While the 2024 Ford Mustang just ushered in an entirely new generation for the iconic pony car – complete with a V8 engine option – the same cannot be said of its rivals. In fact, production of the Dodge Challenger and Chevy Camaro ended recently, while the all-new Dodge Charger will only be offered with either an I-6 or as an EV. As one might expect, The Blue Oval sees this as a huge opportunity for it in terms of growing sales, now that the Ford Mustang no longer has any directly V8-powered rival to contend with, as Jeff Marentic, general manager of Ford Blue, recently explained to CNBC.
“We’re excited to continue to offer Mustang. It’s sad to see competition leaving but that’s beneficial to us,” Marentic said. “For people who are looking for a true American sports car, it’s available to them. We’re looking and talking about the future of Mustang, and how far we can grow it. I can understand the green movement, but we’re so proud of our V8s. It helps define who Ford is outside of the United States. People relate extremely strongly to Mustang. The pull is amazing.”
As Ford Authority previously reported, the S650 generation Ford Mustang is slated to continue to be offered at least through the duration of the relatively new master contract between the automaker and the United Auto Workers (UAW) union, a deal that expires in May 2028 – which is also the case of the supercharged 5.2L V8 used in the Ford F-150 Raptor R and Mustang GTD.
As for the V8 in general, Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance, previously stated that FoMoCo plans to continue to offer that particular type of engine in the Mustang as long as it possibly can, depending on regulatory changes in the coming years. Aside from tradition and cornering the market in terms of V8-powered pony cars, this also makes sense given the fact that the vast majority of 2024 Ford Mustang customers are opting for a V8, too.
We’ll have more on the Mustang and the future of the V8 soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford Mustang news and continuous Ford news coverage.
Comments
V-8’s…….Nothing better!!
Last man standing…