Well, it's come to this.......[ATTACH][ATTACH][ATTACH][ATTACH][ATTACH][ATTACH][ATTACH]
Well, it's come to this....... Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Um, what?! Why is "Mustang" attached to this car? Too bad the drawing at the bottom is so much more crisp and elegant than the "real" version.
It looks like a rebodied Ford Edge or Escape. I like the Ford Edge very much (I bought one), but it shouldn't be badged as a Mustang. This is a bit of a strange dilution of the Mustang brand. All the best, Andrew.
Actually, I give this some applause, maybe a golf clap? Porsche, Lamborghini, and soon to Ferrari will all have SUV's, aka large scaled personal transport. Why not Mustang? It's time to try new things in order to survive. And anyway, ten years from now (2029) will most of the product be electric? The transition to video screens is problematic across the industry. The Roma has the same issue! There have been some avances around the driver's center consoles, see the Taycan and the Roma looks good in that area. -F
Oh, don't misunderstand. I'm not at all against the idea of an electric CUV/SUV. And in fact, I can/could even make a case for calling it a Mustang. I'm just surprised at the final design execution. Good single or double. Triple or a home-run........no. Give the same design brief to 10 designers & you'll get 10 different answers. This one just doesn't do it for me. But I'll wait to see the actual car before I can pass judgement.
Too soft in the metal. Or plastic. Could've been much more aggressive, as in some of the original concept art, and then it would've been a home run. Instead, tripped over a few dollars that will result in costing more than they saved.
I'd like to hear that case........ Who is this car aimed at? Surely not the people who have bought Mustangs before (thinking GT 350/500/track day specials/Shelby's etc.)..... Someone who wants a Mustang but needs a 4 door/CUV?.....who is that? Someone who needs a Mustang badge to feel good/brag about? Soccer dads? Seriously, how did any number of focus groups aim Ford Design to this result?
Well, where to begin? I can only imagine the lengthy contentious conversations that must have taken place around the strategy to use Mustang as the brand. There is a great deal of brand equity in the Mustang name, without a doubt. With the introduction of an all new vehicle, non ICE and all electric at that; a new intro becomes a huge effort. As the world transitions out of ICE's and 'sporty' muscle cars, what to do with the brand? Will traditional Mustang buyers clamor for a Mustang CUV? Probably not. But I'm living proof that those kinds of product moves are not unheard of. I went from driving 3 Cadillac CTS V Coupes to an Alfa Stelvio CUV! I never in a million years would have envisioned me making a move like that. Yet here I am. In the Mustang Mach E case, they probably wanted that brand awareness to rub off on the new vehicle. Would anyone 10 years ago have envisioned a Lamborghini SUV? Bently or Rolls SUV's? Everything we knew is being turned on it's proverbial ear. My issue is with the design execution of the Mach E trying to channel a Mustang. It's just not there IMO. I know many of those guys and gals at Ford Design. They're a talented group. How this came to be is a head scratcher. Where is the Mustang in the design? The taillights? Great. What else? I'll find out whether they let Focus Groups have much input. We'll see about that as well.
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Believe it’s matter of upsetting relatively few Mustang purists vs. buyers who thought it would be cool to own a Mustang but couldn’t purchase one in past due to practicality reasons. Or Ford may believe a longstanding nameplate offers buyers reassurance a model with all new tech wouldn’t be a one off failure (the Edsel effect ). Ford received additional sales by increasing their personal sport coupe lineup to include a four door in past. Going back to the well once again is my inclination.... Image Unavailable, Please Login
On a slightly different (but related) note: had an interesting conversation with a colleague this morning and she made a great point. Had Ford called this the Edge we all would be talking about what a great / interesting / "edgy" evolution of that car's styling this represents. Most of the conversation is testament to the power of branding: we all know what a Mustang is, and this isn't it.
