Jim Farley promised they "will never make an all-electric Mustang", obviously excluding the Mach-E electric crossover from the equation
by Thanos Pappas
May 17, 2024 at 08:00
by Thanos Pappas
- Ford CEO Jim Farley is open to adding new body styles to the Mustang lineup, including a four-door, as long as it captures the spirit of the original.
- Before introducing new body styles, Ford plans to expand the Mustang lineup with performance-focused derivatives of the existing coupe.
- Besides the V8 that will remain in production, Ford is considering a hybrid Mustang but says no to EVs.
Ford’s Mustang lineup, currently comprising the coupe, convertible, and Mach-E electric crossover, may soon see the addition of new bodystyle 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 the Blue Oval to broaden the family tree, while also considering more performance-focused versions of the pony car
More: The Ford Mustang S650 Works Surprisingly Well As A Four-Door Coupe
In terms of powertrains, the company aims to maintain production of the V8 engine and manual gearbox for as long as possible. Additionally, they are open to embracing a hybrid future for the Mustang nameplate. However, the CEO has ruled out the possibility of a fully electric Mustang, with the exception of the already available Mach-E.
The rumors swirling around a four-door Mustang were ignited by an official sketch released back in 2022. This sketch served as inspiration for digital artist Sugar Chow, who crafted realistic renderings of the model. While the official rendering hinted that Ford had at least contemplated a longer bodystyle during the seventh-gen Mustang’s development, no official confirmation was provided—until today
In an interview with Autocar, Jim Farley expressed his openness to the concept of a four-door Mustang, provided it upholds the performance and attitude of the original. Specifically, the Ford CEO 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.”
Illustrations: SugarDesign_1 / Instagram
A four-door Ford Mustang could enter into competition with the Dodge Charger, which will be offered in as a coupe and a sedan in both ICE and EV forms. Additionally, it could present an alternative to four-door coupes such as the BMW 4-Series GranCoupe and the Audi A5 Sportback, or even attempt to capture sales from traditional sports sedans.
Sporty Derivatives Of The Mustang Coupe Are Coming
Before introducing a new bodystyle to the Mustang lineup, Farley believes in expanding the range with more performance-focused derivatives of the two-door coupe, drawing inspiration from Porsche’s approach with the 911. However, Ford aims to chart its own course, intending to offer a distinctly American take on performance that rivals Porsche’s renowned models.
The CEO emphasized that the flagship Ford Mustang GTD acts as a “down payment” for forthcoming sporty iterations of the series that are 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.
More: Ford Teases “Amazing New” Mustang Variant For 2025
On a different note, the CEO downplayed rumors surrounding 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.”
No Fully Electric Mustangs (Well, Except For The Mach-E)
An official Ford sketch for a four-door MustangThe Mustang is the last remaining 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 the upper hand in this regard compared to smaller automakers, leveraging its EV lineup to balance fleet emissions and maintain V8 production.
n addition to the traditional V8 and manual gearbox setup, the automaker 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.” Despite this openness to electrification, Farley firmly opposes the idea of a fully electric powertrain for the Mustang, even though the company already offers the Mustang Mach-E electric crossover.
Specifically, the CEO stated, “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 Transit – but not for Mustang.”
While it wasn’t clarified in the interview, we have to assume Farley was referring to the standard Mustang coupe and convertible models.
