Is the Mustang being discontinued in 2023?

Ford has pulled the reins on its top-selling Mustang pony car, as global supply constraints slow production and deliveries.

Order books for the 2023 Ford Mustang have come to a halt, as ongoing parts shortages hit the brakes on production and extend wait times.

Just a month after Ford indicated order books opened for the Model Year 2023 Mustang, orders have closed altogether across the country, due to "impact[ed] vehicle production" as a result of "supply chain challenges".

"The global semiconductor chip shortage and supply chain challenges for various commodities continues to impact vehicle production for all automakers," a statement on Ford Australia's website reads.

"The challenges facing the industry are fluid and we are doing our best to fulfil current customer orders on Mustang as quickly as we can.

"As such we are pausing any new orders for Mustang until we can get through the existing customer order bank. We understand this is frustrating and we will re-open for orders as soon as possible."

Drive has contacted Ford Australia for further information on the order closure.

Ford dealers recently canvassed by Drive reported wait times of up to 12 months on new Mustang orders, though a statement posted on Ford Australia's website last month – when orders were open – says "timing may vary depending on dealership location and specification."

Ford Mustang production in the US has been paused multiple times in recent months, primarily due to semiconductor shortages affecting most of the industry.

The Blue Oval brand has faced a number of delays around new vehicle launches in recent months – including a pause on production of the facelifted Focus ST hot hatch, due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine affecting the supply of the car's infotainment screen.

The smaller Fiesta ST has been hit harder by semiconductor shortages, losing blind-spot monitoring from the start of 2022 production – and the first 73 cars on Australian shores lacking premium sound systems due to manufacturing slip-ups.

Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family.

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