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The current sixth-generation Mustang S550 is nearing the end of its life cycle, while the all-new Seventh-Generation Mustang is on its way. We already know a number of things about the new-generation pony, like the fact that it will ride on FoMoCo's all-new rear-drive CD6 platform, shared with the all-new Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator 2020 crossovers. We also know that the new generation Mustang will have a hybrid variant and an electric battery variant in its range. Our spy has just taken a (very) old prototype of the latter. Here is our first look at the new generation of Ford Mustang Hybrid.
The vehicle that we see here carries a clear camouflage at the front and back, but its appearance is almost identical to that of the current Mustang S550, with two notable exceptions. The first is a revised front bumper cover with displaced orange side lights, and the second is a set of strange exhaust pipes intended for emissions testing by the EPA.
Sources at the bottom of The Blue Oval tell us that this is a next-generation Mustang Hybrid powertrain development mule, which leads us to question what's hidden under the hood. The most obvious option would be the powertrain of the Ford Explorer Hybrid 2020, which features a 3.3-liter V6 engine coupled with a hybrid system producing a combined 318-horsepower system offering an estimated range of more than 500 miles depending on EPA standards. The gearshift takes place through Ford's modular 10-speed hybrid transmission.
In the Explorer Hybrid, Ford has specifically designed a set of lithium-ion batteries with liquid cooling and stored in the chassis under the seats of the second row. As a result, the vehicle does not sacrifice the passenger space or the load volume.
Sources close to the subject also told us that the hybrid Mustang could be available in two versions: a standard model and a high-performance model. The model can be started with the regular output version first, followed by the high output model in the line. Expect the next generation, the seventh generation, for the 2021 or 2022 model years.
In the (extremely remote) possibility that our sources and ourselves misidentified this prototype Mustang, it could then be a refreshing of the current sixth generation model. In this case, this would indicate that the Mustang S550 is ready for a second refresh, as the pony car received its first facelift for the 2018 model year.
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