For many decades now, Mustang owners have had the choice between competent and powerful V8 engines…and then whatever else Ford had lying around. Sometimes a V6, sometimes an I6, and for a few years there was even a four-cylinder engine found under the hood of base-model Mustangs. These motors always felt like an afterthought, even though more and more Mustang owners, as a percentage of sales, opted for the smaller power plants.

So, could flagging Mustang sales be related to a shortage in V6 engines? According to Automotive News, that is hurting Mustang sales as much as anything else right now.

Ford has a hit on its hands with the 3.7 liter V6 engine found in the Ford Mustang and F-150 pickup… among other vehicles. With 305 horsepower and 280 ft-lbs of torque, it is a strong, technologically advanced engine…that also gets 31 mpg on the highway. And with gas prices as high as they are, more and more F-150 owners are opting for V6 engine options (including the EcoBoost.)

Since Ford makes more money selling a truck than a Mustang, they have appropriated more V6 engines for truck production, leaving Mustang supply at about 30 days. Most vehicles have between a 60 and 80 day supply and even as recently as last year Mustangs were kept at about a 60 days supply. A 30 day supply is about half what it should be, and new car shoppers who can’t find the V6 Mustang they want are likely heading to Chevy, Dodge, and even Hyundai dealers for something else. Right now V6 Mustang sales make up about 50% of all sales…up from 40% in 2010, which is when the new 5.0 V8 hit the streets.

It’s also rather well known that a new Mustang is coming out soon in celebration of the 50^th anniversary of America’s favorite pony car, so many people are probably biding their time, waiting for the latest and greatest Mustang to hit showroom floors…though they might have to wait until the 2015 model year to get it. Hopefully by then, Ford will have this V6 engine shortage problem sorted out.