The classic Ford Mustang is about to race off into its seventh generation and is bringing an all-new look and more powerful performance than ever. There’s still a lot of mystique surrounding the 2024 Ford. In fact, your local Ford dealer probably can’t give you too much more information until we get closer to launch. Ford’s own website has a very sparse page dedicated to the vehicle. It tells you limited details, like the fact that its engine will have more horsepower than any previous 5.0L V8 Mustang, but it doesn’t say what exactly that horsepower figure is. It mentions that there are hundreds of ways to configure the vehicle, but it doesn’t dive into those ways.
The 2024 Ford Mustang is set to be available for purchase starting in the summer of 2023, and many drivers will be eagerly waiting to pick up their new pony car. There is certainly a lot of intrigue surrounding this car. Perhaps because, as usual, Ford is offering its base models at modest prices that make a thrill ride available to almost all drivers. Here’s what we know about the 2024 Mustang so far.
There Will Be A Familiar Lineup
We’ll see a few familiar trims out of this new model, including the EcoBoost and the GT. However, the high-performance Mach 1 version will be replaced with the all-new Dark Horse. The starting MSRPs for each trim are anticipated to be very close to the previous year’s, potentially only differing by a few hundred dollars.
The Dark Horse can get either a 10-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission and enjoys an uprated version of the 5.0L Coyote V8 engine. Ford is claiming it will boast the highest horsepower in the Mustang family to date, and rumors suggest over 500 hp will be available. The GT will also get a 5.0L V8, but a lower 450 hp figure is expected. The EcoBoost will get an updated turbocharged 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine but will only be available with an automatic transmission.
The Fun Stuff
We’ll start with the stuff that will give you goosebumps, take your breath away and leave you speechless because that’s what the Ford Mustang is all about. Those into burnouts and drifting will love that this car has an available drift brake that can let you feel like you’re in one of the Fast and Furious movies. There are also available Recaro bucket seats, which conform to the driver’s body for a genuine race-track feel that makes you one with the vehicle.
There is also an optional Performance Pack upgrade for both the GT and EcoBoost models. This will feature a front strut-tower brace (a suspension accessory that offers increased chassis stiffness), a Torsen limited-slip differential, wider wheels and tires, larger brakes, and an active-damping suspension. The latter feature automatically adjusts the suspension’s stiffness to adapt to the environment.
A flat-bottom steering wheel allows for better handling and makes you feel like a professional racecar driver. If you want to show off how nicely the engine roars to friends and onlookers, you can use the new remote rev engine function on the key fob. It will fire up the engine when you’re within range so everyone can hear the impressive equipment under that hood.
The Pretty Stuff
Ford has promised that there are hundreds of ways to configure your vehicle. Once it’s ready for pre-purchase, you can factory-order your 2024 Mustang to your exact specifications, and it sounds like there will be many ways to customize how it looks and feels inside and out. We know for now that there are many wheel options and brake caliper options. So you can highly customize how the area around the tires looks if you want a car that really pops.
We also know there will be color-matched seatbelts and stitching for a true racecar feel inside. Ford has described the 2024 Mustang’s interior aesthetic as “fighter jet-inspired,” so expect a really efficient, slick, and modern look. A configurable display will allow you to choose what information you see. In addition to being able to change the colors of the display and what gauges you see, you can also choose the “calm” screen. This will only show you critical information to reduce distraction on the road.
There’s beautiful ambient lighting throughout the cabin. Base models will get cloth seats, but drivers can add micro-suede vinyl or ActiveX. Premium trims will see eye-catching stitching detail throughout, and the GT gets sophisticated leather inserts.
The Tech Features
As with previous year’s models, you’ll get Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, allowing drivers to connect their smartphone to the car’s touch screen and use all of their favorite apps in the vehicle. On that note, there is a 13.2-inch infotainment display and a 12.4-inch instrument display––generous upgrades from the previous years’ screens. Traditional, bulky knobs are gone, and in their place are touch controls for an extra sleek-looking interior.
Regular voice commands now include Amazon Alexa with Ford Streaming––a connected services plan that lets you use your favorite streaming platforms on the road, including Amazon Music. There is an optional wireless smartphone charger for those who don’t like messy cords in their cockpit. Even without this, drivers can expect a truly beautiful and clean-looking interior that lets them focus on the performance of this vehicle and forget about the outside world.
Safety Technologies
The 2024 Ford Mustang receives praise for being one of the safest pony cars to drive. It has the excellent Ford Co-Pilot360 suite, which includes many driver-assist features. Adaptive cruise control lets drivers set the desired distance to keep between themselves and other drivers and have the car adjust speed to maintain that distance. There is also Lane Centering Assist, which provides automatic steering inputs to keep you centered in your lane when you start drifting. Optional Active Pothole Mitigation detects oncoming potholes and adjusts the vehicle’s suspension to lessen the impact. The latter automatically comes with the Performance Pack. All in all, drivers can feel safe pushing the new Mustang’s capabilities to the limits thanks to these intelligent driver-assist features.
Speed Never Looked So Beautiful
The 2024 Ford Mustang combines the classic looks drivers recognize but has continued to move in a more sophisticated direction with slightly softer lines and an overall more luxurious appearance. With the redesign, Ford is giving drivers the option to really make the Mustang their own, with hundreds of ways to configure the vehicle and color customizations all the way down to the rims. The fighter jet interior enhances the already incredible experience of driving this car. Fun new features like remote engine rev let Mustang drivers show off their cars’ engines, even when they aren’t behind the wheel.
Ford is playing it pretty close to the vest with more specific information about the 2024 Mustang for now. The brand seems to want to create a lot of anticipation around the car that’s set to come out summer of 2023, and it is succeeding. We know for now that there are some really fun performance and aesthetic upgrades to look forward to. As for the details––we’ll just have to wait to pre-order like everyone else.
