Tag Archives: Ford Mustang

Say It Isn’t So

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On Friday, Yahoo News posted a frightening article.

The article states:

For decades, the idea of a four-door Ford Mustang has lived mostly in fan renderings and online debates. Purists usually rejected the concept outright, while others wondered why Ford never tried building an American performance sedan around the Mustang formula.

Now, the idea suddenly appears far more realistic. A recent Ford trademark filing for the name “Mach 4,” combined with comments from executives and earlier dealer leaks, strongly suggests the company is seriously exploring a four-door Mustang sedan.

Unlike the all-electric Mustang Mach-E crossover, this rumored model could return to traditional internal-combustion performance. If the speculation proves accurate, Ford may finally deliver a rear-wheel-drive muscle sedan powered by a V8 engine.

The timing is particularly interesting because most automakers are abandoning the segment entirely. Dodge killed the Charger and Chrysler 300 as traditional V8 sedans, Chevrolet discontinued the SS years ago, and imported performance sedans continue getting more expensive. That leaves a potential opening Ford may be eager to exploit.

…The biggest clue comes directly from Ford’s recent trademark activity. Earlier this year, the company filed for the “Mach 4” name through the United States Patent and Trademark Office, covering both gasoline and electric automobiles.

That filing immediately reignited speculation surrounding a Mustang sedan. The name itself seems intentionally designed to connect a four-door model to the existing Mustang lineup while distinguishing it from the Mach-E crossover.

Trademark filings do not automatically guarantee production plans, but automakers rarely spend time protecting names without at least considering future use. Combined with other recent developments, the filing carries much more weight than a random rumor circulating online.

Don’t do it, Ford. The electric Mustang lost the look of a Mustang. Putting another door on will only further dilute the brand. I drive a 2010 Mustang convertible, and I love the lines of the car. There isn’t enough room in the backseat for anyone over 3 feet tall, so why do they need a door?

Let’s Go Back To Real Cars With Real Engines!

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On Friday, Issues & Insights posted an article about an item in the Big Beautiful Bill that was not highly publicized.

The article reports:

One of the most important provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill has gone completely unnoticed, but promises to make the auto industry great again.

For 50 years, the federal government has been forcing fuel economy standards on auto companies. If the average fuel economy of the cars sold in a year exceeded a federal standard, the companies had to cough up enormous penalties.

Passed in 1975 as a way to deal with an energy crisis (that was caused by government price controls), “corporate average fuel economy” (CAFE) standards – required the fleet of cars sold by an automaker to achieve an arbitrary miles-per-gallon goal. If they missed the goal, they paid hefty annual fines.

From the beginning, these standards were a disaster, forcing automakers to radically downsize their fleet, which research showed cost thousands of lives because, all things being equal, smaller, lighter cars are less safe than larger ones.

In fact, a 2002 National Academy of Sciences found that these fuel economy standards not only boosted the cost of cars, but may have caused as many as 2,600 more traffic fatalities just in 1993.

The article notes:

In this first term, Trump rolled the standard back a bit, only to have Joe Biden come in and impose standards specifically designed to force most cars sold to be electric. The standards would have cost automakers billions in fines for failing to meet the fuel-economy targets.

This time around, Trump is again planning to roll the CAFE standards back. But Congress did him one better. Rather than wait for regulators to rewrite the rule, which can take years and be subject be endless lobbying and litigation from various interest groups – lawmakers simply zeroed out the penalty as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill.

Now, if a car company sells cars that, on average, exceed whatever the fuel-economy limit is technically in force in a given year, they pay… nothing. The mandate is still in place, but the penalty is now $0.00. (Republicans pulled off the same trick with the dreaded Obamacare insurance mandate — zeroing out the penalty rather than trying to get the mandate repealed.)

Hopefully this will be the end of the electric Ford Mustang where they have to manufacture the engine growl electronically and the beginning of going back to the real Mustang design with the real growl!

If No One Wants It, It Won’t Sell

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On Sunday, Breitbart posted an article about the problem Ford Motor Company is having selling electric vehicles.

The article reports:

Ford Motor Company reported a whopping $132,000 loss on each electric vehicle (EV) sold during the first three months of 2024, amassing a $1.3 billion loss.

