With 2022 just passing the halfway point of its first month, the 2024 Ford Mustang is closer to reality than ever. It will be the seventh-generation Mustang, and was supposed to debut in 2021, but was delayed. Now, we have the first set of spy shots of the next generation Mustang with its production body.
Unlike previous sightings of the next-gen Mustang, the prototype seen in the photo gallery, as well as in the images in the article, uses its true body, not a mule based on the existing generation. Fans of the Blue Oval's pony car already know that it will be called S650, and rumors about it are wild.
The next generation of the Mustang is believed to be the last to be offered with an internal combustion engine, and it might note a few other firsts for a 'stang. One of them involves having a hybrid version, while another involves all-wheel drive. The possibility of a hybrid Mustang with all-wheel-drive should not be ruled out.
As you can observe in the photo gallery, the prototype that was spotted while testing on an unspecified track has tailpipes. That is no surprise, as Ford has not announced any plan to ditch the internal combustion engines from the Mustang yet.
From what we can gather from various sources, the next generation of the Mustang will continue to be offered with the 2.3 EcoBoost motor and will also have a V8 available for the GT.
Previous information on the 2024 Mustang involved the availability of an upgraded Coyote motor for the naturally aspirated, 5.0-liter version. There is no word yet on changes in displacement, but a power bump is expected, along with improvements to reduce fuel consumption and emissions to allow it to still be available across the Atlantic.
Ford will also offer a supercharged V8 in the Mustang, but that one is expected to be launched later. The 5.2-liter mill is a Predator motor, which would also receive attention from the engineering team to be the best it can be.
Depending on the fuel economy and emissions figures that the new model will have to comply with at the time of its homologation, as well as fleet emissions targets, the hybrid version of the Mustang might range from a plug-in hybrid to just a mild hybrid.
Photo: S.Baldauf/SB-Medien
Ford offers plenty of models that feature various hybrid setups, so the technology is there to bring electrification to the Mustang range in whatever version will be required. By 2024, mild hybrids would be the norm in the industry, if we are to judge from what we can observe with ongoing models.
With that in mind, we have reason to believe that the upcoming S650 Mustang's hybrid version would be a PHEV or a full hybrid. The latter might be more affordable, while the former would bring the biggest reduction in CO2 emissions, which is the target that the Blue Oval is aiming for. An all-electric, two-door Mustang is reportedly happening by 2029.
The current generation of the Mustang was launched back in 2014, which means it will turn ten years old when its replacement arrives. It was the first of its kind to feature a fully independent rear suspension on all models, as well as the first to be marketed and sold globally. It was a big deal, and it still is if you think about it, even though the Challenger outsold the Mustang in 2021.
When looks are concerned, the new Mustang seems to go for an angular appearance, with a horizontal LED signature in the front, and two vertical light elements in its taillights. The latter would mean a revised idea of the current model's taillights, which have a retro inspiration behind them.
Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland. Full profile
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