(By Tom Lohnes) – Well, that’s kind of a bummer. According to an executive at Ford performance, the 2024 Ford Mustang is launching with the same two regular engines it already has.
According to Ford Performance vehicle director Ali Jammoul, Ford has been focusing on making the current 5.0-liter Coyote V8 cleaner for the next-gen ‘Stang. “What we need to do, though, is make the V8 more environmentally friendly and you do need to make sure it’s regulatory compliant. And that is absolutely something we have worked on and will certainly have in the next-generation Mustang.” He said, which would mean a variety of things, but the most likely option is that Ford cut some costs and is carrying over engines.
Now, that is definitely not a bad thing. The base 2.3-liter “EcoBoost” turbocharged Inline 4 in the base Mustang is a potent one, as it makes 310 horsepower at the very minimum. For the next-generation model, I would not be surprised to see the 350-hp Performance Package motor become standard. This engine makes great power while getting good fuel economy, which is a great combination for a little sports car. Sadly, the engine sort of sounds like a dump truck.
Stepping up a bit, we have the star of the show, the 5.0-liter “Coyote” V8. This Quad-cam, 32-Valve V8 produces 450 horsepower in the latest Mustang GT, and similar to the ecoboost, I would also not be surprised to see the current Mach 1’s 470-hp Coyote be the base V8. Unlike the 4-pot however,this engine doesn’t sound like a dump truck. In fact, quite the opposite. The scream this engine lets out at its 7,500RPM redline through the optional valved exhaust is unrivaled by competitors. Plus, this engine has proven decently reliable and so-so on gas. Nice.
Those are definitely two very strong engines, but there is a huge problem with the current Mustang: The MT-82. Backing both the 4-cylinder and the V8, this Getrag 6-speed manual is notorious in the Mustang community for not responding to added power super well. In some cases, the MT-82 can’t even handle the stock power, with third-gear lockouts happening almost every time you want to do a spirited shift. Hopefully the Mach 1’s Tremec TR-31 replaces it in at least the GT.
There are also plenty of rumors about the next-gen Mustang, such as a possible hybrid variant and even a supposed Shelby model with a massive 6.8-liter pushrod V8. Both of those are exciting thoughts, but at launch, the only two models will be the base EcoBoost and the GT. Expect a reveal of the S650 Mustang sometime in 2023, with sales staring not long after.
I have a 2012 GT with the Getrag and it has a skip shift feature. The skip shift really sucks. All I had to do to disable it was to unplug a two wire pigtail from the right rear of the trans. It has worked fine for the last nine years with no codes.