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FORD HOPES TO SPAWN MORE SUB-BRANDS IN THE FUTURE

Encouraged By The Success Of The Bronco Sport And Mustang Mach-E

2021 Ford Bronco Warthog Concept
Photo credit Manoli Katakis, Muscle Cars & Trucks

While we wouldn’t blame anyone for not knowing a lot about Ford CEO Jim Farley, you probably should. The vintage race car driver took over the reigns at Ford back in October of 2020, but he’s played a significant role in the company’s business model for long before that. In fact, it was Farley who is responsible for the Mustang Mach-E. It was his idea to make Ford’s electric crossover carry some DNA from the famous muscle car, instead of being just another car. Farley also helped to shape the creation of the Bronco Sport, effectively turning the decades-defunct nameplate into an entirely new sub-brand. According to a new report from MotorTrend, the CEO aims to release more sub-brands in the future, based off of the initial success of both the Mustang Mach-E and the Ford Bronco Sport models.

Whether you love them or loathe them, both the Mustang Mach-E and the Bronco Sport have proven rather popular thus far. Ford managed to sell more than 6,600 Mach-E’s during the first quarter of this year, bolstered by the critical acclaim the press has levied on the SUV. The Bronco Sport has also proven immensely popular, with 23,356 first quarter sales. It’s so sought after in fact that a wrecked model traded hands online for over $13,000. While not as beloved as the full-size SUV, the Bronco Sport is surely helping establish the outdoorsy Bronco sub-brand.

2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Review
Photo copyright Matheus Pach, MuscleCarsAndTrucks.com

“We have so much opportunity,” CEO Jim Farley told MotorTrend in an interview. “We have such a plethora of ideas and passion brands in the company. So many in Europe and in the U.S. We run deep. So, I don’t think we’re going to stop there.”

That said, this line of thinking does raise a few questions. More specifically, it makes us wonder what nameplates Ford thinks are strong enough to support more models. MotorTrend notes that a Transit sub-brand could be in the works for the companies commercial fleet, though that may prove more popular across the pond. We would love to see the ST trim turn into a sub-brand of its own, though that may be somewhat of a stretch. In all reality, it is more likely that we will see something related to Ford and Jim Farley’s bread-and-butter here in the States: the trucks.

We could feasibly see the Ford F-150 nameplate extend past the F-Series lineup once the electric model makes its debut. It’s not like the truck isn’t popular enough to a whole brand on its own as it sits now. It is also possible that the Raptor nameplate becomes a standalone sub-brand, as the Blue Oval rolls out more off-road focused models.

Things have been looking up for Ford since Jim Farely took over the helm. We aren’t terribly surprised by this, as he is a genuine car-guy through and through. We understand that some folks are hesitant when it comes to sub-brands, and the potential they possess for diluting a historic nameplate. That is a genuine concern, but thus far Ford has done a fairly good job. Sure the Mach-E probably shouldn’t wear a pony on its flanks, but it is a genuinely good EV. The Bronco Sport is far more impressive than we ever thought it would be, much to our own excitement. If the team behind the new sub-brands can keep an eye on the defining features of the nameplate, we’d like to see what Ford can come up with.

What do you think, readers? Thunderbird? Galaxie? Edsel? Something new? Talk it out in the comments.

2021 Ford Bronco Sport First Edition
Image Via Ford.
2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium EV Electric SUV
Photo credit Manoli Katakis, Muscle Cars & Trucks.

Written by Lucas Bell

Lucas holds a journalism degree from Wayne State University, and is a Automotive Press Association scholarship recipient. While an American muscle fan through and through, he once wrote a fascinating comparison review about eScooters.

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