Ford has of course already had the first blueprints for the next generation of the Mustang behind the scenes. It seems very likely that Ford will significantly extend the lifespan of the Mustang name and is moving to a different basis.
It is not immediately apparent to him, but the current generation of the Ford Mustang has been around for six years now. According to the original planning, this means that the muscle car now has to last for another three years. In 2022 or 2023 we will be presented with the next generation of the Mustang, or so it is reported Automotive News from a source close to the brand.
Once the redemption comes in 2023, it will also be the start of another quite long-lasting generation of the Mustang. Ford reportedly plans to keep the next Mustang on the market, not for six years (as it used to be), but for another eight years. That means that we will have a Mustang that keeps the recipe of the primal Mustang alive until the 1930s.
Yet not everything stays the same. Ford would grab the platform of the Ford Explorer for the next Mustang. That may sound strange, but developing a completely new platform specifically for the Mustang is obviously an expensive affair. Although the Mustang still sells well, it is not the car where Ford gets the big bucks. A modified and probably also somewhat shortened variant of the Explorer platform would therefore not even be such a crazy choice. For example, the Mustang can be developed relatively cheaply and that will be necessary to be able to continue with the muscle car so far into the future.
Interestingly, the same platform can of course also be used for a four-wheel drive configuration and a plug-in hybrid powertrain. Purists will undoubtedly have their hackles on their toes, but don’t be surprised if the next Mustang also has to deal with a plug in one way or another. It is more exciting whether the V8 is retained. The Explorer (and the related Lincoln Aviator) does not have one. But let’s be honest, if Ford does continue with the Mustang, shouldn’t the tradition be continued in that area?