Ford CEO: Mustang V8 is here to stay

Hybrids, EVs, and electrification may be all the rage today in the automotive industry. But certain cars just refuse to go with the flow and stick to tradition. One of those vehicles is the Ford Mustang.

While the Blue Oval already has several hybrids and EVs in its lineup (including an EV version of the Mustang called the Mach-E), the good ol' pony car continues to gallop and is still available with a V8 under the hood. Sure there's the 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder version, but it's the V8 that is still the preferred engine of choice by most Mustang customers.

However, with Chevrolet axing the Camaro and Dodge discontinuing the Challenger, is the Mustang also heading to a similar fate? According to Ford CEO Jim Farley, that will not happen. Recently, the Blue Oval threw a party in North Carolina which officially marks the brand's 2024 racing season via Ford Performance.

The Mustang is set to join multiple motorsport events this year which include NASCAR, the Australian Supercar Series, the National Hot Rod Association drag racing, and GT3/GT4 endurance races. It's also the brand's way of saying to the world that the V8-powered Mustang is not going away in both motorsports and on the open road. Farley even went on to say that the Mustang is a global car for enthusiasts that comes with a V8 under the hood.

And much like Porsche can keep on building 911s because of the Cayenne and Macan, Ford largely thanks the Mach-E for driving its volume sales so they can keep on making the Mustang.

“What other car in the world races on six continents on any given weekend? And that’s because we have a V8 engine,” said Farley.

Last but not least, Farley mentioned that the Mustang is set to celebrate its 60th anniversary this year and declared that if they're the last brand on the planet making an affordable V8 sports car, so be it.

“Mustang is going to celebrate its 60th anniversary coming up here. A lot of our competitors have left. They’ve come and gone. We never did that. We’ve always been there with Mustang. 60 years, and it’s changed over time. We have EcoBoost, we have the Dark Horse now, and we’re going to continue to invest. And if we’re the only one on the planet making a V8 affordable sports car for everyone in the world, so be it,” shared the CEO.

So for those who are worried the Mustang could be facing the chopping block, you can rest easy that Ford will continue to keep the pony car alive.

Source: Motor1