The all-new, seventh-generation Ford Mustang is on the way for the 2021 model year, and it will be based on the same shiny new CD6 platform that’s slated to underpin the 2020 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator crossovers, according to sources familiar with The Blue Oval’s future product plans.
The CD6 architecture is understood to be much more flexible than existing Ford vehicle platforms, as it is capable of supporting automobiles of various shapes and sizes with either front-, rear-, and all-wheel-drive configurations, and with either transversely- or longitudinally-mounted engine orientations. In the case of the 20201 Mustang, the CD6 architecture will be configured for rear-drive and a longitudinal powertrain orientation.
The current (S550) Ford Mustang rides on its own, unique platform that’s not shared with any other Ford Motor Company vehicle, so there’s plenty of money to be saved by shifting the next Mustang to a common platform. We can safely assume that the next-generation pony car – code-named “S650” – won’t depart drastically from the established formula, embracing rear-wheel-drive and a 2+2 layout, although Ford’s confirmed plans for a hybrid version of the new Mustang introduce new unknowns.
Apart from these scraps of intel, it’s been rumored that the S650 Mustang could make a priority of weight savings, leveraging Ford’s now-ample experience with aluminum to shed some pounds and compete more effectively with the Alpha platform-based Chevy Camaro.
Expect Ford’s 5.0L Coyote V8 to stick around, possibly with some additional improvements, alongside a new four-cylinder turbo engine. The latter of these is also expected to provide most of the propulsion for the forthcoming Mustang Hybrid, which Ford says will produce “V8 levels of performance and even more torque.”
Ford just recently revamped the existing S550 Mustang for the 2018 model year, three years after its initial debut, so its lifespan is looking significantly briefer than any Mustang before it – save for the not-too-fondly-remembered Mustang II. Notably, the majority of automakers today tend to adhere to an eight-year product cycle for most models.
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Good to know. I’ll be keeping my 2012 until then as I’m not fond of current front design.
As I sit here and think about this information that I’ve just been given and consider the information of the “mustang bits” under the new aviator, I must wonder how badly this Is going to play out. Let’s get this one thing out of the way right now. It will take an act of God for Ford to be competitive on the track or the street against the Camaro. The Camaro is too good of a car for several reasons. The Camaro has a tried and proven PUSHROD V8 with a decent amount of cubic inch displacement and technology all built into a design that has worked since the inception of the V8 engine. Kind of like how Dodge still has a pushrod V8 under the hood of their cars. Yes Ford may have 460-480hp in their mustang but they have no torque whatsoever. How do you have 460hp and only 420lb-ft of torque. The Camaro has 455/455 with one camshaft, why does it take Ford 4-camshafts to still be incompetent? Secondly, why can the same LT1 making 460hp in the corvette receive nearly 30mpg while Ford’s “Smaller is more efficient” 5.0L coyote can barely muster over 24mpg?? Also why is the 526hp super advanced flat plane crank GT350 getting it’s butt kicked by a 460hp Camaro SS with a handling package? why can I get a sunroof in a Camaro and not the Mustang? Now, I know that in 2023 the Camaro is going to be undergoing some serious change in platform and a few other things and Ford is doing the same thing with this new CD6/S650 thing. Granted I hope that GM does do some different things with their engines, like offering a 2.0L Hybrid LT, a 350HP/390TQ 2.7L Turbo Berlinetta, a 405HP/405TQ 3.0LTurbo RS, a 495HP/495TQ 5.0L V8 Z/28, a 530HP/520TQ 5.7L V8 SS and a supercharged 730HP750TQ 7.0L V8 ZL1. Ford Should be offering a 2.0L Hybrid Grande, a 350HP/350TQ 2.3L Turbo SVO, a 400HP/400TQ 3.0L Turbo KING COBRA, a 480/450TQ 5.0L GT, a 535HP/510TQ 5.8L Mach 1, and a 750HP/710TQ 7.0L GT500 of their own in the mustangs. GM had a 405hp 5.7L V8 in a z06 corvette with old tech, I’m pretty sure they could pump that number up a lot higher now with the tech that we have and still make it reliable. I’m more than confident that GM could take a pushrod 5.0 and have it equal the power and surpass the torque of the coyote V8 and it would be lighter and still rev just as high. Just look at the COPO Camaros with the 302, the 350 and the 427 engines. Now obviously I’m not saying take a race only engine and drop it in a street car but I’m sure that a lot of that tech could be used in street variants of pushrod engines to make good horsepower and the tech from things like dual direct and port injection, the 10-speed automatic and a few other things. My whole point in this rant is to go back to simplicity. take a pushrod V8, load it with tech, give it enough displacement, put it on a capable chassis, give it factory Brembo brakes, good styling, give it an attainable price point and lets go. Listen to the customers for a change instead of investors. Investors would be better off listening to their customers because the customers are the ones with the money.
