2022 Ford Mustang the most aggressively organized Detroit muscle cars always conjure up images of massive burnout and blackouts, a byproduct of the genre’s typical powertrain layout: large unassisted V8 engines and rear-wheel drive.
However, if a new report is to be trusted, the next Ford Mustang might move away from the two characteristics of this muscle car.
According to Autocar, Ford is preparing to introduce the new Mustang in 2022, bringing the first hybrid all-wheel-drive powertrain model.
The publication points to a patent filed by the company in 2017 for “twin motor drive systems for hybrid vehicles” detailing the V8 gas engine that drives the rear axle along with two electric motors “mounted directly to the opposite side of the engine,” each no doubt turn on the front wheels.
This arrangement opens up the potential for the Acura NSX-style torque vector, further closing the handling gap between Ford’s muscle car and its arrogant rival imports.
For puritans out there who prefer their muscle cars to run exclusively on fossil fuels, however, there is no way the V8 hybrid will be the only powertrain option when the seventh gene ‘Handlebar (code name S650) goes down in a few years.
Having a hybrid Mustang available with the regular and un-electric V8 and entry-level four-cylinder EcoBoost is a strong possibility, as far as we know.
In particular, this is not the first time we have heard of electric Mustang that is not Mach-E.
According to previous reports, the Mustang hybrid was supposed to arrive this year along with the F-150 hybrid pickup but the plan appears to have been pushed back by new CEO Jim Hackett who supports the Mach-E electric crossover mentioned above.
Ford promises a Mustang hybrid that will distribute “V8 power and lower torque.” On top of the partial-electric variant, Ford’s future pony cars are said to share a platform with the new Explorer, an SUV that happens to be available in hybrids too.
As promising as the hybrid Mustang sounds, we must point out that the Autocar report does not cite concrete sources or contain quotes other than statements that it “understands” muscular cars as things to come.
What’s more, any schedules proposed today must be taken with a large asterisk given the current global pandemic.
You may be sick of seeing the word “unprecedented” which is used to describe the situation for all of us but a description is obtained; no one knows for sure how COVID-19 will be played and plans for 2022 today can be thrown into 2023 tomorrow.
In any case, when The Drive contacted Ford to ask if the Autocar claim was appropriate, a company spokeswoman declined to comment.
2022 Ford Mustang Redesign
Ford is in the process of developing a redesign for the Mustang, the seventh generation of nameplates, and a recent job list has let the car come in 2022 as a 2023 model.
Discovered by members of the 6G Mustang forum, the job listing was posted on Linkedin by Ford in January and looking for an Engineer to work on the current Mustang and also a redesigned model, referred to in the list as the S650. The current Mustang is S550.
Initially because in 2021, the delay was likely related to Ford’s efforts to base the redesigned Mustang on the CD6 platform that debuted on the twin Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator 2020.
Remember, Ford in 2018 announced its future lineup would migrate to five very modular platforms.
While moving to a modular platform will bring economies of scale, there are concerns that the redesigned Mustang might be bigger than the current model which measures 188.3 inches and drives a 107.1-inch wheelbase.
Read next: 2022 Ford Edge Redesign: What We Know So Far
Although we don’t like the sound of a larger Mustang, the key is the weight. The current Mustang GT with a manual transmission weighs 3,743 pounds and we don’t want it to be heavier.
The reward for moving to a modular platform, and specifically CD6, is that Ford will be able to integrate hybrid and all-wheel-drive systems, which will help carmakers expand the appeal of the Mustang.
What is not clear is whether the Mustang Hybrid that Ford promised has also been postponed. The gas-electric pony car will come out in 2020, Ford said at the announcement of the car back in 2017.
The delayed time frame for the redesigned Mustang did not come as a big surprise given that Mustang sales are still strong (Ford sold nearly 72,500 in the US in 2019) and there are still new variants to come.
There are also rumors that Chevrolet plans to remove the Camaro, which means less competition for the Mustang just down the road.
2022 Ford Mustang Engine
According to Autocar, the new generation Mustang 2020 will retain the V-8, but will also adopt hybrid settings and, for the first time in nameplate history, all-wheel-drive settings.
The S550 Mustang Ford is currently enjoying a lot of popularity even in all pools in countries like Germany (and Europe in general) so that Ford will look for ways to improve future performance for the next generation but also adhere to a tougher and tougher European Union . emission law.
However, when that happens, a pony car might also be revealed in a hybrid version.
