Pulsing Push Buttons and Pony Hearts, Ford Mustang Style

Sometimes it’s the little things in life that make buyers fall in love with a particular automobile. Take the 2018 Mustang for example. When the latest version lands this autumn it reportedly will have the heart of a pony, and no, we’re not just talking about a big V8.

According to the automaker, the heavily updated sports coupe will feature a start button that pulses red from the moment the doors are unlocked until the engine is started, giving what it calls “a heartbeat of sorts.” With a pulse of 30 beats per minute, the illuminated button is designed to mimic the resting heart rate of a pony, a subtle touch that is actually kind of cool looking.

The backlit button features the words “Engine,” “Start,” and “Stop,” all of which glow red, including the ring encircling the machined start/stop switch. As for the ignition button itself, it comes encased in a spun aluminum ring and will be mounted toward the lower portion of the center stack, beneath the car’s audio and climate controls.

Regardless of whether buyers love this touch or consider it to be gimmicky, trivial, or just plain pointless, much like those sequential turn signals out back, it makes for a fun little electronic finishing touch. So go ahead and push that button, chances are you’re going to like what happens next.