Ford Will Build the V8 for As Long as Possible, Mustang Is the Last Muscle Car Standing

Dodge is killing the V8 Hemi, going for the 3.0-liter Hurricane integrated into an electrified system. Mercedes-AMG is slowly doing the exact same thing, putting 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged units in the brand's performance cars. But no, oh, not Ford! They are not going to retire the V8 any time soon.

"We are going to build it for as long as we can," said Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance Motorsport, in a conversation with CarSales.com.au.

Furthermore, according to Jim Owens, Mustang's global brand manager, FoMoCo is still investing in V8 engines for future models, following upgrades on the fourth-generation Coyote power units. That is happening while the carmaker is ramping up production of electric and electrified cars.

But it is not all up to Ford to keep the V8 going. Government regulations might eventually force the engine into retirement. New vehicles sold in the United States have to travel an average of at least 40 miles per gallon in 2026, a regulation that does not apply to passenger cars just yet. The figures are bound to change after that, and they might target other segments as well.

2035 would definitely be a deadline for Ford and for all carmakers out there. That is when the ban on ICEs should be in force in the European Union.

With the V8-powered Chevrolet Camaro and the Dodge Challenger stepping down, the next-generation Ford Mustang will be the last muscle car standing, with no real competition on the market. The brand rejected the idea of electrification for the lineup. To compensate, they rolled out the Mustang Mach-E crossover back in 2020, a model which has no connection whatsoever with the genuine ICE-powered Mustang.

The most affordable Ford Mustang with a V8 engine is now the 480-horsepower GT, which starts at $42,495.

Meanwhile, Dodge has already confirmed that the next Challenger and Charger will be electric. But first, the 3.0-liter twin-turbo Hurricane straight six is going to end up powering the tamed muscle cars. Chevrolet is having similar plans with the Camaro, which will receive a new all-electric generation.

Dodge will be ditching the V8 by the end of the year, but the 6.4-liter unit will reportedly soldier on under the hood of heavy-duty trucks. That is a bold decision considering that the Challenger has outsold the Mustang for the past two years.

GM also looks like it is defying the industry trend and has announced a $1 billion investment into next-generation ICE heavy-duty pickup truck production.