One of the few automakers that reports monthly sales is Ford, though the practice is something the company may regret after a kinda miserable May. That it was an off month nationally isn’t a huge surprise given some of the moves Ford has made, as well as just plain bad timing. There is something a little deeper going on, and the solution is obvious to me.
Yes, The Morning Dump is advocating for the possibly imaginary Mustang Mach IV sedan this morning. It just makes sense, and I’m going to prove it to you by showing the big hole in the Ford lineup where a Mustang Sedan would fit. I’m not alone in this! Ford leadership has sort of hinted this is maybe on the way. While Stellantis has been using AI to show its ass, GM’s Mary Barra told NBC News that the company is using it to do more without letting people go.
I don’t know if I buy that, but I do know that if I lived in Europe I’d be tempted to purchase the new Škoda seven-passenger EV.
Ford Can’t Escape A Bad May
I’m going slowly today after a great night of sports, featuring both the Knicks forcing their way to a victory and the Astros hanging half a dozen runs on the Pirates with two outs in the bottom of the 8th to erase a four-run deficit. I also won my pickup game of ultimate frisbee, but I’m not Ice Cube, so I’m not gonna brag about how I performed in a pickup game.
Unlike Ice Cube, Ford didn’t score a triple-double or anything else in May, with self-reported sales down 13.6%. Even with employee pricing being offered, the blue oval brand is on its back foot to start the year. While it’s not a huge number of vehicles, Ford was still taking advantage of the tax credit last year and so there’s been a 43.9% drop in EV sales (this isn’t bad news since Ford last money on every one). Ford isn’t getting the F-150 back to full production until probably September, so that negative 13% swing is enough to account for a third of the lost sales.
Also significant is the loss of the Ford Escape, which was the easily approachable vehicle at the affordable end of the range. Is the Ford Bronco Sport a reasonable replacement? Given that sales are down this year, I’m guessing not. The Ford Explorer is up this year, but that might also be picking up customers from the departed Ford Edge. The newish Ford Expedition also saw a drop in sales, which makes sense given the high gas prices.
What Ford is doing right is the Maverick, which is now the most affordable Ford product and also comes in hybrid form. In fact, The Detroit News reports that the Maverick Hybrid had its best month ever. The Bronco also remains strong.
When gas prices are up, it is logical that bigger vehicles might suffer. When the economy is shaky, affordability is important. What Ford is lacking at the moment is something that’s affordable-ish and efficient and not a truck. That’s probably a sedan. Ford doesn’t have a sedan. Personally, I think Ford should import a European platform and make it the Escort, but that’s just me. There’s another more likely alternative and that’s using the Mustang platform to build the long-rumored Mach IV sedan. I’m not alone in thinking this.
‘It’s Going To Have To Make Sense Within A Family We May Already Offer’
Ok Andrew Frick, president of Ford Blue and Model e, I know what you’re doing. I see you. I think I understand it. He spoke to Automotive News and reporter Michael Martinez asked the right question:
Jim Farley has hinted you might bring back sedans. Why might that body style make sense now?
There is a percentage of the customer base that still buys sedans. It’s a lot smaller than it once was. It used to be 50 percent, now it’s 16, 17 percent. We have a really great Mustang that people consider a car. We look to expand on the Mustang family as we move forward. I think, for us to do it, it’s going to have to make sense within our portfolio. It’s going to have to make sense within a family that we may already offer. And it’s going to have to be very cost-effective for us to do it. That’s what we’re focused on in general with a lot of our new affordable products. We want the concepts to be right and the costs to be even better.
The important line there is “It’s going to have to make sense within a family that we may already offer.” The Mustang’s platform only supports the Mustang and nothing else. Ford already made an EV crossover and called it a Mustang and no one died. Dodge does it, why not Ford?
GM Will Use AI But Won’t Lay People Off Because Of It, Maybe
I got an email from NBC News saying that Mary Barra was going to be on Nightly News last night. I can’t find the segment online, but that doesn’t mean anything. I assume they didn’t bump the CEO of GM, and I have some of the transcript:
CEO of General Motors Mary Barra tells NBC News’ Christine Romans that AI is moving car design into the fast lane, explaining that it allows the company to ”explore more concepts, more ideas to make sure we get the right one.”
Asked whether AI will allow GM to make cars with fewer people, Barra responded “I think it’s how we give the tools to the people to be able to do better work. To me it’s how do we do more with the people that we have, because we’re using AI tools.”
Talking to designers, there’s some flexibility to being able to use digital imaging (and AI) to quickly form up some ideas. That’s fine. I do wonder how this squares with GM laying off hundreds of people as it “transforms” it’s IT department.
Will The Skoda Peaq Be The Last MEB Model?
