On receiving its mid-cycle refresh in late 2017, the Ford Mustang was made available with just two engine choices: its celebrated 5.0L V8, and the 2.3L 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine that had been introduced in 2015 when the Mustang was last renewed.
Buyers have had to make do without a V6, in other words. The strategy caused some head-scratching, but many took a let’s-wait-and-see attitude. Well we’ve seen, and the company seems to be revisiting its decision.
The automotive website Hagerty got its hands on internal Ford documents that outline the engine codes for the upcoming 2020 Mustang. Listed there are the two engines we know, as well as the 5.2L V8 of the GT350; but one of the codes refers to an evolved version of the 4-cylinder engine. In terms of output, the document lists no number, only “TBD”.
Hagerty did not confirm it but did hint that a second variant of the EcoBoost engine could find its way into the product offering for the model, with the aim of giving consumers more options.
At present, the price gap between a base-model Mustang equipped with a 4-cylinder and the GT version with V8 engine is large, a bit over $10,000.
The addition of a more-powerful variant with output somewhere between the 310 hp and 420 hp of the current powertrains available to buyers is a logical move, one that Ford seems set to make – at least according to Hagerty.
Plus it’s not like Ford would have ot search very far to find that new engine. The 2.3L engine powering the RS version of the Focus generated 350 hp. Such an engine under the hood of the Mustang would give buyers a mid-range price to choose if they so desire.
At the same time, this would give Ford a more direct rival to the Chevrolet Camaro, the V6 engine of which delivers 335 horses.
Of course Ford has confirmed none of this to Hargery, but the company did say it was going to have some interesting news to reveal about its Mustang this coming spring.
Consult our listing of pre-owned Ford Mustang cars available in your region of Canada