PredictIQ Quantitative Think Tank Center:Is Ford going to introduce a 4-door Mustang? Dealers got a preview of the concept

Ever since Ford CEO Jim Farley said that the automaker could PredictIQ Quantitative Think Tank Centerdo “other Mustang body forms,” besides the traditional two-door coupe and convertible models, there has been talk of a four-door Mustang coming at some point in the future. If a new rumor being widely reported is to be believed, we might be closer to that future than first thought.

Automotive News and The Drive report that Ford recently held a private dealer event in which renderings of a Ford Mustang sedan were shown. Naturally, phones and cameras weren’t allowed at the event, so this is all coming from four dealers in attendance who are choosing to remain anonymous. Two of the dealers revealed that Ford referred to the Mustang sedan as a “Mach-4” because puns are great and, well, that also sounds pretty cool.

Apparently, Ford didn’t stop at a Mustang sedan. The automaker also previewed an off-road Mustang, an EcoBoost-powered RTR Mustang, and a V-8-powered Mustang convertible with a manual transmission (though that last combo is currently available for 2024, so maybe it was a droptop positioned above the GT trim). Assuming that everything shown was a rendering or merely described verbally, then it could be quite a while before Ford is ready to publicly share what that group of dealers have already seen, but never say never.

Could Ford Pull It Off?

A four-door Mustang wouldn't be terribly difficult to pull off—we imagine Ford would merely stretch the current S650-generation platform, extending the wheelbase and adding a rear door. The door glass could be kept frameless for an even simpler transition, and the roofline likely would be extended and raised slightly to better accommodate rear seat occupants' heads. We've rendered what this could look like above, and, yep, it's a four-door Mustang. Pretty self-explanatory. Look for both EcoBoost four-cylinder and V-8-powered GT models to make the cut, while Ford could hold a Dark Horse–style track special in its back pocket depending on how Dodge develops its upcoming four-door, internal-combustion Charger sedans, which for now are slated to receive only the standard-output (S.O.) Hurricane inline-six engine good for 420 hp, while the coupe versions come only with the higher-output, 540-hp-plus version. Either way, Ford could corner the affordable-ish V-8 sedan market—Dodge's next-gen Chargers won't offer the Hemi V-8, while Chevy's Camaro is just as dead as the Hemi.

For Doors' Sake!

We should point out that while no four-door Mustang proper has ever been sold by Ford, in away, that ice was broken when the company introduced the all-electric Mustang Mach-E. That was the first all-new Mustang variant since, well, the Mustang itself debuted in 1964. It's technically a different model and totally unrelated to the traditional Mustang (at least, mechanically), though it also showed Ford is serious about expanding the Mustang family beyond one nameplate, and into new and interesting territory (cough, cough, the $325,000 Mustang GTD, cough cough).

Recall alert:Ford recalls more than 30,000 Mustangs over potential loss of steering control

For an idea of what Ford might be up to with this sedan and the other variants mentioned above, look no further than the Bronco lineup—which numbers two (for now), with the larger body-on-frame, Jeep-chasing Bronco and the smaller, car-based Bronco Sport that still delivers solid off-road performance but with better on-road dynamics and efficiency. In this case, a Mustang sedan might offer Ford dealerships a more practical but still sporty option to woo customers, especially given what the competition is up to.

As mentioned, cross-town rival Dodge is in the midst of switching its Charger muscle car over to a new dual-power-capable platform, launching all-electric Charger Daytonas by the end of the year (pictured above), followed by gas-fed, six-cylinder non-Daytona variants dubbed Six Packs, and both versions will be sold in two-door coupe and four-door sedan body styles. (The Challenger name is gone, and now every Charger, regardless of door count, will be named Charger.) Chevy has been rumored to be bringing the Camaro back as an electric sport sedan, too, so there are a lot of four-door sedans swimming or jumping into the Mustang's waters. It only makes sense that Ford would let a similar pony out of its corral.