The new Ford Mustang is a good old-fashioned muscle car

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All-new Mustang from

Ford Motor

over here. this Not powered by batteries. It’s electric, though.

stronghold

(Tape: F) The seventh-generation Mustang was unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show late Wednesday. The sports car lives up to its brand heritage.

This says nothing. Any new Mustang has a lot to live for. She is a 60-year-old American icon. The Green Machine even had a starring role in “Bullitt” with Steve McQueen behind the wheel. Today, there is even a battery-powered model, and Mach Ewhich dropped out of showrooms in the tens of thousands after its launch in late 2020.

Ford plans to secure this version’s place in the Mustang Pantheon through its races. “We’re going back to Le Mans again with the Mustang,” Ford CEO Bill Ford said at his company’s launch event. (Ford v . movie)

Ferrari
And the

Of course, details of Ford’s early Le Mans experience.)

The new model runs on gasoline, and is equipped with its classic 5-liter V-8 engine that can produce up to 500 naturally aspirated horsepower and go from zero to 60 mph in an astonishing 4 seconds.

And for those drivers who want control, or at least a sense of control, Ford offers the car with a six-speed manual transmission.

There is also something more environmentally conscious…or saving gas. Ford sells the car with a smaller 2.3-liter engine with a turbocharger called EcoBoost. Turbochargers help provide more power by using less gas.

Don’t think the Mustang isn’t high-tech, just because of its classic engine and gearshift option. There are plenty of digital improvements, from advanced driver assistance and customizable driving modes to over-the-air software updates and even a ignition switch that allows the owner to remotely restart the engine.

Now, a word about the car’s design. Remember the proportions of the roof and tail line Baron– just a little – from

Ferrari

(Ethnic) Rome. The front grill is larger and more embossed, reminding buyers of a Mustang from days gone by. The 5-liter GT version also gets an air vent.

“Both the EcoBoost and Mustang GT have unique styling cues that deliver on their promise of Mustang performance,” said Christopher Walter, Ford Mustang design director, in a statement.

Investors can get excited with car buyers. The Mustang still sells well, but Ford has seen sales of the gas-powered model decline. The new design and features should help beat the gas.

In the United States, Ford sold about 52,000 gasoline-powered Mustangs In 2021down from nearly 61,000 Mustangs sold in 2020. This year, Ford sold about 33,000 Gasoline-powered Mustangs, down from about 38,000 during the same period in 2021.

In the past year, the automaker has seen its overall sales decline. Sales in the United States totaled 1.91 million vehicles, down from 2.04 million vehicles delivered in 2020.

A new Mustang could be a small boost to stock — and Ford could use all the help it can get. The stock is down nearly 30% this year. The

Standard & Poor’s 500

And the

Dow Jones Industrial Average

They decreased by 17% and 14%, respectively.

The loss reflects the legitimate concerns of investors. They’re happy with Ford’s lineup, but they can’t get away with everything that comes with higher inflation — especially higher interest rates.

Inflation has the potential to put pressure on profit margins through rising costs. Most of the cars are purchased with financing. Higher prices threaten demand for new cars by increasing monthly car premiums.

The truth: Ford is still between a rock and a hard place, even with its sleek new Mustang.

Write to Al Root at allen.root@dowjones.com