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Now that the Mustang is the last "traditional" V8-powered American muscle car, Ford is capitalizing on its time at the top
by Sam D. Smith
- Ford executives believe that Mustang sales will continue to be solid because it is the last V8 muscle car on sale.
- Demand for the V8-engined Mustangs continues to impress, even outside of the U.S., despite consumer push towards greener alternatives.
- No word on an all-electric or hybrid version yet.
Ford is sitting pretty at the top of the muscle car tree and wants to capitalize on its position by growing Mustang sales. In the absence of some of its traditional rivals, such as the Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger, the Mustang is now the last of the “traditional” American muscle cars powered by a good ol’ V8.
Despite the reluctance of Ford’s rivals to bring a new eight-cylinder sports car to market, the Blue Oval sees an opportunity to pander to those who have a hankering for a large-displacement, big-power machine. Currently V8 engine ‘Stangs account for 52 percent of U.S. model sales, with European consumers preferring the larger engine too.
More: Ford Mustang 60th Anniversary Retro Package Teased, Debuts April 17
There’s even continued strong demand for right-hand drive variants, which are sold in Australia, the United Kingdom, and Japan.
Despite U.S. sales declining since a high in 2015, execs say the Mustang formula continues to work. Even in the face of a more green agenda, with consumers, by and large, moving away from two-door coupes, sales figures have remained steady since 2020 and can justify the car’s continued existence. It also helps that a smaller-engine offering, the 2.3-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost, can fill in the gap between the top-flight hairy-chested models and other performance coupes.
Although an ICE version of the Dodge Charger has been confirmed for 2025, that car will feature a downsized six-cylinder powerplant, ditching the V8. The Hurricane straight six variant of the Charger will join the company’s much-hyped EV Daytona. As yet, there’s no word on a battery-electric two-door Mustang nor on the reportedly canceled hybrid model that had initially been rumored to be introduced along with this generation.
“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.”
We know that the next exciting chapter in the pony car’s story will be the 2025 Mustang GTD —the most powerful roadgoing Mustang to roll out of the factory. The flagship model will feature a supercharged 5.2-liter V8 engine with a target output of 800 hp, trick aero, and a starting price expected to be around $300,000.
