When the S650 Mustang was first announced, Ford teased the possibility of hybrid power. It sounded like a way to soothe the emissions gods, but there wasn’t much information at the time. Then, as the S650 rollout unfolded with EcoBoosts, Coyotes, and the Dark Horse, the hybrid promise seemed to fade away.

Fast-forward to today, and recent rumors online suggest the idea is back in play. Whispers of an “S650E” in development hint that Ford could be quietly testing hybrid mules with an eye toward production, so the split-propulsion pony car could be part of the corral again.

If it does happen, it’s worth considering what a hybrid Mustang might mean. The most obvious play is electrification for efficiency, but the upside for performance is hard to ignore. Electric torque offers snappy acceleration, and pairing a hybrid system with a turbocharged or naturally aspirated engine could create a Mustang with serious street manners and new performance tricks. Porsche has already shown what’s possible with the 911 T-Hybrid, which adds electric punch without sacrificing its soul. A Mustang built with that philosophy could walk the line between responsible and raucous.

There’s another benefit that might get overlooked: a hybrid system could actually help keep V8s alive longer. By offsetting emissions with electrification, Ford might be able to keep building internal-combustion powerplants without running afoul of tightening regulations in the years to come. That would be welcome news for those of us who still want Mustangs to rumble with eight cylinders under the hood.

Of course, the devil is in the details. It isn’t certain what engine the company would pair the technology with at this stage, but Ford did file for a hybrid all-wheel-drive patent back in 2019 that seemed to indicate a V8 driving the rear wheels and electric motors driving the front wheels.

However, the rumors leave a lot of questions unanswered. Will a hybrid Mustang arrive in a special trim all its own? Would it be too expensive? Will the added weight mitigate the performance advantage, or will the instant torque more than make up for it? Would you like to see a performance hybrid Mustang, and if so, what powertrain combination would you prefer?