Farley Says It's Not a Mustang

[Sikkun]

If we are going to spend days arguing about beans.

I’m fairly confident Ford isn’t selling any horses and therefore they sell no real Mustangs.

Sponsored

 

[Mach1E]

If we are going to spend days arguing about beans.

I’m fairly confident Ford isn’t selling any horses and therefore they sell no real Mustangs.

Taxonomy would definitely back that claim up.

 

[DennisD]

So close.

You listed a whole bunch of trims and then a completely different model.

The whole list are parts of different generations of the Mustang. Except the last one which is categorized on its own.

Yes. Still part of “the family.” No one is arguing that point.

https://www.motor1.com/features/429100/ford-mustang-models-variants/

The above mentioned article states, "14 different models for 2024" Can you name them all?

You seem able to only name two.

So close, only 12 to go..............

 

[Mach1E]

https://www.motor1.com/features/429100/ford-mustang-models-variants/

The above mentioned article states, "14 different models for 2024" Can you name them all?

You seem able to only name two.

So close, only 12 to go..............

Yup, all this proves is there are two sides to this debate.

On one side is the CEO of Ford, Wikipedia and some people here.

On another side are some random articles and some people here.

Yes, it’s debatable. But I would think the CEO of the company that builds the cars would be the tiebreaker. ?‍

If we are all being honest, it both “kinda is and kinda isn’t.”

Yeah, it kinda looks like one and partially shares the name, but it also is also very different from what the car has always been.

FWIW, I think Ford was smart leaving it up to interpretation. The styling is great but they didn’t make it a trim of the Mustang nor its replacement. And they were very clear on that last point from the beginning. This wasn’t the next generation Mustang nor meant to replace the current gas powered coupe.

 

[HuntingPudel]

I’m personally disappointed that Farley has backtracked from the “Mustang Mach-e” is a Mustang to “we will never make an electric Mustang”, but I accept it. He has stated that their future EV(s?) will be small and inexpensive. I get it. This is a perfectly reasonable business Decision. Ford tried, really hard, and the Mustang Mach E is a great vehicle. It’s also on the automotive equivalent of hospice. They’re keeping the car comfortable until the end. I think MY 26 will be the swan song.

I agree on the point that Ford (and everyone else) needs to make inexpensive EVs. I think that's a rational, reasonable point. I do not agree that the MME needs to go away. Yes, it's going to be the more expensive model. Ford has already put a bunch of time and money into the 2027 model. I am pretty sure there will be a Gen2 car, but after that? Maybe not. Then again, Ford could just flush all that development time into the sewer. ?‍?

 

[Jimrpa]

I agree on the point that Ford (and everyone else) needs to make inexpensive EVs. I think that's a rational, reasonable point. I do not agree that the MME needs to go away. Yes, it's going to be the more expensive model. Ford has already put a bunch of time and money into the 2027 model. I am pretty sure there will be a Gen2 car, but after that? Maybe not. Then again, Ford could just flush all that development time into the sewer. ?‍?

I hope you are right. My intent has always been to hang on to my car until V2 arrives.

 

[933233311602]

Everyone is adding their opinion, so I'll add mine too.

The Mach E is a good car. I like it.

Ford naming it a "Mustang" was a dumb idea.

The Ford Mustang model line is a specific type of car which is, most importantly, marketed in a specifc way. Mustang is Ford's "pony" car brand which competes with other mid-cost, performance-oriented, sedan style cars like the Camaro and Charger.

That marketing does not fit the Mach E. Ford has confused the market, again, (look at the very debate right here) by trying, foolishly, to use the status of the Mustang brand to sell a car which is not a Mustang.

The Mach E is very obviously a "crossover" style car. It is an electic Escape or Edge.

The Mach E name is also an awkward bastardization of the Mach 1 trim, which itself was a strange attempt to add modern jet-speed badging to the Mustang fighter plane theme from which the Mustang car was imagined.

Ford has messed around, and failed, trying to re-invent the Mustang several times, such as with the Ford Probe. There are people at Ford who hate the current pony car design of the Mustang and who want to take the status of the brand and stick it onto their "modern car" ideal.

I personally think Ford should have brought back one of their other famous USA brands, of which they have many: Fairlane, Galaxie, Thunderbird, Falcon, Taurus. I think the Thunderbird name would have been perfect for marketing, having obvious lightning electrical themes. However, I suspect that the same departmental fighting over the Mustang brand affect these famous brands too.

 

[User100723]

The Ford Mustang model line is a specific type of car which is, most importantly, marketed in a specifc way. Mustang is Ford's "pony" car brand which competes with other mid-cost, performance-oriented, sedan style cars like the Camaro and Charger.

