Ford Mustang's future: Petrol power alive and bucking – Farley

Seventh-gen Mustang as the final petrol model? "We’re not going there, no, no way, no. The customers will decide."

Ford has confirmed the iconic Mustang soundtrack is safe long into the eighth generation, with petrol powered engines confirmed for both the freshly revealed seventh-gen model, as well as its successor.

Speculation has previously suggested the new 2023 Mustang would introduce some form of electrification alongside petrol power, marking the final swansong for the model. However, not only has Ford now rolled-out a petrol-only two-powertrain line-up, Ford’s top executive has revealed that it won’t be the last.

When asked if the seventh-gen Mustang would be the final petrol version at its reveal in Detroit, Ford president and CEO Jim Farley made it clear that a V8 would be available as long as a demand existed.

We’re not going there,” he said, “No, no way, no. The customers will decide.

“That’s what we’re doing with our ICE business, we’re going to keep investing, keep our ICE products really exciting but make them more opinionated. We want to be opinionated about our products.”

While some manufacturers are being forced to cull popular petrol-powered models regardless of the customer demand, Farley explained that Ford is in an enviable position when it comes to corporate average emissions, thanks in part to the Mustang’s electric sibling. (You're welcome, Mach-E haters – Ed.)

“The good thing is that we are investing in the seventh generation because we have Mustang Mach-E, because we’re number-two in the US for electric, because we’re number-two in the US for hybrid. That gives us the ability to do this.

“Other competitors are buying credits for emissions and they can’t come out with this kind of vehicle. We can. It’s so exciting that, in a way, the Mustang Mach-E allowed this car to happen.”

In addition to the returning four-cylinder Ecoboost and V8 GT variants, Ford used the reveal to introduce a new performance V8 halo variant dubbed the Dark Horse – a road-going Mustang that will evolve through two additional S and R versions into a GT3 racer to take on the grueling Le Mans 24 Hour.

77

However, Farley revealed that a further, even more hardcore homologated version would emerge to bridge the gap between Dark Horse R and Le Mans conquering racer.

“To go to Le Mans you need a road car. You should be asking what that car’s about but I couldn’t tell you. So there’ll be more,” he promised.

“What I’m saying is that to compete at Le Mans, we need breakthrough technology to win against Ferrari and Porsche. They are the established players and we are the dark horse.

“For us to go and win at Le Mans we have to bring something very special.”