Originally Posted by JonathonK

I'm still taking it with a grain of salt, but apparently horsepowerkings.com has a source inside Ford confirming the V8's demise...
https://themustangsource.com/2017-la...tang-v8-12683/

Originally Posted by JeffreyDJ

Isn't that the same link from the first page of this post which Ford has already denied/debunked?

Originally Posted by JonathonK

I'm still taking it with a grain of salt, but apparently horsepowerkings.com has a source inside Ford confirming the V8's demise...
https://themustangsource.com/2017-la...tang-v8-12683/

Originally Posted by Tony Alonso

Doesn't jive with this Ford source - http://www.carscoops.com/2015/01/for...p-v8-from.html

Originally Posted by Mustang Freak

Hmmm...why does this seem exactly like another thread?!?

Originally Posted by Mustang Freak

Hmmm...why does this seem exactly like another thread?!?

Originally Posted by bt4

I simply don't understand the angst over a V8 (or lack thereof). What has a cylinder count have to do with performance? I seem to recall that the '75 302 produced something like 140-HP. Does anyone feel the need to wax nostalgic over that particular V8?

The Hellcat made a big splash, 6.2L V8, 707-HP--what's not to love? (2.25 tons is a lot to love!) But the most impressive thing about the car is its price. Its performance in no way lives up to the hype. Of course, it is faster than a V6 Mustang. But have you seen the performance numbers of the 2015 GT-R Nismo? (0-60 in 2.7 seconds, 1/4 in 10.8) It doesn't have a V8, and it doesn't top 700-HP, but how many production V8's are quicker?

At a stoplight a Hellcat would see nothing but that ugly rear deck of Godzilla disappearing in the distance. Around a track, the only question is how long it would take for the GT-R Nismo to lap the Hellcat. To be fair, the Challenger/Charger Hellcat is designed to be a boulevard cruiser--the GT-R is designed to be a performance car. The point here is that you simply cannot count the cylinders and designate 8 to define a performance machine and fewer than 8 as something less--it doesn't work that way.

I like a V8, but I am not buying a motor, I am buying a car. (It reminds me of the ridiculous argument over IRS vs SRA--I am not buying a suspension, I'm buying a car). How does it drive; how does it perform; do I like it enough to spend my hard-earned money on it? Cylinder count does not automatically bob to the top of the list.

Originally Posted by wheelman

Source: Ford to discontinue V8 motors in Mustang, F-150 after 2017, will run 4-Cylinder and V6 EcoBoost exclusively

http://horsepowerkings.com/sources-f...50-after-2017/

Can you imagine a Mustang GT with no V8? Can you imagine Ford announcing a 2018 Mustang GT, ‘powered by Ecoboost V6?’ We can’t either, and frankly, it makes us sick to even think about. That is why the following information is disturbing on some many levels.

So, we spent the better part of the day on the ground floor at the COBO Center attending the NAIAS. We are back here at the MGM Grand in Detroit, and what we took away from today was all the buzz surrounding the freshly-debuted Ford GT and 2017 F-150 Raptor, and unsurprisingly, much of that buzz is in regards to the lack of a V8 in these two high profile Ford vehicles.

The lack of a V8 is concerning, especially when discussing such a high profile halo car as the new Ford GT. After all, the entire history of this car revolves around it’s V8 powerplant. Some would argue that it’s the heart and soul of the Ford GT/GT40 legacy, and we would agree.

Regardless, when Ford finally debuted the next-gen Ford GT, powered by a 3.5L Ecoboost V6, our hearts started palpitating. You see, it’s not just the fact that this Ford supercar is powered by a V6 – what is most alarming is that Ford is showing us a very clear picture of the future of their Performance Division.

