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FORD FANS WILL HAVE TO SETTLE FOR MUSTANG WHEN IT COMES TO A CORVETTE RIVAL

All The Same, Chevrolet Will Soon No Longer Have A Pony Car

2024 S650 Ford Mustang Exterior Design

The Corvette changed its formula in a big, big way with its eighth generation. Moving the engine behind the cabin, the C8 Corvette evolved into a true-to-form supercar, offering up superior handling and vehicle dynamics from the factory more than the C7 (or any generation before it) ever could. And the gamble is paying off in the sales charts. In fact, GM just produced its 40,000th Corvette in 2023, putting production at a pace that the car hasn’t seen in years. And largely, the C8 Corvette goes unchallenged from any domestic automaker, while European and Asian brands simply offer less car for the money.

Ford Motor Company was recently seen benchmark testing a C8 Corvette Stingray, and that’s created plenty of content fuel for the equally opportunistic and ill-informed. Regardless, while we would love to see a direct Corvette rival from Ford, it’s simply not in the cards. The new S650 Ford Mustang will have to do.

2023 C8 Corvette Z06 Matick Chevrolet
Image copyright Steven Pham, Muscle Cars & Trucks.

During the 2023 Ford Motor Company annual shareholders meeting (transcript), Chairman Bill Ford Jr. firmly quashed any immediate speculation that the automaker would be working on a direct rival to the mid-engined Chevrolet Corvette.

“Here’s one. ‘Why are you not building a sports car similar to Corvette?’ Are you kidding? We have the Mustang, which I think is by far the best sports car in America and frankly, the world now,” said Bill Ford Jr. “It’s affordable. It’s faster than all get out. And it’s about as good as you could possibly get. And we’re going racing with Mustang. For the enthusiasts, we have an EcoBoost Mustang, we now have an electric Mustang and the Mach-E, and we have our all-new 5.0L Mustang Dark Horse, which we just introduced. And we have more coming. So, I wouldn’t trade our sports car for anybody else’s, let’s put it that way.”

Hopefully the clickbait videos and articles alleging otherwise can stop now.

2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse Carbon Fiber Wheels S650 New muscle car

Likewise, General Motors President Mark Reuss recently commented that his company will “not do a Bronco.” Which is to say that the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 and GMC Canyon AT4X will have to do. And as far as a rival to the Ford Mustang is concerned, the Chevrolet Camaro will go into hiatus after the 2024 model year. So even though GM has the biggest portfolio of off-road pickups, and America’s Sports Car in the Corvette, it won’t lock horns with two of Ford’s most exciting products. And over at Stellantis, we see unchallenged products like the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, and we’re expected to get more details on Dodge’s next-generation muscle cars soon.

Ultimately, it’s refreshing to see that the Detroit Three automakers aren’t directly copying each other, but choose to offer different enthusiast products of their own variety. And it looks like Ford and Chevrolet will have to settle the dispute on the race track next year, when both the S650 Mustang GT3 and Z06 GT3.R enter IMSA and WEC competition.

2023 2024 IMSA WEC Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3R GT3 GT3.R Race Car Racing Motorsport Daytona Le Mans
Image copyright Steven Pham, Muscle Cars & Trucks.

Written by Manoli Katakis

Muscle Cars & Trucks was founded by Manoli Katakis - an automotive media veteran that has been covering the latest car news since 2009. His journalism has uncovered dozens of major product changes, updates, plans, and cancellations long before automakers were ready to make things official.

Some highlights over the years of his reporting include the uncovering of the Zora trademark before anybody else reported on the coming of a mid-engine Corvette, as well as the dead-accurate reporting of the coming of the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2, two years before it hit the market, and even before the debut of the concept vehicle. This type of reporting has immediately continued here, with reports of the original seventh-generation Camaro plans being shelved, as well as what's in store for the Chevrolet Silverado.

Some of his work can be found on massive automotive media outlets, such as Motor1. He also has been a guest on the 910AM Radio Station with Detroit News auto critic Henry Payne, as well as the enthusiast-oriented Camaro Show podcast.

Over the years, Manoli has interviewed various automotive industry titans, leaders, and people that make things happen otherwise. These include figureheads such as GM CEO Mary Barra, GM President Mark Reuss, automotive aftermarket icon Ken Lingenfelter, Dodge firebrand Tim Kuniskis, along with various chief engineers of vehicles such as the Ford F-150 & Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro & Corvette, and many more.

At MC&T, Manoli is taking his journalism expertise, deeply planted sources, driving abilities, and automotive industry knowledge to new levels, covering more vehicles and brands than ever before. This is the place where you will continue to read groundbreaking stories about American performance vehicles, pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles. Here is where you’ll also read insights and quotes from various automotive subject matter experts on the latest relevant products, as well as some of the latest official news from their manufacturers.

Fun facts: he also once beat Corvette Racing driver Tommy Milner in an autocross with a Chevrolet Bolt EV. The biggest vehicle he’s ever driven is a John Deere mining truck. Besides a go-kart, the smallest vehicle he’s driven has been a Hyundai i10. He’s also spent time in the cockpit of various American performance vehicle icons, including the fifth-generation Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, Dodge Challenger Demon, and Ford Mustang GT350R. He has reviewed dozens of trucks, SUVs, and performance vehicles over the years.

One of his favorite new vehicles on the market today happens to be the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison. He is also a card carrying member of the Sports Car Club of America, and regularly participates in Detroit Region autocross events.

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