What do we know about the 2018?

[Mustang1260]

To quote a famous Sergeant- We know nothing. Period.
Who said there would be a mid cycle "refresh". NoBody.
Now with the S650 coming sooner maybe they rollout some changes early but maybe they do not.
Run a detailed Google search. Several years ago someone speculated on a 3 yr refresh in 2018 and the Internet ran with it like it was gospel- WITHOUT any supporting foundation.

The last generation, 2005-2014 ran some refreshes as it cycled through 10MY of production. Otherwise it was 94-98 and 99-04 with special editions but no major changes along the way. Modern mustangs do not go through major refreshes every 3 years. We may see a GT500, Bullitt, or Mach 1 as special editions-that can be expected but they are not "refreshes".

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[EcoSwag1990]

Yes we don't know much using google searches. But this forum has turned up some surprise info in the past. Matter fact I'm pretty sure this was the first place the S650 was reported

 

[MaskedRacerX]

For 2018, the turbo 4 gets dropped, the two non-GT options are the current NA V6 tweaked to 315HP and an Ecoboost version of the 3.7, derived from the Explorer Sport TT making 385.

The GT gets a boost (tuning/IM) to 465HP, while a limited edition Mach I gets 485 (and several GT350 components).

I have this from extremely reliable sources.


The voices in my head ...

 

[Macfarland]

Ford on the other hand is doing slow rollouts. The big one is the 10 speed transmission for the autos in the Mustang. That's a plateau that will be around for 8 years at least. Other things are updated gauges similar to the Camaro or F-150, lighter aluminum panels which we knew were built but not put on the current model.
I think the '18 (in fall of '17) is going to be the S550 they should have released at the get go.

I hate when Ford makes significant changes to its car in their mid-cycle facelift instead of their debuts. Well, in case of the S197 II not even mid-cycle. Why they didn't put the 5.0 on the '10 which was an almost complete re-designed? Why not put the 10 speed auto in the '15? My first new car was the 2001 Passat that I leased on November of 2000. A month later I saw the Audi-like 2001.5 Passat in a magazine at Waldenbooks (wow time goes fast) and I was so pissed.
I also been asking myself this. What are the mid-cycle facelifts for? To keep it fresh and interesting to whom? People who have never bought the car it's still new and fresh to them. Early adopters are not going to switch their car for the same one with minor tweaks. I think cars should last 5 years unaltered until their next redesign.

 

[Twin Turbo]

Why they didn't put the 5.0 on the '10 which was an almost complete re-designed? Why not put the 10 speed auto in the '15?

I also been asking myself this. What are the mid-cycle facelifts for? To keep it fresh and interesting to whom? People who have never bought the car it's still new and fresh to them. Early adopters are not going to switch their car for the same one with minor tweaks. I think cars should last 5 years unaltered until their next redesign.

Why wasn't the 5.0 on the '10MY and why isn't the 10-speed auto in the '15? Quite simply, because they weren't ready.

Whilst it'd be fantastic as a purchaser for everything to be available from day one, that's just not the way it works, particularly at Ford. Don't forget, a lot of technology has to trickle down from the F150 before it reaches the Mustang.

Also, Ford is in the business of selling cars. Keeping them fresh every 3 or 4 years keeps them in the press, keeps the interest up and keeps the sales coming.

As for being caught out by not realising refreshes are coming, this is exactly why forums like this are priceless. As mentioned above, S650 (the '21MY Mustang) was first highlighted here on M6G. No doubt, as firmer news of the '18MY is available, you'll read it here first, too

 

[MaskedRacerX]

Why wasn't the 5.0 on the '10MY and why isn't the 10-speed auto in the '15? Quite simply, because they weren't ready.

Whilst it'd be fantastic as a purchaser for everything to be available from day one, that's just not the way it works, particularly at Ford. Don't forget, a lot of technology has to trickle down from the F150 before it reaches the Mustang.

Also, Ford is in the business of selling cars. Keeping them fresh every 3 or 4 years keeps them in the press, keeps the interest up and keeps the sales coming.

