FORD MUSTANG ECOBOOST DISCONTINUED IN EUROPE AS V8 DEMAND SHINES

When the S550 Generation Ford Mustang debuted for the 2015 model year, it represented a massive step on from the S197 model it replaced. Ford fit their iconic pony car with an independent rear suspension set-up for the first time since the 2004 Cobra, and they even crammed a four-cylinder engine under the hood. The reasoning behind these decisions were rather simple: Ford wanted to sell the Mustang globally for the first time since the car was introduced. And while the automaker has done just that in recent years, Ford of Europe has just made a dramatic change to their Mustang lineup. According to a report from CarScoops, the Ford Mustang can no longer be had with the 2.3L EcoBoost engine on the European continent.

According to the report, Ford’s decision to pull the 2.3L EcoBoost-powered Mustang from European shores came as a result of customer demand. The turbo-four powered Ford Mustang only accounted for 15 percent of sales in the United Kingdom for example, which wasn’t enough to justify its existence in the eyes of Ford Motor Company. A Ford of Europe spokesperson further confirmed to the publication that the automaker quietly decided to pull the small-motored offering at the end of the 2020 model year.

The end of the Ford Mustang EcoBoost in Europe is somewhat ironic. That small engine is part of the reason why the car was considered as a global product, and was expected to be more popular than it clearly was. That said, Ford didn’t necessarily do themselves any favors in keeping the EcoBoost competitive.

In 2018, the automaker throttled the performance of the Ford Mustang EcoBoost in order to comply with tighter emissions regulations, dropping output down to just 286 horsepower. That’s not exactly thrilling for a car that costs well over $40,000 abroad. Furthermore, European customers associate the Ford Mustang nameplate with V8 engines just as much as we do. Considering this was the first time they had a chance to buy a Mustang of their own, we aren’t surprised most buyers opted for the more potent Coyote V8.

Now it is important to note that this decision should have no impact on the U.S. Market. A Ford spokesperson told CarScoops that Mustang EcoBoost offering “remains unchanged” here in the states, and “continues to be an important part” of the Ford Mustang family.

While we never like to hear about sports cars being removed from the market, European buyers still have a few Ford Mustang offerings to choose from. The standard GT now takes over as the base model offering, whereas the track-focused Mustang Mach 1 represents the fastest Mustang on offer abroad to this point. These muscle cars aren’t exactly cheap however. The Ford Mustang GT starts around the equivalent of $61,000, while the Mach 1 starts at over $76,000 according to Ford UK.