Ford Authority has spotted The Blue Oval benchmarking both a C8 Corvette Stingray and the new Z06 over the past couple of years, which poses the question – would the automaker consider making a proper rival for its cross-town competitor’s long-running sports car? Back in May 2022, Ford Authority also exclusively reported that Ford was considering reviving the Thunderbird name on a vehicle that could rival the Corvette, though at this time, there’s no clear indication that such a thing will actually happen. Recently, the company’s executive chairman – Bill Ford Jr. – threw even more cold water on that notion while speaking at its annual shareholder meeting, too.
“Why are you not building a sports car similar to Corvette?” Ford Jr. said. “Are you kidding? We have the Mustang, which I think is by far the best sports car in America and frankly, the world now. It’s affordable. It’s faster than all get out. And it’s about as good as you could possibly get. And we’re going racing with Mustang. For the enthusiasts, we have an EcoBoost Mustang, we now have an electric Mustang and the Mach-E, and we have our all-new five-liter Mustang Dark Horse, which we just introduced. And we have more coming. So, I wouldn’t trade our sports car for anybody else’s, let’s put it that way.”
Indeed, the Ford Mustang was once again the best-selling sports car in the world last year, a title that it has now held for a solid decade. And that was before the launch of the all-new, S650 2024 model, which brings about a host of changes to FoMoCo’s iconic pony car, which is designed to appeal more to younger customers – all while retaining its traditional, core buyer.
As for the new Dark Horse, it will not only serve as the range-topping model in the Mustang lineup for now, but it also marks the beginning of a big motorsports push that will see the arrival of the new the Dark Horse S and the Dark Horse R, and the pony car will compete in a number of series such as GT3, GT4, NASCAR, and NHRA Factory X racing, as well as IMSA events and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
We’ll have more on the Mustang and Ford’s future plans soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford Mustang news and non-stop Ford news coverage.
Comments
The Thunderbird is the only member of the direct Ford line that has gone nose to nose with the vette and beat it (the Shelby Cobra was the Ford powered destroyer of the vette but not a production vehicle of the Ford line). The 1955-1957 T-bird out performed the vette in sales, amenities and performance . That was in the 50s. Then the T-bird took a different path and got deep in the luxo-barge weeds so to speak. Eventually it got cancelled twice. The Ford GT (GT40) made a comeback and once again blew the vette’s doors off. But it got too expensive. The Mustang is a great sport car and the GT350 and GT500 iterations of 2015-2023 are powerful weapons. They are not however two passenger cabin sized cars. That always presents a weight disadvantage. There is plenty of room and need for a triumphal return of the T-bird as the high end luxury performance two seater it started as. Ford kept the name, now is the time to use it. Perhaps a luxury hybrid powerplant type car. Maybe even as a Lincoln. The possibilities are endless.
When Bill Ford speaks, be seriously worried about the future of Ford.
I’m “seriously worried” too. Once the F-150 dominated its retail market. Now in most states the RAM edges it out. Other pickups, Ranger & Maverick are unheard of. Gave up in the sedan market. And its two of the three crossovers – Escape & Explorer, in my opinion, have suffered due mainly to dull, non-inspiring styling while the Edge will be history. Bottom line, most of the competition simply have products that grab attention and a “gotta get one” feeling. They feel proud driving one. I often feel like I must apologize for my Lincoln – unlike the excitement my ‘13 Mustang GT generated from onlookers. Yes, apples and oranges, but “the feeling is gone” from Ford products. Ford must regenerate its image thru styling. Get it in gear, quickly! I’m rooting for you!
So true. I had to shop for a feel good sedan following my excellent Ford Fusion Sport! Best answer is my VW Arteon, yes a 300hp VW.
Would love to see a two seat T Bird again. The Bird was one of my favorite Ford vehicles. My 87 Turbo couple was a quick fantastic handling car with a drop dead comfortable interior.
Take it to the next level Ford, build it, make it afFORDable and faithful buyers will be there.
I have a 19 Mustang GT and I love the car to death, that said it doesn’t even hold a candle near my 23 C8. The C8 is in a completely different realm, it’s a dumb comparison, honestly.
Exactly C8 compares to super cars. Now a F40 no way
I totally agree with “Jerr,” in that it only sounds like very bad news because, I, like him, DON’T want to have all of my future vehicle choices taken away, by Ford, et. al., going only electric! I, personally, DON’T care if i NEVER see another E.V. again!☹️👎🙃
Do NOT go light to with a Mach-E GT in your C8. You will lose. Its actually kind of fun trolling those boomer zoomers.
The original Mustang, even the Mustang II and Fox body Mustangs had a usable rear seat. After those modes it is not even comfortable or practical for kids or tiny adults. Ford either needs to add 3 inches to the wheel base and design in a decent rear seat, or quit pretending it is a four passenger car and downsize it to become a 2 passenger sports car. Since the T-Bird was a four passenger car after 57 with a useful back seat, Ford could call an enlarged Mustang “Thunderbird”, and the new 2 seater could keep the Mustang name.
Ford’s reply to your concern will be buy a Mach-e!
Good move on Ford’s part. Why introduce a sports car to cannibalize Mustang sales (which are abysmally low to begin with and also a contributing factor in the Camaro’s demise) and split up the domestic sports car market making it harder for both GM and Ford to profit. With Camaro and Challenger out of the way that will certainly help boost Mustang sales.
Thunderbird was always the bridge from Ford to Lincoln in the 1960’s, 1970’s. The problem is now there isn’t a worthy Lincoln to bridge to from a proposed of some kind Thunderbird. The thought of a Thunderbird SUV makes me want to……….all over.
Just make the f40 MIC DROP
Like many of the aforementioned commentary, Ford clearly is taking the product production approach of reducing it’s number of products while attempting to maximize the sales numbers of that continually reduced overall line. So it’s not surprising that their focus is profitability above all else, and when that mantra starts to overshadow interesting products, that spells real issues for the future. It may look like a good model for the short term, but I have serious questions about how it will work long term.
Sounds more like Ford is reducing costs and eliminating ICE (which we want to buy) so it can pour more dollars into EV’s that we don’t want.
A 351, 900hp Pantera would destroy the new c8 zr1
No it would get eaten alive. I’ve had a pantera. 0-60 in 6.5 seconds and a 14.9 quarter mile. A ZR1 would be less than half that
Ford’s focus moving forward is buyers that have no knowledge of what a BOSS 302, GT40 or Shelby is, nevertheless its racing history. If the vehicles are not featured on Forza, GTA or Gran Turismo, kids these days don’t care or interact with vehicles the way my generation did. Ford is trying to rewrite its history with EV and are hoping the next generation of car buyers are equally swayed into believing the “CO2 benefits” of such vehicles.
Ford will never develop a vehicle for the niche market of the Corvette … never. If they can’t sell it worldwide on a mass scale, they won’t build it … for better or worse.
I’ve been a Ford guy my entire life but the Mustang doesn’t even compare to the C8. A C8 doesn’t even compare to the previous model of corvettes. The only thing Ford has that compares is the GT40 which is vastly overpriced. Ford needs to engineer the GT40 to compete with the C8 price wise then the C8 will have some serious competition. I just bought a new C8 last year and I love it.