If Ford Authority is to be believed, however, there will be no AWD on S650. If that's the case, the second caliper on the rear could just be an e-parking brake.
I'll reserve final judgment until we see the exterior, however, here's where I think we should be thankful for at this point in time.
1. Pure ICE V8 still available.
2. RWD still standard.
3. Manual (at least for North American markets) likely still available.
4. Physical handbrake still...
And, while everyone is freaking out over the interior, betting most here glazed over the additional details we can now see in the headlights. See below. The headlights definitely have the "u-shaped" LED elements Jem mentioned - which are also extremely similar to the style several BMWs...
Yes, the material choice we see in these photos is very cheap looking. That's on purpose. These are prototypes. I'm 99.9999% sure production materials will be vastly improved. We will likely also have the choice of opting for super plastic for an additional $1200 - $1500, or as the youngsters...
Two additional points:
1. Not totally clear just yet that the double brow is gone. That part of the dash is still covered in these photos. I do agree, however, that I would be disappointed if its gone.
2. I hope the manual handbrake makes its way to production.
I had coffee earlier. It didn't wake me up as much as this.
With that said, it's a clear evolution of the outgoing cabin. The only major departure is the placement of the HVAC vents, which I'm not totally a fan of (no pun intended). I may grow to like it overtime, but it's not a dealer breaker...
Ford Authority is reporting S650 won't have any kind of AWD setup.
https://fordauthority.com/2022/04/s650-mustang-will-not-offer-any-type-of-awd-system-exclusive/
I personally don't care lol.
Can't for the life of me understand why the Maverick Hybrid is only 2WD. I'd be all over it in 4WD guise. Nevertheless, solid choice - that powertrain is proving to be bulletproof. No DI, so no carbon buildup, etc.