Photo: Ford
When the Ford Motor Company introduced the sixth generation of the Mustang, a few people were not impressed by the EcoBoost four-cylinder turbocharged engine. The 2.3-liter engine doesn’t make pleasant sounds either, which is why the Active Noise Control system is programmed to pump artificial induction and exhaust sounds inside the cabin.
It’s obvious that Ford offers the EcoBoost as a way of bringing more customers into the showroom, but the Blue Oval missed an important detail about this motor. European buyers want a bellowing V8 because the Mustang wouldn’t be American without eight cylinders and a cross-plane crank. Also worthy of note, European cars have always had small powerplants, which defeats the purpose of the Mustang EcoBoost in the Old Continent.
Better late than never, the Ford Motor Company found out the hard way that customers have the last say. Autocar and several other publications received confirmation that four cylinders are no longer available in the Mustang for the European market. As far as the United Kingdom is concerned, the take-up rate for the entry-level EcoBoost is 15 percent of all sales since 2015.
A spokesperson told the British publication that “engineering resource has to be prioritized across all car models, balancing their popularity, emissions compliance, and CO2 contribution.” Reading between the lines, the V8 may also disappear from the European lineup by 2025 when the EU-7 standard will shake up the auto industry with an outrageous target for CO2 emissions.
The Euro 7 regulation still isn’t set in stone, but automakers and trade associations dub it a “de facto ban” on fossil-fuel vehicles. The European Automobile Manufacturers Association has specifically criticized the 60- to 90-percent decrease of emissions, which is impossible to pull off by 2025.
Until the inevitable happens, the most affordable Mustang in the European Union comes in the guise of the GT with the fixed-head coupe body style. This version starts at 49,300 euros ($58,750) in Germany. The Mach 1, which is detuned in Europe due to regulations, is at least 60,800 euros ($72,460).
Better late than never, the Ford Motor Company found out the hard way that customers have the last say. Autocar and several other publications received confirmation that four cylinders are no longer available in the Mustang for the European market. As far as the United Kingdom is concerned, the take-up rate for the entry-level EcoBoost is 15 percent of all sales since 2015.
A spokesperson told the British publication that “engineering resource has to be prioritized across all car models, balancing their popularity, emissions compliance, and CO2 contribution.” Reading between the lines, the V8 may also disappear from the European lineup by 2025 when the EU-7 standard will shake up the auto industry with an outrageous target for CO2 emissions.
The Euro 7 regulation still isn’t set in stone, but automakers and trade associations dub it a “de facto ban” on fossil-fuel vehicles. The European Automobile Manufacturers Association has specifically criticized the 60- to 90-percent decrease of emissions, which is impossible to pull off by 2025.
Until the inevitable happens, the most affordable Mustang in the European Union comes in the guise of the GT with the fixed-head coupe body style. This version starts at 49,300 euros ($58,750) in Germany. The Mach 1, which is detuned in Europe due to regulations, is at least 60,800 euros ($72,460).
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