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Ford Waivers on Name of Mustang-Based Electric Crossover
Following negative public feedback, Ford Motor Co. appears to be backing off the potential for using its iconic Mach 1 name for a Mustang-inspired electric crossover vehicle the company plans to launch in 2020.
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Following negative public feedback, Ford Motor Co. appears to be backing off the potential for using its iconic Mach 1 name for a Mustang-inspired electric crossover vehicle the company plans to launch in 2020.
Ford teased the Mach 1 name, which has been used on several high-performance Mustangs over the years, when the company announced plans for the new crossover at the Detroit auto show in January.
The idea of applying the name to a crossover has elicited “very strong” reactions, Jim Farley, Ford's president of global markets, tells Automotive News. This includes social media commentators who have decried the concept as blasphemous and shameful.
Noting there are “pros and cons” about using Mach 1, Farley says the company still is evaluating potential names for the new crossover. He didn’t say what other names are being considered or provide a timetable for a decision.
Regardless of the name, the electric crossover will share styling cues and possibly a platform with the next-generation Mustang due in 2021. Ford says the EV will have a driving range of about 300 miles, while blending the performance characteristics of a pony car with the utility of an SUV.