How do we save the mustang?

[DeluxeStang]

I know someone is gonna say "Bring back a 30 grand V8" but we need to be realistic, for a variety of reasons, that's not gonna happen, and even if it did, it wouldn't work. It didn't do much for the 6th Gen Camaro when they tried to offer a more affordable V8 trim.

From where I'm standing, we need to talk about how to make 50-60 grand feel like good value, rather than acting like Ford's gonna be able to cut the price of V8 mustangs in half. Here's what I thinking, the normal 2+ 2 is compromised, the backseat isn't big enough for most people, but it adds weight, cost, and comprise as a sports car.

I'm gonna get some hate for this, but I say offer a 4 door mustang sedan with a V8 to appeal to people who want muscle car looks and feel, with a far more practical backseat. Maybe even consider the idea of making that 4 door a wagon to boost practical appeal. Then make the coupe a 2 seater, longer hood, sexier, lower, less practical than the 2 + 2, but more seductive, more special feeling.

So now you have two models, instead of a compromised 2+2, you'd created a sedan, and a 2 seater sports car. So now instead of one compromised model, you have 2 distinct models that are both the best they can be. If they share a platform, you can distribute those develop costs across 100k or more units a year, instead of 40k units. This should help mustang prices stabilize hopefully.

Then, and yeah, you guys won't like this, but Ford's making a super affordable EV compact platform. It's a night and day difference compared to Ford's current EV platforms, and is being engineered by the guy who actually made profitable, kinda affordable EVs with the model 3, same head engineer.

I kinda see this platform as the new falcon platform, not super powerful or outlandish, but cheap, small, flexible. Why not build a smaller, cheaper electric mustang? This could be the mustang moment for younger people, who are generally more receptive to EVs by far, but don't have really many options for cool, affordable ones. Give it 250 hp or so, starting price on the high 20s or low 30s, tons of visual customizations from the factory.

A little bit of everything is my idea, keep the V8 two door, make it even more desirable, offer an awesome four door using the same platform to help get costs under control, and bring back the days of the cheap, fun, humble mustang in a way that will actually improve Ford's fuel economy average. I'm open to almost everything within reason, I love this car, I'm not just gonna give up on it because things are rough right now.

Feel free to share your ideas. Images below help to illustrate the ideas I'm talking about.

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[Ryunker]

Save the mustang...

1. Kill the Mach E
2. Kill the ecoboost.

 

[RaceRedder]

It's either make this model GT 50k full option or make the car look like a new Mustang.

They used so many parts from the S550 that's it's not a New Mustang. So they are recycling parts but want the full amount. That's crazy.

 

[DeluxeStang]

Save the mustang...

1. Kill the Mach E
2. Kill the ecoboost.

1. Lowers Ford CAFE average which is the very reason why the V8 can still exist. This is why I proposed a smaller EV coupe for younger buyers. Not only do I believe that's something that hasn't been attempted yet that could find success, selling EVs also drags down Ford's CAFE average so Ford can still make v8's while still meeting those requirements.
2. Gives the mustang broader appeal and makes it more accessible.

 

[DeluxeStang]

It's either make this model GT 50k full option or make the car look like a new Mustang.

They used so many parts from the S550 that's it's not a New Mustang. So they are recycling parts but want the full amount. That's crazy.

Going 2 seater would make it possible to radically redesign the car and make it look completely different.

 

[RaceRedder]

Going 2 seater would make it possible to radically redesign the car and make it look completely different.

No, that's not what I mean.
Keep the car how it is, but use a new design.

Same gear selector, same arm compartiment, same door handles, same door grips and so on. That's really cheaping out.

 

[MaddNomad]

Just focus on the Mustang itself. Stop branching it off, creating new ways to thin out its sales. Sedan would always get compared to the coupe, they wouldn’t lump the sales numbers together (for example, though people say Mustang is its own brand now, Ford didn’t say Mustang sold 95,000ish vehicles, they were separated as different models). Lol. Pretty straight forward. Realistically price is going to be what it is right now.

 

[Q6543]

They need to make the whipple kits OEM…

Base GTs making 850HP for under 60k from ford would turn the industry on its head, hell, use 2.65 eatons… still be 750/800 ish.

Point is they can make a jaw dropping performer from the factory… instead of the DIY/aftermarket crowd.

 

[DeluxeStang]

Just focus on the Mustang itself. Stop branching it off, creating new ways to thin out its sales. Sedan would always get compared to the coupe, they wouldn’t lump the sales numbers together (for example, though people say Mustang is its own brand now, Ford didn’t say Mustang sold 95,000ish vehicles, they were separated as different models). Lol. Pretty straight forward. Realistically price is going to be what it is right now.

I'm gonna have to disagree with you. It's branching out, and finding a way to share parts, and especially platforms, is the best way to be cost efficient and sustainable. A huge issue with the mustang is it's an orphan platform, no other vehicle uses that platform, which is really not ideal from a product standpoint. A sedan and the 2 seater would be compared more if they both kept the same number of seats. If the coupe became a 2 seater, and more exotic looking, it would be like the mach-e in the sense that they would appeal to different consumers.

 

[DeluxeStang]

No, that's not what I mean.
Keep the car how it is, but use a new design.

Same gear selector, same arm compartiment, same door handles, same door grips and so on. That's really cheaping out.

I see what you're saying, but even as the mustang body stampings have changed over the years, they've always kept the same basic proportions. Something really dramatic, a huge proportion change, would basically require turning the coupe into a 2 seater.

 

[MaddNomad]

I'm gonna have to disagree with you. It's branching out, and finding a way to share parts, and especially platforms, is the best way to be cost efficient and sustainable. A huge issue with the mustang is it's an orphan platform, no other vehicle uses that platform, which is really not ideal from a product standpoint. A sedan and the 2 seater would be compared more if they both kept the same number of seats. If the coupe became a 2 seater, and more exotic looking, it would be like the mach-e in the sense that they would appeal to different consumers.

Disagree with what? It would eat sales and kill perception. That will happen lmao that’s not even arguable. Sharing a platform is good though I agree with that. But treat the Mustang as you did before but gotta be picky just like the Vette or 911. Give it a new chassis.

but what you described other then the two seater is already going to happen so we can kinda see first hand if the coupe sales fall further.

Are we talking about saving the Mustang itself or just the badge?

 

[DeluxeStang]

My thought process is the mustang is competing with things like the c8 now, we need to find a way to ensure that people still lust after the mustang even if it's getting more expensive. A radical platform/design/proportional change is the best way to do that imo. Ask yourself which of these cars you'd rather drop 60 grand on.

 

[RaceRedder]

I see what you're saying, but even as the mustang body stampings have changed over the years, they've always kept the same basic proportions. Something really dramatic, a huge proportion change, would basically require turning the coupe into a 2 seater.

I think you still don't understand what I'm saying. They should keep the basic proportions. That's not the issue. The issue is that I can swap my door handles, door grips, shift selector and many other parts with an S550 owner. The parts are identical!

 

[Q6543]

The other thing they could do is go all in on 5.4 or even a 5.8 coyote architecture…

Easily could have everyone riding around in 600HPN/A 8500 rpm 5.8s..

Need something revolutionary.

 

[Ryunker]

1. Lowers Ford CAFE average which is the very reason why the V8 can still exist. This is why I proposed a smaller EV coupe for younger buyers. Not only do I believe that's something that hasn't been attempted yet that could find success, selling EVs also drags down Ford's CAFE average so Ford can still make v8's while still meeting those requirements.
2. Gives the mustang broader appeal and makes it more accessible.

Remove the CAFE regulation.

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