Troubled by these horrible thoughts, we were able to have a quick chat with one of the many Ford reps here at the show. You see, if you attend enough Auto Shows, you start to build professional and personal relationships with the same manufacturer representatives over the years. And while our source certainly isn’t the end-all of Ford’s future plans, the information he provided us apparently echoes the larger opinion and direction of the executives at Ford. Our source has also been pretty reliable over the years, specifically in regards to Mustangs. If you aren’t sitting down right now, please take a seat – this news might be hard to take:

“Ford is definitely phasing out the V8 motor altogether”, he said – word for word. “CAFE and EPA are working very hard discreetly to to make sure of that. There is quite a bit going on at Ford that the public is in the dark about. The impression that I am getting is that Ford wants to continue it’s V8 program, but things have (rather recently) taken a new direction, presumably from CAFE/EPA pressure in mid to late 2013. Ford have invested quite a bit of money into the Coyote program over the years, and even had plans of going DI (Direct Injection). The future development budget for the 5.2L FPC motor has dwindled, and there is talk that this motor may continue it’s life exclusively in the form of sanctioned racing series, not on the street. The next big thing for Ford at this point is weight savings. They are trying to lighten these Mustangs to get high performance numbers out of the Ecoboost, and whether we like it or not, that is the (near) future. It’s not Ford’s fault, and you can thank the Gov’t for this – not the consumer”.

Our source later went on to explain that “The rebranding/reshuffling of the Ford Performance Division is all a result of this added EPA pressure. Ford wasn’t going to fund a performance program unless it’s primary focus was on the smaller Ecoboost motors, so SVT and Ford Racing were dissolved into this new Performance Division. And unfortunately, it would be foolish to expect to see any new V8 cars coming out of this new Performance Division. Ford Performance is going to be cranking out some very fast cars for some time, but even if the new Shelby GT500 gets the green light, it will likely be the last gasoline Ford V8 will ever produce.”



As anti-progressive as we might sound – we just can’t get on board with the thought of the V8 going extinct. This feels like the nightmare we were always afraid of having, and we can’t wake up. Share your thoughts below.

Originally Posted by bt4

I simply don't understand the angst over a V8 (or lack thereof). What has a cylinder count have to do with performance? I seem to recall that the '75 302 produced something like 140-HP. Does anyone feel the need to wax nostalgic over that particular V8?

The Hellcat made a big splash, 6.2L V8, 707-HP--what's not to love? (2.25 tons is a lot to love!) But the most impressive thing about the car is its price. Its performance in no way lives up to the hype. Of course, it is faster than a V6 Mustang. But have you seen the performance numbers of the 2015 GT-R Nismo? (0-60 in 2.7 seconds, 1/4 in 10.8) It doesn't have a V8, and it doesn't top 700-HP, but how many production V8's are quicker?

At a stoplight a Hellcat would see nothing but that ugly rear deck of Godzilla disappearing in the distance. Around a track, the only question is how long it would take for the GT-R Nismo to lap the Hellcat. To be fair, the Challenger/Charger Hellcat is designed to be a boulevard cruiser--the GT-R is designed to be a performance car. The point here is that you simply cannot count the cylinders and designate 8 to define a performance machine and fewer than 8 as something less--it doesn't work that way.

I like a V8, but I am not buying a motor, I am buying a car. (It reminds me of the ridiculous argument over IRS vs SRA--I am not buying a suspension, I'm buying a car). How does it drive; how does it perform; do I like it enough to spend my hard-earned money on it? Cylinder count does not automatically bob to the top of the list.

Originally Posted by 3point7

Oh man, there's some die hard V8 guys around here that are right now even if they won't admit it. lol Personally I agree with your entire post and I've owned two V8 powered Mustangs and two V6 powered Mustangs. It wouldn't bother me at all to see a twin turbo V6 take the GT slot. I also don't mind the V8 to be honest about it. Who can deny that the sound of the V8 is just an awesome aspect of owning that car. But do we buy cars for how they sound or how they perform or both. Different people buy the car for different reasons. Personally I wouldn't care if Ford dropped the V8 and replaced it with a better performing turbo charged V6. The die hard "it's gotta have a V8" crowd remind me of But I understand how it is when you're really a fan of a particular product. If someone told Jeff they were dropping the 4 cylinder turbo from the lineup he'd be upset too.