So here is the 'official' story from FoMoCo. Make of it what you will. Focus groups. A multitude of cooks in the kitchen. From yesterday's Automotive News. Jason Castriota was formerly from Pininfarina, now with Ford. DETROIT — Two years ago, Jim Farley visited Ford Motor Co.'s Dearborn, Mich., design studio to review a long-range battery-electric crossover that had been in development for the past three years. The new CEO, Jim Hackett, had just tapped Farley as president of global markets, a job that includes overseeing the company's electric vehicle plans. Ford was behind in the segment and sorely needed an EV that could compete with rivals such as General Motors and Tesla. What he saw — essentially a wagon version of the Focus Electric — wasn't going to cut it. "He took one look and said, 'No way, no how. You guys are rebooting this program,' " recalled Jason Castriota, brand director for Ford's battery EVs. The quick rejection was a gut punch for the development team. But Farley's criticism also sparked what the vehicle would eventually become. He wanted it to be inspiring and performance-oriented, not just another compliance car. "Think Mustang," Farley told them. Ford on Sunday revealed the byproduct of that advice: the 2021 Mustang Mach-E, a battery-electric crossover with a range of at least 300 miles. It's the first utility vehicle to carry the iconic pony-car badge, and the nameplate is a play on the performance-oriented Mach 1 moniker. Castriota said it will be Ford's "best-handling vehicle" and boast driving specs comparable to those of a Porsche. The Mach-E represents a full pivot in Ford's product strategy under a compressed time frame. The design team basically had to start from scratch, changing everything from the quality of the exterior mirrors to the size of the interior display screen. "The day we decided this would be Mustang-inspired, we saw everyone light up," said Darren Palmer, Ford's global head of product development for BEVs. "It upped the ante hugely." ‘We own Mustang' After Farley ordered the about-face, the development team started by defining whom, exactly, they were building the vehicle for. It was no longer primarily about environmentally conscious buyers. "Let's take out everything that leans green," Castriota said. "Let's see who this customer really is." Instead, they visualized a forward-looking, tech-positive progressive with a "growth mindset." The descriptors matched the type of buyer for Ford's iconic pony car. "This was a major, watershed moment," Castriota said. "We found Ford BEV customers were very, very like Mustang customers. We decided it's got to be Mustang-inspired. We own Mustang." The designers went to work. They accentuated the rear haunches, lifted the nose and pulled back the A-pillar. They pulled the front wheels forward 70 mm and pushed the rear ones back 20 mm. And they added the Mustang's classic tri-bar taillights. Ford enters EV arena with 2021 Mustang Mach-E From two years to four months Design development work was condensed into four months instead of the usual two-year time frame. The sketch for the initial 3D model, said Chris Walter, the exterior design manager, was created in less than a week. The interior was also completely reimagined. The initial design that executives rejected included a 12.4-inch portrait-oriented touch screen. It featured a number of carryover parts to meet financial targets, including the same steering wheel as the now-discontinued Fiesta. FORD MOTOR CO. The Mach-E has the iconic Mustang logo on the front and rear, and the front wheels were pulled forward. But in switching direction, the interior team tried something new: It brought would-be customers into the studio for the first time to experience the vehicle up close. A trip to China revealed that customers wanted a larger touch screen, so the team developed a 15.5-inch monitor with a specially designed knob at the bottom. The Mach-E also features the next-generation Sync infotainment system, crafted by a 15-person group to be as customer-oriented as possible. Back in Dearborn, early prototypes were outfitted with plastic foam pieces that could be switched out quickly, depending on customer feedback. "We were swapping parts out like Legos," said Josh Greiner, the vehicle's interior design director. Ford to introduce hands-free assist system with Mustang Mach-E Call it a Mustang Feedback from consumer clinics persuaded the team to go beyond "Mustang-inspired" and make the vehicle a full-fledged horse in the Ford pony-car stable. Executive Chairman Bill Ford signed off on the decision, and developers settled on the Mach-E name as a nod to the performance Mach 1 pony cars of the past. "It's Silicon Valley meets Route 66," Castriota said. The Mach-E features the iconic galloping horse logo on the front and rear, as well as the Mach-E name on the side. Among its Mustang-specific design cues are a double-cowl instrument panel and "ground speed" markings on the cluster. Ford is introducing a new ordering process with the Mach-E. With a $500 refundable deposit, consumers can reserve a spot in line for a special "first edition" model and configure their vehicle ahead of its arrival next year. Ford said the Mach-E will go on sale across the U.S. all at once, not concentrated on EV-friendly states such as California. Pricing was not released, but officials said it will be $40,000 to $50,000 before the $7,500 federal tax credit. Ford has been preparing its dealer network to service the Mach-E and other EVs that follow. Officials said Ford now has 9,500 trained EV technicians and 2,000 dealerships certified to work on EVs. "The goal was to make it awesome so the demand is natural," said Ted Cannis, Ford's global head of electrification. "We're set up for glory." Image Unavailable, Please Login
Great back story. As you all probably know, Jason Castriota designed Jim G's P4/5 when he was at PF. -F
