Though we all knew it was coming, Ford finally made it official last week by announced that its famed pony car, the Mustang, would be crossing the pond for sale in Europe. Ford didn’t go into the details, only letting us know that true to the “One Ford” plan, the Mustang would no longer be a North America-only automobile.
But now British motoring publication AutoCar has some of the first details about the European version of the next-gen Mustang, and plans include right-hand drive, but no V8 engine. What gives?
According to AutoCar, the next-gen 2015 Ford Mustang will be based on a heavily modified version of the current S197 platform that is being re-engineered to accommodate a right-hand drive version. This will allow Ford to sell the Mustang everywhere in Europe, including the UK where they drive on the wrong side of the road.
The next-gen Mustang will also be smaller and lighter, a big boon to Europeans used to tight roads, as is the all-but-confirmed independent rear suspension. But one thing Europe won’t be getting is the 420 horsepower 5.0 liter V8. Instead, AutoCar indicates that Europe will make due with either a 2.0 liter, 250 horsepower four-cylinder, or a 300 horsepower V6.
That decision kind of takes the “muscle” out of muscle car. Does Ford’s 5.0 not meet European emissions? Maybe the Blue Oval just wants to reserve its best engine for its most loyal fans (i.e. America). Why do you think Ford won’t give the Euro-Stang a V8?