The Ford Mustang has a chance as competitors abandon V8 engines

DETROIT – Ford engine sees a chance to spice up Mustang sales by making it the last American muscle automotive with a traditional V8 engine, attracting generations of automotive enthusiasts drawn to performance vehicles.

The optimism comes after the Mustang’s closest American competitors ended production of their muscle cars in December. General Motors discontinued production of the Chevrolet Camaro i Stellar has ended production of the Dodge Challenger V8 ahead of the launch of a latest all-electric muscle automotive later this 12 months, followed by gas-powered models with twin-turbocharged inline-six engines in 2025.

Their exodus (and others within the muscle automotive market) is the results of shifting consumer demand for two-door cars, as well as tightening fuel economy standards and the emergence of fully electric vehicles able to unparalleled acceleration.

Jeff Marentic, general manager of Ford Blue products, including the Mustang, said the horse automotive stays good business for the automaker each at home and abroad. On April 17, Mustang celebrates its sixtieth anniversary.

“We are excited to continue offering the Mustang. We’re sad to see the competition go, but it’s good for us,” Marentic told CNBC. “For people who are looking for a true American sports car, it’s there. … We’re looking and talking about the future of the Mustang and how far we can take it.”

Marentic declined to discuss specific sales expectations for the vehicle, but noted that the company has added a new V8 model called the Dark Horse to the seventh-generation vehicle – a not-so-subtle reference to Ford’s ambitions for a V8-powered car.

Both the 2024 Dark Horse and Mustang GT are powered by a 5.0-liter V8 engine, with the new model producing up to 500 horsepower and 418 lb-ft of torque. Ford also announced the 2025 Mustang GTD with a supercharged 5.2-liter V8 engine, which is expected to arrive later this year and produce over 800 horsepower.

Ford was able to continue selling Mustang V8 models in part because it invested in making the vehicles more efficient and it was early to introduce the smaller, turbocharged four-cylinder engines that now account for about 48% of Mustang sales in the U.S.

Ford also offers the all-electric Mustang Mach-E crossover, which shares design elements and badges with the two-door coupe but shares few other features apart from its name.

“I understand the eco-movement, but we are very proud of our V8 engines,” Marentic said, adding that these models account for the vast majority of Mustang sales in Europe. “It helps define who Ford is outside the United States.”

The seventh-generation Mustang, unveiled by Ford in September, recently began shipping outside North America. According to Ford, it will eventually be sold in 85 markets on all continents except Antarctica.

Sales outside the United States helped maintain production of the Mustang, built exclusively at a plant in metropolitan Detroit, amid declining domestic demand for two-door sports cars.

U.S. sales of the Mustang have fallen from a recent peak of more than 122,000 units in 2015 to just under 49,000 units last year.

According to Ford, more than 235,000 Mustangs have been registered internationally since 2015. That’s when the automaker began producing right-hand drive models for countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia and Japan.

According to Ford, the Mustang’s most important markets outside the United States are Canada, Australia and Europe.

“People have an extremely strong connection to the Mustang,” Marentic said. “The attraction is amazing.”

Marentic declined to discuss future plans for the Ford Mustang, including a hybrid version reportedly canceled for the seventh generation car or the potential of an all-electric version of a two-door vehicle.