But will it be the only real modern muscle car moving forward?
Someone let the cat out of the bag, revealing the seventh-generation Ford Mustang will be unveiled this year at the Detroit Auto Show. Smartly, organizers of the show moved it from the dead of winter to September, so we don’t have long to wait. This also means rumor and speculation about what’s in store for the Blue Oval’s famous pony runs the range.
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Obviously, Ford let this detail slip to get the hype machine going, and it’s working. Plenty of automotive sites are postulating about what the new Mustang will be like, what features it will include, etc. Supposedly, the Coyote V8 is still in the mix along with the far less exciting, no I would say regrettable, 2.3-liter EcoBoost. In other words, the Mustang camp will continue to be divided into those who own a muscle car and those who look like they own a muscle car.
The manual transmission will also continue on despite it being ditched for the current Shelby GT500. While this and the V8 inclusion are reasons to celebrate, I have to wonder not only how many will be available to the public thanks to government-imposed fleet fuel economy standards, but how much these enthusiast-favorite features will cost. It seems performance is becoming less and less accessible these days and that’s something I simply can’t celebrate.
Also, with Ford carrying over the engines for the seventh-gen Mustang, does that mean it’s pouring the R&D dollars which would’ve gone into a new Coyote into some else? I am referring, of course, to electrification. Speculation that at least a hybrid or all-electric Mustang is in the works has been swirling around for years, but we might actually get one this go around.
But wait, you might say, Ford already has given us an all-electric Mustang, the Mach-E. Yeah, that was a great joke and I keep waiting for the company to take the pony badges off that grocery fetcher, but with each passing month it sinks in that maybe the powers that be in Dearborn actually think it is a Mustang. Or at least they think they can make us believe it is.
Back to the seventh-gen Mustang, I’m sure it will be loaded with all kinds of nostalgic tidbits to get enthusiasts young and old misty eyed. Automakers love to do that, especially when passing you a plate of reheated leftovers. The electrified pony, after all, will be the star of this new generation, so Ford can’t make the V8 better or it might easily outshine the main attraction.
We don’t know for sure what’s going to happen to the Chevy Camaro or Dodge Challenger. Rumors say both are dead man walking, a move which seems odd at least for the Mopar since its sales have been so strong. That said, I can attest that decisions made in the automotive industry are often illogical and bad for business, especially of late, so really anything is possible at this point. In other words, it’s possible the Mustang could be the only true American muscle car left.
The other big question I have is will the next-generation Ford Mustang be stolen from the show? After all, Detroit has a reputation to maintain.
Photos via Ford
