Facing stricter emissions regulations, some cars lose power as engineers have no other way but to tweak the engine to comply with stricter legislation. A relevant example is the Ford Mustang California sold in Europe where it makes 10 hp and 30 lb-ft less than its North American equivalent. It was the same story with the Bullitt, and even the US-spec ‘Stang has lost some ponies as the 2022MY came with 10 hp and 10 lb-ft less than the 2021MY.
The silver lining is a new report from Ford Authority claiming the V8 version of the next-generation Mustang will come with extra oomph for the naturally aspirated 5.0-liter mill. The S650-gen model is said to have nearly 500 hp, which would represent a bump of almost 30 hp compared to the current Mach 1 and a substantial 50 hp over the GT. At the moment of writing, it’s not known which of the two flavors will have this output.
Another piece of the puzzle we’re currently missing is the torque number, which currently stands at 410 pound-feet (558 Newton-meters) for both the GT and Mach 1. The V8 is said to be a carryover rather than an all-new engine, much like the smaller 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder unit. Ford CEO Jim Farley has strongly suggested a stick shift will remain available for the Mustang by putting a #SaveTheManuals hashtag in a tweet announcing the ‘Stang will debut on September 14 at the Detroit Auto Show.
Although prototypes spotted thus far have been heavily camouflaged, it is believed the exterior styling will be evolutionary rather than revolutionary. More significant changes will take place inside the cabin where the 2024 Mustang is set to receive a new digital instrument cluster and infotainment, along with a redesigned flat-bottomed steering wheel and a revamped center console.
While an all-wheel-drive system has reportedly been ruled out, the iconic sports car could get a hybrid powertrain further down the line. It is believed Ford intends to sell the S650 for about eight years, with a wild rumor from Autoline claiming an electric Mustang is set to enter production in December 2028 when the ICE-powered variant will be discontinued altogether.
Meanwhile, the upcoming Mustang – expected as a 2024 model year – is going to be manufactured at the same Flat Rock Assembly Plant as part of a wider $3.7 billion investment into US production, including the next-gen Ranger at the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne.
