2018 Mustang Will Drop V-6 Option, Add 10-Speed Automatic

Ford Motor Co. will no longer offer a V-6 engine in its Mustang pony car when the 2018 model hits the streets early next year, reports Mustang6G.com.

The current naturally aspirated 3.7-liter V-6 is not listed in the latest dealership ordering guide, according to the enthusiast website, which received a leaked copy of the catalog.

The other three 2017 engine offerings are expected to continue. This will leave buyers with a choice of a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-banger Ecoboost and two V-8s: a 435-hp 5.0-liter unit and the top-end 526-hp 5.2-liter mill.

With the 4-cylinder Ecoboost model besting it in power and fuel efficiency, the V-6 option became obsolete. The smaller engine generates 310 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque, while the V-6 makes 300 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque.

The mid-cycle 2018 freshening also will add a 10-speed automatic transmission option, according to Mustang6G, which confirms its own report from earlier this year. Ford is launching the 10-speed, which it co-developed with General Motors Co., in the 2017 F-150 pickup truck.

The current Mustang is available with either a 6-speed automatic or 6-speed manual gearbox.

Other new options on tap for 2018 include a dual exhaust system with four tips and MagneRide adaptive dampers borrowed from the Shelby GT350. A “Performance Package 2” also is listed in the catalog, which Mustang6G speculates will be a track-oriented kit to compete against similar performance packages for the Chevrolet Camaro.