Ford Planning 8-Year Lifespan For Next-Gen Mustang
A new report says Mustang fans can expect the model to the be available through 2030.
Right now, the Mustang is the only car Ford makes, as the ever-increasing demand for crossovers, SUVs, and trucks has pushed it to abandon the market. So it’s good to know learn that, at least according to our friends at Automotive News, the Blue Oval’s iconic sports coupe will be around for at least another decade.
Given that it’s expected to become available sometime in 2022, that means the next-gen model will have a lifespan of at least eight years, which is a bit long — unless you’re Dodge.
Previous reports suggested a six-year lifespan for the eagerly anticipated new Pony, but given how many advances we’re supposed to see, stretching the timeline makes sense. Code named the S650, the next-gen Mustang is expected to share its platform with the Explorer, which will keep the Blue Oval from having to design a totally unique chassis. That’s a cost-management move, to be sure, but it’s the exactly kind of creativity which will allow the Mustang to continue as a model.
Because while it’s unquestionably popular, at this point, the Mustang as much a marketing tool as it is a car. If it were to suddenly disappear, it wouldn’t torpedo Ford’s fortunes.
It’s important to remember that in 2019, the company moved less than 80,000 Mustangs off dealer lots, while in comparison, it sold over 900,000 F-150s. So while it might have loads of loyal fans, at the end of the day, the Mustang isn’t a cash cow. Production can’t break the bank.
Penny-pinching aside, platform sharing also opens up some great opportunities for the Mustang — like all-wheel drive. Of course, there’s been no official confirmation, and patents are hardly a guarantee of forthcoming features. But the Twin-Motor Drive System for Hybrid Electric Vehicle filing which made waves last year heavily suggests a hybrid Mustang is in the mail. And when power gets sent to all four-wheels, there will almost certainly be some trick torque vectoring to improve cornering.
The idea of an all-wheel-drive Mustang is attractive, certainly, as are the crazy power gains we could expect from the hybrid system. But if the front wheels wind up driven by electric motors, the big question is what that layout means for the manual gearbox. And we fear the answer is nothing good.
Unfortunately, we can easily foresee a world where the top-spec Mustang isn’t available with a manual anymore. In fact, it’s probably the most likely scenario. In the world of enthusiast cars, the stick shift has become a rare thing indeed, and even today, the Shelby GT500 doesn’t have a row-your-own gearbox. The reasons for opting for a DCT were lightening-fast shift times, along with the fact that Ford doesn’t have a manual that could handle the 760 horsepower and 625 lb-ft of torque that the supercharged V8 pumps out. And both make sense.
So while it pains us to say it, we bet the same argument will be used when the nest GT debuts — but we sincerely hope we’re wrong.
Now, one thing we haven’t seen mentioned anywhere is how much aluminum the next-gen Mustang will use. Back in 2015, after the new aluminum F-150 had debuted to widespread acclaim, Ford executive Joe Hinrichs spoke at the Automotive News World Congress, where he said, “I don’t think we’ll see a dramatic increase in all-aluminum cars.” But that was a long time ago — and Hinrichs abruptly left the company last year.
Since Ford has likely learned loads about working with alloys while manufacturing the F-150, we think it’d be amazing to see those lessons lead to an-aluminum Mustang. The weight savings would be fantastic, and alloy-construction would be another step toward making it a world-beating sports car. Since Chevrolet is poised to pull the plug on the Camaro, and everything from Ma Mopar is more straight-line bruiser than corner carver, the Mustang soon won’t have any domestic competition. So it’d make sense for the model to start punching up, and perhaps try to poach performance-minded buyers from high-end European marques like Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW.
While we have some reservations about the platform sharing, overall, we’re excited about the forthcoming car, and can’t wait until spy shots start surfacing. What would you like to see on the next-gen Ford Mustang? Shoot us a message and let us know!
Photos: Ford
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