Report: No Hybrid, No AWD for S650 Mustang
According to a new report, rumors about a hybrid or all-wheel drive S650 Mustang were just that.
Over the last few months, Ford has released a steady drip of information about the S650 Mustang. So though the official reveal won’t happen until September 14th, we know a few things, including the fact that the next generation of the Blue Oval’s prized pony will get both a V8 engine and manual transmission option. Now, thanks to our friends over at Automotive News, we have some more info — about what it won’t get.
The car has a new platform, called S650, but it’s not expected to depart drastically from the current S550 model. A hybrid variant that was planned for mid-decade has been scrapped, according to three people familiar with the plans, and the car isn’t expected to get a long-rumored all-wheel-drive configuration, instead continuing as a rear-wheel-drive sports coupe.
Ford has told suppliers it’s stretching the product’s lifecycle from six to eight years, all but ensuring this will be the final gasoline-powered Mustang before an expected switch to battery power around 2030.
On the one hand, this isn’t bad news. Because there’s something to be said for the purity of driving a powerful rear-wheel drive car with a third pedal. And in an era where manual transmissions are disappearing like free beer at a Colorado Rockies’ game? There’s something to be said for that, even if I’m curious about whether a dual-clutch automatic will be made available on a track-focused GT-level trim.
That said, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious about the possibility of a V8-hybrid powertrain, as it’s been proven that the package offers tremendous potential. It’s also wild to think that we’re less than a decade away from the end of the Ford Mustang as we know it, as the next generation will be all-electric, just like the Mach-E. Even though the reveal is just around the corner, I’m confident there’ll be a few more tidbits about the S650 before then. So stay tuned!
Photos: Ford
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