General Motors president Mark Reuss threw some shade at the all-electric Ford “Mustang” Mach-E by suggesting an electrified Chevrolet Camaro would not go the crossover route if he had his druthers. However, he still said such a vehicle would ideally seek to broaden the model’s appeal beyond the hardcore enthusiast base. In related news, Ford CEO Jim Farley recently hinted that there’s a Mustang sedan under consideration — noting that the nameplate would hopefully play host to a V8 powertrain for as long as possible.
The Camaro news is more speculative, resulting from an interview Mark Reuss had with MotorTrend about the future of the model. He stated that he believes the future GM remains electric and that a sports coupe focused on sublime driving dynamics and a lower price point would be preferable to a model that’s focused on lap times and output figures.
From MotorTrend:
Reuss said the price of the Camaro EV could be similar to that of the 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV compact crossover, which will start at $34,995 when the entry model goes on sale later this year. That’s not any cheaper than the base 2024 Chevrolet Camaro, but factor in a $7,500 federal tax credit and the price effectively drops to $27,495, which would make this hypothetical EV about $5,000 less than the last gas-powered model.
Production of the Camaro ended in December 2023, and while there’s no immediate successor, nobody expects GM to walk away from the name recognition and reputation of the 57-year-old badge. Many outlets—MotorTrend included—posited that the Camaro nameplate would be revived in 2026 as a crossover designed to compete with the Ford Mustang Mach-E. From the way Reuss talked about his vision, we get the sense that the car-versus-crossover debate hasn’t been settled within GM.
Even if the Camaro comes back as a car, don’t expect it to be a coupe. In a nod to practicality and the fact that two-door sales basically amount to a rounding error in the U.S. car market, it would almost certainly have four doors. Reuss envisions a coupe-like design that also improves on the (woeful) outward visibility of the current Camaro.
Ford’s Farley seemed to indicate that the Mustang (which is still being produced) could be heading in a similar direction based on a recent conversation he had with Autocar. His take was that the Mustang would become a family of vehicles, which could include a four-door variant that rumor has it is already under development. But the car would need to retain the “performance and attitude” of preexisting models.
“We will never build a Mustang that isn’t a Mustang,” he told the outlet. “For instance, there will never be room for a small, two-row Ford SUV with a Mustang badge stuck on it. But could we do other Mustang body forms — a four-door or whatever? I believe we could, as long as these models have all the performance and attitude of the original.”
He cited what Porsche had done with the 911 while also creating a family of Porsche performance products that reach beyond any singular model. While Farley said Ford did not want to copy Porsche’s playbook, it does appear to want to target its business.
“But we wouldn’t want to do things their way,” he noted. “We want to give them a good, American-style run for their money … At our best, we are an irreverent company. We need to keep doing derivatives that will surprise people.”
The CEO felt off-road Mustangs were likely a little too far off course. But that striving for higher performance trims while likewise trying to create more affordable Mustangs were on the table. Powertrain options were also speculated upon, with Farley hinting that Ford would continue building V8 engines and manual transmissions for “as long as God and the politicians let us.”
However, the company already has one all-electric model using the Mustang name and hybridization seems like a given in the future if automakers are to have any hope of adhering to the absolutely brutal emissions regulations the industry is being confronted with.
Meanwhile, Ford will continue trying to offset emissions by building more compliance EVs it hopes will see healthy sales. But there’s also a sense that Ford is trying to sweep some of its less popular electric models under the rug by forgetting that the Mach-E exists.
“One thing I can promise, however, is that we will never make an all-electric Mustang,” stated Farley, ignoring the fact that such a vehicle already exists.
“I look at other users of pure-electric power such as Formula E, and even companies like Rimac, and I just don’t think that would be right for Mustang. Great for other Fords – look at the worldwide success of Transit — but not for Mustang.”
[Images: General Motors; Ford Motor Co.]
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