A New Ford Mustang Variant Is Coming Next Year. Can You Guess What It Is?
A new variety of Mustang will arrive in 2025. We think we have a good idea of what it could be.
Neither the new special edition nor the free over-the-air gauge skin were the most exciting news from the Ford Mustang's 60th anniversary yesterday. That'd be the announcement of a new flavor of Mustang that Ford says is coming next year, and it's anyone's guess as to what's in store.
The new variant was teased in a presentation at the Mustang's 60th anniversary celebration. Coming 2025, the sub-model was shown off under a yellow shroud obscuring most of its fine body details. One element is clear, though: It has a tall rear spoiler like the Dark Horse, suggesting whatever it is isn't just about straight-line speed.
"It is going to be another addition to the Mustang stable," said Matt Simpson, Ford's general manager for enthusiast vehicles. "We are not stopping with Mustang, we are continuing to grow the family. Mustang has always been about being the most fun-to-drive car, and this is going to be an amazing addition to the family. We cannot wait to show you more about this car."
Another Mustang milestone is 2025 calls to mind an obvious candidate, the Shelby GT350. But Simpson's suggestion that it'll be a new model implies it could come in addition to a Shelby, if not replace it outright. In either case, it seems unlikely that the new version will be an EV or an off-road model—the Mach-E and its Rally variant have those two covered already.
That leaves one likely possibility: A hybrid. Four years ago, rumors circulated that the now-current Mustang would be offered as a hybrid with all-wheel drive. This would supposedly be achieved by combining the regular rear-wheel-drive powertrain with a motor on each front axle, in an Acura NSX-style arrangement. A LinkedIn leak later indicated it'd be offered with both the 2.3-liter Ecoboost four-cylinder and the 5.0-liter Coyote V8. The engineer whose profile leaked these still says they worked on these drivetrains for the current-gen Mustang, so this remains the most likely possibility.
Of course, there's always the chance Ford blindsides us with something totally unprecedented. Maybe it could be a turbo V6 Ecoboost model, or even a turbo V8. But with the need to control emissions, a hybrid still looks like the strongest option. Now, will that be a plug-in hybrid, or are you satisfied with just a regular one?
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