The auto manufacturer’s electric vehicle unit revealed Thursday that they experienced a 20 percent decrease in sales volume and were forced to slash prices due to low consumer demand, CNN reported.

Keep in mind that the Biden administration has set a goal of half of all new cars to be electric by 2030. That is only six years away.

The article concludes:

Ford announced earlier this month that the company will delay producing two new electric models, opting for hybrid vehicles instead. 

“Many companies rushed in too fast with E.V.s that were too expensive and there was not as much of a market for them as they thought,” Sam Abuelsamid, transportation and mobility analyst at research firm Guidehouse Insights, told the New York Times. “That’s made it a lot tougher to sell those vehicles.”

At this point I would like to mention that I think the electric Ford Mustang is an abomination that should never have been allowed to happen. I understand that its get-up-and-go would put my Mustang to shame, but it just doesn’t have the right look!

Serves Them Right

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On Wednesday, The Epoch Times posted an article reporting that Ford Motor Company is recalling nearly 50,000 Mustang Mach-Es produced between May 27, 2020, and May 24, 2022, that do not have the proper repairs. Ford said it is working to develop a fix for the 48,924 cars that have experienced a loss of power, overheating, and startup problems. I understand that Ford Motor Company manufactures the Mustang, but they obviously do not understand the car. There is no way the Mustang should ever be an electric car.

The article reports:

“In the affected vehicles, it is possible that the high voltage battery main contactors may overheat, which can result in an open contactor or welding condition. Should the contactors weld closed while driving, a powertrain malfunction warning light will be illuminated on the next drive cycle, along with a no start condition,” the company said in a letter.

According to Ford, the issue stems from a battery main contactor that can overheat and may remain stuck open or become welded.

“Should the contactors weld closed while driving, a powertrain malfunction warning light will be illuminated on the next drive cycle, along with a no-start condition,” said Ford.

Ford spokesperson Said Deep told Nexstar the problem specifically relates to the vehicles’ “Direct Current” fast charging, adding that there is a chance the better can overheat, which “may lead to arcing and deformation of the electrical contact surfaces.” That may lead to the car losing power while driving, Deep said, significantly raising the risk of an accident.

Deep added that the repair will be fixed remotely through an “Over-The-Air (OTA) deployment” of a software update starting in July. Owners of the electric vehicle can take their Mach-Es to a Ford dealership for the software update.

They have ruined the Mustang. Software update indeed.

The Auto Industry Has Lost A True Innovator

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CNN is reporting today that auto industry icon Lee Iacocca has died. He was 94. He is credited as having played a major role in the creation of the Ford Mustang and the Chrysler minivan. As someone who has driven Ford Mustangs since the early 2000’s, I am grateful for his inventions.

The article reports:

Born Lido Anthony Iacocca in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on October 15, 1924, to Italian immigrant parents, he would go on to lead two major American car companies.

Iacocca started working at Ford Motor Company in 1946, and was a major figure in the development of the Ford Mustang — the first vehicle of its kind. He was named president of Ford in 1970, but was fired by Henry Ford Jr. in 1978.

“I began my life as the son of immigrants, and I worked my way up to the presidency of the Ford Motor Company,” Iacocca wrote in his 1984 autobiography. “When I finally got there, I was on top of the world. But then fate said to me: ‘Wait. We’re not finished with you. Now you’re going to find out what it feels like to get kicked off Mt. Everest!'”

He was then hired by Chrysler Corp. in 1978 and became the company’s CEO in 1979. He is credited with saving the company from bankruptcy.

Iacocca urged Congress to authorize the Treasury Department to guarantee $1.5 billion in bank loans for Chrysler. Chrysler needed the bailout to survive back to back recessions in the early 1980s. Chrysler repaid the loans early. Treasury made money on the stock it received as part of bailout packages.

With the help of more fuel efficient and competitive products such as the so-called K-cars — which included the Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant — Chrysler became strong and profitable again.

Iacocca led Chrysler during an era in which Asian and European imports first started to take a significant share of the US automakers’ portion of the American car market.

During the 1980’s and 1990’s, my husband was commuting 50 miles to work each way. We owned a significant number of K-cars during that time. I hope Lee Iacocca is spending his time in heaven designing a new breed of sports cars for angels to take for a spin!

