Following the debut of the all-new, next-generation S650 Ford Mustang this week, it’s clear that the current variants of the long-running pony car – the Mach 1 and Shelby GT500 – will be going away, at least temporarily. As Ford Authority reported earlier today, the GT500 will bow out after the 2022 model year, in fact, while the Mach 1 will live on through the last year of the S550 in 2023. However, sources familiar with the matter have told Ford Authority that the S650 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 will debut in 2025 as a 2026 model, which means it won’t be absent from the lineup for too long.
If the S650 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 remains on track for a 2025 release for the 2026 model year, this means that the next-gen variant will arrive earlier for the seventh-generation than the sixth, as the S550 didn’t get a GT500 until the 2020 model year after debuting for 2015.
The S550 Shelby GT500 is equipped with the supercharged Ford 5.2L V8 Predator engine, which cranks out 760 horsepower and 625 pound-feet of torque. It’s mated exclusively to Ford’s seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, and is equipped with a host of suspension upgrades and aero modifications that help it live up to its billing as the ultimate version of the current-gen Mustang.
Meanwhile, the regular 2024 Ford Mustang will continue to be offered with enhanced versions of the existing Ford 2.3L I-4 EcoBoost and Ford 5.0L V8 Coyote powerplant. While the EcoBoost will no longer be available with a six-speed manual transmission, the Coyote will continue to be offered with both the manual and the Ford 10-speed automatic gearbox, which is now the only option for base four-cylinder models.
Finally, the Mustang Dark Horse was also unveiled alongside the regular versions of the pony car packing a fortified version of the Coyote V8 that’s projected to produce 500 horsepower and is mated to a Tremec six-speed manual transmission. The Dark Horse will also be available in two track-only variants and is the basis for a big motorsports push consisting of multiple new Mustang racers, one of which will compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
We’ll have more on the S650 Ford Mustang soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford Mustang news, Mustang Shelby GT500 news, and continuous Ford news coverage.
Comments
It’ll be interesting to see if Ford ups the horsepower of the S650 GT 500 to something closer to 900 or 1,000…or who knows…maybe more. The only issue will be competing with Shelby American and their “magic wand” programs like the KR and others. Should be interesting to watch how this potential crossover of Ford engineers potentially increasing not only horsepower but upping their game in the suspension arena as well.
That kind of output is almost impossible for a low displacement engine without high volume turbos and a hybrid system. The only way they make that kind of power with just a supercharger and still make it reliable is with a big block. I hope they do that, but I’m not optimistic.
CONCORDO MEU AMIGO
I was underwhelmed by the reveal, it wasn’t ready for prime-time in my opinion. Low on facts and info and high on fluff and stuff that will appeal to a twenty something still living at home, the new Mustang S650 won’t be a car I’ll be willing to give up my ’21 HPP/HP 6 speed for anytime soon. I guess if I wanted a car that looked like a Charger from the front and a Camaro from the rear, with a dash that looks like it would be stuffed into an EV, I’d just buy one of the last of the Camaro’s. After 32 years, and owning all Mustang gen’s except for the 2nd, I don’t see myself parting with my cash for an S650. And every 50-something guy I know tells me the same thing. So good luck Ford, you’re gonna need it after you’ve literally alienated the very people who can afford, and still wanted your cars.
You make a lot of valid points. Ford removing both the “c” side body lines and the double brow dash was a shockingly bad decision. Still, IMO, it looks good and promising, but it doesn’t really look like a Mustang anymore. I believe they intentionally water down the style so it’s easier to make a big splash at the mid-generation refresh, so I suspect these issues will be resolved in a few years, but at this price those games leave a bad taste. Also unimpressive are the fragile plastic interior finishes, manual Recaro’s at $2k, and 3800+ curb weights. Add those to a long consistent string of horrible Ford dealer experiences I’ve had in the last few years, and I’m out. Plus, I really think Ford needed AWD this gen otherwise it’s just more of the same and increasingly uncompetitive. Still, I bet a few years from now this gen will be the best looking and performing modern Mustang. But even if it is, I’ve moved on.
Well, here is a 60-something guy and I like it. I’ve owned 12 Mustangs including ALL generations and been a member of a Mustang club for 43 years. So far, I like my 2015 S550 better but I’ll wait until I see the S650 in-person before making a final decision. As far as the presentation is concerned, things like final HP figures are never released this early in the development cycle.
The S650 GT looks MUCH better than the S550 GT to me. I’m looking forward to seeing the S650 GT500!
I hope they chuck in a DOHC aluminum big block just for old times sake. That kind of engine would make well over 760 hp naturally aspirated, so if you throw a supercharger on it, there’s your quadruple digit horsepower rating. It’s wishful thinking, but then again, they almost decided to produce a 10 liter Mustang in the early 2000s.
There was a SN95 that someone put in a 6.8 litre 10 cylinder modular engine, not 10 litres.
I said almost. They made something they called the SVT Boss in the SN95 generation that had a 10 liter NA V8 making 855 hp. It was made as a response to the ZL1 Camaro prototype from the same time, which also had a 10 liter V8 making much less power, but since GM got shown up they cancelled the project, which caused Ford to stop making them after just 1 unit. It runs a quarter mile in the mid 10 range.
Hopefully this S650 will produce more horsepower than the dodge demon. Sure would be awesome before everything goes electric