- Ford’s iconic muscle car Mustang is likely to receive a four door layout and a hybrid electric powertrain technology soon, hinted Ford CEO Jim Farley.
The Ford Mustang holds immense importance for Ford as a brand. Introduced in 1964, the Mustang quickly became a cultural icon. It established the “pony car” class of American muscle cars and has consistently been a top performer for Ford. The Mustang lineup, currently featuring the coupe, convertible, and Mach-E electric crossover, may soon expand with new body style variants, including a four-door sports sedan. This possibility was hinted at by Ford CEO Jim Farley.
The global success of the two-door Mustang, currently the world’s best-selling coupe, has motivated Ford to broaden the Mustang family while also considering more performance-focused versions of the pony car, the CEO explained. Farley emphasised that any new Mustang model would maintain the core attributes that define the brand.
In terms of powertrains, Ford aims to continue producing the V8 engine and manual gearbox for as long as possible. Additionally, they are open to incorporating hybrid technology into the Mustang lineup. However, Farley has ruled out a fully electric Mustang, except for the already available Mach-E.
Rumours about a four-door Mustang were fueled by an official sketch released in 2022. This sketch inspired digital artist Sugar Chow to create realistic renderings of the model. While the rendering suggested that Ford had at least contemplated a longer body style during the seventh-gen Mustang’s development, no official confirmation was provided until recently.
In an interview with Autocar, Farley expressed his openness to the concept of a four-door Mustang, provided it upholds the performance and attitude of the original. Specifically, Farley stated, “We will never build a Mustang that isn’t a Mustang. For instance, there will never be room for a small, two-row Ford SUV with a Mustang badge stuck on it. But could we explore other Mustang body forms – such as a four-door or similar? I believe we could, as long as these models possess all the performance and attitude of the original.”
A four-door Ford Mustang could compete with the Dodge Charger, available as a coupe and sedan in both ICE and EV forms. It could also rival four-door coupes like the BMW 4-Series GranCoupe and the Audi A5 Sportback, or even capture sales from traditional sports sedans.
Before introducing a new body style to the Mustang lineup, Farley envisions expanding the range with more performance-focused derivatives of the two-door coupe, drawing inspiration from Porsche’s approach with the 911. However, Ford intends to offer a distinctly American take on performance that rivals Porsche’s renowned models.
Also Read : Endeavour to Mustang Mach-E: Five Ford cars we would like to see in India
The CEO emphasised that the flagship Ford Mustang GTD acts as a “down payment” for forthcoming sporty iterations of the series poised to “wow” enthusiasts. Farley hinted at an economical approach to enhancing performance by focusing on weight reduction, an avenue already under exploration by his engineering team. Notably, Ford has teased another “fun to drive” addition to the Mustang lineup for 2025, though specific details remain undisclosed.
On a different note, Farley downplayed rumours of a potential Mustang Raptor, stating, “Some people think we could mix Mustang with off-road driving – look at what Porsche has done with the 911 Dakar, and what Lamborghini has been doing [Huracan Sterrato]. But I’m not so sure about that.”
The Mustang remains the last V8-powered muscle car on sale, and Farley wants to keep it that way for “as long as God and the politicians let us.” Ford has an advantage in this regard compared to smaller automakers, leveraging its EV lineup to balance fleet emissions and maintain V8 production.
In addition to the traditional V8 and manual gearbox setup, Ford is also considering hybrid power for the Mustang. “We’ve been testing and we really do believe partial electric powertrains work well for performance drivers,” Farley said. Despite this openness to electrification, he firmly opposes a fully electric powertrain for the Mustang, even though the company already offers the Mustang Mach-E electric crossover.
“One thing I can promise, however, is that we will never make an all-electric Mustang,” Farley stated. “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 Transit – but not for Mustang.”
While Farley’s comments didn’t specify, it is assumed he was referring to the standard Mustang coupe and convertible models. As Ford explores new possibilities for the Mustang lineup, the iconic brand’s future looks to be both innovative and true to its performance heritage.
First Published Date: 20 May 2024, 06:05 AM IST
