The electric mustang

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We're coming up on a milestone that for the past decade or so, we've probably all thought about at some point. In a few years time, we are going the see the introduction of the first hybrid muscle car in America's beloved Ford Mustang. How did we get to this point? Will it be as exciting as its predecessors? And more importantly, will it GO like an American muscle car?break out your notepads and tissue boxes while I lie on your couch and talk about my feelings.

About ten years ago, or so, people in my age group, the millennial, were graced with the experience we all heard our fathers and grandfathers tell stories of. With the introduction of a retro-inspired Mustang and new production muscle cars in sight from the other two of the big three, we found ourselves amidst the beginning of our generation's own horsepower war. It was a breath of fresh air for many of us in the younger motoring enthusiast crowd. We grew up playing video games glorifying the tuner car scene. Many of us dreamt of turbo charged Hondas and Toyotas because honestly, it's all we were exposed to. Muscle cars were a thing of the past. Legend in status and something you only got to see your dad drool over at car shows while he told stories to the owner that always began with "I had one just like this, except..." Real American muscle cars were mythical in nature. You weren't allowed to touch them or even get too close to them for fear of damaging them or in my own father's case, fear of his only son falling prey to the allure of that rumbling old American iron. Super cars on the other hand, really were myths. They only existed on television or in magazines. Much like dragons, you'd hear tales of your friend's brother's girlfriend's uncle two towns over who owned a brand new Ferrari. You never saw it, but it must exist because you've seen pictures of cars just like it and all the town folk are rambling on about how obnoxious it is.

I remember when Ford introduced the all new redesigned Mustang in 2005. By that point the idea of retro-inspired vehicles hadn't yet become the cliche’ we think of it as today, but this car defined it. It embodied the idea in its entirety. The first time I saw one I was absolutely stunned. Here I am, a boy of twelve years old or so, wishing his youth away to be working a job that would pay just enough money to afford me a shiny new Mustang GT. At the time I had no concept of what the "GT" meant or how it differentiated from other Mustangs. Hell, I'm not entirely sure I knew the difference between a V6 and V8 was. Truth be told that's my point. I simply didn't care at the time. The car was so awe inspiring I yearned to have one. That Mustang redefined American cars for me. It gave me hope that American cars did have something exciting to offer and we weren't all doomed to drive SUV's and pickup trucks or tiny Japanese imports with less power than most gardening equipment. And wouldn't you know a few years later dodge did something no one saw coming. We were graced with the return of the ultra cool, ultra sexy, Dodge Challenger. After playing it safe and reviving the Charger badge and giving it two more "sensible" doors, they got an ear full from mopar fan boys that the motoring world forgot about after the 1970's demanding a two door Mustang competitor. Shortly after Chevrolet brought the Camaro back to life cashing in on the same retro styling themes the other two were doing so well with.

Welcome to 2012 and the preliminary trials have run their course. We have learned that these cars will sell and sell well. We are being exposed to revised, more powerful versions of these cars we were merely happy to have back in the first place. Already we are seeing the 400 horsepower threshold broken. Top performance models are pushing over 500 ponies. The war is in full swing and it's all we as consumers can do to keep up with the numbers. Carrying around stacks of Motor Trend and Hot Rod magazine was no longer an option, it was necessity.

Fast forward five years.

I have owned four different Mustangs so far. Each unique in their own right and not one with less than eight cylinders. The horsepower war has not quieted down. In fact, there is more bloodshed now than ever. We are coming off a Shelby GT500 that produced 662 horsepower and entering a new GT350 with an engine design most Americans didn't know existed and can rev to over 8,000 RPM. Chevrolet have given us a new Z/28 Camaro and their fastest Corvette to date. Don't think for a second we're not still sick with hellcat fever and the 707 horsepower that comes with it. Even if you take these top performers out of the equation we are still left with V6 cars producing over 300 horsepower and basic V8 cars with 4-500. I mean this is utopia. These are times Americans never thought we would see again. It's taken me some time to admit it but these cars would absolutely crush their predecessors. They are lighter, more powerful and more reliable. Just when we thought the years of perpetually increasing performance numbers would never end, here comes the sensible guy at the party. The guy that tells you you've had one too many. Everyone's favorite stick in the mud, enter, Ford Motor Company.

In less than three years we will be introduced to a brand new type of Mustang. We all knew this day might come, but we didn't think it would be so soon. I think we all thought our beloved horsepower war would be the last segment of the motoring world to be effected by our downward spiraling environment. Well, except maybe for pickup trucks... oh wait... Nonetheless it's time is here and we have questions.

How did we get here? Well, with government regulation perpetually increasing as quickly as performance numbers, it's time to get the buying public thinking about the idea of hybrid/electric cars for their performance fix. There's no denying hybrid technology has come such a very long way in the past decade. Look for example at the McClaren P1 or the Porsche 918. When these cars began their earliest development stages, the mindset of the engineering crew was, "Right, we have to build a super car that is ecologically friendly that will sell and be fast-ish." However, over the course of development, in a few years time, the technology advanced so quickly they went from trying to focus on efficiency to focussing on raw power. Ford has already told us this hybrid Mustang will offer V8 power with fiesta fuel economy. Much like "LaFerrari" the Mustang won't have a charge port of sorts but rather it will generate its own electricity onboard using either the engine itself as a generator or incorporate some sort of kinetic energy recovery system.

Notice how how earlier I said "V8 power" but not a V8 engine? At this point it's uncertain what powertrain the electra-stang will use. This brings me on to my next point. Will it be as exciting as its predecessors? There's no doubt that Mustangs will go on forever. They are a staple of the American car industry and even when we are all floating around in hover crafts, there will be a model donning the Mustang badge. Even now the cars sells in tremendous numbers in four and six cylinder versions to people who just plain love the way the car looks. For real gear heads however, that V8 noise is of utmost importance. It's at least 80% of the experience for me. A car has to sound RIGHT. I'm not saying loud. I'm not even saying it has to be a V8. I have a friend with a 1988 Ford Festiva. It's a four cylinder, but it's the best damn sounding four cylinder I have ever had the pleasure of driving. I can't, help but smile in that car and it's because it sounds the part. A Mustang should have a rumbling V8 under the hood. It's one of the biggest pieces to it's wow factor. It's an integral part of the Mustang experience. With the introduction of the hybrid model, who's to say our V8 couldn't be gone in a few years time as well.
Will it go like an American car is supposed to? Undoubtedly I'm sure it will. We love fast cars. We won't let the hybrid or lack of a good soundtrack stand in our way. The hybrid Mustang will most definitely live up the hype of being as fast or faster even than its V8 counterpart. It has to. From a marketing standpoint it's the only way Ford will be able to win over the common petrolhead. With hybrid technology advancing at such a rate as we have seen in recent years, its impossible to think the new Mustang won't live up to the numbers set by cars of recent years. It may even be able to make the technology more affordable and more dependable seeing as it will be offered to such a large market. With the Mustang going international in 2015 and being so popular already in the states, it simply has to work.

We will see this car by the year 2020 along with a hybrid F150 to sell along side it. The fact of the matter is we, the buying public, are going to have to start coming to terms with the reality that this may be all we are offered to indulge in fast, sporty cars in the coming decades. The new Mustang will have all the power a Mustang should have with all the amenities tomorrow will have to offer, but will it inspire twelve year old boys to go out and work hard? Will it redefine American motoring and the muscle car? Maybe it will. But will it have the soul?