The new Ford Mustang Supercar body is expected to be revealed in the coming weeks ahead of its Gen3 introduction.
Ford will race its new-shape Mustang, the S650, in the Repco Supercars Championship next year, aligning with the highly anticipated road-going version.
The S650 is the seventh-generation Mustang, replacing its S550 predecessor.
Ford Supercars teams currently utilise the S550 body, having done so since the Mustang replaced the Falcon FGX in 2019.
While a Gen3 Mustang prototype was unveiled last year and has been testing, it’s not the final look of the Blue Oval’s new challenger.
Ford will reveal the S650 on September 14 (local time) at the Detroit Auto Show, at which point the new-shape can be rolled out in motorsport.
One would expect the updated Gen3 Mustang Supercar wouldn’t be far behind, given the impending arrival of the category’s new formula.
The S650 launch also falls between the ITM Auckland SuperSprint, where the Gen3 test mules will be absent, and the Repco Bathurst 1000, where they will return for demonstrations.
A potential Bathurst debut for the new-shape Mustang is dependent on multiple factors, including supply of parts amid ongoing global supply chain constraints.
Getting the S650 revealed has been the key element of the time frame to Gen3 starting in 2023, partly due to avoiding Ford teams needing to fabricate panels two years in a row (as well as complete the VCAT process twice).
That would have been the case should the formula have been adopted mid-way through the 2022 season, as it was slated to at one point.
Gen3 was ultimately delayed to the start of the 2023 Supercars season, allowing for S650’s debut at the opening round of the new era.
Steady progress has been made in the background on Gen3 as a whole, despite the project’s development being drawn out.
There have been encouraging signs of late, with Triple Eight reporting good progress and Brad Jones Racing taking delivery of its first chassis from PACE Innovations last month.
Chassis production has been limited to just the rear clip and centre section, although the revised control front-end has now been signed off on.
Some teams are expected to be testing in December, according to previous comments made on this website by Supercars’ Head of Motorsport, Adrian Burgess.
The next round of the current season takes place at Pukekohe Park Raceway, where Supercars will race for the last time at the New Zealand circuit this weekend (September 9-11).
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