Start your own car company then. Ford is a business. They’re here for profit. The Mustang is the best selling out of the Camaro and the Challenger so they’re doing something right. In fact, it’s the best selling sports car in the world. I’m surprised the 5.0 engine has lasted THIS long in their effort to streamline production. The 5.0 only exists in the Mustang and the F-150 and most in the F-150 opt for the EcoBoost options.
Of course we’d all like a 1000HP $30,000 GT, but realistically, that’s not what today’s mass buyer is interested in. For folks going for the GT, they want a competent, reliable performer with lots of grunt and that looks and sounds aggressive. Ford is delivering. They’re making competent business decisions.
The current V8 is faster and more capable than any Mustang GT before it and it’s selling well. They’re not going to mess that up.
you do realize that the only reason ford is selling so well is because they are sold worldwide right? Also the fact that ford is killing off its cars other than the mustang is a telltale sign that their profits aren’t that high. Also Ford is going back to pushrod engines with the 7x V8 for the upcoming trucks. Don’t get me wrong i like mustangs but they’re not really all that great. Simply put, a pushrod 5.8L V8 would do better against the 6.2L V8 because you would close the horsepower and torque gap and you’d still get decent fuel economy. It would also make it easier for a supercharged 427 GT500 to come into play and a few other things. You’d have a much smaller engine footprint, lighter weight (seeing that the aluminum bare block would be just over 100lbs, plus having all of that on a better chassis and everything else would make for a better car overall. You’d have a better balanced car, good power and everything else.
you do realize that the 5.0 is favorite amongst individual buyers right? The ecoboost is fords fleet go-to. the 3.5 is the factory go to. Fleet sales and businesses aside, the 5.0 is well over half the F150 sales. The 5.0 is not going anywhere soon. If GM’s DSF is included, with the newfound efficiencies, expect the V8’s to come back. Ford has gone through Flatheads, inline sixs, V10’s, V8’s and now ecoboost stages. There will be a new gig for the 2020’s
Not according to Ford. EcoBoost engines have been outselling the V8 option for years.
Also, excluding fleet sales from light duty pickup numbers is downright hilarious.
https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2016/06/29/ford-f-150-ecoboost-hits-1-million-sales–technology-can-save-cu.html
“2.7-liter EcoBoost engine and 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine are most popular among F-150 customers, representing more than 60 percent of F-150 sales mix”
lets put this into context, and you’ll see what I’m saying. Two engines make 60% of sales, leaving 40% between the base engine and the V8, of which the vast majority is the V8. 35% vs 30% win V8 per motor comparison. Also, ecoboost is the gimmick these days. Ford Fleet sales of F150’s comprises of mostly, if not totally ecoboost as that is what is being pushed. So now if you talk about customer preference, when someone goes to the lot to buy a F150, what is the vast majority choosing? taking out fleet sales and certified preowned, you get a spread of 60% V8, 25% 2.7ecoboost, and 12% 3.5 ecoboost and 3% 3.3V6. People want the V8.
You make some excellent points. Youtube is full of videos of people talking about engine and transmission failures in their new 2018 Mustang GTs.
Yawn… I was only able to get past the first 2 sentences.
Thank goodness! I love my 2012, but it needs a diet. I would love to see a smaller, more capable Mustang with current technology and everything that goes along with it. One of the biggest advantages the current Camaro has is that it was 200-300 lbs less than the Mustang. Everything is going to suffer because of that. Weight savings needs to be the priority.
Obviously, Ford knows how to build a competent sports car. They built the GT350R and the GT. If they can get the suspension right, the economies of scale should make this Mustang more solid and better quality all around.
I agree. I almost bought a new 2016 two years ago but came across 2012 GT Premium w/ 7k miles in new condition and was able to negotiate price which amounted to half original cost. I grabbed it and added about $5k in mild modifications and love the car. But I’m looking forward to this new 2021 model and hope as you do that Ford has it lose some weight and maybe pump the 5.0 up to 500 hp! Love Fords 5.0 D0HC design!
