Canadian Ford dealers think Mach-E might just be the beginning

Putting a Mustang badge on a new electric utility vehicle has dealers in Canada wondering how far down that road Ford should go with other models in the future. 

The Mustang Mach-E name has been given to Ford’s first exclusively electric vehicle (the company had previously built the Focus Electric), a midsize crossover with coupe-like styling that will be offered in rear- and all-wheel-drive. Two battery sizes provide up to 475 kilometres of range and up to 459 horsepower. The Mach-E goes on sale in early 2021. But Ford Canada on Dec. 31 confirmed to Automotive News Canada that "all First Edition are sold out in Canada." 

“Ford is expanding the Mustang family, bringing the famous pony into the electric age,” is the automaker’s official spin. 

“In today’s world it’s not unreasonable,” said Dave Wilkins, dealer principal of Avalon Ford in St. John’s, Nfld. In 1964, the dealership was called George Parsons Ford, which sold the first Mustang (chassis No. 1) to a retail customer. 

“Some of the more purist people say, ‘Why not just leave it alone?’ But I think Mustang is beyond just a model; it has developed into a brand on its own and I think Ford is going to start taking full advantage of that. 

“It’s the same with Bronco,” he said, referring to Ford’s revival of that storied name for an upcoming new off road-oriented utility vehicle. 

“There will be two models at first, and at some point, I think we’ll see a Bronco pickup.” 

‘EXCITED ABOUT DRIVING’

According to Chief Program Engineer Ron Heiser, badging the Mach-E as a Mustang was justified because, like the two-door model, it’s “the kind of car that gets people excited about driving, with a sporty, beautiful silhouette that delivers an incredible shape rarely seen in SUVs.” 

Dave Raymond, dealer principal of Erinwood Ford in Mississauga, Ont., says the naming strategy is brilliant. 

“The brand equity in the Mustang nameplate is fantastic. This will probably enhance it. In 10 years, everything is going to have an electric derivative. When’s the last gas engine going to be made? It’s close.” 

Should Ford expand the Mustang brand to more future models? 

“I think it’s a good idea, but I don’t see them doing it,” said Raymond. 

He said interest in the Mach-E from customers has been “through the roof.” Erinwood was Ford’s top seller of electrified vehicles in 2017, so he expects to receive a sizeable allocation of Mach-E vehicles. Even then, he expects, “we’ll have more orders than we can deliver.” 

Ford won’t limit Mach-E sales to select dealers. 

“We encourage all dealers to become EV certified since we will be introducing more and more electrified vehicles in the future,” said Ford Canada spokeswoman Christine Hollander. 

While many fans have pushed back against Mach-E’s appropriation of the Mustang name, Blake Clark, Alberta-region president of the Cam Clark Automotive Group, said: “It’s a niche vehicle, so it’s not surprising. Mustang is a niche vehicle and now we have another niche vehicle.” 

“Though they’re two very different models, I think it’s exciting because Mustang is so widely recognized. And we are talking about performance vehicles,” he said.

But, Clark speculated that Ford’s action might be a temporary ploy to generate excitement around the Mach-E. 

“Once they increase production, they might change the name,” he said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s sold as a niche vehicle for three to five years, and then replaced by a similar vehicle rebranded as a Ford [and not a Mustang].” 

Meanwhile, Clark is trying to get more allocation from Ford, which has offered two Mach-E vehicles for each of the group’s eight Ford stores in Alberta and British Columbia. 

“We asked for 10 per store. We’ve got quite a few customer orders already, even in some rural markets which you wouldn’t expect.”