That Ford jumped on calling this thing a Mustang tells me just how lost Ford is. To me, this is a situation where they were grasping for something cover over their lack of confidence. Put another way it is much the same mental game of "retro" design where they are looking for a future using a rear view mirror. Is calling it a Mustang what happens when there are only 2 vehicles in the entire Ford product line up that mean anything, F150 and Mustang? Peter DeL of Autoextremeist is none too impressed. FORD GETS A PARTICIPATION AWARD FOR THE MACH-E. NOW WHAT? Monday, November 18, 2019 at 11:08AM By Peter M. DeLorenzo Detroit. The big hyped show had the now-obligatory orchestrated Tesla-esque presentation, including the cheering minions and the be-there-or-be-square manufactured “event” quality. And, of course, the sniveling members of the press, who ran the gamut from rabid bootlicking enablers – It’s revolutionary! It’s the greatest thing since sliced bread! (you get the idea) – to a few who had the temerity to actually offer some reasoned perspective. (In other words, it’s a giant “we’ll see” until further notice.) It even had a Hollywood celebrity on hand – actor Idris Elba – to kick off the show, claiming his fealty to Ford was long-lasting and real, which completely fell flat when the actor and Bill Ford participated in a painfully stilted and forced interview/conversation on stage. The Ford Mustang Mach-E is yet another new electric crossover (about the size of the Escape) with all of the currently accepted ingredients present and accounted for: rear- or all-wheel-drive; available in both standard-range (75.7 kWh lithium-ion battery) and extended-range (98.8 kWh battery), which has a “targeted” EPA-estimated range of at least 300 miles in rear-wheel-drive configuration (the batteries feature 288 lithium-ion cells in the standard-range version and 376 lithium-ion cells in the extended-range); the battery is located on the floor between the vehicle’s two axles and secured inside a waterproof battery case surrounded by crash-absorption protection; the batteries are liquid-cooled to optimize performance in extreme weather and to improve charging times; the Mach-E is targeting 332 horsepower and 417 lb.-ft. of torque, with other versions getting more (see pics and more info in “On The Table” -WG). The Mach-E also features a Tesla-esque interior, featuring a do-everything center stack that is supposed to represent Ford’s advanced “connected” vehicle configuration going forward. (They made the mistake – Mistake No. 1 – of calling it the “next-generation” SYNC. Ford’s signature system has been a glaringly weak link ever since they launched it despite overhauls, fixes and improvements. So why not ditch that compromised – at best – name for this alleged “revolutionary” new Ford?) So, that about covers the basic ingredients, but it's only the beginning of my thoughts on Ford’s Tesla fighter. First of all, what about the fact that it’s called Mustang Mach-E? Longtime readers of this website know I have advocated that GM leverage the Corvette image and brand name for an expanded lineup of vehicles for years, in order to go toe-to-toe against Porsche in the market, with the ultimate goal of creating an all-new performance division for GM. I still feel that way. So, why does it feel different for Ford? I have written about the Mustang being “the soul” of the Ford Motor Company for a decade, with the F-150 being “the franchise.” Make no mistake, the F-150 has been directly responsible for the Ford Motor Company’s profitability for so long now that to imagine the Ford Motor Company without it would be to imagine that the company went out of business. But the Mustang is the remaining link to Ford’s “glory days” of the 60s, when Ford’s “Total Performance” racing/marketing onslaught transformed the company image. (Yes, of course, the Ford GT does that, too, but on a much more limited scale; for most people, the Mustang is Ford’s approachable mainstream sporty car entry.) But to call this frumpy looking crossover – squint and it looks like 20 other crossovers in the market – a “Mustang” is so egregiously wrong that it makes me cringe. Let me make this clear: I learned to drive a stick-shift in a 1966 Shelby Mustang GT350. We raced an ex-Bud Moore Mustang Boss 302 in the ’71 Trans-Am season with my brother Tony at the wheel. In short, I know Mustangs, and the Mach-E is no damn Mustang. In fact, it’s a crushing disappointment and an insult to the legacy of the Mustang, especially when you have the blistering fast and perfectly brutal looking new Shelby GT500 Mustang just hitting the streets. The fact that Bill Ford got up on stage Sunday night and said that the Mach-E had “soul” is borderline absurd. The Dude does not abide. And no matter how much Ford sound engineers play with the dulcet sewing machine tones of their upcoming BEV, the Mach-E is in no way, shape or form a Mustang. It won’t sound like one, it doesn’t look like one, and just because you can dial up the battery power to make it super fast, it’s not going to feel like one either. Ford, like every other automaker, is hell-bent not to be left behind in the BEV race, because that would mean a death sentence, a sign that it is desperately unhip and even worse, irrelevant. So instead of crowning its emboldened thrust into the “next” market with a new nameplate that would signal a new Ford, they hang the Mustang name on it from out of the blue, to the collective groans of “huh?” Right now, Ford gets the participation award for coming up with a “me-too” electrified crossover with a patently stupid and ill-advised moniker. And that’s it. But rather than leave you with that thought, I’ll leave you with this: Ford is calling the Mustang Mach-E a 2021 model, which will be out one year from now. Rest assured, given Ford’s dubious track record of blown product launches of late, the likelihood of a Mach-E hitting dealer showrooms in any meaningful numbers before the spring of 2021 is slim. And none. And that’s the High-Octane Truth for this week.
I think the Mach-E will be successful. I think it will appeal to Mustang owners who also need a family grocery-getter. They will think its cool to have two Mustang badged vehicles in the garage. That doesnt mean its to my tastes, but I certainly see the marketing aspect.
Yes, I see the marketing line of thought but question that this is anything more than a lame attempt to devalue some brand equity because they are too scared of their own shadow. I seriously doubt that there will be buyers of this because it got the "Mustang" name hung on it. Ford continues to wander in the wilderness caused by inept top leadership. I do not believe they have a sense of where they are going and how to get there. The family needs to do a "no confidence" vote of their own person and bring back Mullaly.
