Mr Jim Farley - Hear Me Out...

[Ewheels]

I need you to get Ford into the affordable sportscar world. I don't know if it makes sense from a profitability stand point but us gear-heads would appreciate it.
Very few of us can afford a $400k GT but there's a desire for a smaller, lighter, sportier car than what the Mustang offers.

My vision would be something similar in size to a GR86/BRZ and comes with the 4-cyl ecoboost from the Mustang or perhaps even the 2.7L from the F150. I'm thinking under 3,200 lbs and around 350 horse. I can't speak for everyone but I would buy one immediately.

The 86/BRZ is too slow. The Miata is too slow. The Supra & Nissan Z would be the closest competition but no one wants a Nissan and the Supra is going away/changing in 2027. The M2 is too heavy and the 718 Cayman has the ridiculous Porsche-tax tacked on. The Civic Type R, though a 4-door, has the performance specs I'm after but it's FWD and I want to do hilarious power slides. I think Ford could dominate this market.

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[Alan Applegate]

It is nice to dream. One of the nicest personal vehicles Ford has made was the Thunderbird. I had a 1983 Mercury version and I loved it. It wasn't fast, but for the time (era) is was well suited. I had a 1993 Capri I liked too, and with some Mazda speed parts it was quick as well as tossable. Unfortunately, these cars are gone, and the market dictated it, not Ford!

We're just lucky to have the Mustang still with us. I suspect even it would be gone, if not for Jim Farley. Let's give thanks for what we have.

 

[robvas]

If they made a smaller sports car, using the 2.3 EB would be a crime. I would want a high RPM 4 cylinder not that tractor engine.

 

[jbrnigan]

Don't forget that the "base" 2026 Ecoboost Mustang has a MSRP of only
$34,315 incl destination (lower w/ discounts). Any "affordable" competitive model "sport car" intoduction, potentially cannibalizes Mustangs sales. @AlanApplegate is likely accurate in his observation about Farley.

 

[Cz_Ziemniak]

If they made a smaller sports car, using the 2.3 EB would be a crime. I would want a high RPM 4 cylinder not that tractor engine.

It doesn't even have to rev particularly high so long as its a fun N/A powerband.

I've driven plenty of fun N/A cars that only rev to around 6800 rpm. Low end torque is stupid fun when its a linear powerband.

They will literally never do it though.

 

[Crew4991]

Ford: "Why make a more affordable sports car when you could just spend more? Now where is that credit application... need that 12 year car loan? DONE."

 

[Sofa King]

There is a new car model announcement in January... perhaps you get your wish?

 

[Ewheels]

There is a new car model announcement in January... perhaps you get your wish?

As long as it's not another SUV....

 

[Wiley Marmot]

@Ewheels Ford made that vehicle (or close to it); but they let it go out of production in 2018 for reasons not understood by me.

350 HP; 350 TQ factory rated--most averaged around 275 WHP in 2WD. With a 93 octane Livernois dyno tune, mine ran 340 WHP; 395WTQ. 6spd manual only

Factory intake and exhaust capable of supporting 500 fly wheel HP................room to grow. Shorter and narrower than or GTs/DHs = quicker handling.

They were AWD, but if you felt the need to donut into a nearby ditch............................that's what Drift Mode was for; as it made the cars essentially RWD. Smoke those rears until they're down to their cords!

They could have been a little lighter as I like your target weight of 3200 lbs

I'm guessing, but I'll bet the 2.7 and 3.0 EBs could be shoe horned into the space available under the hood.

 

[Ewheels]

@Ewheels Ford made that vehicle (or close to it); but they let it go out of production in 2018 for reasons not understood by me.

350 HP; 350 TQ factory rated--most averaged around 275 WHP in 2WD. With a 93 octane Livernois dyno tune, mine ran 340 WHP; 395WTQ. 6spd manual only

Factory intake and exhaust capable of supporting 500 fly wheel HP................room to grow. Shorter and narrower than or GTs/DHs = quicker handling.

They were AWD, but if you felt the need to donut into a nearby ditch............................that's what Drift Mode was for; as it made the cars essentially RWD. Smoke those rears until they're down to their cords!

They could have been a little lighter as I like your target weight of 3200 lbs

I'm guessing, but I'll bet the 2.7 and 3.0 EBs could be shoe horned into the space available under the hood.

I wanted one of those cars so badly when they came out. Sadly, I was not in the appropriate financial situation at that time.

 

[Trueblue3605]

I need you to get Ford into the affordable sportscar world. I don't know if it makes sense from a profitability stand point but us gear-heads would appreciate it.
Very few of us can afford a $400k GT but there's a desire for a smaller, lighter, sportier car than what the Mustang offers.

My vision would be something similar in size to a GR86/BRZ and comes with the 4-cyl ecoboost from the Mustang or perhaps even the 2.7L from the F150. I'm thinking under 3,200 lbs and around 350 horse. I can't speak for everyone but I would buy one immediately.

The 86/BRZ is too slow. The Miata is too slow. The Supra & Nissan Z would be the closest competition but no one wants a Nissan and the Supra is going away/changing in 2027. The M2 is too heavy and the 718 Cayman has the ridiculous Porsche-tax tacked on. The Civic Type R, though a 4-door, has the performance specs I'm after but it's FWD and I want to do hilarious power slides. I think Ford could dominate this market.

I don't think Ford will put out any products that could steer people away from the mustang. The reason the mustang is the only "car" in their lineup is that people are not interested in that market currently.

 

[Neggytive]

and in order to recover the R&D costs, tooling, new parts that need to be designed or procured from an outside source, cost of crash and other testing, building a prototype, you are going to sell how may of these cars and in what markets?

Then there is EU design considerations since in order to have any chance of recovering the initial capital outlay you have to export.

Ford has rarely done anything on their own in America

Explorer, Ranger, Probe, Fusion, Escape, Escort, Festiva and Focus among others were Mazda;s with Ford skins and badges

Transit Connect vans came out of Turkey

Ford 500, Taurus, Montego and other cars on the D3 platform were effn Volvos

Turn of the century TBirds and Lincoln LS models were based upon Jaguar architecture

The only reason we have the 7G mustang is is is just a quick rehash of the 6G and they have the 5.0 and 10 speed automatic out of the F150

Ford had not done anything original for the consumer market in year and frankly all their engines suck, except the 5.0 which is for the moment holding together

(anyone remember the woof woof's that were the 5.4?)

Ford IMHO could not create a new car that would sell enough units domestically or internationally to make it profitable

The Mustang sales figures are a joke, take out the GT's and DH's and the rest are underpowered junk with engines that have huge reliability issues.

I'd rather have Mr Farley concentrate on making sure his company can put some reliability into the cars they ar already making, and do something like reviving "Quality Is Job 1" again.

Anyone else get their water intrusion recall done? Not that the mustangs don't have a known issue with water intrusion that goes back decades anyway right?

And speaking of recalls, Ford announced yet another one just today!


This one is for over 100,000 vehicles, primarily 2020-2022 and some 2025 Ford Escapes, because liftgate hinge covers might detach, creating a road hazard,

Good job Jim !!!!

 

[wesg79]

bring back the ford focus ST with a 2.7 but it would end up more than a msutang GT

 

[robvas]

Turbo V6 in a small car would be a bear to work on

Give me an inline 4 (or 5 ) all day

 

[Junkyard Dog]

https://fordauthority.com/2020/11/d...etta is essentially,speed manual as an option.

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