The fact that the new flagship, seven-seater EV from Škoda will be called the Peaq and probably be awesome is not something that’s necessarily relevant to all of our audience. I love the brand, though, so I’m going to write about it. The look of this is what the company calls “Tech-Deck Face,” which is amusing to me.
What you might care about is that this is maybe the last new car to be built on the Volkswagen MEB platform that’s underpinned everything from the ID.4 to the ID.7 and ID.Buzz. It was the first big swing EV attempt from Volkswagen and not exactly successful, so maybe it deserves a swan song from the company’s best brand.
What I’m Listening To While Writing TMD
Doja Cat got mad at the loss of some feature on X/Twitter, and roasted Tesla CEO Elon Musk with the incredible nonsense burn “u look like u eat sand.’ In honor of that burn, please enjoy Doja’s “AAAHH MEN!” which uses the Knight Rider theme to achieve something kinda sublime.
The Big Question
What should the Mustang sedan be?
Top graphic base image: Thomas Hundal
I love the use of the LTD LX image there! Though I am not as much of an expert as another LTD owner/commentor, I still appreciate it. As we all know, this was the mustang sedan. same exact fox body chassis just with a little more floor in the middle (so the driveshaft was longer). I loved my LTD LX once I swapped out the dinky rear 7.5 axle for an 8.8, added a cage, put 10.5 slicks on the back with tiny Merkur XR4Ti wheels on the front, and oh, yea, swapped the wheezy 5.0 out for a turbo LS/4L80e combo. I kept the interior stock, and it drove very comfortably for something so fast. I really liked the understated look of the “4 eye”, 4 door mustang, and the fox chassis is great for drag racing. It even had the functional automatic head lights, which blew my mind for a 1984 vehicle. Yes I realize I removed nearly all of the unique LX parts of my car, but it was a lot faster and actually got driven. What were we talking about again?
Oh yea, ford, build the Mustang sedan with 5.0 power and RWD you cowards.
Also, Mary’s comments, I “trust” her when she says jobs will not be directly eliminated due to AI. That has always been the case and companies just use it as the new cover when they want to cut headcount to shift to something new (i.e. cover their poor leadership choices). We are already seeing a backlash of AI use in tech companies as they are hemorrhaging money by using AI so aggressively. A lot of them are actively telling employees to tone down the prompting due to this and due to the fact that (shocker) the AI can’t just do everything as promised. It can definitely help out but that last few percent of effort for a productionized idea needs humans.
Make it a Thunderbird 4 door “coupe” and add a matching 2 door Lincoln Mk IX (? I lost count) on a slightly stretched S650, and a Continental 4 door
The Morning Dump is advocating for the possibly imaginary Mustang Mach IV sedan
Yes, let’s ruin all the things because identity in 2026 is dead. Now all cars must be all to all people. Hell, why stop there, let’s go with Mustang VIII – a 3-row 8-seat SUV. Maybe even Mustang P – A pickup. Because calling a freaking crossover a Mustang Mach E was not bad enough.
Also, that shopped thing looks like ass.
I think they need to think outside the box. Why stop with four doors? Give me six doors!
Why stop at cars, let’s do a horse pulling a cart.
“What should the Mustang sedan be?” Not a Mustang is my first thought. So many old Ford Names to use if the goal is to place some nostalgia in the name. Torino would be my first thought.
But, I do acknowledge the Challenger was effectively covered by the 2 door version of the New Charger pretty well stylistically, and I doubt many would take tot he Mach E styling with say a shorter stance and Hybrid or ICE only drive trains. And with GM hinting at a 4 door Camaro returning, I see why Ford might be looking down that path. Unfortunately the current mustang was not design with 4 doors in mind, the canopy is not really flexible enough to work full doors in without greatly changing other aspects. But if they are in redesign mode, it makes sense to at least make it a consideration at this point.
Wait…forcing everyone to finance $70,000 body on frame vehicles isn’t a winning strategy? I’m shocked, SHOCKED I tell you. Anyway I’m one of the weirdos who loves the idea of a Mustang sedan. The current Mustang is one of the most inefficient uses of space on the entire market.
It has a footprint the size of a damn 4Runner and yet it effectively only has two seats and the trunk struggles to swallow luggage. It’s RIDICULOUS. I get it, tradition, MUH MUSTANG, it was ALWAYS A COUPE, “I fit my family of four and all of their things in my Toyobaru stop complaining”, etc. But at this point Ford already slapped the Mustang name on a lightly seasoned EV crossover.
It’s already been done. Who cares? Go for broke at this point. It won’t be hard at all to massage an S650 into a sedan because it’s already friggin YUGE. Shorten the hood a bit, move the front passenger stuff forward, add rear doors, stretch the roofline out a bit, and MAKE! IT! A! GODDAMN! HATCHBACK!
