Since 2018, Ford has been steadily eliminating its passenger cars in favor of crossovers, utility vehicles, and sub-brands based on the Ford Bronco and Ford Mustang. Ford CEO Jim Farley has been rather forthright about the company’s withdrawal from what he deems “commodity” segments, previously saying that the automaker’s days of making “boring” vehicles are over. But a recent interview may shed light on how the company could approach future cars should it return to segments where it once competed.
In a sit down with UK publication Car magazine, Jim Farley cited the Ford Raptor product range as the paradigm that the company should follow for future cars. “Take Raptor: it came from desert racing in Mexico and we made it global and mainstream.” “The Raptor story is a great example of where I think our passenger cars should go.” In the context of this interview, this could be a significant hint at what we can expect from the company in the coming years. Ford Fiesta production ended last year to make way for the all-electric Ford Explorer, while Ford Focus production is slated to end next year, leaving Europe without any Ford branded passenger cars. Farley could be suggesting that the automaker would emphasize something like the ST performance angle for future cars.
Alternatively, he could be referring to the company’s entire portfolio, expressing a desire to lean into off-road oriented versions of its lineup. After all, the company decided to more explicitly market itself as an American automaker in Europe with the launch of the Ford Explorer. Executives have also stated that the Ford Explorer ST provided them with a paradigm that allows them the capital to reap outsized profits from specialty models.
In any event, it certainly seems like the Ford Raptor lineup may influence the Mustang brand – as dealers were reportedly shown an off-road oriented Mustang this summer. They were also shown a four-door Mustang as well. Paired with reports that the company is thinking about small cars again, it seems Jim Farley is finding a needle to thread that could conceivably mark the return of vehicles other than crossovers and utilities – they just needed a justifiable angle to make them happen.
Comments
Yet more Farley lunacy.
It still has a 10 speed trans that is going to puke.. Not will it, but when will it. And ford and farley don’t care.
Lets call everything a Raptor. I think there naïve enough to pay double for the name.
And lets keep the 10r80 that will puke its guts out.
Farley talking about how he’s brutally honest sometimes, but whenever we say slapping Mustang on things like a 4 door car is dumb, he just keeps going with it. We get it, you’re talking about Raptor to get ready for the Mustang Raptor.