Mach-4 Four-Door Mustang Is Looking Inevitable
At this point, calling Ford’s four-door Mustang a rumor feels like we’re splitting hairs. Ford has made it clear in private meetings and on the record that it wants to get back into the car business beyond the Mustang coupe, with executives talking about expanding the “Mustang family.” Earlier this year, dealers were shown a four-door Mustang sedan concept, and Ford has trademarked the name Mach-4, following the naming convention established by the Mustang Mach-E.
If the plan comes together, the Mach-4 could give Ford a way back into the sedan market without starting completely from scratch. More importantly for us, it could do it while keeping the Mustang’s performance hardware underneath.
Photo Rendering Artist Credit: Sugar Design. See the link below.
The Mustang Family Is Getting Bigger
Ford’s idea of a “Mustang family” isn’t exactly new. The Mustang Mach-E already proved that Ford is willing to stretch the nameplate well beyond the traditional two-door coupe. The company increasingly views Mustang and Bronco as subbrands that can support multiple vehicles rather than simply individual models.
The four-door sedan would allow Ford to expand the Mustang subbrand while also returning to the sedan market without having to create an entirely new nameplate. Buyers already know what a Mustang is, and Ford wouldn’t have to spend the time and money building recognition for another brand from the ground up.
The Mach-E has already shown that this strategy can work. The electric crossover regularly outsells the gas-powered Mustang coupe by a wide margin, and using the Mustang name and styling was intended to increase its appeal. That’s exactly what happened. Ford appears ready to try the same trick again with the Mach-4.
Don’t Expect An All-New Platform
If Ford wants to keep the Mach-4 program cost-effective, modifying the existing S650 Mustang platform makes considerably more sense than developing an entirely new rear-wheel-drive architecture.
That doesn’t mean Ford can simply cut a Mustang in half, add some metal, and call it a day. Stretching the unibody will require significant engineering work. Still, working from an existing platform should cost less than starting from a clean sheet, and it could help Ford get the four-door Mustang to market sooner.
We’re confident the Mach-4 will be a modified version of the Mustang coupe. The Mustang already has four seats, so adding two more doors and increasing rear legroom are the obvious changes needed to turn the existing formula into something more practical.
It’s possible the Mach-4 could introduce an entirely new Mustang platform that the coupe would eventually move to, but that seems unlikely considering Ford executives’ emphasis on keeping costs down. It’s also worth remembering that the S650 isn’t an entirely new platform. It’s an evolution of the S550, meaning Ford may have already incorporated some of the engineering necessary to support a future four-door variant when the S550 was updated.
The 2.3 And 5.0 V8 Should Stick Around
Keeping development costs under control also means there’s little reason to reinvent the powertrain lineup.
The expected standard setup is the 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. Above that, the 5.0-liter V8 should remain available with either the 10-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission.
And yes, we really think Ford could build a four-door V8 Mustang with a manual.
The V8 seems especially likely now that Dodge has confirmed the Charger will get a V8. Giving the Mach-4 a manual transmission would also give Ford something Dodge currently can’t match.
The important part is that Ford wouldn’t be engineering this combination from scratch. The V8 and manual transmission are already engineered for the Mustang platform. That means the additional costs associated with emissions certification, calibration and crash validation for the revised bodyshell should be manageable.
The Mach-4 Could Be The Mustang Sedan We’ve Been Waiting For
There’s still plenty we don’t know about Ford’s proposed four-door Mustang, but the pieces are starting to make sense. Ford wants to expand the Mustang family, dealers have already seen a four-door sedan concept, and the company has trademarked the Mach-4 name.
If Ford can stretch the existing S650 architecture without blowing up development costs, the formula is pretty straightforward: Mustang styling, rear-wheel-drive architecture, familiar powertrains and two extra doors.
And if Ford actually gives buyers the option of a 5.0-liter V8 and six-speed manual transmission, the Mach-4 could be a pretty damn interesting way to bring the Mustang into a new segment without losing the performance hardware that made the name famous.
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