Seventh generation Mustang to be last ICE powered model
BY PETER BARNWELL
HEADS UP: If you are planning to buy a petrol-powered Ford Mustang any time soon, the new, seventh generation ’Stang, due to go into production in March next year, will almost certainly be the last Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) Ford pony car.
The timeline for the last ICE Mustang comes to an end in 2028 or 2029 depending on how long Ford is prepared to soldier on with the iconic sports coupe using thermal powertrains.
They already have the necessary underpinnings for a Mustang EV in the form of the current Mustang Mach-E SUV platform, so it won’t be too difficult to create and electric ‘Stang…
Ford’s stated objective is to be full electric by the end of the decade and in line with that ambition, the giant car-maker is rapidly rationalising its ICE range and culling thousands of staff who will not be needed in the electric age as cars will require fewer components and share many of them across model lines.
Petrol heads need not worry about a Mustang EV’s performance because, based on what Ford is producing in the EV space, it will likely be faster and quicker than the ICE cars.
For example, the F-150 Lightning EV will clock a 0-100km/h in the low 4.0 second bracket… thanks to 420kW and 1080Nm outputs from a twin electric traction motor drivetrain. That’s quick by anyone’s measure – and especially so for a heavy pick-up truck. No wonder the order backlog for Lightning EV stretches to tens of thousands.
It augurs well for Mustang, if you don’t crave the distinctive feel and sound of a petrol V8 engine burbling under the bonnet.
Which will no doubt create a conundrum for Ford as they would be totally aware of the passion Mustang owners hold for their ICE-powered cars, hence the longer than industry normal model life for gen’ seven Mustang as we roll inexorably towards an EV future.
Other US car-makers like Dodge are already pulling the pin on their V8-powered muscle cars that will disappear within a year or two in favour of EV versions.
The gen’ seven Mustang is set to launch within weeks to high anticipation from keen buyers many of whom have grown up alongside the iconic model. It is not known but is suspected that a speculators market already exists for the new Mustang.
According to Automotive News, the first-generation Mustang was aimed at attracting the coming wave of post war baby boomers who wanted “something more hip and exciting than their parents’ sedans”.
The Mustang II was a smaller, fortuitously timed answer to the oil crisis of the 1970s, while the current generation was the first to go global as Ford strove to be more competitive and profitable in overseas markets such as Europe and China.
Since the sixth generation Mustang debuted, Ford’s iconic sports car has spawned a wide range of variants, including the model’s first four-cylinder offering, and revival-style nods to Blue Oval pony car royalty such as the Shelby GT500 and Mach 1.
To celebrate the arrival of the latest model, Ford is asking Mustang owners to form a parade referred to as The Stampede, snaking from Ford’s Dearborn headquarters to downtown Detroit for the reveal of the seventh-generation car on September 14, opening day of the Detroit Motor Show.
Despite Ford being in the process of reinventing itself reorganising its work force to prioritise electric vehicles, they account for less than three per cent of its US sales so far this year according to Automotive News.
But that mix is beginning to shift quickly, and Ford is rushing to get ahead of the curve. Since April 1, it has reported selling 286 more of its Mustang Mach-E electric crossover in the US than gasoline Mustangs.
Numbered among Ford’s ICE-powered cars rolling towards being culled are the EcoSport, Transit Connect, Escape and Edge.
From this you can deduce Ford is placing its main focus on the F-Series, Mustang and Bronco; which, says Automotive News, are vehicle families using platforms with relatively long life cycles that can be occasionally upgraded with derivatives and special editions, reducing the urgency of ground-up redesigns.
The generation seven Mustang will be built on a new platform, called S650, which is like the current S550 platform with carry over engines from the current model probably including the 2.3-litre four-cylinder EcoBoost along with V8s in various tunes.
In the US, the current 5.0-litre V8 Mustang Mach 1 pumps out 345kW of power and 556Nm of torque and the Shelby GT500 flagship’s stroked 5.2-litre V8 version delivers 567kW and 847Nm. Both engine choices and the four-cylinder are likely to continue with gen’ seven Mustang though a manual transmission may not be available.
It is unknown what specification we will get Down Under but something like the above is likely. Rumblings of a hike in power (and performance) are resonating in enthusiast and motorsport circles.
Talk of a twin-turbo V6 seems unfounded as does hybrid petrol electric which appears to have vanished from Ford’s planning as they (and others) realise hybrids are being largely overlooked in favour of pure electric vehicles.
Ford has stated that the petrol-powered Mustang will remain rear-wheel drive so no AWD though it was mooted at some stage.
In terms of appearance, certain images have been leaked or mocked-up by various publications to suggest the new car will have similar lines to the current model but with a more aggressive, perhaps more rounded style particularly around the frontal area.
There is no word yet on the availability of a drop top at this stage though it seems unfathomable that there wouldn’t be one.
According to Automotive News, Ford has told suppliers it is stretching the product’s lifecycle from six to eight years, all but ensuring this will be the final petrol-powered Mustang before the expected switch to battery power around 2029.
The generation seven Mustang and the eighth-gen Mustang EV will be produced out of Ford’s Flat Rock facility in Michigan.
Locally, new orders for the Ford Mustang are currently suspended as the manufacturer endeavours to address microprocessor shortages plaguing the model’s production. As a result, year-to-date sales of the Mustang sit at just 1792 units to the end of June, a decrease of 57.6 per cent over the same time last year.
Australian retail pricing for the MY2022 Ford Mustang range – which was increased by up to $1100 earlier this month – begins at $52,590 plus on-road costs for the 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbo manual coupe and tops out at $75,990 plus ORCs for the 5.0-litre V8-powered automatic convertible.
Ford’s display at the upcoming Detroit Motor Show will be interesting to say the least.
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