Ford Mustang purists will tell you that it’s a V8 or nothing, but there’s always been a place for pony cars with a few less cylinders. A good number of the early models had a six-cylinder under the hood, and recent sales figures show that over half of the current Mustangs purchased are V6-powered. There was even a four-cylinder option available through the 1970s and 1980s, the pinnacle of which was the Mustang SVO from 1984 to 1986 that has gained somewhat of a cult following.
Even so, we weren’t surprised to hear the groans and whines from the Mustang faithful when Ford announced the 2015 model lineup would include a four-cylinder engine. And we can’t blame them. After all, enthusiasts want performance. But (unfortunately) not all Mustang buyers are enthusiasts, which means they will often won’t opt for the V8.
However, getting Americans to buy a V6 is one thing, but convincing them to plunk their hard earned money down for a four-cylinder Mustang might be a bit more tricky, especially when it comes with a premium price. It’s impossible to tell how the 2015 Mustang EcoBoost will sell, but we have a feeling Ford won’t have any trouble getting them off dealer’s lots. Here’s why:
The V6 won’t be offered in Europe
You can’t buy something if it’s not even offered. Early rumors suggested that Ford was going to drop the V6 all together for 2015, and while that didn’t happen Ford did announce the V6 wasn’t going to be available in Europe or any other major global markets. That means the base Mustang in the rest of the world will be the EcoBoost. Given how much fuel costs in Europe and other places and the cost of insuring the GT model with the 5.0-liter V8, we imagine a larger majority of buyers will opt for the EcoBoost.
You can’t buy the V6 with the Premium Package
One way a manufacturer can push buyers into certain models is with how they offer packages, and this appears to be the case with the 2015 Mustang. The recently leaked order guide revealed that the V6 model won’t be available with the Premium Package, which means it will only come with the base interior and black cloth seats. Any customers wanting the upgraded interior and leather seats will have to move up to the EcoBoost model.
The V6 won’t be available with the Performance Package
Speaking of fun, Ford will be offering a Performance Package once again for the 2015 Mustang. But unlike the current model, it won’t be available for the V6. The upgraded suspension, brakes and wheels will be only be offered for the EcoBoost and GT models. Again, the V6 is left out.
The V6 will have limited options
In addition to the V6 not being available with the Premium Package, Ford has limited the options available to the model as well. Want the Recaro seats? You’re out of luck. You can’t even get them in cloth. How about the TrackApps feature? Sorry, that only comes on the EcoBoost or GT models. The only real significant options for the V6 are Equipment Group 051A (body-colored spoiler, upgraded 18-inch wheels and a 6-way power driver seat), a Security Package (locking center console, anti-theft system and wheel locking kit), Ruby Red and Triple Yellow paint, a 3.55 rear end, reverse park assist, spare wheel and tire, all-weather floor mats and a spoiler delete. Basically, if you want anything nice or fun on your 2015 Mustang you don’t want a V6 and have to upgrade to the EcoBoost.
The V6 only comes with 17 or 18 inch wheels
The current Mustang V6 comes with a wide variety of wheel options including a set of 19-inch aluminum wheels included in the Performance Package. Unfortunately, the only wheels available on the V6 for 2015 are the base 17-inch wheels and the 18-inch wheels that come with Equipment Group 051A. Unfortunately neither look great. If you want a decent wheel, especially in anything bigger than 18-inches, you have to upgrade to the EcoBoost model that comes with either 18, 19 or 20-inch wheels depending on the package.
So there you have it. Why will the 2015 Mustang EcoBoost sell so well? Because no one will want to buy the V6.
