spec engine, we also plumped for it to be wrapped up in the California Special body just for good measure. In short, it was worth it.
The trouble with the UAE's love affair with muscle cars and the Mustang in general is, there are quite a few of them on the road. This is where the California Special edition comes into its own. The car looks as if you've gone through a long customisation process without actually having to endure the hassle. It is distinct, aggressive and slick - everything you really desire from a Mustang.
Under the hood, the performance figures also make for decent reading. The V8 engine creates 435 horsepower and has a top speed of 240 km/h. However, it's the sound that exhaust makes, which is perhaps the most intoxicating element.
Inside is a very pleasant atmosphere in which to find yourself. Four adults (two small ones in the back) can fit pretty comfortably and the boot has enough space for two large suitcases - not bad for a sports car.
Given this is a Ford, you also get all the standard equipment such as voice recognition command capabilities, an eight-inch central screen and more performance readouts than you can shake a stick at. Though, whilst the tech is great, it's not why we'd buy a Mustang. Just look at it. That's why we'd buy one.
SPECS
Starting price: (entry model) from just under Dhs130,000
Top Speed: 240km/h
Horsepower: 435 
david@khaleejtimes.com