Next Gen Mustang Mega Thread

[Apex Motorsports]

Next Ford Mustang to ditch retro look in favor of futuristic Evos styling?





Matt Ramsey from The Wall Street Journal claims that the next-generation Ford Mustang will be ditching its '60s-inspired retro styling. Citing people familiar with Ford's plans who have seen the new Mustang, Ramsey claims the new model will look more like the 2013 Fusion and be a dead ringer for the Evos concept car that debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show last fall. The reason for abandoning the retro-inspired styling, says Ramsey, is Ford's desire to appeal to Generation Y consumers – people born between 1980 and 1999.

It may very well be the case that the next Mustang, which Ramsey says will be a 2014 model (we suspect it will be labeled a 2015), will look a lot like the Evos concept, but we don't buy some of the author's reasoning for why the Stang's retro look might be going away. He cites declining sales of certain retro-styled vehicles like the Volkswagen Beetle and Mustang itself, but having just experienced an economic recession, many models saw their sales decline during the past two years compared to prior peaks, not just ones with retro styling. In particular, he cites Volkswagen selling just 6,468 units of the New Beetle last year compared with over 81,000 in 2000, but last year was that generation's final year of sales. It has been replaced with the all-new-but-equally-retro 2012 Beetle, sales of which are up 2,722 percent so far in 2012.

And as for the Mustang, after enjoying a competition-free pony car market from 2002-2010, it's now sharing that segment's sales with worthy competition from both Chevrolet and Dodge. Its sales are certainly below their peaks from last decade, but again, a recession and new competition where there was none before will do that.

So while we have no reason to argue against Ramsey's claim about the next Mustang moving away from its retro roots, we're not sure we buy his evidence for the reason behind it.

[midnighter]

That's a good body design. It just doesn't seem "Mustang".

[FenwickHockey65]

I'm all for ditching the retro design, but not sure about essentially doing a RWD Fusion coupe.

[toesuf94]

I like it. Won't ever consider buying one...but I like the lines enough to say, neat. So...Neat.

[TaylorRyanSS]

I like it... but not for a Mustang. I like the retro styling. But hey if they wanna make a Fusion look-a-like and slap a Mustang badge on it, go ahead!

[motorhead]

I love it! Looks mean. It's time for a change. For me other than the GT500, I think the look is starting to wear on the mustang. I'm sure the same will be said for the camaro in a few years too ,but it looks like that will be just in time for it's make over in a couple more years.

I doubt highly that it will look just that though. Although, if there is one thing Ford and Chevy should have learned from the Mustang and Camaro is that Concept versions sell when you build them.

[midnighter]

That could be the new Fusion Coupe, seriously.

[TheReaper]

That new design sucks.

[motorhead]

Here's some more shots for those that didn't see it before. I wold buy one if the performance was there.

[KMPrenger]

I think the styling of the above car is pretty cool, but I don't yet see Mustang in that look.

I welcome a move away from retro...or at least a move away from the current look, and with all the rumors that the Mustang is going global, that is another good reason to move away from retro.

I will say that there will be a lot of current Mustang owners that will NOT welcome a new Mustang that looks just like the above concept. Thats why working some of the heritage into a design is key, without going full retro. Just look at the Camaro...its not retro even though at times it has been labeled that way...it certainly is not. Back in 2006 when it was revealed it was a futuristing looking "hot wheels" type of car that happened to have some styling characteristics from past generations. We loved it and it is still one of the hottest cars on the road.

Ford could take some of the ques from this concept and some styling ques from the past and merge them together to make a futuristic looking mustang. If they did certain things like add bar style tail lights, or maybe add the mustangs center round lights to a concept like this, then it would start to look more like Mustang but not like the current or past Mustangs.

[AZCamaroFan]

not buying. first of all they're ripping off Aston Martin to begin with.
secondly, i just expect they'll do what they did for 2010. take a recognizable mustang, and smooth and modernize the lines more.

[midnighter]

I was a Ford Mustang fan back in highschool in the early 90's when I drove a 1989 Mustang GT. I loved the fox body design. I lost interest in mustangs in 1994 when Ford changed the body style and dropped the 5.0 for the 4.6.

[KMPrenger]

Originally Posted by cbass

The problem is the big v8 and torque. You need enough structure to be able to support that kind of power/torque output. It's not just engine weight you have to take into consideration. What you need to support a I4 is different from a v6 which is different from a v8..

Your right...100%...but they say the Alpha platform can be made larger or even smaller. What exactly that means I don't know but I'm guessing you could get a small V8 in there (5.x litre?) and I'm guessing the platform could handle the stronger, heavier hardware.

Using the current V6 and V8 as reference points, one could assume if they can build a mid 3,400 lbl V6 Camaro, then they should be able to build an SS weighing less than 3,600 lbs.

Sorry if I came off wrong at first...I would never expect a Camaro with a V8 engine and supporting hardware to come in at 3,100 or 3,200 lbs.

[camaro-dreamer]

Originally Posted by AZCamaroFan

not buying. first of all they're ripping off Aston Martin to begin with.
secondly, i just expect they'll do what they did for 2010. take a recognizable mustang, and smooth and modernize the lines more.

How can they rip off their own designs? Ford owned Aston Martin until 2007 and was still working with the company until last year.