Auto blog

These horribly misguided front-drive design studies nearly became the Mustang

As we eagerly await the unveiling of the all-new sixth-generation Mustang, Ford has been giving us some great information over the past few months showing what has gone into shaping its venerable pony car. As many changes as the Mustang has gone through in its 50 years, though, it appears the fourth-gen model played a decisive and pivotal role in the car's future.
As is part of Mustang lore, the front-wheel drive Ford Probe was originally developed as a next-generation Mustang in the Eighties before cooler heads prevailed. The Blue Oval has just released a handful of images showing how bad things could have been - including a full-scale clay model of a front-wheel-drive Mustang (shown above). Fortunately, the FWD Mustang plan was scrapped and Ford went to work designing a rear-wheel-drive replacement for the Fox Body Mustang, with three design studies making it far enough to become full-scale models. These include the soft "Bruce Jenner" Mustang, the over-the-top "Rambo" Mustang and the middle-ground "Arnold Schwarzenegger" Mustang, which finally became the basis for the 1994 'Stang.
By early 1991, the design language of the fourth-generation Mustang had been worked out, and the rest, they say, is history. Scroll down for the fascinating press release telling the story of the fourth-gen Mustang, and be sure to check out the gallery of horribly misguided sketches and various design studies that were all on the table in the late 1980s.

Merecedes-Benz EQS, Ford Mustang Mach-E GT and Subaru Forester Wilderness | Autoblog Podcast #702

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor James Riswick. They've been driving some exciting new EVs, like the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT and the Mercedes-Benz EQS. They also discuss driving the new Subaru Forester Wilderness, as well as the perfectly agreeable Toyota Camry XSE Hybrid. James compares four big-name off-roaders — the Ford Bronco, Jeep Wrangler, Toyota 4Runner and Land Rover Defender — based on their ability to accommodate a big load of luggage. Next they reach into the mailbag for comments on the Genesis GV70, as well as a Spend My Money question about replacing a wrecked Subaru Ascent with another three-row SUV. Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #702 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown What we're driving: 2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness 2022 Toyota Camry XSE Hybrid Luggage testing the off-roaders: Ford Bronco vs. Jeep Wrangler vs. Land Rover Defender vs. Toyota 4Runner  Mailbag: Thoughts on the Genesis GV70 Spend My Money: Three-row SUV to replace Subaru Ascent Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Electric pickups compared: 2025 Ram 1500 REV specs vs. Silverado EV, F-150 Lightning

Now that the 2025 Ram 1500 REV has been revealed, along with its most important specifications, we now have information on all of the mainline Big 3 electric full-size pickup trucks. So it's time to see how the numbers stack up, because trucks are all about numbers. We'll see how the Ram compares to the power, battery capacity, payload, towing and other features of the 2024 Chevy Silverado EV and the 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning. Power and torque The Ram has just one powertrain option. It features two electric motors making 654 horsepower and 620 pound-feet. That gives it the most powerful standard powertrain, if not the most torque, as the Chevy Silverado EV has 510 horsepower and 615 pound-feet of torque, while the F-150 Lighting has 452 horsepower and 775 pound-feet. But the Chevy and Ford each have upgraded motor combinations. The Silverado is the most potent with 754 horsepower and 785 pound-feet, and the F-150 has 580 horsepower and 775 pound-feet. The GMC Sierra EV will also be available with this more powerful pair of motors, and most of its specifications will be the same as the Silverado. There are a couple of exceptions which we'll note when they come up. All three trucks come standard with dual motors and all-wheel drive, regardless of output, battery or trim level. They're all available with locking rear differentials, too. Ford F-150 Lightning front low View 48 Photos Battery, range and charging The Ram is packing some serious packs of batteries. The standard model gets 168 kWh and an estimated range of 350 miles. And the optional 229-kWh pack is estimated to deliver 500 miles of range. That's more capacity and range than the others. It also boasts an 800-volt battery system that allows for close to 350-kW charging. The Ford F-150 Lightning has a base battery of 98 kWh with a range around 230 miles. Optional is a 131-kWh pack with between 300 and 330 miles of range, depending on other vehicle specifications. It's the slowest charger, only allowing 150-kW charging maximum. The Silverado EV's battery specs are a bit nebulous. At launch, it will only be available with one battery pack option that GM claims will provide around 400 miles of range. The company didn't give an exact capacity, though. We would guess its size falls between the Ram's 168 and 229 kWh packs. A smaller battery pack will be offered later, with a shorter but unknown range. The Silverado can use 350-kW fast charging like the Ram.