Despite the recent release of the seventh-generation Ford Mustang, codenamed S650, the automaker is reportedly already working on high-performance versions of the iconic pony car.
According to a post on the Mustang7G forum, the seventh-gen S650 Mustang GT500 may make its debut in 2025 as a MY2026 vehicle. The information was based on a plaque displayed in the Mustang Owner’s Museum, which included a date, although it was somewhat speculative.
The plaque was situated next to two full-sized, factory-sourced clay prototypes of the S650 Mustang GT, one of the exterior and one of the interior. While most of the plaque provided details on the existing Mustang’s design, powertrain options, amenities, and color choices, one sentence stood out: “The Shelby GT500 will be discontinued in 2023 but expected to make a comeback in 2025 for 2026.”
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The validity of this statement is unknown, as it comes from the Mustang Owner’s Museum rather than Ford themselves. But given that the rollout between the sixth-gen S550 Mustang and its respective GT500 was spaced 5 years apart, a 2-year gap between the S650 and its GT500 seems a bit off. That being said, if we look back to the fifth-gen S197 Mustang, there was only a 2-year gap between the regular Mustang and the GT500, suggesting that the 5-year gap of the S550 was likely to allow time for the introduction of the GT350 in between the GT and GT500.
Coinciding with all of this, the forum also reported that not just one, but two souped-up Mustangs have been spotted testing in the wild, these being the Shelby GT500 convertible, and a mystery car suspected to be a roadgoing version of the Mustang GT3.
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The GT500 prototype, as reported in its respective thread on the forum, was seen sporting a noticeably lower and wider stance, as well as the carbon fiber wheels from the old S550 Shelby GT500. The quad exhaust tips also appear to be larger than the ones on the standard GT, though that could be due to the angle of the photo.
Something else that’s easy to overlook is that this prototype is a convertible at all. Considering the previous-gen GT500 only came as a fixed-roof coupe, a drop-top GT500 would definitely be a welcome addition to the model range. The car also features the export-market side mirrors, suggesting that it could be the first GT500 to cross the pond as well. With all that being said, it’s not 100% clear whether this mule is definitely for the GT500, or potentially some other performance-oriented trim/package, but whatever it is, it does seem like it will sit higher up in the range than the GT.
Related: The 2024 Ford Mustang S650 Works Surprisingly Well As A Four-Door Coupe
Moving on to the other prototype spotted, the Mustang7G Forum reports that it could actually be a roadgoing version of the recently introduced Mustang GT3 car. This speculation does have a little more certainty to it, as the idea was even teased by Ford CEO Jim Farley in a Tweet. As for the car itself, while the base design seems to center around the Dark Horse’s styling, it features a revised grille, a ducktail rear spoiler, and most uniquely, a center-mount exhaust.
The prospect of a car like this is very interesting, as we’ve never seen Ford produce something like it before. Even the position of such a vehicle in the lineup remains a bit of a mystery, but if we had to guess, we’d imagine it would sit above the Dark Horse but below the GT500, sort of like a spiritual successor to the GT350. However, there is the off chance that it could sit above the GT500, serving as a range-topper similar to Porsche’s GT cars.
