The Sky Isn’t Falling: The S650 Mustang is Fine

By John Coyle - October 14, 2022

With a new vehicle like the S650 Mustang, there are always going to be tuning challenges. Let’s not overreact.

It started almost immediately after Ford took the wraps off the S650 Mustang. Bloggers and YouTubers started posting about the “big problem,” “fatal flaw,” or “deal breaker,” about the newest generation of Mustang. And honestly? You didn’t have to be Nostradamus to see this coming. This kind of hemming and hawing is all part of the rollout process for a modern enthusiast vehicle. The same thing happened with the C8 Corvette.

I’m talking, of course, about the potential to tune it. Or more specifically, I’m talking about fact that that the new version of the Mustang’s ECU is encrypted. So if folks try to tweak settings for more power, they’re going to find themselves locked out — at least initially. And the reason for the extra security is pretty obvious. Remember back in July, when hackers cracked Honda’s key fob tech? That’s the kind of thing this gatekeeping is designed to protect against.

Since the S650 Mustang is designed to allow for over-the-air updates, and also give owners — for whatever reason — the ability to remotely rev their engines, making sure that vehicle’s underlying code stays uncompromised has to take precedence over eeking out a few more ponies. Of course, since Ford is almost going to sell keys to certain tuners, it’s also something of a cash grab. Color me shocked.

Also, I think it’s important to remember that this initial hurtle is only going to impact a small fraction of new Mustang buyers. Because while Ford’s prized Pony has always benefited from a robust aftermarket, the number of folks who are going to want to void the warranty doing something which will — conservatively — cost well north of 30k is a small one. And by the time these are hitting the secondary market? There will be plenty of options for people looking to spend on speed. Mark my words.

Photos: Ford