While Ford has yet to reveal the all-new
2005 Mustang, every indication is that it will be virtually identical to
the much-acclaimed concept car shown here.
(from Ford Press Release) Presented as a two-seat fastback coupe and
convertible, the Mustang GT concepts are strong indicators of the
next-generation Mustang’s design direction. They emerge as a bold
testament to the timeless value that automotive enthusiasts hold for the
original American pony car.
“These Mustang concepts are thoroughly modern automobiles that point to
a bright future for Mustang,” says J Mays, Ford Motor Company vice
president of Design. “Their powerful stances, smooth surface language
and ultra-modern interiors set new standards for muscle cars. Above all,
these concepts communicate the soul of Mustang: a classic, cool and
quintessentially American muscle car.”
The designs are modern, crisp and reveal
the true character of what Mustang means to so many people. The original
1964½ Mustang actually evolved from the racing-inspired, two-seat
concept car called the Mustang 1. After reviewing archived files,
Mustang’s modern-day crafters were struck by how the original design
embraced the same inspirational cues that communicate performance. The
design team looked beyond production models to the Mustang 1 concept for
modern inspiration. Much like the Mustang 1 and the later Mustang Mach 1
show car in 1968, the Mustang GT concepts are rare, radical designs that
will appeal to everyone.
“By melding the true character of Mustang
into these fully modern offerings, we’ve ensured that even the
uninitiated will instantly recognize these cars as Mustangs,” says Mays.
“We went beyond their exterior designs to truly understand the extent to
which Mustang has embedded itself in American culture.”
The Mustang GT concepts are instantly
recognizable as Mustangs, yet they stretch the design far into the
future with a distinctly modern look. Like the Mustang 1 concept, the GT
concepts are two-place sports cars: one a coupe and the other a
convertible. Both cars started out with a significantly modified Ford
Thunderbird rear-wheel-drive architecture. The platform was sectioned to
achieve the proper proportion. The front-end geometry is all original –
customized to accommodate the signature Mustang MOD 4.6-liter V-8.
In concert with plans for the all-new Mustang, due in the 2005 model
year, the exterior and interior designs of the Mustang GT concepts were
penned by designers in Ford’s Living Legends Studio in Dearborn, Mich.,
and Ford’s California Design Center in Southern California. The concept
design execution was done exclusively at the California Design Center.
“Getting the proportions right is the magic to making the entire design
work,” says Mays.
“When you’re designing a new Mustang, you’re the steward of 40 years of
automotive history. If you don’t get it right, you’ve got 8-million
Mustang fans to answer to. I think we got it right,” says Mays.
The silhouette of the car is unmistakably Mustang. The coupe conjures
images of 1967 and 1968 Fastbacks while the convertible brings back cues
of the early Shelby Mustangs, especially in its “show bar” and
wide-element tail lamps.
