The 1st step: Gun it. Step two: Yank up on the handbrake and crank the wheel along with your left hand from 2 o’clock all the way down to 7. Step three: Really feel the automobile whip round, carry handbrake down, gun it once more. Congratulations, you might be drifting within the 2024 Ford Mustang because of its new, unique-to-a-production-car digital drift brake. It couldn’t be simpler. You can even 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 route. Yay me, however extra importantly, yay the unbelievable piece of kit that makes you appear like a hero … and act like a doofus.
Whereas many parking brakes are built-in inside the rear calipers, 2024 Mustangs with the elective Efficiency Pack add Brembo calipers which can be relocated from the rearward-side of the rotor to the ahead. The “Efficiency Digital Parking Brake,” because it’s formally recognized, provides a second set of calipers to the rearward facet. 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 conventional parking brake, digital or in any other case, is that it instantly supplies a far better quantity of stopping energy to lock up the wheels and rapidly 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 automobile’s stability management system, the auxiliary brake caliper will improve or lower stress on the rotor to maintain you within the drift — it’ll even apply mild stress to the common rear brake calipers if essential to additional improve “management.” In different phrases, I can’t exit to a parking zone proper now and do in my ’98 Z3 precisely what I did within the Mustang. The brake wouldn’t lock up rapidly sufficient, not one of the digital aids are current, the grip would nearly definitely not be robust sufficient, and there’s an excellent likelihood I’d find yourself needing a brand new parking brake, if not after the primary go, then quickly sufficient. Both approach, I’d be appearing and wanting like a doofus.
When you’re stunned I’m reviewing a parking brake whereas speaking a couple of new version of one of the iconic muscle automobiles in historical past, you’re not alone. So am I. It’s simply that I don’t keep 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 word, my drifting exploits occurred within the four-cylinder EcoBoost mannequin. I can solely think about the lurid, tire-shredding spree that 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 conventional 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 same old 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 situated down on the door sill. To disengage the brake, you merely push down on the brake.
This operation is simple sufficient to get a dangle of, however I’ve to assume it’ll take a very long time earlier than these with a manual-equipped GT will get used to exiting their automobile with the parking brake deal with down in opposition to the console. That’s muscle reminiscence not simply overcome.
I’m undecided how typically I might really use the drift brake if I purchased a 2024 Mustang, however I do know it could be greater than launch management or line lock, the perform that engages the entrance brakes so you’ll be able to roast the rear tires. All are goofy, however the drift brake is extra than simply one thing to point out off with – you can really use it to hone your expertise – ideally not on an lively public street – and regularly train 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.
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