4 Minutes
Could a four-door Mustang be the nameplate's next lifeline?
The idea of a four-door Ford Mustang — an ICE-powered sedan based on the S650 platform — no longer feels like pure fantasy. With sports car demand slipping in markets like North America, designers and brand strategists are rethinking how to keep iconic nameplates relevant. Digital artist Nikita Chuicko, better known online as kelsonik, recently released CGI renderings that imagine a larger, four-door S650 Mustang. The concept is both simple and plausible: extend the wheelbase, add rear doors, and keep the Mustang's performance DNA intact.
Sales reality check
Ford's October 2025 U.S. sales rose a modest 1.6% to about 175,584 units, but the Mustang's story is more complicated. The current S650 Mustang posted a strong month-on-month percentage gain — up 43% from last year — yet that only translated to roughly 3,845 units in October, still trailing even legacy models like the E-Series van. Year-to-date ICE Mustang deliveries in the U.S. stand around 36,663 units, signaling the model will likely miss 2024's full-year tally of about 44,000 and remain well below peak years such as 2016, when Mustang sales topped 100,000.
At the same time, Mustang Mach-E demand has softened after a recent surge tied to changes in EV tax incentives; Mach-E sales slipped about 12.3% in October to roughly 2,906 units. These shifts underscore the challenge: electrification and crossover preference are fragmenting traditional sports-car buyers.
Why a four-door Mustang makes sense
There are practical and strategic reasons Ford could consider a Mustang sedan:
- Broadened appeal: Four doors increase daily usability and family-friendliness without abandoning the Mustang badge.
- Platform economy: Reworking the S650 architecture for a longer wheelbase could be cheaper than developing an entirely new model line.
- Performance positioning: A compact, 500-hp Dark Horse sedan could out-handle heavier full-size rivals while offering similar straight-line performance.
Quote: kelsonik's renderings show a car that feels like a believable evolution rather than a gimmick — a performance sedan wearing Mustang cues.
How it would stack up against the competition
Dodge recently opened orders for the Charger Sixpack, positioning it as a high-power, four-door muscle option on Stellantis' STLA Large platform, with a 3.0-liter inline-six twin-turbo Hurricane engine available in 420- and 550-hp tunes. A Mustang sedan, especially a 500-hp Dark Horse variant, would be a direct litmus test: smaller and lighter than the Charger Sixpack, it could emphasize agility and handling as differentiators rather than outright curb weight or cabin size.
Performance specs for a hypothetical four-door S650 would likely follow Mustang philosophy: strong engine choices (V8 or high-output hybrid/ICE pairings), rear-wheel drive bias, and track-capable underpinnings while adding rear-seat space and practicality.
Challenges Ford would face
- Brand perception: Purists may resist a four-door Mustang, seeing it as diluting the coupe/convertible tradition.
- Engineering cost: Reengineering the platform and maintaining crash/NVH standards with an extended wheelbase requires investment.
- Market timing: With EV transition and shifting incentives, launching a new ICE-based variant carries demand risk.
Final thought
A four-door Mustang sedan currently exists first and foremost in the minds of digital creatives and concept sketches, but it's a coherent, market-aware idea. If Ford wants to protect Mustang heritage while adapting to changing buyer habits, a sedan variant — perhaps launching as a performance-focused Dark Horse sedan — could offer a sensible compromise: everyday usability with authentic Mustang performance.
Highlights:
- Mustang S650 has momentum but low absolute volumes
- Four-door sedan could broaden appeal and directly challenge the Charger Sixpack
- Practical engineering tweaks rather than full replatforming might suffice
Source: autoevolution
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