2016 Camaro curb weight: 3760 lbs. 2015 Mustang: 3817 lbs. Difference = 57lb (26 kg) or 1.5%. Andrew must be a big boy if he added 200 – 300 lbs to the Mustang.
Big boy? No. But nice try Rob.
Also, according to Car and Drive, the Camaro SS sits at 3685 lbs, almost 200lbs over the Mustang. Without a track focused suspension, that is a big deal.
Don’t be childish.
I like both cars. Now everyone will want to know which is correct so they will look it up like l did.
Since the mustang is going on the new CD6 platform anyway which means the platform can handle the coyote v8, why not give the Explorer a true performance option with a 480hp 5.0L/A10 combo with a focus derived AWD system, a GT350 suspension and brake setup, an exhaust system like the Mustang GT, a more mustang style interior and call it a day. This way people who want a performance v8 vehicle but need more space and live where it snows can have another option beside a Durango srt or a jeep srt
Regarding the CD6 Platform…We’ll see what happens, but the phrase “Jack of all Trades, master of none” comes to mind.
To be perfectly honest, I’m kind of tired of seeing the current 1st gen mustang redo. I’d honestly much rather see the mustang go to the 71-73 Mustang body style now and bring in some different ideas. Like the Boss 351, the return of a Mach 1, a Mustang Grande, a Mustang GT, a Mustang Sprint and a Mustang Cobra. Give us a car that has a little more room, more practicality, more styling, better put together, etc. The car should ride on the CD6 platform so the idea of a better riding coupe shouldn’t be too hard to do. The flat back design of the 71-73 cars gives the car the opportunity to be a lift-back car for better cargo space and a better greenhouse, giving the back seat riders a little more headroom. also, the car should have a slightly wider stance allowing for bigger tires on the performance models and also more room for an AWD drivetrain. the interior should be more comfortable and styled more like the 1970 Mustang interior with an upscale feel to it (even moreso on the Grande). Engine wise, I could see the Mustang Sprint as the base model car with a 2.7L V6 Ecoboost with AWD, the 10-speed auto, sport tuned magnetic ride suspension, dual mode exhaust, Brembo brakes, etc. along with the Grande having the same V6 but focused more on comfort and luxury with an 8-speed auto and magnetic ride with a quiet tuned exhaust system. above that should be the 5.0L GT with the 480hp/420tq V8 and 10-speed auto with rear-wheel drive. A track rat Boss-351 Mustang should replace the Shelby GT350 with a much more powerful 5.8L V8 naturally aspirated tuned to produce 580hp and 450lb-ft of torque similar to the Aluminator 5.2XS crate engine but with more displacement and a broader torque band with a DCT transmission behind it. The Mach 1 should return as the ultimate Street Performance Mustang with a 5.8L V8 putting out the same 580hp but with 500lb-ft of torque with a fat torque band, a 10-speed automatic, magnetic ride, electronic rear differential, heavy duty rear axles, carbon fiber driveshaft w/ brace, Brembo brakes, 20×10″ wheels at all four corners wrapped in 305/35R20 tires, mid-length headers, active valve exhaust system with two resonators in the middle and a transverse rear muffler with massive quad tips, rear spoiler, dual snorkel Mach-1 hood, graphics, aerodynamic enhancements, blacked out grille, amber grille mounted rectangular fog lamps, a Mach-1 unique interior with an improved 12″ digital instrument cluster, heads up display, a 10″ digital center stack infotainment system, heated and cooled seats, redesigned steering wheel with a thick leather/alcantara trim and flat bottom, premium leather and alcantara on all of the upholstery, a sunroof (finally), an upgrade to the B&O stereo system, etc. The Cobra should have a supercharged 5.2L V8 like the upcoming predator engine in the next GT500 pushing similar hp and torque numbers and have styling of its own, it should be the ultimate mustang for the track & strip but still street-legal pushing the 780hp mark. That would be a great mustang lineup. It would also be nice for Ford to bring something to the table to go toe-to-toe with the Charger. A rear-drive based performance sedan like the Australian Ford Falcon but lighter in weight. Even with my ideas about the 71-73 styled next gen mustang, the car should still weight less than a Challenger. You figure, a mustang like what I described above, a Falcon performance sedan, a V8 powered Explorer GT with 480hp plus performance models above that and hopefully the return of a V8 powered Ford F150 Lightning. Ford would be back in business.