Ford: Bronco and Mustang Mach-E instead of Boring Models

A blessing for Ford to appoint Jim Farley as CEO in 2020, because without him, the Bronco and Mustang Mach-E would have both become faceless bores. However, Farley pushed to revive the brand icons – and he was right: both the Bronco (only as a combustion engine in the USA) and the Mustang Mach-E are selling excellently! Jeff Baumbick, Senior Product Development Executive on both projects, told the Detroit Free Press that although all vehicles have a natural development, these were unique because they were associated with two iconic Ford product lines.

Originally, Ford planned a compact SUV and an electric car to meet new fleet fuel consumption targets. Period. What emerged were a generic SUV and an electric hybrid of an aerodynamically optimized sedan and an SUV. Both were very reasonable but also completely interchangeable designs. Internally, there were even criticisms that many products could only be recognized by the blue oval logo, so interchangeable was the appearance. Ted Cannis, who was the head of the electrification program at the time of development, summed up the electric car design to the "Detroit Free Press" as: "It was just a car!"

The Detroit Free Press has now published sketches and clay models from the design process that led to the final design. Farley, in his role as Global Market Manager, "recognized that Ford had to identify and utilize obvious product strengths in an overcrowded market to sharpen Ford's profile. Baumbick said:

"The designs we had were not capable of that. There was nothing unique about them."

Jim Farley, who was just recalled from Europe by the then Ford chief Jim Hackett, expressed it even more drastically according to the Detroit Free Press. He said:

"Houston, we have a problem! The car looks like a science project!"

Farley gained the backing of his boss and the then Ford CEO, Jim Hackett, and had the projects completely overhauled, which was even more difficult as Bill Ford, owner and ultimate guardian of the family business, is a die-hard Mustang fan and immediately caught on: "You're not messing with the Mustang, are you?" he asked critically when Farley and Hackett explained that they had an extraordinary idea for the electric vehicle. Well, fortunately, they did, and after two years of "processing," Bill Ford himself reportedly became curious and approved the redesign.

After the Mach-E, the Bronco was taken on, which was supposed to revive the name but visually had nothing to do with the equally compact original Bronco. However, the redesign created an exciting retro product that certainly has the potential to draw customers away from the Jeep Wrangler and the Mercedes-Benz G who are interested in a boxy retro style.

What does this mean?

Yes, the "Mustang" as an icon can be hotly debated. And yet, the result speaks a clear language: As the Mustang Mach-E, the new Ford electric vehicle is much more desirable than it was once planned to be. Because Asia can now also make flashy "somewheres" very well. Jim Farley was right – and is currently the right man to lead Ford into the future.