As for being caught out by not realising refreshes are coming, this is exactly why forums like this are priceless. As mentioned above, S650 (the '21MY Mustang) was first highlighted here on M6G. No doubt, as firmer news of the '18MY is available, you'll read it here first, too

Yep.

It's the same way in the tech sector. There are major updates (ticks) and incremental refreshes (tocks) - the latter for some companies is just internal updates, with maybe a new finish for the exterior.

The trick - for cars _and_ tech - is to time it so you get an update that has a little more lifecycle, and/or introduces something that creates a major shift in the available use cases.

Fortunately, I had a specific want (PP option in a vert), that I became aware of in advance of committing to the [at the time] current model year, and then was also able to score a major improvement in another area (Sync3).

If the '17s had/do hit with another 20HP, or Ford doesn't actually release Car Play for '16s, no biggie, I had a car in mind I wanted, I got it, whatever comes out later, should be better and doesn't make me enjoy my ride any less.

The advantage with cars (over tech in many cases), is they're more modular, and manufacturers tend to build on top of existing platforms with retrofittable components - so if the '18s show with a killer new intake and new suspension, we can usually buy it and bolt it up

 

[EXP Jawa]

I personally think that the '18MY refresh is a pretty safe bet. There may be nothing concrete about it publically, but I expect that it's been heavily suggested by people that actually know but are not in a position to actually back up such statements (because they want keep their jobs). In fact, I rather suspect that happens a lot more than we realize. But that's just my speculation, also not backed up by anything solid.

Either way, the timing is reasonable, just in terms of keeping the car up to date and relatively competitive. People citing the long lifecycle of the initial S197 need to remember that it had no competition at the time, so there was less incentive to update it. That's not the case today. We still don't know anything solid about the S650 either, so we really can't infer anything about S550 update schedule from its timing. Again, I'm sure that there are people on this site that do know (who read these discussions and chuckle at our expense), but remain vague at best.

 

[Macfarland]

Why wasn't the 5.0 on the '10MY and why isn't the 10-speed auto in the '15? Quite simply, because they weren't ready.

Also, Ford is in the business of selling cars. Keeping them fresh every 3 or 4 years keeps them in the press, keeps the interest up and keeps the sales coming.

If the 5.0 wasn't ready for 2010, then hold on the redesign of the vehicle for another year. I feel bad for the people who bought it new being a new style and all and immediately the next year, they put a new engine and a new transmission. I even feel worse for the V6 buyers. That 4.0 was awful. That had to hurt. I also feel bad for the Fusion owners. I liked the '13 redesigned and I always said that what it was lacking was HIDs and LED DRLs. Now finally they decided to add them 3 years after Accord had them and a couple of years later than the Chrysler 200. VW the same with the Passat. Four years after its debut, they decided to add LEDs. The tech was there, why they didn't offer them since the beginning? Who the heck knows.

You say "keep interest up" again, interest up to whom? I understand a complete redesign every 5 to 6 years or so that comes with new technology and a completely new style (except Audi, they all look like previous generations) but a mid-cycle facelift? The majority of auto buyers aren't enthusiast like we are. They could care less if the car has the same looks for the last 3 years. Unless you tell them that a complete redesign is coming under a year, they will buy it. They aren't going to say, "oh no, i've seen this car the last 3 years on the road and it already bores me" How can you lose interest on something you've never owned?

Anyways, I think the cosmetic changes to the 2018 Mustang are going to be as minor as the ones from the 2017 Fusion.

 

[bootyeater69]

at least 500 hp i hope

 

[EcoSwag1990]

If the 5.0 wasn't ready for 2010, then hold on the redesign of the vehicle for another year. I feel bad for the people who bought it new being a new style and all and immediately the next year, they put a new engine and a new transmission. I even feel worse for the V6 buyers. That 4.0 was awful. That had to hurt. I also feel bad for the Fusion owners. I liked the '13 redesigned and I always said that what it was lacking was HIDs and LED DRLs. Now finally they decided to add them 3 years after Accord had them and a couple of years later than the Chrysler 200. VW the same with the Passat. Four years after its debut, they decided to add LEDs. The tech was there, why they didn't offer them since the beginning? Who the heck knows.

