As the age of the electric car begins, there are many reasons to believe that it is a V8 powered car Ford Mustang is perhaps not long for this world. With Ford announcing that by 2030 it will only offer EVs in Europe It’s worth wondering if a V8 Mustang will survive after that date.
All we know for now is that an EV Mustang should be ready for sale by 2030 if Ford Mustangs want to continue selling in Europe (and keep today’s promise). It may not sound super convincing, but you would be surprised to hear how much of a success Europe Europe considers current Mustang. After being re-introduced in Europe in 2015, Ford now calls it the ‘world’s best-selling sports coupe’. Does that mean it’s a make for Ford? Probably not. But this is another reason to suggest that the car manufacturer will have to seriously consider building an electric Mustang in the shape of the current car.
Of course, Ford could continue to sell new generations of V8 Mustangs in other markets such as the US – along with an EV version that will be shipped to Europe after 2030 or wherever. In a sense, he’s doing it now with the Mach-E. But I think all of this offers us some difficult points to work from when we think about what we can expect from the next generation Mustang – which is again the last to offer a V8.
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Assuming that Ford introduces a fully electric Ford Mustang sports car by 2030, this leaves an occasional gap for what I call a lame duck generation. I would expect the next generation Mustang will be a slight upgrade from the current platform, and of course still offers the V8 and manual gearbox that enthusiasts need. But how much attention can this car get if Ford’s engineering teams work hard on the future electric next generation? How big will the budget be to make it feel like a new car compared to the current generation?
These can be important questions, because if this is the last generation to have a V8 engine, people will want it to be damn good.
Of course, the current Mustang is incredible. It offers one of the best bargain value deals in the world, is available at almost every price point, with half a dozen engine options, all of which seem to carry the legacy of the Mustang well. But will the next generation? Even if it’s just a light update, a stop-gap for the EV car? Will it just be a series of tailored special editions? Or will Ford ship the V8 with something we will never forget?
My hope is that Ford will save some special ‘last days of the V8’ cars for the launch of the EV Mustang sports car – at the end of the next generation, not this one. This is when the argument for selling a V8 sports car becomes even more difficult and Ford actually has to fight to keep the model in countries like the US while dying in Europe and elsewhere.
But we are not there yet and I do not want to worry about what is going to happen before we need it, at least not in the specific case of the Mustang. At the moment, this is possibly the last chance for Ford to sit down and deliver its ‘wildest dreams’ combustion-powered Mustang. I want to imagine it being done with the same dedication as for us the latest Ford GT, with secret meetings in basements and pressure to build something that cements Ford’s legacy in motorsport.
Yes, picks up on old plans to take the Mustang to Le Mans and actually go through with it. The next decade could be the madness of a wish fulfillment of the last enthusiasm, and the re-launch of the GT and Bronco proved that Ford can really deliver those things. Just pay the same attention to the Mustang.
We do not yet know about the next generation Mustang or any future EV version. Of course, a new Mustang is coming, and I think it’s worth paying attention to something that could be very exciting – maybe the V8 Mustang’s final shape – while there’s still time.
