The Ford Mustang has an opportunity as competitors abandon V8 engines

Detroit — “ ford motor It sees an opportunity to increase Mustang sales as it becomes the last American muscle car with a traditional V8 engine, playing into the hands of generations of car enthusiasts drawn to high-performance cars.

This optimism comes after the Mustang's closest American rivals ended production of their muscle cars in December. General Motors Chevrolet Camaro has ceased production Stellantis Dodge has ended production of the Dodge Challenger V8 before launching the new all-electric muscle car later this year, followed by gas-powered models with twin-turbocharged six-cylinder engines expected in 2025.

Their departure (and the departure of others in the muscle car market) was a result of shifting consumer demand away from two-door cars, as well as tightening fuel economy standards and the emergence of fully electric cars capable of unparalleled acceleration.

The small car remains a good business for the automaker domestically and internationally, said Jeff Marinetic, general manager of Ford Blue Products, which includes the Mustang. Mustang celebrates its 60th anniversary on April 17.

“We're excited to continue offering Mustangs. It's sad to see the competition leave but it's good for us,” Marintic told CNBC. “For people who are looking for a true American sports car, it's there for them. … We're looking and talking about the future of Mustang, and how far we can advance it.”

Marentic declined to discuss specific sales expectations for the car but noted that the company has added a new V8 model for the seventh-generation car called the Dark Horse — a not-so-subtle reference to Ford's ambitions for the V8-powered car.

Both the 2024 Dark Horse and Mustang GT models are powered by a 5.0-liter V8, and the new model generates up to 500 horsepower and 418 foot-pounds of torque. Ford also announced the 2025 Mustang GTD with a 5.2-liter supercharged V8 engine expected to arrive early this year with more than 800 horsepower.

Ford has been able to continue selling V8 Mustang models in part because it invested in making the vehicles more efficient and was too early to adopt the smaller, turbocharged four-cylinder engines that now make up about 48% of Mustang sales in the United States.

Ford also offers an all-electric Mustang Mach-E crossover that features similar design cues and badging to the two-door coupe, but shares no characteristics other than the name.

“I can understand the green movement, but we are very proud of our V8 engines,” Marentic said, adding that the model represents the majority of Mustang sales in Europe. “It helps define who Ford is outside of the United States.”

The seventh-generation Mustang, which Ford revealed in September, recently began shipping outside of North America. It will eventually be sold in 85 markets on every continent except Antarctica, according to Ford.

Sales outside the United States have helped keep the Mustang, which is produced exclusively at a plant in metropolitan Detroit, afloat amid declining domestic demand for two-door sports cars.

Mustang sales in the United States have fallen from a recent peak of more than 122,000 units in 2015 to less than 49,000 units last year.

Internationally, Ford reports that more than 235,000 Mustangs have been registered since 2015. That's when the automaker began producing right-hand-drive models for countries like the UK, Australia and Japan.

The largest markets for the Mustang outside the United States are Canada, Australia and Europe, according to Ford.

“People have a strong connection to Mustang,” Marentich said. “The draw is amazing.”

Marentic declined to discuss future product plans for the Ford Mustang, including the hybrid model that was said to have been canceled for the seventh-generation car or the possibility of an all-electric version of the two-door car.