2018 Mustang Gets a Heartbeat

The Ford Mustang is in no need for major changes as it enters the 2018 model year, but it will gain a few minor tweaks to keep fans coming back for more. Today, Ford announced a small, but neat update for the new year.

Ford will add a heartbeat engine start/stop button to the 2018 Mustang. When the driver enters the vehicle, the ignition button will slowly flash red at a pace of 30 flashes per minute. This also happens to be roughly the resting heart rate of an adult mustang (the horse, not the car).

Like the current ‘Stang, the 2018 Mustang’s engine start/stop button will live on the lower, driver’s side of the center stack. It’ll rest inside a spun-aluminum ring.

This isn’t the only change for 2018, though. Ford announced earlier in the year that the new Mustang will gain a 12-inch, all-digital and customizable instrument cluster, a new 10-speed automatic transmission that it co-developed with Chevrolet, and rework front and rear ends.

Ford also announced in January that the 2018 Mustang will have reworked engines that include the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and 5.0-liter V-8 – the 3.7-liter V-6 is no more. The details of these tweaked engines remain unknown for now, but deciphering of Easter eggs in Ford’s initial images of the new 12-inch instrument cluster lead most to believe the V-8 will see a 20-horsepower bump to 455 ponies. Ford also tweeted an image that alluded to the Mustang getting a 755-horsepower option.

We’ll continue monitoring updates to the 2018 Mustang as they become available. Stay tuned.