Mustang Rumor: Ford to Axe the V8 by 2024
Alleged Mustang conference call notes surfaced recently, but here’s why you should take them with a big grain of salt.
Mustang fans, perhaps more so than followers of any other model, have certainly faced their fair share of adversity in the past. We’ve lived through the oil crisis of the ’70s, the Mustang II, and Ford’s attempt to make the Mustang a Probe. And now, after reveling in the joys of the 3rd gen Coyote and unveiling of the fastest Mustang ever, the GT500, we’re also having to deal with seeing a pony badge on the Mach-E, an all-electric SUV. But if a recent internet forum rumor proves to be true, things could be taking a sharp turn for the worse in the near future.
Mustang 6G forum user EGM posted what is allegedly a series of notes from an official Ford conference call recently in this thread. And needless to say, there’s a lot to digest here. The bulk of the call centers around the Mach-E, specifically Ford’s decision to slap the Mustang name on it. And that information pretty much coincides with what we’ve heard from the Blue Oval already, officially. The automaker is sticking to its guns and has no plans to change the name, despite outcries from enthusiasts.
But Wait…There’s More
The more interesting and unconfirmed tidbit from this call centers around the future of the Mustang we know and love. According to the notes, Ford plans on unveiling the next-gen Mustang in the Spring of 2020. Which really isn’t new news. In fact, we’ve known for over a year now that Ford planned on rolling out the next-gen Mustang in the 2021 model year, which confirms this timeline.
The shocking piece of this conference call relates to not just the future of the Mustang, but what sort of powerplants it’ll be available with. And apparently, that won’t include a V8. The call notes suggest that Ford hasn’t figured out how to make the Coyote work under emissions standards contained within the “Green New Deal,” a proposed piece of legislation that addresses climate change. Nor can they afford to re-engineer it to work.
Of course, these rumors are completely unsubstantiated and could be entirely made up. Plus, it’s important to keep in mind that the Green New Deal is simply a proposal at this point. It failed to pass the Senate when it was voted upon back in March. Depending on how things pan out politically in the upcoming elections, it may or may not regain traction. But unless you’ve got a crystal ball, there’s really no way to know for sure.
Personally, we find it hard to believe that Ford will completely ditch the V8 in the Mustang. More likely, they’ll continue to sell it with one, but while simultaneously offering alternatives like the Ecoboost and a hybrid or all-electric version to satisfy emissions standards. These conference call notes point out that Ford’s executive crowd is younger and doesn’t understand the Mustang’s heritage. But that’s also hard to believe, especially considering the presence of the Bullitt, rebirth of the Mach 1, not to mention the Shelby duo. Ford has been more than happy to celebrate the Mustang’s heritage in recent years, in fact.
Thus, take these rumors, as always, with a grain of salt. And if they do prove to be true, you can bet that enthusiasts won’t take it lying down. After all, history has proven that, time and time again.
Photos: Ford Motor Company
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