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Following the downfall of the Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge's V8-powered Charger and Challenger, Ford has suddenly found itself sitting at the very top of the muscle car game. While Dodge has already revealed a next-generation Charger with a gas-powered option, it's limited to the Hurricane inline-six. As for the Camaro, a combustion engine will never lie under the hood of that model again.
While rivals have become hesitant when it comes to bringing a new V8 engine to market, the Blue Oval promises Mustang fans that it won't back down from offering its beloved eight-cylinder. Instead, it will take advantage of the absence of a V8 in other muscle cars, and will use this as one of the Mustang's selling points.
"It’s sad to see competition leaving but that’s beneficial to us,” said Jeff Marentic, general manager of Ford Blue products. Speaking to CNBC, he continued: “For people who are looking for a true American sports car, it’s available to them… We’re looking and talking about the future of Mustang and how far we can grow it."
Ford's willingness to keep the V8 in the Mustang is backed by numbers as well. The automaker says the larger engine makes for 52 percent of U.S. sales for the muscle car––that's more than half. The Mustang is also doing well in right-hand drive markets, including the United Kingdom, Australia, and Japan. These consistent sales come despite the mass migration away from large two-door coupes, especially ones with larger-displacement engines.
As for what's in store for the future, not much is known about what Ford plans to do with the Mustang beyond the V8. There's a chance it could launch an electric version alongside the V8 and EcoBoost V6 models, but that wouldn't happen until the next generation arrives. There have also been rumors about Ford launching a hybrid Mustang for this generation, but the project has allegedly been cancelled. What matters is that the V8 is here to stay, and Ford will offer future powertrains as an extra option rather than a full replacement.
Image Credits: Ford
Report
Apr 5, 2024
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Ford Will Take Advantage Of Rivals Dropping V8s By Keeping It In The Mustang
While rivals shy away from offering large-displacement engines, this Ford will continue to pack a V8.
Following the downfall of the Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge's V8-powered Charger and Challenger, Ford has suddenly found itself sitting at the very top of the muscle car game. While Dodge has already revealed a next-generation Charger with a gas-powered option, it's limited to the Hurricane inline-six. As for the Camaro, a combustion engine will never lie under the hood of that model again.
While rivals have become hesitant when it comes to bringing a new V8 engine to market, the Blue Oval promises Mustang fans that it won't back down from offering its beloved eight-cylinder. Instead, it will take advantage of the absence of a V8 in other muscle cars, and will use this as one of the Mustang's selling points.
"It’s sad to see competition leaving but that’s beneficial to us,” said Jeff Marentic, general manager of Ford Blue products. Speaking to CNBC, he continued: “For people who are looking for a true American sports car, it’s available to them… We’re looking and talking about the future of Mustang and how far we can grow it."
Ford's willingness to keep the V8 in the Mustang is backed by numbers as well. The automaker says the larger engine makes for 52 percent of U.S. sales for the muscle car––that's more than half. The Mustang is also doing well in right-hand drive markets, including the United Kingdom, Australia, and Japan. These consistent sales come despite the mass migration away from large two-door coupes, especially ones with larger-displacement engines.
As for what's in store for the future, not much is known about what Ford plans to do with the Mustang beyond the V8. There's a chance it could launch an electric version alongside the V8 and EcoBoost V6 models, but that wouldn't happen until the next generation arrives. There have also been rumors about Ford launching a hybrid Mustang for this generation, but the project has allegedly been cancelled. What matters is that the V8 is here to stay, and Ford will offer future powertrains as an extra option rather than a full replacement.
Image Credits: Ford