People will buy it. It’s obviously not going to sell like the Explorer but there are lots of enthusiasts out there (myself included) who would love a pony sedan as a dad car. They could also sell it to government entities like they did with the Crown Vic, etc. Make it happen, Ford…although I’d also be fine with them calling it a Falcon for obvious reasons.
I mean, I agree, the space and interior designs are poorly optimized for 4 seat comfort. I have definitely been in 65 mustangs that felt easier to get into the back seats and the trunk fit full size luggage easier to boot.
I would give a dad car pony sedan w/ three pedals a very close look.
I’m expecting the rumored Buick Alpha-platform sedan to be similar, but less likely to feature three pedals.
*Chevy SS looks sad & lonely in the distance*
At least it has the Pontiac G8 to keep it company.
Since it’s going to be a Buick, I’m not sure if the business case for a manual is there. The brand is popular in China of all places and has always kind of been GM’s premium but not quite luxury marquee…not to mention arguably the most famous and sought after Buick of all time was automatic only despite being a performance model.
Although you never know, you’ve got to assume that the turbocharged V6 from the Blackwing is going to be in the seemingly inevitable Grand National trim and they’ve already got experience hooking it up to a Tremec. That being said, I will add that the Ford/GM 10 speed is excellent in GM products when tuned for performance.
It basically gives you DCT level quickness to the shifts and kick down but without the jerkiness at low speeds and with some extra ratios to maximize highway mileage…although it’s not super rewarding to use the paddles because there are so many ratios and many of the gears go by so fast they’re practically nonexistent.
Thought the same thing some years back driving a rental 20-teens Camaro. If they had made a reasonably priced 4 door (i.e. not a cadillac) with the same drivetrain options (stick + v6 or v8) on that platform I would’ve been very interested, I have no need for a hard to see out of 2 door.
“We have a really great Mustang that people consider a car.”
Clearly, the Mustang sedan should be a car, oor at least considered to be one by people.
If Ford is going to dilute one of their core brands to bring a sedan to market, they need to give the people what they want: a F-150 sedan!
like a Ford version of a BMW X6 or M-B GLC?
Like a Rolls Royce Phantom scaled up 150% but with a way less subtle amount of grille
You beat me to it. My suggestion was going to be a F-150 that identifies as a Mustang. They already diluted the Mustang name with the Mustang Mach-E so why not expand from SUVs to trucks?
Isn’t that just an F-150 with a tonneau cover?
How about using the F-250 as a base for an American Tropiclassic?
https://images-stag.jazelc.com/uploads/theautopian-m2en/brazil-truck-5_12-1478×1536.jpg
I’m going to argue it probably shouldn’t be, period. If they want a mustang platform RWD sedan, bring back the Crown Victoria. If it’s on a FWD crossover platform, call it the fusion. This weird obsession Ford has with attempting to expand the Mustang as a product family really seems to make no sense. S650 mustang sales are pitiful. The Mach E has desperately out developed by every rival. The sedan market is a LOT smaller than what the Escape occupied, and many sedan buyers want either value (Hyundai/Kia/Nissan) or Quality (Toyota/Honda) products, and a Ford built RWD sedan that mimics the Charger will be neither.
That said, Ford being Ford will lengthen the Mustang to a 4-Door, it’ll lose it’s athleticism from the growth spurt, gain no power to account for the weight, be more expensive than the coupe, and sell far below expectations.
The Mustang Sedan should be a stretched S650. And called Falcon. Mustang Falcon if you have to. There’s really not much else to it. The original Mustang was based on the Falcon, it’s high time it returned the favor.
Here’s your Mustang Falcon…
Could be an ad for the ThunderCougarFalconBird too.
Make a Mach E sedan. This is the perfect time for it. Slam it, carve out a trunk and full send to the dealers. It’ll go further and be faster on the same mechanicals (or is that electricals?). Plus the economy of scale will help lower Mach-E prices.
Copying Dodges homework. Well Mr Ford, we will see how that works out.
So the Maverick is their most affordable vehicle, and has hit sales records? Maybe Ford should offer a Maverick based CUV, and perhaps a hatchback or wagon to have more variety of this sales winner, and Focus on their more basic offerings. /s?
This is a solved problem, thanks to Emperor Busey: https://www.theautopian.com/if-there-was-only-one-car-allowed-to-be-built-and-sold-in-america-it-should-be-the-ford-maverick/
Its coming, not soon enough but it is (Tier 1 Supplier here)
The Maverick shares its underpinnings with the Escape and Bronco Sport, right?
You mean like the Escape its platform was based on? Naw, they cancelled that.
