Camouflaged Mustang Prototype Spied: Possible Refresh or Hybrid Model?

[Bullitt]

Hmmm, testing in the Rockies makes me think they might actually be using that patent they filed and the electric motors power the front for AWD. Still seems like a lot of work for a car going away in a couple years, but who knows. Hopefully we get some type of info this spring.

Sponsored

 

[Hack]

I'm hoping they are putting larger V8s in these new Mustangs. The 5.0 is a great engine, and it's gotten better and better, but I would much rather see Ford make at minimum a 5.7 liter engine for our cars. Then the engine wouldn't have to be quite so high strung and it would be easier to add more power in the aftermarket. Also it would take less development effort from Ford to achieve their power goals.

I'd love to see an aluminum block version of that pushrod 7.3 as well. That would be sweet.

This facelift looks promising to me. I like the revised shape of the front end. I hope they do some subtle changes to how the hood and headlights interact as well, though. The mule looks a little sleepy to me. I'd rather see aggressive or at least not sleepy.

 

[65Terdlingua]

Interesting to note while looking at closer images of those Rockies test mules compared to the earlier Camo mule:

There are large rectangular “boxes” on top of the dash in each with (2) incorporated ventilation fans clearly seen on the back side (facing out windshield). So either that’s a massive onboard gauge monitoring cluster or (speculating here) that’s somehow tied to a hybrid system....

Data acquisition equipment is large. They may be taking tens to hundreds of channels of data from accelerators, strain gauges, displacement gauges, CAN data, etc. All those signals need a lot of equipment to record and process it. Thats likely what the boxes are if they are logging data.

 

[65Terdlingua]

I'm hoping they are putting larger V8s in these new Mustangs. The 5.0 is a great engine, and it's gotten better and better, but I would much rather see Ford make at minimum a 5.7 liter engine for our cars. Then the engine wouldn't have to be quite so high strung and it would be easier to add more power in the aftermarket. Also it would take less development effort from Ford to achieve their power goals.

I'd love to see an aluminum block version of that pushrod 7.3 as well. That would be sweet

The Coyote block is probably at the bore limit with the 5.2l. That means increasing stroke, which means a wider and taller engine in the the same bay. Doesn't seem highly likely does it?

The 7.3l has even larger bore spacing, so even a downsized aluminum version would also be tight in the Mustang.

 

[w3rkn]

The more that I think about it the more I'm convinced the model coming this year is a Mustang ST with the Focus RS version of the 2.3 doing the same 350 hp and 350 lb/ft. With the original ST models on their way out (Focus and Fiesta), I think they have to tie ST in with Mustang in order to keep some type of credibility with the badge. If all it's on is big heavy SUVs, I think it would cheapen the name. Whether or not they care about that, who knows. But a pumped up EB with GTPP or PP2 hardware is easy to do and makes the most sense. It also would make sense for Europe and tie in nicely with the other ST models there. I'm starting to doubt that Ford would go to the trouble of engineering a hybrid powertrain to fit into a car that's near the end of its lifecycle.

This^ is the best guess at how Ford would market it as a Mustang ST.

But, we all know a Mustang with a EB RS engine + tune + PP2 = SVO. I would easily de-badge my "ST" for a "SVO" badge.

 

[Hack]

The Coyote block is probably at the bore limit with the 5.2l. That means increasing stroke, which means a wider and taller engine in the the same bay. Doesn't seem highly likely does it?

The 7.3l has even larger bore spacing, so even a downsized aluminum version would also be tight in the Mustang.

The thing is, you can get a huge increase in displacement with only an inch or two change in the overall size of the engine. I agree with you about the Coyote/Voodoo/Predator blocks, but Ford can easily design a new block. They designed the Voodoo block and then the Predator as well just recently.

My point was about what I hope to see in new prototypes on the road. I think Ford should save hybrids for other vehicles. Make the Mustang a Mustang with a nice big V8. And there's no reason the Mustang has to be excessively complicated and heavy.

 

[Bullitt]

My point was about what I hope to see in new prototypes on the road. I think Ford should save hybrids for other vehicles. Make the Mustang a Mustang with a nice big V8. And there's no reason the Mustang has to be excessively complicated and heavy.

Everybody is electrifying just about everything. It's pretty well established that the next-gen Challenger is going hybrid, and Chevy seems to be heading that direction with the Camaro too with that survey they put out to owners last year. If nothing else Ford would have to do it just to stay competitive (instant torque). With all of Ford's talk about "future mobility" in these utopian dreams they present at auto shows, if Ford didn't go full EV with the Mustang eventually I'd be shocked. And the hybrid's already confirmed so we need to enjoy these last few years of a simple car with the nice big V8s like you said.

 

[Kevin08]

The turn signal location looks mega-bad. They should have just reintegrated them as part of the headlight housing at that point, perhaps using the abyss the currently exists on the bottom inner corners of the 18+ lights.

Wonder if the foglights will still be a part of the turn signals..that'll look..unique.

