Mid-engined Ford Mustang to be unveiled in the US this week – report
An unsubstantiated report from the US claims a mid-engined Ford Mustang will be revealed this week, taking on the Chevrolet Corvette as a cut-price Ford GT supercar. But will it be a road-car or a race-car?
The Ford Mustang is one of the world’s most recognisable muscle cars – sticking with its tried-and-tested front-engine, two-door and rear-wheel-drive layout for almost 60 years – but a new report from the US has claimed a Ferrari-style, mid-engined variant could be unveiled this week.
According to Ford Authority, insider sources claim Ford's secret model will wear the Mustang badge but be a mid-engined supercar, sharing few parts with the latest-generation coupe which went on sale in the US earlier this year.
If the reports are true, will it be a road-car or a race-car?
While one of the original concepts for the Ford Mustang was a mid-engined, four-cylinder roadster – named Ford Mustang I – the muscle car has never deviated from its front-engined layout since production began in March 1964.
Ford Authority reports the Mustang-badged supercar will be built by Multimatic, the Canadian company which has produced the Ford GT road car and racer since late-2016, as well as four generations of Mustang race cars since 2005, including the new Mustang GT3 and GT4.
The reveal will reportedly occur on Thursday August 17 US time (early August 18 Australian time) at Pebble Beach in California, as a part of the iconic Monterey Car Week which runs from August 11 to 20.
It won't be the first time Ford has used the Mustang on a non-muscle car – in 2021 it launched the Mustang Mach-E, a four-door electric SUV which shares no parts with the iconic sports coupe.
Despite a minority of passionate Ford fans complaining about the use of the Mustang badge on an electric SUV, the Mustang Mach-E has proven to be popular in the US and recently went on sale in Australia, with showroom arrivals due between October and December 2023.