March 2002

Who does Ford think it is kidding? Here we have a car that has twice as much power as a Porsche 911, and yet is referred to as a vehicle that's kind to the environment. Has Ford achieved the impossible and built an eco-friendly supercar?

Well not exactly, but the technology the Super Stallion contains does at least show Ford is serious about the use of alternative fuels for its forthcoming cars - and Auto Express was first to get an exclusive UK drive in one. The massive 5.4-litre supercharged V8 engine is designed to run on petrol, ethanol or any combination of the two, thanks to a clever microchip in the engine's management system. Running on a heady mixture of these fuels, the super-tuned engine produces 590bhp and 672Nm of torque at 4,750rpm.

And yet acceleration isn't the most amazing thing about this car. That accolade is reserved for the noise. Think of drag racing or Days of Thunder, the Tom Cruise blockbuster movie about NASCAR racing, and you've got the idea.

Not that the performance is tame. Engage the supercharger by flicking the toggle switch (like a fighter pilot readying a missile) and a red 'armed' light glows. Then just select any slot in the short throw six-speed gearbox and watch the world fast forward through the windscreen.

Ford claims a 0-60mph time of 'well under' five seconds and a top speed of 175mph - figures that feel conservative, if anything. Actually using the performance is quite difficult. Even on a dry track the 265/40 ZR18 Goodyear tyres spin in fourth gear and the aggressive set-up of the rear suspension makes Ford's Super Stallion extremely nervous when in a straight line. Corners are taken in a much more assured manner. The broad front tyres and sharp steering send the nose diving at the apex almost too quickly. But once in, the Mustang feels stable and composed. It even blows up air cushions in the thickly padded seat to help keep you in place. The penalty for this is an extremely hard ride. Any joins in the road send shudders up through the chassis and steering. Combine this with the bellowing noise, and you have a car unsuitable for anywhere but the race track.

The interior has barely been touched from the standard Mustang cabin. There's merely a couple of extra gauges for fuel and boost pressure. But open the bonnet and you see where the money's been spent, with immaculate welding and quality on the gleaming components. It's more attractive than the body, where carbon fibre additions are prevalent. These include a front splitter which houses the central foglights and a flat, dragster-style spoiler on the boot. Combine that with an iffy paint job and the best that can be said is that it makes a statement. But not a particularly eco-friendly one.

The name says it all. The Mustang Super Stallion is the ultimate expression of Ford's most popular sports car.

Promoted as an environ-mental test bed, it can run on any blend of ethanol and petrol. But that fact is totally overshadowed by the vital statistics. Producing 590bhp and 672Nm of torque from a supercharged V8 engine, the Super Stallion proves uncomfortably fast and overly loud. Ford promises that the fuel technology this car uses will be seen again in more mainstream road cars.

At a glance

* Super Stallion built to show fuel technology

* Runs on mixture of petrol and ethanol

* 0-60mph in under 5 secs. Top speed of 175mph

* Supercharged 5.4-litre V8 boasts 590bhp

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