The Ford Mustang's V8 engine is a crucial component of its character, and the business has no plans to soon replace it with batteries and an electric motor. Ford has vowed to continue selling its pony car with an internal combustion engine and has no intention of discontinuing the model's drivetrain.

Ford Performance Motorsport's worldwide director, Mark Rushbrook, told CarSales.com.au that the business will continue to produce the V8 engine for "as long as we can," noting that the Blue Oval hasn't yet decided when the eight-cylinder engine will be phased out. Jim Owens, the global brand manager for Mustang, expressed similar views to Drive.com.au. He said that despite increasing its output of battery-electric vehicles, the company is still investing on V8 engines for upcoming models.

Ford may have to change those plans, though, due to legislative requirements. Automakers have been reducing engine size and incorporating turbochargers to cope with the tightening emissions regulations. Ford declined to comment on how it intended to keep the V8 in the Mustang, although Mustang chief vehicle engineer Tim Smith hinted in a coded statement that the business is "always testing everything."

Synthetic fuels are one option that could help the combustion engine survive. With Porsche, Stellantis, and other automakers studying e-fuel, more than one carmaker is investigating the alternative technology. Bentley sent a fleet of vehicles running on biofuel to the Goodwood Festival of Speed this year.

The substitute fuels might lower emissions without requiring current combination engines to be modified. The 1920 EXP2 Bentley, which has a large biofuel tank at its Crewe headquarters, is the company's oldest surviving vehicle.

The first proposal from the European Union was to prohibit the sale of new combustion-powered vehicles after 2035. Regulators did, however, propose and authorize a carve-out for the sale of e-fuel-powered cars after the deadline before the regulations were finalized earlier this year.

Ford is hoping that the new Mustang will draw in younger customers. It will be the first time in over 20 years that the Ford Mustang is unchallenged by its crosstown competitors, the Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger, and it is not the first time Ford has been alone. Ford thinks that a core group of customers appreciates sports vehicles, however it does not believe it can win over every former Camaro and Challenger lover.