- Ford filed a new trademark with the USPTO that could point to a Mustang sedan being built in the near future.
- The company filed to trademark the name “Mach 4,” conjuring images of Ford’s iconic pony car stretched to accommodate a set of rear doors.
- The idea of a four-door Mustang isn’t totally new, the company has been selling an electric SUV called the Mustang Mach-E for four years, after all.
Automotive subbrands are all the rage these days. Everyone’s got one. GMC spun off the Hummer into its own thing, Jeep revived the Wagoneer as its own brand, and Chevy is reportedly preparing to spin Corvette into a standalone brand. Thanks to the introduction of the Mustang Mach-E several years ago, Ford also knows how to transform a popular nameplate into something new.
Mach 4 a Mustang Sedan?
Now, a new report from Ford Authority revealed that Ford has applied for a new trademark with the USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) for the name “Mach 4.” The application was filed on February 25. According to the USPTO site, the trademark covers “Motor vehicles, namely gasoline and electric automobiles, pickup trucks, sport-utility vehicles, and their structural parts.”
Rumors that Ford will build a Mustang sedan have been around for years, even going as far back as the Mustang’s first generation, according to Ford Authority. Fast forward to 2018, and Ford reportedly showed a concept model to dealers before the project was shelved. The outlet also reported that last May, Ford CEO Jim Farley said he “believes” the automaker could build a four-door Mustang as long as it has “all the performance and attitude of the original.”
There’s also the possibility that this Mach 4 trademark somehow relates to the standalone Raptor supercar Ford has teased in the past. Nothing is known about that particular project, but in January, Farley told Top Gear, “We’re in the middle of creating something, so we don’t have all the answers yet, but the question is, should Ford make an off-road supercar? Not a version of a car, a standalone supercar.”
Given that Ford has already angered the feistiest of Mustang purists with the electric Mustang Mach-E, there’s a real possibility that the automaker could introduce a sedan. Then again, none of the previous Mustang sedan rumors have amounted to anything, so we’ll have to wait and see if this trademark also turns into a nothingburger.
Jack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.
Source: Motor - aranddriver.com
