Ford shows dealers plans for 4-door, off-road Mustangs

Ford Motor Co. is preparing to significantly expand its stable of Mustangs with variants including a four-door coupe and a four-wheel-drive off-road model, people with knowledge of the plans told Automotive News.

CEO Jim Farley and other top executives recently showed dealers upcoming gasoline-powered Mustangs and other products at a meeting in Las Vegas, according to four people who were in the room and requested anonymity when discussing confidential information. The products were a mix of physical mock-ups, photos and digital renderings, according to the attendees, who were required to surrender their cell phones at the start of the meeting.

Dealers saw a rendering of a long-rumored four-door coupe, which two of the sources said was called the Mach 4. Farley also showed a photo of an off-road Baja model, lifted with special tires, that he described as embodying "rugged" performance, according to the four attendees.

Other models included an EcoBoost variant modified by RTR, a company owned by off-road racer Vaughn Gittin Jr., that would start around $40,000. Dealers also saw a high-performance manual-transmission V-8 convertible, akin to the former Shelby GT350 or GT500, but the car, notably, had no Shelby badging.

Those at the meeting said the Mustang news was intended to be Farley's vision for how the company could double down on a key vehicle line while competitors dial back. No sales timelines were provided for any of the models, the people said, although dealers came away believing Ford was seriously exploring production.

A Ford spokesperson declined to comment on the dealer meeting but said the company has "very exciting plans to expand our portfolio with new vehicles at all price points" and would reveal more details in the future.

Ford, under Farley, has focused its lineup around subbrands, or families of vehicles, designed to inspire passion from enthusiasts. As rivals Chevrolet and Dodge have bowed out of the gasoline-powered pony car segment, Ford has leaned more into its Mustang subbrand with performance models including the $325,000 GTD. It also recently added an off-road Rally variant of the electric Mustang Mach-E. The automaker highlighted those models in the dealer meeting.

Ford caused some consternation among Mustang purists by using the venerable name on the Mach-E crossover, which went on sale in 2020. Farley recently has hinted at further expanding the Mustang lineup, telling Autocar in a May interview that a four-door gasoline model could be possible.

"We will never build a Mustang that isn't a Mustang," Farley told the British publication. "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."

Beyond the Mustang family, officials showed dealers an upcoming compact van based on the Maverick pickup, pushing a physical prototype on and off the stage, according to the four attendees. That model, to replace the recently discontinued Transit Connect, is set to debut as early as next year, one person briefed on the plans said, although those in the room said Ford did not yet have a name or share production timing.

Before Ford killed the Transit Connect, which it had been importing from Spain, the automaker planned to build a next-generation model in Mexico alongside the Maverick and Bronco Sport.

Executives at the meeting also detailed previously announced plans for a low-cost platform that can underpin multiple electric vehicles. Dealers were shown a handful of renderings resembling sedan, crossover and pickup body styles, although the attendees said the intent of the images was to showcase what was possible rather than reveal concrete plans. The people said it appeared that Ford wanted to show it had a plan for entry-level products beyond the Maverick and to compete with future competition from Chinese EV makers.

Automotive News and Bloomberg have reported that Ford intends to build at least three products on the low-cost EV platform, including a crossover and small pickup.

Dealers who attended the meeting said it was the first in years to give such an extensive peek at upcoming Ford products and to provide a vision for the future. Because of that, many attendees left feeling enthusiastic and upbeat about the brand's direction.

"It was the first good meeting in five years as far as being positive and focusing on the future," one dealer said. "It was awesome."

Retailers have been clamoring for better communication from Ford executives and expressing their discontent in declining dealer satisfaction survey scores. Farley and his team responded by embarking earlier this year on a nationwide tour of 11 meetings that reached about 1,000 dealers.

Executive Chair Bill Ford attended the Las Vegas meeting, which the attendees said dealers appreciated. A similar confab was also held for the Lincoln brand.