- Ford's heritage team has revived its V10 Mustang prototype after the car spent years sitting unused.
- Revived prototype recorded more than 380kW at the wheels during recent dynamometer testing.
- Original development team returned to help bring the experimental Mustang back to life.
Ford has brought a secret V10 Mustang back to life, and the experimental coupe still has plenty to say for itself: more than 380kW at the wheels on a dynamometer.
The revival reunited members of the original development team with a car built around 25 years ago. After years sitting unused, the prototype needed attention from Ford's heritage fleet before it could run again.
Ford heritage fleet manager Matt Korczyk detailed the project in a 2 September update, describing a return to an unusual chapter of Mustang development.
A familiar shape with 10 cylinders
Behind the familiar appearance of a 1999 Mustang GT sits a much less familiar engine. According to CarScoops, the prototype uses a naturally aspirated 5.8-litre V10, developed from Ford's 4.6-litre Modular architecture with 2 additional cylinders.
The technical ingredients extend to double overhead camshaft heads derived from the Cobra R and a 6-speed T56 manual gearbox. CarScoops reports that the odd-firing V10 uses 2 engine control units.
That combination makes this a distinct experiment in Mustang engineering. The newly reported work concerns the revival of the existing prototype; Ford has not announced it as a new production model.
Bringing the original experience back
Getting the car running involved new electronics and checks of systems that had gone untouched for years. Members of the original team helped with the process, giving the heritage fleet access to people who knew the project first-hand.
Preserving the original driving experience was the aim, rather than chasing a power upgrade. Even so, the revived Mustang's dynamometer result provides a striking measure of what the experiment can deliver.
The distinction matters: its output of more than 380kW was measured at the wheels. That figure should not be read as an engine output rating or directly compared with the crankshaft figures usually quoted for production cars.
