The debut of the all-new S650-generation 2024 Ford Mustang was one that was also accompanied by the dawn of a new range-topping variant – the Dark Horse – and a major motorsports push encompassing several series. FoMoCo is focusing on a wide array of challenges all over the globe – save for prototype racing, at least – and all of those aforementioned racers are V8-powered as well. Turns out, that will remain the plan going forward, as the four-cylinder-powered Ford Mustang EcoBoost won’t be part of this motorsports push, as Jim Owens, Ford Mustang GTD brand manager, recently explained to The Drive.
“We raced the EcoBoost in the [Ford] GT, but from a Mustang standpoint, we’re focusing on what we have now – GT3, GT4, Dark Horse R – only the V8s,” Owens revealed during this past weekend’s Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona race, where the GT3 and GT4 debuted. “Mustang is the most raced vehicle that we have at Ford, starting in 1901. It’s currently racing on five continents and racing is part of its DNA. Racing helps the Mustang globally and has helped it become the best-selling sports coupe over the last two years running.”
While the Ford Mustang EcoBoost has found success in various motorsports entities over the years, it seems as if Ford doesn’t plan to expand its stable to include that particular model, given Owen’s comments. It is worth noting that the Mustang EcoBoost is eligible for IMSA competition, but it makes sense that Ford would want to simply stick with V8 power across its entire motorsports division, regardless, rather than fielding cars with different cylinder counts.
This is obviously good news for V8 fans, and as Ford Authority reported back in July 2023, the automaker doesn’t plan on ditching that particular type of engine anytime soon, either. “As long as we can [offer a V8], we will,” Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance, said at that time. Rushbrook added that The Blue Oval has “not identified an end date” for the V8 engine in general, and even noted that the automaker could develop a next-generation version of the Coyote powerplant, “depending on where the regulations go.”
We’ll have more on the S650 Mustang soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford Mustang news and non-stop Ford news coverage.
Comments
What about the parallel hybrid Mustang that Ford Authority reported last year? It is similar to the Chevy Corvette E-Ray using electric motors on the front wheels. Such Mustang can have more HP and torque added to the V8 and improve its MPG.
I am a fan of Ford V8s and the Ecoboost 2.3. I have all iterations of G6 Mustangs;
EB PP, GT PP, GT350 and GT500 CFTP. Aside from the current most current generations of Mustangs, being one size to large in terms of exacting nimbleness, the best handling one is the 2.3 EB. That is the only one I stall have for that reason. As a track car, its excels, its the lightest (if 3600lb is light…) and also the best street car as mine has managed over 25 MPG average in 65k miles. It has also seen 7 WI winters.
I like what Ford is doing lately. Keep it up!