Official Release:
2022 NEXT GEN MUSTANG POISED TO HELP DRIVE NASCAR CUP SERIES INTO THE FUTURE WITH ALL-NEW TECHNOLOGY
DEARBORN, Mich. – A completely new era in stock car racing is ushered in today as Ford unveils its all-new 2022 NASCAR Next Gen Mustang to the public in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Next Gen Mustang will compete in the NASCAR Cup Series starting next season.
The new car, which has been under development for two years, is completely different from its predecessor – redesigned from the ground up. Unlike past versions, with the exterior being the only noticeable change, this model is built for the future, featuring flexibility for technological advances such as a hybrid or electric powertrain.
The new race car more closely mirrors its Mustang production counterpart, which maintains its title as world’s best-selling sports car.
“A lot of work has been done behind the scenes to make sure this Next Gen Mustang remains relevant to our customers,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsports. “As the automotive industry continues to change, we’ll have the ability to keep up in the racing world without having to go through a complete overhaul or redesign of the car. This is something we’ve been waiting for and we’re glad the time has finally arrived.”
Changes include rack-and-pinion steering, independent rear suspension and 18-inch tires with aluminum forged wheels. The all-new body features a wider stance, while a symmetric exterior shell, tail and smaller greenhouse area closely resemble the production Mustang.
“This car is true to the Mustang brand and we have to thank the Ford design team for working hand-in-hand with our aerodynamic engineers to ensure it is competitive on the track, while maintaining unique Mustang styling,” said Rushbrook. “That requires a lot of give-and-take on both sides, but with the new smaller greenhouse area and shorter rear deck, we were able to do a lot of things to make sure there’s no mistaking this is a Mustang.”
Development of the new car took place both in Ford’s Dearborn design center and at the Ford Performance Technical Center in Concord, North Carolina, where Ford’s NASCAR scale model and aero teams are located. Extensive development continues on full-motion simulators at the technical center, where both racing and production car work takes place.
“Mustang is an iconic brand for Ford and when I saw the Next Gen Mustang in person for the first time I was pumped,” said Team Penske driver Joey Logano, the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series champion. “The aggressive look of the nose and the changes to the greenhouse and tail make the car more authentic to the street Mustang than ever before. I know the fans are going to love the Next Gen Mustang and I can’t wait to get it on the track.”
Mustang came to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2019 and has won at least 10 races each of its first two years, including a season-high 18 victories in 2020 that helped Ford win the manufacturers’ championship.
The NASCAR Next Gen Mustang makes its competition debut on Feb. 20, 2022, at Daytona International Speedway for the 64th annual Daytona 500.
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