Originally Posted by 3point7

Oh man, there's some die hard V8 guys around here that are right now even if they won't admit it. lol Personally I agree with your entire post and I've owned two V8 powered Mustangs and two V6 powered Mustangs. It wouldn't bother me at all to see a twin turbo V6 take the GT slot. I also don't mind the V8 to be honest about it. Who can deny that the sound of the V8 is just an awesome aspect of owning that car. But do we buy cars for how they sound or how they perform or both. Different people buy the car for different reasons. Personally I wouldn't care if Ford dropped the V8 and replaced it with a better performing turbo charged V6. The die hard "it's gotta have a V8" crowd remind me of But I understand how it is when you're really a fan of a particular product. If someone told Jeff they were dropping the 4 cylinder turbo from the lineup he'd be upset too.

Originally Posted by laserred38

And what exactly is wrong with being reminded of Clint Eastwood?

I'm 27, 28 this year. I will never own another V6 Mustang, no matter how well they perform. I just prefer the sound of a V8 and it's *that* simple. It has nothing to do with ego, ***** size, image, or power. It simply has to do with how the engine makes me feel and sounds to my ears. That's it and that's all.

Originally Posted by laserred38

And what exactly is wrong with being reminded of Clint Eastwood? I'm 27, 28 this year. I will never own another V6 Mustang, no matter how well they perform. I just prefer the sound of a V8 and it's *that* simple. It has nothing to do with ego, ***** size, image, or power. It simply has to do with how the engine makes me feel and sounds to my ears. That's it and that's all.

Originally Posted by AlsCobra

It ain't die hard. It's the only reason most of us buy Mustangs. If the V8 was really done away with, that for me would be the end of the mustang. See there's people who just love the mustang styling or nameplate. People who just want to have a mustang. Then there's people who would never buy a mustang that wasn't a V8. In fact the V8 is the only mustang to us. The only other model that I would consider buying is maybe a 4cyl notchback with full intention of a V8 swap.
I've owned 4 Mustangs so far but I've also owned many GM vehicles (all with V8's). Trust me when I say, if Ford really would drop the V8 out the line up, the mustang would die just like the Capri. The Mustang sales numbers would drop by over half guaranteed.

Originally Posted by 3point7

It is die hard even if you can't admit it because you think its some negative connotation. It's not. I'm a die hard 2nd Amendment supporter for instance. Furthermore, when you say "most of us" do you mean "most of us who buy the V8" or "most of us who buy Mustangs in general"? I ask because "most of us" do not buy V8's. The sales numbers are pretty much 50 / 50 and getting more and more like 60 / 40 in favor of the ecoboost / V6 version of the car. The reality is that without the 4 and 6 cylinder version of the Mustang there would be no V8 version because Ford would not sell enough of them to warrant keeping the car in production. There's nothing wrong with being a fan of the V8 version of the car. I've owned two V8 Mustangs so I get the whole mantra surrounding that. I also get that times change and so do customer preferences. I personally think Ford should keep the V8 as an option for the GT and make it standard on cars slotted above the GT. At the same time I think they should offer a twin turbo V6 that can easily perform on the same level as the GT while getting better mpg and lowering the weight at the same time. There are plenty of customers out there who do not hold the sound of the V8 in the same regard and would prefer just the performance level of a TT V6.

Originally Posted by AlsCobra

Well as far as here or on any other mustang site, you are the minority. It's all about the V8. Even our long time regulars here that don't own V8's, really want one and plan on getting one eventually. You have every right to voice your opinions but be prepared for people not to like your opinions. The majority of true enthusiasts are about the V8. Plain and simple. Then again, if you love your EB or sixer, then that's fantastic. But if you try and post against the V8, get ready for backlash. Realistically if I wanted a 4 or 6 cyl sports coupe, it wouldn't be a Mustang anyways. There's better options from the imports.

Originally Posted by AlsCobra

Well as far as here or on any other mustang site, you are the minority. It's all about the V8. Even our long time regulars here that don't own V8's, really want one and plan on getting one eventually. You have every right to voice your opinions but be prepared for people not to like your opinions. The majority of true enthusiasts are about the V8. Plain and simple. Then again, if you love your EB or sixer, then that's fantastic. But if you try and post against the V8, get ready for backlash.

Realistically if I wanted a 4 or 6 cyl sports coupe, it wouldn't be a Mustang anyways. There's better options from the imports.