5?

This is what I've been saying too - I don't think it'd be that difficult for Ford to technically slide under the $40k "affordable" barrier with a base EcoBoost Mustang sedan......as you pointed out the coupe starts at $32k, so even if you tack on a $6k sedan "tax", you're starting at $38k. This move also gives the current Mustang more economies of scale, as I think they'll share everything front of the windshield, the dash, and as much as they can out back (probably not much since Farley has hinted at a "unique" opening, which would make it more practical than Mustang's small trunk opening).   That said, where that theory gets fuzzy is 1) Mustang CUV talk, and 2) the CE1 talk of a sedan.   1)  The long held belief is that Mustang's platform couldn't handle a sedan, right?  But now it's reportedly handling a sedan and CUV?    That in itself is questionable to me.  What's also questionable is Mustang on an orphaned platform that is seemingly tapped out.  Meanwhile, Explorer and Aviator also sit on a siloed platform.  I think the only way these rumors make sense is for CD6 (CD7?) to underpin them all - Explorer, Aviator, Mustang coupe/vert, sedan, and CUV....maybe even throw a Lincoln something in there too.  That allows Ford to consolidate to one "performance" platform.  And who knows, maybe they finally upgrade Flat Rock to produce a lower-slung Mustang CUV to give that plant more volume between the coupe/vert, sedan and crossover.   2) I could see Ford doing 2 sedans - one Mustang based, and the other CE1 based to appeal to different audiences.  The former would skew more toward the traditional performance crowd, while the latter could be smaller and appeal to a more "modern" Model 3 crowd.       Of course, we might all be connecting unrelated dots.....who knows......Ford doesn't even know half the time....

Eh I've driven nothing but automatics for almost the past 13 years and drove nothing but manual transmissions for 20 years before that and I don't really miss it-its cool and all but its a major PIA if my wife needs to borrow the car. 

I thought the dash pad with stitching was an option? 

Bingo!  Did you find it yet?

Tease!

I'd guess Ranger is 90/10 retail/fleet since it doesn't have the supercab anymore.  I'd imagine that model led the way with fleet sales.

But I'm still not understanding.....   You read some random article, of which you didn't mention any details whatsoever - not the publication, details of complaints, author, nothing.  And then somehow everyone else is supposed to find that and post it for you?  

Sadly, this is actually true:  even Lux Badlands doesn't have the auto dimming rearview mirror.       They've also dropped the learther wrapped shift knob:   New:     Old:   And stitched dash:         The rampant cost cutting on touch points/features that people use literally every day while increasing prices is ridiculous.

Mazda is pretty embedded with Toyota at this point from what I understand.  Though they seem to be more independent than Subaru, which at least for the BEV models, is getting rebadged Toyotas.     Correct, but they've reportedly still been talking.