Ford Is Exploiting Its V8 Muscle Car Monopoly

Ford has updated the Mustang lineup for 2025, with some minor changes to equipment across the range and some significant price increases for all V8 models. Across the entire range, dual-zone automatic climate control is now standard fare, while GT Fastback models also get free access to leather-and-vinyl-trimmed seats, which were previously part of the $2,000 301A equipment package. In addition, the 10-speed automatic transmission is now a no-cost option (formerly $1,595), although enthusiasts will prefer the potentially fire-prone manual. However, it’s not all good news. Some options carry heftier prices than in 2024, and some upgrades are no longer available. But first, let’s start with pricing, which has gone up significantly for Coyote V8-powered Mustangs.

V8s Cost More, And Not Just In Fuel Bills

Pricing for the V8 Mustangs already increased for 2024, but it’s happening again for 2025. Across the range of Mustangs powered by the 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V8, buyers can expect increases of at least $2,600, rising to as much as $3,645 for the best-equipped Dark Horse Premium. All Mustangs powered by the 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder turbocharged engine carry over with unchanged pricing. All figures mentioned here exclude the Blue Oval’s destination charge of $1,595.

The price increases are not exclusive to the V8 trims, also affecting some options. The active exhaust system for the Mustang GT now costs $1,595, an increase of $370, but for the EcoBoost, this still costs $1,225. The GT’s Brembo brake upgrade costs $300 more than before at $1,995. That was formerly the price of the California Special, but this has now increased to $2,195. The EcoBoost’s high-performance package has been removed from the configurator.

The Last-Standing V8 Muscle Car

It’s not healthy to be pessimistic, but with such slight changes, one can’t help but wonder if Ford is taking advantage of the void left in the muscle car segment by the Dodge Challenger and Chevrolet Camaro. The Dark Horse doesn’t even reflect any changes for the new model year, but then again, the option of a naturally aspirated V8 is becoming a rare one, and when it’s no longer around, we’ll wish we could have taken advantage when we had the chance. Thankfully, Ford does not appear to be abandoning the classic Mustang recipe any time soon, with CEO Jim Farley saying more performance can and should be extracted.

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What Ford Says

”
Mustang continues to offer the most variety and best bang for the horsepower buck on the market today. No one else is building a V-8 sports car with a 486-hp V8 or 500-hp V8 Dark Horse at this price point. And for the 2025 model year Mustang GT, we now include a 10-speed automatic transmission as a no-cost option (previously a $1,595 option) and dual-zone climate control is now standard across all 2025MY Mustangs.”

– Ford