Words: Richard Edwards
Published 10 August 2026
Ford has shown its American dealers an early prototype of a four-door Mustang sedan, the strongest signal yet that the long-rumoured model is heading for production.
The prototype appeared at a private dealer meeting in Las Vegas in early August, attended by executive chair Bill Ford and chief executive Jim Farley, according to reports from Automotive News and the Detroit Free Press.
Dealers who saw the car say it looks like today’s Mustang stretched into a proper sedan, with several comparing its size and proportions to the Porsche Panamera. Ford executives reportedly told the room it would start at under US$40,000 (around NZ$67,000 at current exchange rates), accelerate from 0-100km/h in under four seconds, and offer more rear-seat room than the Panamera.
The four-door Mustang is expected to keep petrol power. Sources speaking to the Wall Street Journal say a hybrid powertrain is likely, with one suggesting a hybrid V8, but a fully electric version is not on the cards. One dealer told the Detroit Free Press the car is targeted for the end of the decade, meaning a 2028 or 2029 arrival.
Challenge the Charger
The model would take direct aim at the Dodge Charger, which is sold in the United States in both two-door and four-door forms, while Chevrolet is reported to be working on a four-door Camaro revival of its own. Ford has also recently filed a trademark for the name Mach 4, covering both petrol and electric vehicles, which many observers link to the sedan.
The Mustang sedan was not the only future product on show in Las Vegas. Dealers were also shown a small SUV expected to start at around US$25,000, which would make it Ford’s most affordable model in the United States. One attendee told Automotive News it resembled the first-generation Escape, and it is expected to be offered with both petrol and hybrid power when it arrives, possibly in 2029.
Some dealers also got a look at the Fathom, the affordable electric pick-up truck Ford named and priced last week, ahead of pre-orders opening in the United States in early 2027.
None of the vehicles shown in Las Vegas has been confirmed for right-hand drive, though the current Mustang coupe and convertible are sold in New Zealand.
