The Chevy Corvette has existed for over 70 years now, holding the unofficial title of "America's sports car" over that same time frame. While Ford was keen to compete directly with the Corvette in its early days via the first-generation Thunderbird, The Blue Oval has otherwise largely opted to sit out that battle in terms of the more affordable and traditional sports car segment, however, soldiering on with the Ford Mustang and not much else at the moment. Thus, this begs the question - should Ford build a more direct Chevy Corvette rival?
The Corvette has long been known as a vehicle that punches far above its weight in terms of performance-per-dollar, competing with the likes of sports cars from Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Porsche. The Mustang, on the other hand, has traditionally done battle with vehicles like the Dodge Charger/Challenger and Chevy Camaro, but all of those models have been discontinued in their prior form, while the Charger is returning as a vehicle offering either a twin-turbocharged inline-six-cylinder gas engine or EV power only - not a V8.
Things have changed a bit as of late, however. Ford has vastly expanded its Mustang racing efforts across the globe, where the pony car is competing with some non-traditional rivals such as the higher-end models previously mentioned. Thus - coupled with the arrival of the incredibly potent yet pricey Mustang GTD - this begs the question of why wouldn't Ford opt to make a proper Corvette rival, which seems like low hanging fruit?
It was just a year and a half ago that Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford stated that The Blue Oval was perfectly content continuing to sell the Mustang as its only such offering, adding that "I think it's by far the best sports car in America." And while Ford has been spotted benchmarking multiple C8 Corvette variants in recent years, CEO Jim Farley seems to be more focused on Porsche and becoming an off-road-focused brand, in general. Meanwhile, the automaker also showed off a host of new Mustang variants to its dealers last year, including a new high-performance Shelby-like model.
Thus, it's worth wondering - should Ford build some sort of direct Corvette rival, rather than letting GM have this particular segment all to itself, at least, as it pertains to American-based offerings? Let us know what you think in the poll below!
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If only this thing could talk...
It features some extensive modifications throughout, too.
Another feature slowly being phased out.
With lovely minimalist coastline-inspired graphics.
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The direction Ford is moving in with the Mustang, is proving to be plenty. Why create a new platform with its associated costs with probably little in the way of ROI. I think they’re moving in right direction.
Ford should bring back the Ford GT ! That's the Vet killer !
A Ford GT is at another level. It cost 10 times more than the Corvette. So no it's not the Corvette killer. It's the Ferrari killer.
That's what I am led to believe. I always thought the early Mustang's looked like a Corvette? Am I wrong, I know I've seen pictures. But, really folks, the new Mustang GTD can run rings around a Corvette. Of course a new unit like the Ford Mako GT, could turn heads away from the Vett. What the hey, it's all about competition. The new Mako could be a cross between the Mustang and the GT. I'm already loving it. Have you driven the Mako yet?
The work is already done; just mass produce the Ford GT to get the price down.
The Mustang already kind of is Ford's Corvette competitor.
It isn't really a "muscle car" anymore, and hasn't been for some time. The last muscle car was the last gen Challenger. The Mustang (and Camaro) went from being an affordable muscle cars to a track focused sports cars sometime around the time it went from being a budget V8 with a live axel to having fully independent suspension and costing over 50k OTD.
If they want to create a mid-engine supercar fighter akin to the Corvette, they could always bring back the GT and make it affordable. But they've had multiple chances to do that and have always considered the GT a halo car. And that spot is now taken by the GTD.
There's a reason why Mopar is replacing the Challenger and Ford has the new gen Mustang but GM isn't bringing back the Camaro. They already have a track focused sports car in that price bracket-- its the Corvette.
Ford needs to focus on keeping the Mustang an affordable sports car for the younger generation 50k + for a Gt is going to ruin the sales of a great sports car.
Ford should build not only a Corvetter rival but also a sedan. Not everybody like SUV´s or crossovers or is willing to buy one no matter what.
An aggressive looking muscle sedan would be awesome.
I agreed with you 100%
NO!!!!! Ford already has enough BoyRacer models, while ignoring the heart of the market.
The heart of what market? Ford has the Escape, Edge, Bronco Sport, and the Mach E for all the old women's crossover needs. Plus a Bronco, Explorer, and Expedition as more traditional SUVs. And the pickup segments covered.
Edge is dead, Escape is soon to follow.
If you live in a metro area, Ford apparently doesn't think you matter. Soon there won't be a single commuter/family option available from Ford that isn't a full size SUV.
The Mach E is that. It's literally what every Karen says she wants in a vehicle now.
Its an EV.
Which is fine, if you have a place to charge. Most people who live in a City live in an apartment, and don't.
lol it’s definitely the Future. Especially with Elon Musk running things seriously
E.V.'s are dead. By the time Trump leaves office they will be nothing more than a footnote in history
Also, the Bronco Sport is an ICE metro vehicle.
The Bronco Sport is an off-road adjacent lifestyle vehicle. Its design, size, sightlines, and driving dynamics are horribly suited for being a city car.
If that's Ford best offering for someone living in the city, then people will vote with their wallets.
Just compare the MPG for Bronco Sport to Escape to see how wrong this is.
Escape is Ford's ICE/Hybrid metro vehicle. And they are killing it without a replacement.
Just like they killed the Fusion, Focus, and Fiesta.
Surrendering the entire metro market to Japan and Germany. Ford is rolling in his grave.
Most people who live in a City live in an apartment also have to go out to get gasoline, too. Just build electric charging stations at gas stations. Problem solved!
So they can sit in line forever then sit and wait forever to charge up themselves? Sounds like an ENORMOUS waste of time, which is even more valuable than money to most people.
I don't think so. The Mustang is the last pony car and the Corvette is the Boomers' sports car. No need to go after that market.
An article on GM authority said that the C8 Corvette is the #1 choice of sports car among buyers 35 and under.
I wouldn't mind it. Having Mustang cover the full range of rental fleet 4cyl to the "vs Corvette" aspect has ballooned its cost to match that market, as well as making it fail to fully focus on one particular segment. If there were a proper direct competitor, say, Thunderbird, it could allow Mustang to move back towards the more affordable side of things. OR, they could let Mustang keep moving upmarket and bring back a m=nameplate such as Probe to cover the more affordable sporty car segment.
Basically, FoMoCo would likely be able to make a more focused and "better" car for each of the affordable-sporty segment, the performance grand tourer segment, and the (near)supercar segment, IF they had more options and were not trying to stretch, squish, and tweak one platform/car to cover all of it.
Mustang is fast becoming unaffordable why produce another car out of reach of most everyone. Build something we can buy that doesn't require an 84 months of payments Ford is headed to extinction with all these overpriced SUVs.
That can’t afford to….
Make a modern day C-Max.
Mustang is already a rival to the Corvette. Sales have leveled off in the past year. Sales is the factor whether or not a vehicle is produced. A person looking to buy a truck or SUV is not waking up tomorrow looking to buy a Vette or Mustang. People can’t buy a sedan any longer. Ford tried to build a new Continental but fell very short cause it was a stretched Fusion with no power. They need to really consider a rival to a Mercedes S550 with a 5.0 Cayote in it. Bottom line, everything they make now is one day going to have a Mustang nameplate. It’s not the name that’s selling cars, it’s the car itself. Nobody wants a Mustang Explorer