Line-lockers, chirpies or tyre fryers – what ever you call them, smokey burnouts hold a special place in hoon parlance. And soon, a car with a semi-autonomous tyre smoking function will be available in Australia.

Ford has released details of its upcoming line-lock function, to be available on the all-new Mustang when it reaches local showrooms next year.

The so-called electric line-lock feature works by locking on the front brakes with the push of a button, enabling the car’s rear wheels to spin.

“With the electronic line-lock feature enabled, when a driver releases the brake pedal, the hydraulic control unit for the stability control system will keep the front brakes locked while releasing the rear brakes,” Ford explains in a press release. “When Mustang is sitting in the burnout box of a drag strip, the driver can apply the accelerator to spin up the rear wheels to warm the tires for maximum grip. This can all be done without having to balance one foot on the brake and the other on the gas, or install a mechanical line-lock.”

The New Mustang's 'electric line-lock' feature works by locking on the front brakes with the push of a button, enabling the carâ€™s rear wheels to spin.

The marketing spin behind the technology is that line-lock mode will increase car performance. Tyres perform better at higher temperatures, and a burnout is the quickest and simplest way to raise tyre temperatures prior to a race. A burnout can also clean tyres of any debris and lay down a layer of rubber on the starting line for better traction.

“With the tires properly warmed up, drivers can pull up to the staging line, engage launch control, and get a perfect catapult as soon as the lights go green,” the blue oval brand says.

Ford says the line-lock function is strictly designed as a “performance feature” and is only intended for race track use. In most Australian states, deliberately spinning your tyres on public roads can lead to fines and suspensions.

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The line-lock technology will be available on the flagship GT variant of the Mustang, which is powered by a 5.0-litre V8 engine.

“We’re using advanced controls technology for the all-new Mustang to provide some of our most dedicated fans with an industry-first feature they can use when they go to the track,” said the chief engineer of the Mustang, Dave Pericak.

“With electronic line-lock, customers who drive their Mustangs to work all week and then compete on the weekends will appreciate not having to modify their brake systems to be able to do effective tire prep at the drag strip.”

The sixth-generation Mustang will be offered in Australia with various functions including a launch control system which holds the engine speed between 3000rpm and 4500rpm to suit style, surface, tyre and climate conditions for best performance