 

[Bullitt]

The turn signal location looks mega-bad. They should have just reintegrated them as part of the headlight housing at that point, perhaps using the abyss the currently exists on the bottom inner corners of the 18+ lights.

Wonder if the foglights will still be a part of the turn signals..that'll look..unique.

Yeah I agree. They could even put them in the huge orange strip already in the headlight. If including fog lights is a must, putting them back in the grille would be cool and could be done in a modern and futuristic way, similar to the RTR setup.

 

[Hack]

Everybody is electrifying just about everything. It's pretty well established that the next-gen Challenger is going hybrid, and Chevy seems to be heading that direction with the Camaro too with that survey they put out to owners last year. If nothing else Ford would have to do it just to stay competitive (instant torque). With all of Ford's talk about "future mobility" in these utopian dreams they present at auto shows, if Ford didn't go full EV with the Mustang eventually I'd be shocked. And the hybrid's already confirmed so we need to enjoy these last few years of a simple car with the nice big V8s like you said.

5 liters is a small V8. So is 5.2. That's why they are building these engines to rev to the moon or boosting them to make the power they need. It makes the engines somewhat harder to design and build as well as somewhat less reliable when you take a small V8 and try to wring so much out of it.

I understand the conventionally hyped wisdom that big government, the media and many corporations are trying to sell the public. I don't think conventional wisdom or copying the competition is a long term winning strategy. Ford/Iaccoca brilliantly came up with the Mustang, and then the others followed. Chevy was able to make their Camaro within a couple years of Ford's Mustang, but Ford has still sold nearly twice as many Mustangs.

Same with Chrysler/Iaccoca and the minivan.

I think Dodge is doing well with the big CI V8s and big power, even though their Challenger is an older design. I realize Chrysler/Fiat has other problems, but sales show what people prefer.

Even though there's a group of people that say the Earth is going to burn because since the little ice-age 100 years ago the average temperature has gone up 1 or 2 degrees, most people have common sense and realize it's just BS to sell this or that gimmick.

I'm advocating that Ford hedges their bets and produces some larger V8s for the Mustang. I believe it will pay off for them because I think many (possibly most) of Mustang buyers prefer a larger C.I. engine. People are buying bigger cars/trucks/SUVs because that's what they prefer - and you can tell by looking at what people buy that "saving the planet" is a lie that doesn't ring true with most of us.

 

[Twin Turbo]

The only way Ford will build a new V8 is if it were to go into the F150.......and I really don't see that happening.

Besides, Ford have already done that with the new 7.3 V8, but without a major rework it would have no discernible benefit over the Coyote in a Mustang.

There's already talk that the next-gen Challenger/Charger might not have a V8. I really........REALLY hope that's not true, but whether we like it or not, the clock is ticking on our beloved V8s

Anyway, back to the subject in the title........it's been a couple of days, where are the latest spyshots?

 

[marks]

Makes me laugh when people say they don't want hybrid because it makes the car heavy and complicated but they will still buy a car with a digital dash, 10 speed auto, electric seats etc etc. And they also want a heavier engine! Im all for a hybrid Mustang, with the torque improvements.

 

[w3rkn]

5 liters is a small V8. So is 5.2. That's why they are building these engines to rev to the moon or boosting them to make the power they need. It makes the engines somewhat harder to design and build as well as somewhat less reliable when you take a small V8 and try to wring so much out of it.

I understand the conventionally hyped wisdom that big government, the media and many corporations are trying to sell the public. I don't think conventional wisdom or copying the competition is a long term winning strategy. Ford/Iaccoca brilliantly came up with the Mustang, and then the others followed. Chevy was able to make their Camaro within a couple years of Ford's Mustang, but Ford has still sold nearly twice as many Mustangs.

Same with Chrysler/Iaccoca and the minivan.

I think Dodge is doing well with the big CI V8s and big power, even though their Challenger is an older design. I realize Chrysler/Fiat has other problems, but sales show what people prefer.

Even though there's a group of people that say the Earth is going to burn because since the little ice-age 100 years ago the average temperature has gone up 1 or 2 degrees, most people have common sense and realize it's just BS to sell this or that gimmick.

I'm advocating that Ford hedges their bets and produces some larger V8s for the Mustang. I believe it will pay off for them because I think many (possibly most) of Mustang buyers prefer a larger C.I. engine. People are buying bigger cars/trucks/SUVs because that's what they prefer - and you can tell by looking at what people buy that "saving the planet" is a lie that doesn't ring true with most of us.

Exactly who.... is looking for a bigger engine..?

Or even what crowd? ("big power" for who?) You keep asking for truck engines in Mustangs without regard to telling us why. If there is a specific need, for a specific group of Mustang owner's, then I am already sure there is aftermarket Mustang parts/blocks for those application... already!

 

[Ace]

Now that we know how the Mach E looks like, we can pretty much see what the camo-mustang is trying to hide here. Even though the Mustang will not get the full lower bumper of the Mach E, the edges that are camod are pretty much spot on with the Mach E bumper

 

[EcoVert]

Sorry don't see the mach e just similar styling

Sponsored