Official: S650 Mustang Will Debut September 14

Which rumors are true? We’ll find out when the S650 Mustang makes its debut at the Detroit Auto Show on September 14th!

At this point, we still have more questions than answers about the next-generation Ford Mustang. But now, we know that the wraps will come off the new Pony — code named the S650 — at the Detroit Auto Show in September. The official word, courtesy of Ford CEO Jim Farley’s Twitter account, came just a day after an inside source leaked of the plans to our friends over at Automotive News. While nothing is confirmed, expect the S650 to arrive in showrooms in late 2023, as a 2024 model.

In a era where manufactures are retreating from auto shows in favorite of one-off events where they don’t have to compete for attention, opting for a traditional reveal in the Motor City comes as something of a surprise. So the organizers must be thrilled, as the reveal of Blue Oval’s new prized Pony is sure to ignite interest in the event and stoke attendance. That said, while Detroit is a natural place to reveal something from the Dearborn-based automaker, Mustang fans will remember the original car was unveiled at the 1964 World’s Fair, in New York City.

Now, at this point, we don’t know exactly what to expect from the next-gen Mustang. But we have some ideas.

First, Ford has previously revealed that we can expect that a manual transmission will remain available, along with the ten-speed automatic. From some of the spy photos we’ve seen, it’s also pretty clear the styling will be evolutionary. The most exciting thing we’re looking for, however, is the possibility of a hybrid V8 Mustang, which a loose-lipped Ford engineer seemed to confirm in a LinkedIn posting last year.

While it’s possible that a hybrid V8 Mustang could be rear-wheel drive, the more likely scenario is that the front wheels will be driven by electric motors. The possibility of all-wheel drive version opens up a whole new world or performance for the Mustang, which even in its current guise, has become less of a straight-line bruiser, and more of a world-class sports car. The EcoBoost 2.3-liter will likely remain the base model, and I expect that we’ll see a modest increase in power, and not a decrease, like we saw for the 2022 model year. There’s also the possibility of a “Drift Mode,” but we’ll have to wait and see…

Photos: Ford  

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John Coyle

John Coyle is a longtime auto journalist and editor who contributes to Corvette Forum, Ford Truck Enthusiasts and LS1Tech, among other auto sites.