The star of the Ford display at KLIMS13 has undoubtedly been the LHD fifth-gen Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. Great to look at, the highest-spec S197 ‘tang, equipped with a 662 hp and 855 Nm 5.8 litre supercharged V8 and a Tremec six-speed manual, but it might as well be an alien craft to most.
The next Mustang, however, is set to be a more familiar face to Malaysians. Yes, the word is that the Blue Oval is planning to introduce the RHD version of the S550 here when the upcoming sixth-gen enters the market. The UK is already confirmed as a market for the variant, as is Australia, the latter set to get the car in 2016.
It’s too early to see how things will shape up here exactly – we’re told that the smallest current engine choice, the 305 hp 3.7 litre Ti-VCT V6, is a strong contender, but there’s a more sensible option to be had in the form of a 2.3 litre EcoBoost four-cylinder turbo that’s being planned for select markets. Certainly, that one sounds like an easier proposition to digest.
The sixth-generation Mustang will debut at the 2014 New York Auto Show next April, coinciding with the Mustang’s 50th anniversary, but chances are, the earliest we’ll see the new pony car in these parts of the woods will be nearly three years from now, when Australia begins bringing it in.