You say "keep interest up" again, interest up to whom? I understand a complete redesign every 5 to 6 years or so that comes with new technology and a completely new style (except Audi, they all look like previous generations) but a mid-cycle facelift? The majority of auto buyers aren't enthusiast like we are. They could care less if the car has the same looks for the last 3 years. Unless you tell them that a complete redesign is coming under a year, they will buy it. They aren't going to say, "oh no, i've seen this car the last 3 years on the road and it already bores me" How can you lose interest on something you've never owned?

Anyways, I think the cosmetic changes to the 2018 Mustang are going to be as minor as the ones from the 2017 Fusion.

If they do everything at once and then wait another 5 years to do anything then magazines have nothing to talk about for 5 years and they have nothing to advertise as being improved to potential customers. I don't mind them releasing things in slow phases as long as they keep up with the competition.

If Ford is reading this, pleeeeze bring in a GT track pack to go with the 10 speed! If they do that I'll definitely bite

at least 500 hp i hope

^ lol nice screen name, no avatar?

 

[EXP Jawa]

Anyways, I think the cosmetic changes to the 2018 Mustang are going to be as minor as the ones from the 2017 Fusion.

Perhaps you're right. But the likelihood is that it will be on par with '12-'13 change, or the '09-'10 change, or the '98-'99 change, etc. There are a few base assumptions that I think are fair to make. 1) the architecture isn't changing, so basic chassis dimensions are probably fixed. 2) they'll be focused as much as upping the ante in performance as with looks, due to competitor vehicles, but the fundamentals aren't likely to change (again, architecture).

Within that, they could reskin or reshape panels, but the proportions and structures will stay the same. That still gives a fair amount of room for the stylists to play with. I personally would not be surprised if there's new (or evolved) design language applied, and every exterior panel (save maybe the roof) will get tweaked or reshaped. Look at what was done for GT350, and that's just for a low-volume model. I'd be shocked if they limited it to minor updates of the fascia and grille, though stranger things have happened.

Regarding why they would do all that, well, the sport coupe market is fickle. Designs age and go stale quickly, and the average sport coupe buyer (read: not hardcore Mustang fan) is fairly easily swayed to whatever is fresher, or potentially better performing. It isn't like trucks or mid-size sedans where you can get by for an entire design cycle with minor updates because many of those customers are buying driveable appliances. Rather, you're trying to appeal to buyer that are more passionate about their choice. Its a pretty easy business case to make, really.

 

[Spartan]

Audi just refreshed their A3 today which came out about 4 months before the S550 did. It's got new front/rear changes, new headlights, new tail lights, a new engine option and the new virtual cockpit set up.

I think you'll see something similar in the S550 with the cosmetic changes + the 10 speed.

 

[stang77]

For 2018, the turbo 4 gets dropped, the two non-GT options are the current NA V6 tweaked to 315HP and an Ecoboost version of the 3.7, derived from the Explorer Sport TT making 385.

The GT gets a boost (tuning/IM) to 465HP, while a limited edition Mach I gets 485 (and several GT350 components).

I have this from extremely reliable sources.


The voices in my head ...

I hope you are right about that Ecoboost 3.7. I would get that in a heart beat.

 

[MaskedRacerX]

I hope you are right about that Ecoboost 3.7. I would get that in a heart beat.

It would be pretty sweet, though those were just my wild, crazy ramblings

Even at 375HP for the V6TT, with the GT bumped to 455-465, that's a notable difference, and it would make for a better (clearer) story at the dealer between the different models.

We're actually considering an Explorer Sport (with the 365HP 3.7 V6 TT), and that motor is terrific, smooth, tons of torque all combined with pretty outstanding mileage.

 

[GForensic]

For 2018, the turbo 4 gets dropped, the two non-GT options are the current NA V6 tweaked to 315HP and an Ecoboost version of the 3.7, derived from the Explorer Sport TT making 385.

The GT gets a boost (tuning/IM) to 465HP, while a limited edition Mach I gets 485 (and several GT350 components).

I have this from extremely reliable sources.


The voices in my head ...

So....this is purely speculation??

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