Detroit Big Three automaker Ford (F) is having an interesting year.
The Blue Oval has been forging its own path within the electric vehicle segment, changing its priorities, allocating resources, and delaying projects that won't fit in today's EV market.
Last month, the automaker announced it would spend $2.3 billion to retool a plant meant for a three-row electric SUV into one for its Super Duty pickup truck. At a conference earlier this summer, CEO Jim Farley stated that for automakers to have the upper hand in EV adoption, Americans must make a change that seems un-American.
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“We have to start to get back in love with smaller vehicles. It’s super important for our society and for EV adoption, Farley said. "We are just in love with these monster vehicles, and I love them too, but it’s a major issue with weight."
Though Farley's quip about big cars may have soured his relationship with Ford fans, his latest product idea may make enemies out of diehard fans of another beloved Ford product.
Ford
Turning the horse loose
According to a new report from Automotive News, Ford recently held a meeting with its national network of dealers in Las Vegas. Executives like Ford CEO Jim Farley and Executive Chairman Bill Ford met with the retailers and showed off a smattering of future models, headlined by a major expansion of the Mustang model line.
Attendees who attended the meeting told AutoNews that they were required to surrender their cell phones as they laid eyes on physical mock-ups, photos and digital renderings of a Mustang-branded four-door coupe called the Mach 4, as well as an off-road "Baja" model with lifted suspension and special tires — a style similar to the Porsche 911 Dakar and Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato.
Other models displayed to attendees included a $40,000 special version of the Mustang EcoBoost modified by aftermarket Mustang experts at RTR and a high-performance, V8-powered convertible model.
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The mockups displayed at the dealer meeting were intended to represent Farley's vision for how the brand can take advantage of a segment that competitors like General Motors (GM) and Stellantis (STLA) are retreating from.
Currently, the Mustang stands alone with no direct competitors. Production of Chevrolet's Camaro ceased in January 2024, while the Dodge Challenger ended production in December 2023. Stellantis is rolling out a new version of the Dodge Charger, but it will come in a six-cylinder or electric only - which has angered muscle car fans and loyal Mopar owners alike.
Ford did not provide the dealers with any sales timelines, but they were left believing that Ford would seriously consider production of the "new Mustangs."
The Blue Oval has not been shy in expanding the Mustang line beyond the legendary coupe and convertible; it is currently selling the electric Mustang Mach-e crossover and is accepting applications for the ultra-limited $325,000 Mustang GTD track car.
Related: Ford CEO says this iconic model will "never" be an EV
Farley has hinted at expanding the Mustang lineup, telling British auto authority Autocar that additional plans for Mustang, including a four-door sedan, are on the table. He said that he is open to radical new models as long as they uphold the performance goals that a name like Mustang can offer.
“We will never build a Mustang that isn’t a Mustang,” he told Autocar. “For instance, there will never be room for a small, two-row Ford SUV with a Mustang badge stuck on it. But could we do other Mustang body forms – a four-door or whatever? I believe we could, as long as these models have all the performance and attitude of the original.”
However, he stopped himself from potentially committing a "car guy cardinal sin" that rival Stellantis has committed.
“We’ve been testing and we really do believe partial electric powertrains work well for performance drivers," Farley said. “One thing I can promise, however, is that we will never make an all-electric Mustang.”
“I look at other users of pure-electric power such as Formula E, and even companies like Rimac, and I just don’t think that would be right for Mustang. Great for other Fords – look at the worldwide success of [the E-Transit cargo van] – but not for Mustang.”
The Ford Motor Company, which trades on the New York Stock Exchange as F, was up 4.06% for the week ending Aug. 16 at $10.51 per share.
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