An AWD Mustang - sacrilege or improving the breed?

The next-gen Mustang is set to be an all-paw V8-powered monster, according to reports coming out of Europe.

The current S550-gen Mustang has been on sale since 2015, and has been a global sales success thanks to factory right-hand drive production.

We already know the S650 Mustang will be revealed to the public in two years’ time, thanks to a leaked job advertisement, meaning we should see this new model some time in 2022.

Both left- and right-hand drive production is expected to be retained for the next-gen ’Stang.

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Thankfully, the V8 will stay, but, according to Britain’s Autocar, it will be mated to a hybrid system to get it past ever-tightening efficiency restrictions.

That’s not immediately bad news for enthusiasts, though, as it ensures the ongoing success and future of Ford’s Modular V8 dynasty.

According to Autocar, electric power from the hybrid system will be delivered to the front axle exclusively, with the traditional bent-eight transferring power to the aft treads – retaining the classic Mustang rear-drive personality.

It also bodes well for the next-gen Mustang’s performance ability. To whet your appetite for what all-wheel drive will give the S650 Mustang, consider that the Mercedes-AGM GLC 63 S SUV is faster to 100km/h than its C63 S coupe sibling, thanks almost entirely to an AWD drivetrain.

Wheels has experienced frustration in the past trying to get the Mustang’s V8 grunt to the ground – particularly in high-power supercharged variants – as the rear treads alone are unable to complete the task without falling into wheelspin.

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Electric assistance on the front axle should help rectify this issue, and result in some spectacular acceleration figures – even without an increase in combustion power.

The system is reported to be based on a Ford patent from 2017 and would only step in when the rear wheels lose traction, while also providing torque vectoring in the bends.

According to Autocar, the S650 will be built on the CD6 platform shared with the Explorer SUV and Lincoln Aviator.

An all-wheel-drive hybrid V8 option also opens the door for a potentially cheaper non-electrified bent-eight variant, particularly in markets without emissions restrictions, such as Australia.