Ford Predicts Manual V8 Mustangs To Fade In Demand, EcoBoost To Prevail

Driving enthusiasts always have a tender spot for a good old manual transmission, and if it comes attached to a rumbling V8 engine like it does in the Ford Mustang GT, all the better.

Truth is, as Ford sees it, that chosen combination might be flawed when skewed towards long-term use. And while buyers are clamouring overwhelmingly in favour of the more traditional muscle car recipe, the blue oval believes that as their sixth-generation Mustang matures through its life cycle, the 2.3-litre EcoBoost variants with an automatic transmission will prove to be the most popular model.

According to a report by UK’s Autocar at the opening round of the World Endurance Championship at Silverstone, Raj Nail, Ford’s head of product development, expects that the initial surge in orders for the V8 Mustang GT with a six-speed manual transmission will slowly decline in favour of the more fuel-efficient, easier to drive turbocharged 2.3-litre four-cylinder EcoBoost Mustang with a six-speed automatic transmission.

Nair said, “You’ll see by the end of the car’s production lifetime the sales will be split about 50/50,” he said. “Early sales are made up of people who have always wanted a Mustang, so they’ve ordered it in ultimate Mustang-spec – V8 engine and a manual gearbox. But later on, that trend will change.”

It is unclear whether he was speaking in the context of the UK market or if he expects this trend to propagate across all markets the the current Mustang is sold in. Taken conservatively, we can confirm that Nair at least expects it for the UK-market Mustangs.

This trend, he said, has been boosted by the more ‘exotic’ light that the Mustang has been seen under especially in countries that have traditionally not seen the likes of big, brash American sports coupes. In countries such as Germany, the stronghold of automakers such as Porsche, the Mustang outsold the 911 by more than 20 units in March 2016.

We’re not sure if that trend applies to us in Australia where a V8 coupe is somewhat commonplace. And certainly a manual transmission needs to be enjoyed in open and scenic roads, something that’s lacking here either.

It will be interesting to see how this prediction plays out.

The Ford Mustang with a 2.3-litre EcoBoost mill produces 233kW and 432Nm of torque whereas the Mustang GT armed with a 5.0-litre V8 produces 306kW and 530Nm. Both are available with either as a Convertible or Fastback (coupe).