The Ford Mustang turns 60 this month. It’s a big deal for one of America’s most famous, beloved, and criticized sports car nameplates.
However, the Mustang’s natural rivals in the contemporary market, the Dodge Challenger and Chevrolet Camaro, are calling it quits.
Despite industry pushes to send old-school muscle cars to the scrap heap, the Blue Oval’s pony car perseveres.
Despite industry pushes to send old-school muscle cars to the scrap heap, the Blue Oval’s pony car perseveres.
Consequently, Ford renewed the Mustang for a seventh generation, starting with the 2024 Ford Mustang EcoBoost, GT, and Dark Horse.
Better yet, the latter two models represent the welcomed stubbornness of Ford to keep the naturally aspirated 5.0L Coyote V8 in the mix.
In fact, Ford CEO Jim Farley boasted about the move to keep a rear-wheel drive (RWD), V8-powered Mustang in the hands of fans. He told listeners that the Mach-E, the electrified Mustang SUV
Mustang is going to celebrate its 60th anniversary coming up here,” Farley said of the Mustang at a party. “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.” He’s right, too.
With the departure of the Chevrolet Camaro, the Mustang GT will be the cheapest eight-cylinder performance car on the market by a wide margin.
Moreover, Ford’s refusal to send the Mustang out to pasture continues its tenure as one of the longest-running models of any domestic vehicle.