The Ford Mustang ditched its fog lamps quite some time ago, and the lamps won’t make it onto the all-new seventh-generation Mustang, either. This seems to be an ongoing trend with Blue Oval products, and now it seems that the global Ford lineup will eventually ditch fog lamps completely, Ford Authority has learned.
Ford Authority Executive Editor Alex Luft spoke with Ford of Europe design director, Amko Leenharts, at the 2023 Ford Escape reveal event. When asked about the trend of deleting fog lamps from the Ford lineup, he confirmed that’s certainly the case. “We do, in most of our European products they’re gone,” he said. “If you have the bending lights then you don’t need the fog lights.” Dynamic bending headlights use sensors to measure vehicle speed and steering angle to swivel the headlamps into a bend or curve, which allow drivers to see more of the road when compared to a non-bending setup.
Ironically, the 2023 Ford Escape is one of the few vehicles in the Ford lineup to feature fog lamps, along with a generous array of four lights situated within the headlight cluster, which throw plenty of light in dark environments and improve visibility during the day.
Most new Blue Oval productions do not offer fog lamps anymore. As previously stated, the Mustang falls into this category, as does the Mustang Mach-E. Additionally, the Mondeo, Evos, next-generation Edge, Maverick and F-150 Lightning all lack fog lamps, along with the 2023 Lincoln Corsair.
The fog light delete trend will carry over into Ford’s European lineup as the automaker prepares to release seven new vehicles overseas by 2024. This lineup the Mach-E, Puma EV, and E-Transit, with an all-new five-seat mid-size crossover slated to enter production at the Ford Cologne Electrification Center in Germany. It will be followed by a second “sports crossover” EV, while the Puma EV will enter production at the Ford Craiova Assembly Plant in Romania starting in 2024.
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Comments
I hope Ford just leaves the option for buyers…eg…LED headlights with light bending technology renders fog lights irrelevant…. However those specific LED lights only available on Lariat / Platinum trims……options given to consumers….buy highest trim line….or no fog lights at all on lower trims…just another rather standard item removed.
There will always be aftermarket…but still another potential limiting choice for consumers.
Fog/driving lights have rarely been standard trim items.
Eventually this tech will filter down to be a standard tech if IIHS has its way.
The bending headlights are a feature on my 2016 Focus ST and are quite effective I must say! I had heard at one point, that the Focus was the least expensive car that carried this option. Too bad. Driving in unlit rural roads at light, make these particularly valuable.
My guess is that they are a rather expensive option, and therefore may not be available on many other models.
This is exactly what is steering me away from the purchase of another Ford vehicle keep cutting out more options or standard items, I got my new Maverick in January , XLT deluxe pkg no fog lights no Ford pass, etc and you keep cutting more options out of standard trim levels or moving them to premium levels.
Exactly. Ford uses the assembly plant in Hermosillo that builds US Mavericks and Bronco Sports to build Brazil-bound Mavericks and Bronco Sports. And the Brazil vehicles have mirrors with turn signals, approach lamps, and power folding. Same factory. None of that is available in the US models at any price. Same with Escapes in Mexico, and Ford “ditched” turn signal mirrors on most 2020 US Escapes and all 2021-2023 Escapes, along with amber rear signals. The Edge SEL and ST-Line lost signal mirrors in 2020, along with dual-note horns for a few years, even on the ST. THE ST. My current 2020 Explorer said it included mirror turn signals ON THE ORDER GUIDE. Imagine my surprise when my ordered Explorer came in with no signals on the mirrors. Now the Edge goes bye-bye, arguably one of Ford’s best vehicles, joining the Fusion, Taurus, CMax, Focus, Fiesta, Ecosport, Flex. My wife LOVED her Fusion. And now Ford looks for MORE cost-cutting and aims its idiot cost-cutters at fog lamps? I have reasons for exterior lamps and safety, and Ford looks at these things as necessary evils. After killing off almost its entire lineup, handing those model categories to giggling competitors, and destroying its dealer traffic and loyal customer base, including me, what’s left? The Explorer and F-150? I’ve seen enough. I just bought a pair of 2023 Subaru Forester Tourings for me and the wife. And I really like them. I will admit that brand loyalty blinded me, since Ford was always able to come up with a game-changer every few years. Not so anymore. The drunken cost-cutting, the nonexistent advertising, the firing of thousands of engineers, the greed of Ford’s upper management, and the destruction of dealerships and jobs are shocking. I’m done. And while I’m having fun with the Subies, I have a lingering sick feeling watching Ford slowly die after all this time.
Someone does not understand how fog lights work. “Light bending” in curves is not the answer when you encounter a white-out blizzard on the highway. I had amber Cibie fogs below the bumper of my ’77 Corolla Liftback that we invaluable. Skimping on battery size is a more likely reason for Ford.
Yeah, because as a OEM when your products will have batteries large enough to power a house for a couple days, “fog” lights are what you worry about.
when you look at the new Mustang, that’s all you see is those headlights. Not a good look.
Very few drivers in the United States understand how to properly use their forward lighting as it is, so it doesn’t really matter. Can’t tell you the number of drivers that consider their “fog lights” to be suitable alternatives to their regular headlights, or the number of drivers that get upset when they find out their “fog lights” don’t come on with their high beams.
As long as Ford commits to installing the BEST forward lighting as standard on all trims of all of their vehicles, the lack of fog lights won’t even be noticed.
Fog Lamps have become Driving Lights, I live in a rural area where they are helpful for spotting Deer, this is a safety issue. If you drop “driving lights”, customers will drop Ford.
You do know fog lights generally don’t broadcast more than 100 ft in front of the vehicle. If your counting on those to spot deer, then it’s too late. Driving lights that do come on with high beams, now that’s a different story, but fog lights shouldn’t come on with high beams. Those that use Forscan to make fog lights to come on with the high beams just don’t realize it’s really useless. Most everyone I see nowadays just has their fog lights on all time anyway even when it’s not foggy.
More Ford de-contenting 101. Every Mustang GT has had fog lights up until now. My 2018 has them and they do work well. Just lazy cost cutting, less wiring, lamps, and a dash switch. The alternator in my 2018 GT is a 200 amp unit from the factory so there is plenty of power for these low draw LED lamps. Ford, you can do better than this.
I could have used some real fog lights this weekend on my 2018 Edge
Many customers like me, who don’t live in an area with severe fog just like the premium look that fog lights add to the vehicle. At lease make it a choice to the customer.
As others have said, it’s all about being cheap. Most people buy them for the looks and some, for a bit more light. Rarely are they used as intended. Just look at the 05-09 S197 Mustangs, those fog lights are absolutely useless as fog lights! They are a style item, nothing more. The new headlights have absolutely nothing to do with the usefulness of actual fig lights. Don’t be cheap again Ford! Keep them as an option!
Well, if they are a style item and the style doesn’t fit the look then why integrate them. The GT350, GT500 and Mach 1 are bereft of any fog lamps, and nobody caterwauls about it. As a style Item I think the S-197s had it right, the SN95 and S550 cars had what amounted to vestigial lamps in comparison and fail on that count.
I have a 17 S550. I love my fog lights since I do a lot of driving to work. No they’re not the brightest lights I’ve seen or owned, example, BOSCH PILOT or PIAA, but they help quite a bit. Mostly in rain and fog which we have a lot of here in TN. Not sure it I will purchase a S650, but if I do, there will be some aftermarket lights thrown on the front, forget about style, I going for function.