I always wanted a sports car built on a mid-full size SUV platform so this could be perfect.  I hope they offer 3 row seating in the Mustang as well.

I hope they offer an AWD version with the same ground clearance as the Explorer.  Love the idea of a 5000lb mega Mustang.   The interior is way too cramped in the current car, and there isn't a sunroof option. My '87 Mustang GT despite being smaller seems larger inside than the poorly packaged current model. 

Guess the FAT Americans as others have said will get what they want in Bigger is Better to quote Robocop!  

An Explorer-sized Mustang does not sound like a Mustang.  Then again, the Mustang II (1974-78) was based on the Ford Pinto (and THAT was a huge mistake).

Coupe sales are in decline.  Large car sales are in decline, so much so that Ford and GM are about to abandon the segment.  So Ford's thinking is make the Mustang a full size coupe?  What is funnier is they actually pay people to come up with ideas like this.

Seriously, though, it doesn't have to be huge if it shares the Explorer platform..assuming Ford knows what they are doing, the platform components should have some flexibility in wheelbase and width.   Supposedly the next Edge will be on this platform, so that would be smaller than the Explorer.   VWAG is able to build a wide variety of sizes of vehicles with their platforms/component sets.   It makes sense to have one platform/component set for unibody RWD/AWD products and one for unibody FWD/AWD transverse engine products. 

14 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

Seriously, though, it doesn't have to be huge if it shares the Explorer platform..assuming Ford knows what they are doing, the platform components should have some flexibility in wheelbase and width.   Supposedly the next Edge will be on this platform, so that would be smaller than the Explorer.   VWAG is able to put a wide variety of sizes vehicles on their platforms/component sets.   It makes sense to have one platform/component set for RWD/AWD products and one for FWD/AWD transverse engine products. 

Totally agree with what you say here, I believe ALL OEMs will end up with 2 to 3 maximum global platforms. 1 or 2 ICE platforms and a single EV platform.

Sad news, the current Mustang is pretty big and heavy.  It will [email protected] if it is going to get even bigger and heavier.

The only good news is that the current generation is going to stay awhile longer.

The funny thing is, the current Mustang is sized almost the same as the '69-70...not very big.  

5 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

The funny thing is, the current Mustang is sized almost the same as the '69-70...not very big.  

I think it could be a little smaller, but more importantly it weights between 3500-3800 lbs.  I think it could lose at least few hundred pounds to make it much better.

1 hour ago, Robert Hall said:

Seriously, though, it doesn't have to be huge if it shares the Explorer platform..assuming Ford knows what they are doing, the platform components should have some flexibility in wheelbase and width.   Supposedly the next Edge will be on this platform, so that would be smaller than the Explorer.   VWAG is able to build a wide variety of sizes of vehicles with their platforms/component sets.   It makes sense to have one platform/component set for unibody RWD/AWD products and one for unibody FWD/AWD transverse engine products. 

Hopefully it's like VW/Audi's MLB platform and can be sized down a lot. 

Still, the Challenger has been beating the smaller Camaro in sales, so this might not be bad move by Ford. 

I could see FCA similarly coming up with a common RWD/AWD platform for the Charger, Challenger, Grand Cherokee, etc.  

1 hour ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Hopefully it's like VW/Audi's MLB platform and can be sized down a lot. 

Still, the Challenger has been beating the smaller Camaro in sales, so this might not be bad move by Ford. 

Muscle car vs pony car.. People are proving to still love their real muscle cars. 

I give FCA crap for having [email protected] LX cars but they continue to sell well, they continue to improve them performance-wise, they've upgraded all of their body panels at one point. If they did another relatively "clean sheet" redesign but on the same LX platform, they could keep that thing going for awhile yet. I think they should drop in their new 3.0 inline-6 as soon as it is finished, yesterday. 

I just think there is plenty of room to keep it going as long as they keep throwing new things at it. 

One thing that I've never understood is the hate that cars get for having an "old" platform even when the platform is excellent. The 300 and Charger are 4,000 lbs sedans that handle well, ride great, and can get 30mpg highway in the real world without any fancy engine shenanigans.  They still aren't even direct injected. 

I love the LX cars... in a world of despair gray interior transverse engine FWD econoboxes and CUVs---disposable, soulless transportation appliances--- they are some of the last vestiges of cars with V8s, lots of trim and color choices, actual trunks and interior space...love 'em.    I like the Mustang also, but for some reason I find the Challenger more appealing.

22 hours ago, smk4565 said:

I always wanted a sports car built on a mid-full size SUV platform so this could be perfect.  I hope they offer 3 row seating in the Mustang as well.

you can finally get your crossover coupe

At first glance at the idea, I can understand why people may wince.  But remember, the Taurus was built on the Explorer platform and Ford stopped making that car last month.  This move would have the Mustang take the place on that part of the production using a common platform and eliminate the stand-alone S550 platform.  Also, the mustang and its V8 can enhance sales of the platform as Ford would be able to improve its offering for police package sales.  The Explorer would be able to be more competitive with the Chevrolet Tahoe and the Mustang can be marketed as a high pursuit vehicle for the highway patrol like it used to be 25+ years ago.