Mustang's heady GT V8 pops in Ford's preorder bank

The big-engine muscle car era in America may be in transition, but it's in robust health right now, at least in Mustang-land.

Of the 13,000 or so U.S. orders already on the books at Ford for the soon-to-arrive 2024 Mustangs, a full two-thirds of those specify the overachieving 5.0-liter V8 that cranks out 486 horsepower.

And not surprising among Mustang fans, 1-in-4 orders for the V8 have asked for a six-speed manual transmission, according to Ford. Cars are expected to start shipping to dealers next week.

“The most hardcore fans, they're going to go out and grab one of these because you don’t know when it’s going to end,” Guidehouse Insights eMobility analyst Sam Abuelsamid told The Associated Press.

The demand is not without precedent. “We tend to see more demand from enthusiasts for the V-8 whenever an all-new Mustang is introduced,” Jim Owens, Mustang brand manager, said in a prepared statement.

The tea leaves do not portend a long life for high-powered sports coupes with gas burners. General Motors has said it would stop making the Chevrolet Camaro early next year. Stellantis is to halt production of the Dodge Challenger and Charger this year. But the company plans to roll out a battery-powered Charger performance car sometime in 2024.

But perhaps reports of the death of the gasoline-powered Detroit muscle car have been exaggerated. Ford spokesman Mike Levine wouldn’t put a timetable to Mustang’s likely evolution to battery power. “That remains to be seen,” he said. Not exactly encouraging, but.

While the ’24 Mustang models are based on the previous generation’s platforms, the GT version with the“Coyote” V8 is upgraded with a dual throttle body induction system and a dual intake that sucks in air through the distinctive openings at both sides of the grille. The 486-horsepower and 418 lb-ft of torque come with the optional active valve exhaust. (Autoblog’s first drive review is here.) The new GT Fastback starts at $42,495; the Premium Fastback is $47,015. Destination charge is $1,595.

Whatever emerges as the destiny of Mustang, there’s plenty of past glories to celebrate. Over the last 10 years combined, the coupe, which is celebrating its 59th birthday, is the world’s best-selling sports car, according to Ford. The seventh-generation Mustang will be sold in more than 100 markets around the world.