Ford won’t be bringing back some of its most revered enthusiast models, but CEO Jim Farley says the automaker remains committed to affordable performance.
While it offers the Mustang pony car, Ford has dropped fan favourites such as the Fiesta ST, Focus ST and Focus RS models, rivals to the GTI versions of the Volkswagen Polo and Golf and flagship Golf R, as well as the Hyundai i20 N and i30 N.
The swansong Fiesta ST was priced at $33,490 before on-roads when it was dropped in 2023, but the cheapest Mustang in Australian showrooms is the EcoBoost Fastback at $72,990 before on-roads.
While Hyundai and Volkswagen continue to offer their hot hatches, with hot hybrid and electric hatches in the pipeline, Ford isn’t following the same path.
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“I think you know the Fiestas and Focuses and all the products that we grew up with – the Sierra RS500s, all those great cars – the Falcon coupes – I mean, the list is long, right?” Mr Farley told Australian media, including CarExpert, in Melbourne.
“But we look forward. We don’t want to operate in the past, and in the forward world of automotive technology and enthusiast driving, I don’t think customers need to make such difficult choices between fun off-road and fun on-road.
“So, if we’re going to do something like that, I would insist the team invent, maybe something of a new formula that we haven’t seen yet.”
Mr Farley has previously said the carmaker is looking to capitalise on its iconic nameplates such as Mustang, Bronco and the Raptor name.
The latter nameplate has already effectively become a sub-brand and the range is set to expand further beyond the existing Ranger, F-150 and Bronco variants.
“The way we think of it, looking forward, bringing that affordable enthusiast product to life would be more of a mashup between on-road and off-road,” said Mr Farley.
The Ford boss has also made no secret of his aspirations for the brand to become the ‘Porsche of off-road’. Yet he also said the automaker’s cars will still be attainable.
“We are very committed to affordable performance. It’s the DNA of the company – the democratisation promise that Henry Ford made – but please don’t expect us not to phone it in or copy the past.”
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