Ford’s CEO has hinted that the Blue Oval could return to the sedan segment, but with something very different to what it was known for
by Sam D. Smith
June 18, 2024 at 13:54
- Ford’s CEO, Jim Farley, made it clear that the company lost billions in the sedan segment.
- However, Farely alleged that, once costs and quality at Ford improve, it could re-enter the sedan space.
- A new Ford sedan would not be like anything else, with Farley hinting at the possibility of an EV.
Ford hasn’t offered a four-door sedan in the US for several years. The discontinuation of the Taurus and Fusion spelled the end for the Blue Oval’s traditional three-box sedans, with consumer preference for SUVs, crossovers, and pickups cited as the reason.
It was said that Ford lost a lot of money on propping up the traditional yet under-performing sedan nameplates. However, whispers that Ford may return to the segment have been heard for some time now. Two years ago, an official sketch of a four-door Mustang was released to the public. Then, Ford’s CEO, Jim Farley, expressed his openness to the idea of a four-door Mustang in May.
Read: Ford Considers Four-Door Mustang And Hybrid Options, Rejects Muscle EV
Now, in an interview with The Smoking Tire’s Matt Farah, Farley was asked why Ford no longer sells sedans in the US while foreign automakers continue to do so. “We didn’t say that no one wants to buy sedans,” said Farley. “Sedans are a really popular type of silhouette… I was the [Toyota] Camry product planner in the early 90s; you’re looking at like someone who loves sedans. The reason why we’re not selling any sedans in America is very simple: we lost billions on them, and we are not in a position to lose billions on vehicles anymore.”
Farley made it clear that we won’t be seeing a return of cars like the Fiesta or Focus sedan, even if there was money to be made. The reason? Options like the Maverick. “As we lower our cost and improve our quality, Ford may have the opportunity to enter these vehicle segments,” said Farley. “But most Maverick customers are Civic and Corolla customers, and they like a pickup truck.”
So, what may a future four-door Ford look like? This time, a Mustang sedan wasn’t mentioned. However, Farley hinted at the potential for an EV sedan, reasoning that the body style is inherently aerodynamic. “The bottom line is sedans are very aero. In a world where batteries are expensive, a super aero car like a sedan or a hatch is a great silhouette for aero.”
Farley expressed admiration for Mazda’s direction of car creation, labeling the Japanese automaker a business that doesn’t treat car design with a “commodity approach.” Relating that to Ford and a possible sedan, Farley said “If we do one, it’s probably going to feel, look, and smell a lot different than other people’s. We don’t want to do generic vehicles.”