Ford Mustang 2024 spy shots: a first look at the updated pony car.

The S650, a prototype of the seventh-generation Ford Mustang, has been spotted for the first time.

Previously thought to arrive in late 2022 as a 2023 model, it is now expected to arrive in mid-2023, most likely as a 2024 model. This delay is due to supply shortages and other pandemic-related disruptions.

Although the prototype is heavily camouflaged, the general styling is clearly an evolution of the current S550 generation theme. The profile, grille shape, and vertical taillight elements are all common to the current car. One visible difference is that the headlight elements appear elongated, which points to a sleeker and more modern design at the front.

The similarities between the two generations of Mustangs suggest that the redesigned Mustang will be based on the current car's bespoke D2C platform, as opposed to the modular CD6 platform version that debuted in the 2020 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator SUVs which confirms rumors that the company is planning to launch a new model in the near future.

Ford has announced that in 2018 it will transition its future lineup to five highly modular platforms, which means there will no longer be room for a bespoke platform like the D2C, but now Ford has announced that it will eventually discontinue it and possibly adopt electric power for its muscle cars, it appears to be waiting until the eighth-generation Mustang, which will replace the S650. That transition will likely occur later this decade.

However, Mustang fans can look forward to electric power in the next model change. The long-awaited hybrid option, originally promised for introduction around 2020, is expected to be introduced in the redesigned Mustang. It would combine the current 5.0-liter V-8 engine with one or more electric motors.

There are rumors that an electric motor will be mounted on each axle to form an all-wheel drive system. It is also expected to have sufficient battery capacity for a small electric range. Hopefully weight will not be an issue, as the current Mustang GT with a manual transmission already weighs 3,743 pounds. ......

The current 2.3-liter inline-4 turbo should remain the entry-level powertrain option.

The Mustang redesign is unlikely to happen quickly, as U.S. sales in 2021 fell 14.2% year over year to 52,414 units, the lowest level in Mustang history. However, this was partly due to confusion and partly due to buyers who appeared to have switched to Mustang Mach E's.