It all started as the Focus…
Exactly, but I guess they only want macho type of stuff.
If Toyota ever grows a set and produces a small Maverick rival (based on a RAV4), it’s over for Frod. Why would you ever buy the Maverick over a Toyota product?
This fool-https://www.autonews.com/resizer/v2/QVOZA6XAHVDFHMRFD5LTTCZVRQ.jpeg?smart=true&auth=73a88436c1b6d1081d49031f5e5a737da4b34d8ebf8177e6dedb1ce06009fb15&width=1200&height=674- is enough for me to not want to ever buy a Toyota product. Not to mention things like fighting emissions standards, low spend on R&D, and general coasting off their reputation. Too bad they can’t purge their management, I used to like them.
Price maybe? Besides the Maverick already has the “Toyota hybrid”
Bring back the Falcon nameplate!
Bullscheiße
Ford’s whole claim on the Mach-e is that it was profitable from the start.
They buried massive write-offs on the Lightning.
What’s the status of the German-built Ford Explorer EV? It’s built on the VW MEB, it should be reasonably financially stable.
Just bring back the Taurus
I’d rather see an entirely new sedan body shape (on the same s650 platform). A stretched Mustang 4-door just cheapens the brand.
What should the Mustang sedan be?
NAMED SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN MUSTANG!!!
What should the Mustang sedan be?
Nonexistent.
Ford has a gaping hole in their lineup, completely self-created. Killing their sedans and going with a single “car” left over was highly quesitonable at the time, but the other domestics wound up doing the same. They still had Escape as a “tall car” option for those who didn’t want a lifestyle vehicle, just transportation at a decent price. Then they killed that one too. In the meantime, GM did something very smart – they turned the Trax into the very vehicle that the afore mentioned customer wants. It looks good, performs well, and doesn’t pretend to venture into the world of “offroad lifestyle” (it’s FWD only) that Ford wants to steer these people towards. They’ve also sold over 200k of those things in North America every year since the redesign. Escape and Trax aren’t true sedans of course – but you can argue that Trax has started dipping toes in that direction again.
And if they try to fill in that gap by stuffing it full of, “Mustangs,” then they deserve to fail.
Somethingsomething Ford Maverick.
GM has done the responsible thing and kept a varied lineup across price ranges and powertrains and been able to capture multiple markets because of it. Ford has decided to pull a Stellantis and chase trends, higher margins, and tribalistic truck buyers. A souring economy and rising gas prices will inevitably prove GM to be the victor, and I genuinely have to give Mary Barra credit for doing it.
I adore that Topshot. I don’t care about the car, just the image. Chuckle chuckle chortle. Pete sets a high bar early in the day!
I can’t come over today. My car is in the Photoshop.
Wait, what?
Notice that the guy being quoted is out of Ford’s “E” division, so he’s talking about the Mach E, not the actual Mustang.
Ford already made a 4-door ‘Mustang’ in the Mach-E.
While ICE-ing a Mach-E isn’t viable; a 4-door Mustang should resemble or simply replace this car in the lineup. Perhaps a hybridized Mach-E could be done, maybe with a ‘notchback’ body style instead of the SUV-aping shape it has now.
A stretched S650 is not what Ford should be attempting.
P.S. – I daily a 5.0 S197, all of this is heresy.
I don’t see the Mach-E as an SUV, but rather a tall-ish hatchback. I do quite like it’s side profile.
Very soon every Ford will be a Mustang-Something, Bronco-Something or F-Something. How original and inspiring.
I keep waiting for them to drag up the F-100 and rename the Maverick so they can wrap in into their sales numbers for the ‘Best Selling Truck for the last Bazillion Years’ marketing crap.
Actually, upon reflection, I guess the Maverick would have to be the F-50 and the Ranger would be the F-100.
The “F-it” solution.
I wasn’t aghast at the MachE being a “Mustang” so much as it felt like a Ford sub-brand was born, because it is so different from the actual Mustang coupe.
You got me thinking, though: Maverick used to be a car, and isn’t it a shared platform with the Bronco Sport? Couldn’t they remix it into a hybrid sedan and call it the Maverick Mach Whatever?
The all new F-Bronco Mach Mustang X
TBQ: The Mustang sedan should be, as it was in the past, the Falcon or the Fairlane. Mustangs are sporty coupes. The Mach E is not, and never will be, a Mustang. Sedans can share the platform, but, much though marketing may argue, sedans are not coupes.
Fecking marketing departments. Into the volcano with the lot of them.
Yes, let the circle complete. Mustang was born from Falcon, to Falcon it must return.
Ph*ck Ford. They dropped sedans to gorge of the fat profits of trucks and SUVs. They made their own bed.
Truck bed.