The seventh-generation Ford Mustang was revealed late last year, but excited fans of the iconic pony car will have to wait for the 2024 model year to get their hands on one. However, as early as January 28, you could claim to be the owner of VIN 001 of the 2024 Mustang GT, as the very first model to roll off the line is being auctioned at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction.
The privilege of owning the very first car to leave the factory will naturally command a massive price tag, but Ford won't be seeing a cent of whatever the final figure ends up being. That's because all proceeds from the auction will go to a good cause. The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) will receive all the proceeds when the hammer comes down on this special car later this month. This is not the first time a famous Ford has been auctioned for charity, as October last year saw a 2022 Ford Shelby GT500 Heritage selling for $1 million in aid of Hurricane Ian victims.
Interestingly, whoever wins won't be able to drive away in the car they pay for. That's because the car hasn't even been built yet. While that sounds like a downside, it does mean the new owner will be able to take their pick from 11 different exterior paint colors and get to choose between smooth-shifting 10-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission.
Under the hood, the Mustang GT retains the services of a 5.0-liter Coyote V8, albeit one with a number of revisions over the one it replaces. It gets more power than before, too, with 480 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque to its name. Among the revisions are a new dual air intake box and dual-throttle body design. Moreover, the prospective buyer can increase these outputs to 486 hp and 418 lb-ft when fitted with an optional active valve exhaust system.
The exterior of the Mustang GT is an evolutionary design and echoes Mustang models of old, especially those of the 1970s, but with a cutting edge that will resonate with both young and old. The new tri-bar LED headlights are inspired by the iconic triple tail lights of the Mustang family, and the GT gets an aggressively large grille, hood vents, and a front splitter.
The interior has a distinctive jet-fighter feel and features a large customizable 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster with 3D animation software, a 13.2-inch SYNC 4 center screen, ambient lighting, sporty bucket seats, and a flat-bottom steering wheel. The GT also comes standard with Ford's CoPilot360 driver aids, including speed sign recognition, intelligent adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, and lane centering assist.
We're not sure what the first seventh-gen GT will sell for, but we're sure it should be way more than what Ford will ask ordinary folks at the dealership.
