Ford Motor Company [NYSE:F] is out testing prototypes for an updated version of the Mustang. The updates are part of a mid-cycle refresh for the sixth-generation car and are expected for the 2018 model year.
Alleged dealership ordering information posted to the Mustang6G forums reveals a few new details and reaffirms some things we already knew. For starters, the car looks almost certain to be available with the 10-speed automatic transmission developed by Ford in partnership with General Motors Company [NYSE:GM]. Ford’s version of the quick-shifting transmission makes its debut in the 2017 F-150 Raptor.
Interestingly, it appears that Ford will finally drop the aging V-6 from the Mustang lineup with the arrival of the 2018 model, leaving just the turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-4 and 5.0-liter V-8 options for the standard lineup. The 5.2-liter V-8 of the Shelby GT350 should remain and might even be joined by a new range-topping unit in a potential Shelby GT500 model.
2018 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 spy shots - Image via S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
There’s also word of a new exhaust option, expected to be an active exhaust system with a quad-tip design. On top of these, expect the option of the Shelby GT350’s magnetic dampers on the standard Mustangs, including the EcoBoost. That’s not all for mechanical updates. We should also see a “Performance Package 2” join the existing Performance Package on the Mustang GT. It’s not clear what this package will contain but it may be some track-focused upgrades to turn the Mustang GT into something that rivals Chevrolet’s Camaro 1LE.
The final tidbit is in regards to color options. New among the range should be Orange Fury and Royal Crimson for the standard Mustangs and Lead Foot Gray exclusive to the Shelby models.
We’re currently expecting the 2018 Mustang to debut late this year or in early 2017 so we don’t have long to wait.
