(Detroit) New versions of the legendary Mustang will begin shipping next week and more than two-thirds of orders include the big 5-liter V8 engine, Ford said Friday.
Demand for roaring engines remains strong at a time when Detroit automakers are beginning to phase out gas-powered monsters and switch to electric vehicles to meet stringent government emissions and fuel economy requirements .
Ford says there are about 13,000 US orders for 2024 Mustangs, which can also be equipped with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Of those orders, 67 percent are for the V-8, and more than a quarter of people looking for this Mustang want the six-speed manual transmission, according to spokesman Mike Levine.
But “muscle cars”, at least the newer models, are on the way out.
General Motors announced in March that it would stop manufacturing the Chevrolet Camaro early next year. The company has not ruled out the possibility of replacing the Camaro at a later date.
Stellantis, formerly Fiat Chrysler, will stop producing gas versions of the Dodge Challenger and Charger by the end of the year. But the company plans to launch a capable battery-powered Charger in 2024.
Mr. Levine wouldn’t say if this version of the Mustang would be the company’s last gas-powered muscle car. “That remains to be seen,” he said.
An electric sports Mustang could also see the light of day in the future. Electric cars, with their instant torque and low center of gravity, are often faster and more maneuverable than internal combustion vehicles.
According to Sam Abuelsamid, an e-mobility analyst at Guidehouse Insights, people are opting for V8-powered Mustangs with manual transmissions in part because they could be the last of the gas-powered muscle car era.
“The most die-hard fans are going to come out and grab one of these because you don’t know when it’s going to end,” he explained.
When a new Mustang rolls out of the garage, the order rate for the V8 is almost always higher than that of other available engines, as is the demand for manual transmissions, as avid Mustang fans are often the first to order, a said Mr Abuelsamid.
“We tend to see greater demand from enthusiasts for the V8 every time a new Mustang is launched,” Mustang Brand Manager Jim Owens confirmed in a prepared statement. .
The new Mustang, which is based on the same basics as the current version, is manufactured at a plant located in Flat Rock, Michigan, south of Detroit. The new V8 engine can produce up to 486 horsepower.