Mind you, according to a patent filed by Ford in 2017, the V-8 on the Mustang GT will still be offered in a standalone model, but customers will also be given the possibility of choosing a hybrid drivetrain that incorporates the V-8. 8 and two e-motorcycles.
The hybrid arrangement can work twofold: on the one hand, it can increase Handlebar’s performance credentials on-demand, while on the other hand, it can help towards higher fuel efficiency.
Around the city, hybrid Mustangs can rely on a lot of electricity to start and drive as long as the accelerator is not pushed too hard, which will reduce the internal combustion load of the V-8.
Plus, in the process of all this, Ford will benefit from lower average emissions in all its ranks.
However, the question that remains is how many Mustang pony cars are with AWD.
Having power sent to all fours, not just on the rear axle is contrary to the front-engine concept, the rear-wheel-drive behind every horse/muscle car out there.
Needless to say, while info about AWD & Mustang hybridization is still very rare, we will keep an eye on the topic and keep you posted as soon as new details appear.
2022 Ford Mustang Hybrid
The electric Mustang variant will be joined by the electric Mustang Mach-E, which will be sent to customers starting this fall when Ford’s electrification launch gathers momentum.
Ford plans to launch 18 lightweight hybrid and full hybrid models by 2022, and the next Mustang is considered one of them.
The company hopes that the new model will build on the success of the current S550 generation car, which has been on sale since 2015 and is the first Mustang to be marketed and sold globally.
This means that the sale of the first-hand Mustang was finally possible. Ford has shifted 55,000 examples of cars today throughout Europe – more than ever before in the history of the Mustang.
The next-generation Mustang, code-named S650, will follow the template by making it back to mainland Europe on the left drive and England on the right drive, Autocar understands.
The new Mustang will arrive much faster if it were not for the reversal of the product plan. In 2017, Ford announced it would market the Mustang hybrid to the market in 2020.
But in the same year, Jim Hackett stepped into the role of CEO of Ford and instead decided to prioritize getting an EV inspired by Mustang, Mach-E, to the market. as the long-awaited first mass-produced electric car.
Now that the Mach-E has been developed and its launch is near, attention has returned to the standard coupe and Mustang convertible models, which are still expected to dominate nameplate sales for some time.
Ford hopes to calm loyal fans by maintaining the V8 option, but this time it will be mated to a fuel-efficient hybrid system.
Read next: 2022 Ford Expedition: The New Expedition Changes and Release Date
A US patent filed by Ford in 2017, when initial plans were made, refer to the technical drawings of “twin motor drive systems for hybrid vehicles”.
It shows an eight-cylinder engine in a vee formation that sends power to the rear wheels – a classic Mustang trait. But for archiving also details battery assistance in the form of two electric motors “mounted directly to the opposite side of the engine”.
This means that such a model will have four-wheel drive, with only electric power going to the front axle and, in driving performance, come into play when the rear wheels of the car lose traction. The system can offer a torque vector too.
In a more environmentally friendly mode, the same settings will allow the engine to be turned off in situations with low power demand and high battery power, increasing efficiency.
The same powertrain concept is used in the new Ford Explorer Hybrid launched in the US.
A possible factor in the decision to go hybrid is Ford’s intention to base the next Mustang on the same CD6 platform as the Explorer SUV and its sibling, Lincoln Aviator.
In 2018, the company announced it was streamlining its platform line-up with five very modular foundations, including one to cover all four-wheel-drive-drive-drive-four-drive unibody construction cars (such as the new Explorer and the next Mustang, among another).
However, it remains to be seen whether Ford will offer in addition to cheaper hybrid options, non-hybrid V8, and turbocharged four-cylinder engines, such as those available today.
Ford recently released a four-pot automatic version of the Ecoboost Mustang in the UK because of its low efficiency.
It’s also unlikely that a traditional V8 without this form of electrification will continue in Europe, given the need to meet tight fleet average emission targets.
As for the new Mustang design, we hope to deviate not far from the formula so favored by its customer base.
The muscle shape of the car has evolved gently over decades and, given that Mach-E took inspiration from the Mustang today and will be sold with a new car, it must be recognized, albeit with a more modernist approach to detail.
However, we have not seen the disguised test mule give us a clear indication of its shape.
It is likely that the conversion version will reappear, even though some makers have moved away from the market because the drop-top is still an important part of Mustang sales.
Inside, expect the Mustang to focus more on the driver than the heavy Mach-E and maximized space.
The infotainment system and driver assistance on the car are expected to be moderated to be introduced at the Mustang.
The four-seat layout must continue as it is today, with the development of techniques ensuring hybrid systems have minimal effect on interior spaces.
