A Ford Mustang with a more powerful 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine could be coming for the 2020 model year.

A Ford VIN decoder document sent to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which was first dug-up by Hagerty, appears to reference this new high-performance EcoBoost Mustang.

VIN decoder guides tell the government how to decipher a VIN and therefore must reference all engine types that will be available with a vehicle for the given model year. The 2020 Ford Mustang VIN decider guide (screenshot below) lists the Mustang’s usual suspects, including the 5.0-liter V8 and 310 hp 2.3-liter EcoBoost, but it also lists a mysterious 2.3-liter EcoBoost with an undisclosed output.

Readers of this site are likely already aware that Ford discontinued the V6 option in the Mustang for 2018, leaving it with less engine options than the Dodge Challenger or Chevrolet Camaro. Ford may be looking to bridge the gap between the 310 hp 2.3-liter four pot and the 460 hp 5.0-liter V8 with this new turbo engine option and also take the fight to the Challenger and Camaro V6, both of which have well over 300 hp on tap.

It’s also possible that this VIN decoder guide simply contains a few errors and will be revised before it is finalized. Strangely, the 5.0-liter V8 engine is also listed as having 435 hp in this guide, when it really has 460 hp. The rest of the guide seems accurate, though, with both the supercharged and naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V8s listed and all trim levels list including the Bullitt and both the Shelby GT350 and GT500.

We’re not sure if a high-performance four-cylinder Mustang really is on the way, but if it is, we just hope Ford is cool enough to dig up up the SVO name for it.

(source: Hagerty)

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