1989 Ford Mustang ASC McLaren

Description

The 1989 ASC McLaren was an experiment to see if American muscle could be polished to compete with European 2-seaters like the Mercedes SL. Showing just 8553 original miles, this is a superbly preserved example of one of the more interesting footnotes in the Mustang's long, illustrious history and a downright fun car to drive.

The Mustang DNA is quite evident, but the extensive modifications to the bodywork really do make it a unique car. The most notable change was the complete removal of the back seat, along with special ground effects that merge neatly with the original Mustang GT front valence. Most of the black trim pieces like the grille at the base of the windshield, the mirrors, door handles, and even the black window sills, were all painted body color to give it a much sleeker, more polished look. And since it was virtually hand-built by the guys up at ASC, the finish is quite impressive, particularly compared to many of its peers. Out back, there's a custom rear spoiler that's a lot more attractive than the bulky luggage racks the standard Mustang used to disguise the third brake light and the smoked taillights are reminiscent of the GT units but are completely unrelated. And you will note that the Ford badges have been neatly (and intentionally) removed-this is not merely a Mustang. Given this car's remarkably low mileage, it should be no surprise that it is in virtually showroom fresh condition throughout and any time you show up in this bright red 2-seater, be prepared for a lot of questions.

The interior is perhaps the McLaren's most dramatic feature. First of all, the back seat is gone, replaced by a Mercedes-style package shelf that's actually pretty handy for running errands around town. The supportive buckets are upholstered in high-grade leather and feature McLaren stitching on the seat backs. The center console almost looks like a factory Mustang piece, but is just different enough to make even experts do a double-take. The rest, of course, is standard Mustang fare, including the highly legible gauges and well-designed switchgear. Standard features include power windows and locks, A/C, cruise control, and a decent AM/FM/cassette stereo. Seeing as ASC specializes in convertible conversions for the OEMs, it should be no surprise that there's a snug-fitting black canvas top that stows easily under the flush-fitting rear deck and offers a very Mercedes-like rear window treatment that is surely no coincidence.

Power comes from the Mustang GT's 5.0-liter EFI V8, which made a robust 225 horsepower and 300 pounds of torque. It's legendary, so I'm sure I don't need to get into the specifics, but it's remarkably to see a completely stock and unmodified 5.0 that still carries all its original equipment, right down to the rubber boot over the distributor cap. Everything is just the way the factory intended, so it starts instantly and runs beautifully and has a nice burble from the throaty dual exhaust. A 4-speed automatic overdrive transmission makes for easy around-town driving and 2.73 gears mean that it just loafs along on the highway. And yes, the undercarriage is every bit as clean as you'd expect, and includes genuine ASC red paint overspray in all the right places. Special directional wheels (left and right sides are different) were part of the McLaren package and wear recent 225/60/15 radials.

Fast, fun, and wonderfully preserved, this limited-edition McLaren convertible brings all the awesomeness that is the Mustang 5.0 and includes a big dose of European style. Call today!