Ford has been building four-door Mustang concepts for decades, and now one might finally be inching closer to production. In 1965, Ford built a four-door version of the just-released Mustang. It just didn't sell it to anyone. Later, in the early 1980s, you could also almost buy a Mustang with four doors, as the LTD sedan got an optional 5.0-liter V-8 that it shared with the Mustang GT, as a sort of parts-bin special.
The idea that you could blend the spirit of a 'Stang with a more practical mien has been around since the beginning, and recent comments from a Ford executive would seem to indicate that it's just about time for that idea to become reality. Speaking to Automotive News, Ford Blue and Model e president Andrew Frick specifically noted the brand's desire to expand the Mustang lineup.
Currently, there's the traditional coupe or convertible, with a choice of four-cylinder or V-8 engines, and then the Mustang Mach-E, which most purists would consider a Mustang in name only. Still, Ford engineers have had plenty of fun with the Mach-E, notably the Rally trim, which is basically an electric crossover spliced with Focus RS DNA.
The GT versions of the Mach-E are plenty quick, offer crossover practicality, and handily outsell the traditional two-door 'Stang. But Frick says Ford is considering something different. "There is a percentage of the customer base that still buys sedans," he told AN. "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."
Frick also later added about Ford introducing a sedan model again, "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." Given that Ford trademarked the name Mach 4 just last year, the chances that there is a Mustang-based production sedan on the horizon seem pretty good.
In 2024, Ford reportedly showed two possible Mustang variants to dealers, one a four-door sedan, the other a performance off-roader—like a Mustang take on the 911 Dakar. The Dakar Mustang sounds like immense fun and would fit into Mustang tradition since Ford also tested a four-wheel-drive version of its pony car back in 1965.
However, that's a pretty niche product, whereas customers who have bought Ford sedans for years currently have nothing to tempt them at dealerships. While 16 or 17 percent of the market isn't a majority, it's not nothing, and the dealers know they aren't going to be able to talk everyone into buying an Escape or similar instead.
If Ford did build a four-door Mustang Mach 4 on an extended version of the Mustang platform, it could instantly have a performance sedan that'd be a credible rival to the Dodge Charger. Throw in some 5.0-liter V-8 power, and there'd be more than a few fans who always wanted the rumble of a Coyote, but needed four doors to haul the kids around.
Source: caranddriver.com
