Unlike the Camaro and the Charger/Challenger it predated back in the 1960s, the Mustang never missed a generation, having been a constant showroom presence since its 1964 introduction. And since Dodge is axing its V8 muscle cars next year and Chevy has yet to mention anything about the future of the Camaro, the Blue Oval model may just remain the only ICE muscle machine to buy. However, the recently unveiled 2024 Mustang isn’t perfect, since it lacks a supercharged option (at least for now). And while tuners will undoubtedly fix that as soon as next year, this rendering wants it all and it wants it now.
Given the fuel efficiency-related fines generated by supercharged V8s, we may not get a replacement for the dancing-with-the-supercars Shelby GT500, which is the only factory-supercharged version of the outgoing S550 ‘Stang. Even if we do (we’ll never stop crossing out fingers), it will take years for the monster to arrive.
Fortunately, though, the infinite aftermarket culture that’s accompanied by Mustang since day one will make sure the S650 gets its fair share of blowers. And while some companies like Shelby American or Roush may get early access to the seventh-gen platform for development, the new Mustang won’t land on dealer lots until the summer of 2023.
So, while we’re less than two months away from the 2022 SEMA show, we’ll probably have to wait for the 2023 edition of the Las Vegas custom car event to get our dose of modded S650s. Even so, as mentioned above, the rendering realm is here to fuel our dreams.
This digitally supercharged 2024 Mustang is the king
For now, there seems to be no 3D creation to make us question the boundary between reality and pixels (hello, there, metaverse fans!). Even so, digital artist Timothy Adry Emmanuel (Timothy Adry Emmanuel) makes an extremely convincing case for 2D glory (Mihnea showed you a Mustang Dark Horse Wagon rendering) with the pair of renderings we have here.
Presented alongside the standard 2024 Mustang GT, the pixel works introduce a widebody and beadlock rear wheels shod in slicks, but the big news sits above the normal hood line.
So while one of the images portrays a cowl hood with air induction that could serve a blower, the second seems to place an old-school roots supercharger in the engine bay of the pony. And would you look at that hat topping everything!
The 650 Mustang seems to be a hit
The new S650 Mustang may be an evolution of its predecessor in terms of both the platform and the two engine choices revealed to date, but Ford has cast an incredibly wide net.
As such, you can have the standards seventh-generation Mustang with a “new” EcoBoost turbo-four and an also-new Gen IV Coyote 5.0L V8—while these are heavily revised versions of the outgoing model’s powerplants, no output numbers have been released yet. Then there’s the 2024 Mustang Dark Horse, which squeezes 500 hp out of that V8—one might say this is a replacement for the 2022/2023 Mustang Mach 1, which sits halfway between the retired GT350 and the GT.
The seventh-generation pony is getting six racing iterations
In addition, the carmaker had basically made it impossible for those who visit the track to not spot an S650 Mustang. That’s because Ford is rolling out no less than six (!) racing versions of the seventh-gen pony.
It all starts with the Dark Horse S, which is a factory-prepped track day special. However, since this lacks racing series homologation, it will be joined by a Dark Horse R, which adds further upgrades and comes with serialization that will grant it the right to take part in various motorsport series. Just to be clear, neither the S, nor the R will be street-legal.
The next step is the Mustang GT4, which will enter series like the SRO and FIA GT. There’s also the GT3 Mustang, which is headed for endurance racing (e.g., IMSA, WEC). Built with Multimatic (second-gen Ford GT endurance racer, anybody?), this circuit-crazy version is getting a dedicated 5.4L Coyote V8 and will mark Ford’s Le Mans return, but no sooner than 2024.
Last, but certainly not least, we have the seventh-generation Mustang entries for the NHRA Factory X drag racing and the Australian Supercars series, albeit details being kept at a minimum for now.
Who said roots-type blowers don’t belong on modern Mustangs?
Now, while most modern muscle cars features more efficient screw-type blowers for positive displacement applications, the magic of screw-type superchargers isn’t completely lost.
For one, actress/car vlogger Emelia Hartford has just prepared a new Big Block for her fifth-gen Mustang with such a blower on top. Why? Because 2,000 horsepower! And she’ll give you a deeper dive in the YouTube clip below.