On the flip side, Ford did create the pony/muscle car class with the og Mustang, right? If so, they have every right to expand what they consider the “pony/muscle car” segment ?!

But yeah, Thunderbird would’ve been quite the attention-getter, same as with Mustang, but probably without the negativity.

Nevertheless, I love my ‘stang! Us debating about it is fine and wholesome, not a fan of the confusion coming from the corps themselves of all places.

 

[nvabill]

Everyone is adding their opinion, so I'll add mine too.

The Mach E is a good car. I like it.

Ford naming it a "Mustang" was a dumb idea.

The Ford Mustang model line is a specific type of car which is, most importantly, marketed in a specifc way. Mustang is Ford's "pony" car brand which competes with other mid-cost, performance-oriented, sedan style cars like the Camaro and Charger.

That marketing does not fit the Mach E. Ford has confused the market, again, (look at the very debate right here) by trying, foolishly, to use the status of the Mustang brand to sell a car which is not a Mustang.

The Mach E is very obviously a "crossover" style car. It is an electic Escape or Edge.

The Mach E name is also an awkward bastardization of the Mach 1 trim, which itself was a strange attempt to add modern jet-speed badging to the Mustang fighter plane theme from which the Mustang car was imagined.

Ford has messed around, and failed, trying to re-invent the Mustang several times, such as with the Ford Probe. There are people at Ford who hate the current pony car design of the Mustang and who want to take the status of the brand and stick it onto their "modern car" ideal.

I personally think Ford should have brought back one of their other famous USA brands, of which they have many: Fairlane, Galaxie, Thunderbird, Falcon, Taurus. I think the Thunderbird name would have been perfect for marketing, having obvious lightning electrical themes. However, I suspect that the same departmental fighting over the Mustang brand affect these famous brands too.

Good points and well written post, thank You.

For the record, in my opinion, the Mustang Mach E is definitely in the Mustang family but it is not a Mustang. Simply stated that is because Ford makes the Mustang and Ford makes the Mustang Mach E, two distinctly different models as evidenced on the Ford web sight.

With that said I think Ford screwed up by using the Mustang name for the new 4 door EV which was obviously for marketing purposes. It watered down the Mustang brand which up until now has always been a 2 door coupe or convertible ICE model line.

Like you I would pick the Thunderbird name as the Thunderbird was once a big fat 4 door luxury vehicle much like the Mach E is now. Big fat 4 door cars have no business using the Mustang name, in my opinion.

 

[nvabill]

On the flip side, Ford did create the pony/muscle car class with the og Mustang, right? If so, they have every right to expand what they consider the “pony/muscle car” segment ?!

This goes without saying, it is the wisdom of such naming in question. But, I know it was done for marketing purposes to sell more vehicles, that is basic car manufacturing 101.

Like you I would definitely liked to have seen the Thunderbird name used in lieu of Mustang. I remember when the Thunderbird was a big fat luxury car like the Mach E is today.

 

[nvabill]

Well, IF we're going to get technical about naming Ford cars, the Mustang and Maverick were both based on the 1960 Ford Falcon platform. The 1971 Maverick came in a 4-door sedan body style. The word "Mustang" originates in Spanish as a term for wild, feral horses left over from the Spanish Conquistadors.

Maverick is an unbranded range animal, so near the same meaning regarding wild, free-range animals as is the Mustang horse. Maverick also is a term for an independent-thinking, non-conformist person, so perhaps the Mach-E should have been called the Mustang Maverick. That would have brought it full circle and inclusive of 1960's Ford history and vehicle legacies.

Interestingly the Maverick has been reborn as a pickup truck, Ford works in mysterious ways.

 

[Sikkun]

Interestingly the Maverick has been reborn as a pickup truck, Ford works in mysterious ways.

According to my Mach E’s service reports it is also a Truck.

I’m not convinced Ford thinks they make anything besides trucks.

 

[nvabill]

According to my Mach E’s service reports it is also a Truck.

I’m not convinced Ford thinks they make anything besides trucks.

That’s wild.

 

[Dear_OP]

My idle mind is wondering whether Farley is hinting at end of product life for Mustang Mach E?

There are two future tense here...

 

[HuntingPudel]

On the flip side, Ford did create the pony/muscle car class with the og Mustang, right? If so, they have every right to expand what they consider the “pony/muscle car” segment ?!
<SNIP>

Pony Car class yes. The 1964 Pontiac GTO was the father of the Musclecar class. Musclecars are mid-sized cars. Pony Cars are compacts. Both have large engines. ??

Sponsored