Next-gen Ford Mustang won’t reach showrooms until at least 2022

Ford appears to have spilled the beans on the arrival of the new Mustang.

According to a job advertisement from the car-maker on LinkedIn, the next-generation pony car will now arrive later than previously thought, in 2022.

The position for a ‘Wind/Road Noise and Air Leakage Plant Vehicle Team (PVT) Engineer’ was posted to the Ford Motor Company’s LinkedIn page last month.

Calling for the successful applicant to be the “final sign off on the Ford 2023 Mustang S650 vehicle program before it goes to customers”, the full-time job is based in Dearborn, Michigan – the Mustang’s current production base.

The job ad, which has since closed, also requires the right person to “deliver Ford and Lincoln quality on the current model Mustang (S550)” for when the “S650 launches in 2022 as a 2023MY”.

Although we’ve previously reported the next-gen Mustang would be here by 2021 and built on the same platform as the new Explorer SUV, the ad suggests it’ll be at least another 12 months away.

The timing could be owed in part to extensive changes to Ford’s muscle car, including the anticipated introduction of hybrid and EV derivatives.

To deliver full-biscuit battery-electric technology, the Mustang is likely to require a different platform. Coincidentally, it’s already being employed by a Mustang – the all-new Mach-E SUV.

Ford’s highly-scalable EV platform can be shortened or lengthened, can run both rear- and all-wheel configurations and can house a range of different battery types.

The new EV platform will underpin several new Ford EVs in the future, but they won’t all wear Mustang badges like the Mach E.

In November, Ford announced modest updates to the Mustang range for the 2020 model year and it recently confirmed details for the all-conquering 500kW Mustang R-Spec, which is said to be sold out.