The first step: Gun it. Step two: Yank up on the handbrake and crank the wheel along with your left hand from 2 o’clock right down to 7. Step three: Really feel the automotive whip round, carry handbrake down, gun it once more. Congratulations, you might be drifting within the 2024 Ford Mustang due to its new, unique-to-a-production-car digital drift brake. It couldn’t be simpler. You too can do some fairly sick Ace Ventura parking jobs.
I’m hardly a driving novice, however I’m additionally not one for tail-out histrionics, so my expertise on this realm is proscribed. Particularly, I had by no means used a hand brake to induce a slide earlier than. Regardless of this, I nailed utilizing the drift brake on the primary go, and by solely the third attempt, had mastered it sufficient to dab in some reverse lock and carry on gunning it within the different course. Yay me, however extra importantly, yay the unbelievable piece of apparatus that makes you appear like a hero … and act like a doofus.
Whereas many parking brakes are built-in throughout the rear calipers, 2024 Mustangs with the optionally available Efficiency Pack add Brembo calipers which might be relocated from the rearward-side of the rotor to the ahead. The “Efficiency Digital Parking Brake,” because it’s formally identified, provides a second set of calipers to the rearward aspect. It’s a key inform that the Mustang in query has the Efficiency Pack, together with a handbrake deal with instead of the usual weeny, little button (pictured under proper).
How the drift brake differs from a standard parking brake, digital or in any other case, is that it instantly supplies a far higher quantity of stopping energy to lock up the wheels and shortly carry the rear finish round. It’s additionally a much more strong unit than a typical parking brake. Plus, there are some digital helpers working within the background to maintain you in a managed drift as soon as sideways. Utilizing the automotive’s stability management system, the auxiliary brake caliper will improve or lower strain on the rotor to maintain you within the drift — it’ll even apply mild strain to the common rear brake calipers if essential to additional improve “management.” In different phrases, I can’t exit to a car parking zone proper now and do in my ’98 Z3 precisely what I did within the Mustang. The brake wouldn’t lock up shortly sufficient, not one of the digital aids are current, the grip would nearly definitely not be sturdy sufficient, and there’s an excellent probability I’d find yourself needing a brand new parking brake, if not after the primary go, then quickly sufficient. Both method, I’d be performing and searching like a doofus.
In case you’re stunned I’m reviewing a parking brake whereas speaking a couple of new version of one of the vital iconic muscle vehicles in historical past, you’re not alone. So am I. It’s simply that I don’t bear in mind the final time I had that a lot giggle-inducing enjoyable behind the wheel. The primary drive of the 2024 Mustang included a blast up the terrific Glendora Mountain Highway in addition to a journey up the famed Angeles Crest Freeway, and, but, it was the drift brake that left the lasting impression. It’s the story of the 2024 Mustang. And I ought to notice, my drifting exploits occurred within the four-cylinder EcoBoost mannequin. I can solely think about the lurid, tire-shredding spree which may happen with the GT.
The drift brake remains to be a parking brake, which is the place issues get bizarre. The deal with to function the factor could appear like a standard parking brake, however for the needs of parking, it’s actually only a gigantic model of that weeny little button. Pull as much as have interaction the parking brake – there isn’t the standard button on the top that must be pressed – and let it again down. That’s proper, it doesn’t stay up, not in contrast to the previous British hand brakes positioned down on the door sill. To disengage the brake, you merely push down on the brake.
This operation is simple sufficient to get a hold of, however I’ve to suppose it’ll take a very long time earlier than these with a manual-equipped GT will get used to exiting their automotive with the parking brake deal with down in opposition to the console. That’s muscle reminiscence not simply overcome.
I’m unsure how usually I might truly use the drift brake if I purchased a 2024 Mustang, however I do know it might be greater than launch management or line lock, the perform that engages the entrance brakes so you possibly can roast the rear tires. All are goofy, however the drift brake is extra than simply one thing to indicate off with – you might truly use it to hone your expertise – ideally not on an lively public highway – and steadily educate your self to do some fairly cool issues. And yeah, sliding into an epic drift or parking like Elwood Blues is so much cooler than only a straight-shot launch or sitting nonetheless in a cloud of smoke.
Associated video:
