The Ford Mustang is one of the greatest muscle cars of all time. For generations, Ford’s icon has been the car many think of first when they hear the words “muscle car”. Certainly, there have been setbacks and bad models. But every car model goes through this. We’re not too far off now either to see the very latest in Mustang. The next generation of the muscle car is fast approaching, which will excite many.
It probably hasn’t escaped anyone that the automotive world is changing. Electric cars are creeping more and more into our lives, and the muscle car segment will surely follow. The Dodge Charger Daytona SRT is a clear sign of that. More, Ford has already given an electric vehicle the Mustang name, with the Mustang Mach-E crossover. This new generation of Mustang might be one of the most special ever, and unlike any other generation we’ve seen before. It could well become the last of a generation too, before a future hybrid or electric model.
Everything we know so far about the next Mustang
First and foremost, we know the new Mustang is coming September 14th. The code name for this latest generation of the car is S650, and it’s heading towards the 2024 model year. The full reveal will take place at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show. Ford CEO Jim Farley tweeted in July that the reveal was imminent, with a hashtag reading #SaveTheManuals. This of course refers to the age of the manual car, not just the muscle car, which is disappearing all over the world.
Thus, there is every chance that this latest Mustang will indeed be the last to be equipped with a manual transmission. It also seems that the rumors circulating that the car would be all-wheel-drive and hybrid are now dead. Automotive News quoted sources familiar with the company’s plans as saying that while all-wheel-drive and a hybrid powertrain were in the works, the S650 will be powered solely by internal combustion and still have rear-wheel-drive only. Plus, they’re hoping Ford hopes to extend the life of this generation by eight years, up from the usual six. It would be safe to say though that this could be the last internal combustion Mustang we see.
The perspective of a Mustang GT3 Racer
While the advent of the new road car is exciting, we also expect to see a new GT3 Mustang racer from Ford as well. Very recently, Ford posted an interesting tweet on the Ford Performance Twitter page. It featured a brief audio clip playing what sounded like an engine from the cockpit of a race car. That, of course, would be the new Ford Mustang GT3 race car. This machine is set to contest the IMSA Sports Car Series in 2024, as the championship moves to GT3 racing for its GT classes.
We know the new GT3 Mustang will likely use a naturally aspirated 5-litre Coyote V8 engine under the hood, developed by Ford Performance and built by legendary UK-based M-Sport, one of Ford’s biggest partners. This company is of course best known for its success with Ford in the World Rally Championship. We should get another look at this GT3 car at the Detroit Auto Show alongside the next-generation road-going Mustang, which will help make the show an incredibly exciting event. Of course, there’s more to come from the Mustang road, too.
A possible major interior overhaul is underway
The consensus is that the exterior of this latest generation Mustang won’t be too different from the last. It’s inside that the biggest changes could happen. Expect to see a digital instrument cluster as the centerpiece of the S650’s interior, a cluster that should wrap itself in a driver-focused infotainment touchscreen. And good news for many, additional buttons should be present for some of the basic functions, such as increasing the volume of your radio and music.
One last hurray for internal combustion
This generation of Mustang could become the most memorable and important to date. Many will no doubt breathe a sigh of relief that internal combustion should power this new Mustang. But we all know the future is coming and a hybrid, or electric, Mustang could be the next model. At least this generation’s eight-year runtime gives Ford time to figure out what to do next. The S650 generation of the Mustang may well go down in history as the end of an era. So we should cherish it very much while we still have it.
Sources: TopSpeed, Automotive News, Jim Farley’s Twitter page, Ford
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