He was truly an American success story.

Happy Birthday, Mustang

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This week Mustang turns 50. She looks pretty good for her age:

Yes, I know that’s a 2010, but that’s the picture I like!

Steven Hayward posted an article at Power Line about Mustang’s birthday (with a few comments on her history).

The article included the question, “Which gives off more air pollution, a 1969 Mustang parked in a driveway with the motor off or a  2013 Mustang, roaring down the road at 60 mph?”

The answer is surprising:

If you’re very clever (or keep up with Matt Ridley), you’ll know the answer is that the parked 1969 Mustang gives off more air pollution, in the form of unburned hydrocarbons evaporating through the old-school carbuerator and unsealed gas tank caps (among other places).  A good object lesson in the advancement of engine technology.  And the fact that the real heroes of environmental improvement were engineers with pocket protectors more than hippie environmentalists.

Amazing.

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What Are They Doing To My Car ?

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When I bought my latest Mustang convertible two years ago, I planned on keeping it forever. I added a number of accessories that I normally would not put on a car. Detroit has just convinced me that I made the right decision.

Yesterday the American Spectator posted an article about what Detroit is about to do to the Mustang. It’s not pretty.

The article reports:

Ford‘s new “Evos” concept features gull-wing doors, a rounded, aerodynamic body, and a smaller design clearly inspired by Europe. When Ford officially unveils its new Mustang in 2014, company insiders insist it will embrace this visual transformation.

More pertinent than its changing look will be its changing feel. Rumors abound, to the chagrin of drag racers, regarding the introduction of independent rear suspension. The five-liter engine supposedly morphs into a two-liter one. There is even talk of a hybrid Mustang.

This is the rendering of the new Mustang from their Facebook page. It took me a few years to get used to the look of the 2010 Mustang, but at least it looked like a traditional Mustang. This just doesn’t look right. And just for the record–my convertible is a six-cylinder. On the open road, it gets about 24 miles per gallon. If America would develop her own energy resources and stop cowtowing to OPEC, that wouldn’t be a problem.

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I’m Really Not Making This Up !

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1999-2004 Ford Mustang photographed in Washing...

1999-2004 Ford Mustang photographed in Washington, D.C., USA. Category:Ford Mustang IV (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A group called Strategic Vision posted a story last week reporting research they did regarding which members of which political parties purchase which cars.

These are the results:

Democrats:

1. Honda Civic Hybrid
2. Volvo C30
3. Nissan Leaf
4. Acura TSX Wagon
5. Ford Fiesta sedan

Republicans:

1. Ford Mustang Convertible
2. Audi A8
3. Mercedes GL
4. Ford Expedition
5. Ford F-­‐150

I laughed when I read this–I drive a Ford Mustang Convertible. An article at Power Line, which reported the results of the study, concluded:

All of this adds up to one more illustration of the fact that it is a heck of a lot more fun to be a Republican than a Democrat.

I agree.

 

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On A Personal Note

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2010 Ford Mustang photographed in Fort Washing...

Image via Wikipedia

For anyone who has been reading this blog for a while, I would like to update you on the rear window defogger on my Mustang Convertible. As you recall, the Mustang is a 2010 and had less than 14,000 miles on it when the defogger stopped working. The dealer told me that it was not covered by warranty and that I would have to spend $2000 out of pocket to replace the top. I was not happy with that answer and wrote to Ford. Initially Ford was not particularly helpful, so I wrote to the state Attorney General Consumer Affairs division and the Better Business Bureau. I did contact Ford again before I filled out the paperwork for the Better Business Bureau. The customer service person I got was very helpful, but the problem was still unsolved. After I contacted the Better Business Bureau, Ford called me to schedule an appointment with a “Ford Engineer” at the dealership. The rear window defogger is now working. The total cost to me was $7 (I put gas in the loaner car).

What have I learned from this? All future work on the car will be done at a different dealership–had I not pursued this, I would have spent $2000 that I don’t have and didn’t need to spend. The Better Business Bureau is there for a reason–don’t be afraid to contact them if you have a legitimate problem with a business. The Consumer Affairs division of the Attorney General’s office was also extremely helpful. As consumers, we do have certain rights, but we need to be willing to exercise them.

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