{"id":32828,"date":"2024-06-06T08:56:33","date_gmt":"2024-06-06T12:56:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=32828"},"modified":"2024-06-06T08:56:33","modified_gmt":"2024-06-06T12:56:33","slug":"payne-the-first-convertible-of-spring-ford-mustang","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2024\/06\/payne-the-first-convertible-of-spring-ford-mustang","title":{"rendered":"Payne: The first convertible of spring: Ford Mustang"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summit Point, West Virginia<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 Put the top down. Put on your favorite tunes. It\u2019s time for the first convertible of spring.<\/p>\n

Our Payne family of four packed into a 2024 Ford Mustang convertible rental and cruised toward downtown Winchester, Virginia, after a full day at Summit Point Raceway. I took requests for favorite rock \u2018n\u2019 road tunes \u2014 specifically, favorite instrumental song intros. The requests from all four seats piled up, then we cranked up the volume. Hey, Spotify, play:– Hell\u2019s Bells by AC\/DC<\/em><\/p>\n

– Where the Streets Have no Name, U2<\/em><\/p>\n

– The Final Countdown, Europe<\/em><\/p>\n

– Life is a Highway, Rascal Flatts<\/em><\/p>\n

– Crazy Train, Ozzy Osbourne<\/em><\/p>\n

– Thunderstruck, AC\/DC (because every playlist should have more than one AC\/DC song)<\/em>With the \u2018Stang\u2019s 350-horse turbo-four engine beating a steady rhythm in the background, we rolled merrily to dinner over the Virginia hills.<\/p>\n

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The 2024 Ford Mustang Convertible starts at $43k with standard 315 horsepower, leather seats, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and sex appeal. <\/em>Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n

It’s been another looooong winter, and there\u2019s no better way to celebrate spring than in a convertible on a country road. Or down Woodward. Or at a drive-in theater.<\/p>\n

Mrs. Payne and I picked our convertible Mustang at Enterprise Rental at Dulles Airport on the way to West Virginia\u2019s Summit Point Raceway for the annual Jefferson 500. My two sons and I were competing in Lola sports racers. Since my boys were arriving at the track via, respectively, Uber and a VW Golf GTI, I opted for a fun, drop-top coupe that still offered four seats when needed.<\/p>\n

That flexibility makes Ford\u2019s convertible a popular choice among renters as well as buyers. It\u2019s a rare convertible option on today\u2019s car lots.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/figure>\n
The 2024 Ford Mustang Convertible seats four – though it’s a bit snug in back. Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/figure>\n

In this SUV\/EV age, convertibles are an endangered species under $50K. Sure, you can go topless in an Audi A5, BMW Z4, Jaguar F-Type, Mercedes-Benz SLC or Corvette C8, but you’d better bring a trunk-full of dough. Affordable convertibles have fallen by the wayside: Chevy Camaro, Fiat 124 Spyder, Toyota Solara, Pontiac Solstice, Chrysler Sebring, VW Beetle.<\/p>\n

Want a convertible SUV? Your choices are Jeep Wrangler or Ford Bronco. And as government electric-vehicle mandates squeeze manufacturer bottom lines, niche products like convertibles are harder for automakers to justify. With automakers sounding the alarm bells about global Armageddon, there’s not much room for whimsy. Pity.<\/p>\n

Convertible coupes are a visceral treat. Feel the wind in your clothes, touch the sky, hear the noise. But options under $50,000 are scarce. Want to go topless in a Bimmer? They start at 60 grand. A Porsche Boxster? Fill your wheelbarrow with $80K. Your choices are few: Mini, Miata, Mustang.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/figure>\n
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The 2024 Ford Mustang Convertible is immediately recognizable by its chiseled rear taillights. Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

I love the $30,00 Mazda Miata \u2014 just reach up and peel back its soft top like taking a blanket off your bed (a more sophisticated hardtop is also available). It\u2019s a treat to drive, but not ideal for long trips with my knees under my chin and my head stuffed into the roof (with top up). Mini steps up with a four-seater, but with just five cubic-feet of cargo space.<\/p>\n