The 2015 Mustang: Fifty Years On

[Kruezerman]

I'm a Ford man through and through and I recognize the Mustang's influence on American culture as the road car for the rebellious roads. It's America on four wheels and now we have a certainly controversial 2015 redesign.

The new Mustang is supposed to have a turbocharged four-banger that's supposed to make more than the current V6's 306 horsepower. A turbo four in a Mustang sounds like a horrible idea, but it isn't. Instead it's a realization that the Mustang must be more than a muscle car, it has to be a performance machine that should be taken seriously by the world, not just muscle car enthusiasts.

It's design is a matter of opinion, some love it for being sleek and modern, definitely following Ford's push to create sexy cars, while others bemoan it's similarities with the new Fusion and Aston Martins.

This is a car that will get a lot of attention in the coming months, it's success will be perhaps the largest trophy in the Ford lineup, finally offering a Mustang that can be thrown into curves in comfort and confidence. But it's failure will be the greatest setback American cars since the Mustang II.

So for your viewing pleasure, I present the new 2015 Ford Mustang. Fifty years strong.

 

[Owain Taggart]

It's actually not that much of a departure compared to the proposed concept which looked a lot more like an angry Aston Martin. This feels more like a natural progression to the last big revision of the Mustang. The biggest difference are the slender headlights and the rear suspension and the new chassis.

 

[sojourner]

From what I understand, the v6 and v8 will still be options. As far as the looks this isn't bad. I was hoping it would look a little less slab sided and the tail looks overly large. The greenhouse looks like it's meant for a smaller car. The proportions seem off. I think the car would look stunning in Metallic colors instead of that plastic look. A classic metallic blue would rock.

 

[scotpens]

The rear is definitely an improvement over the heavy, clunky-looking back end of the current model, while the front hasn't been changed that much.

I still like the Mustang II concept car, which was the basis for the original production Mustang in 1964. Now, that car is gorgeous.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Not as bad looking as that chopped-rear end idea that was floating around a while back.

It harkens back to the old fastback models of the late 60's and the (finally) inclusion of a rear suspension not used on the Model-T should make it a better handling car.

That said, I'm not a Ford guy, never owned one and never will. I would have loved a classic Mustang, I always had a thing for the 1973 Mustang Grande & Boss models.

 

[Kruezerman]

New power numbers for the four banger are in:

The company went with a 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine for the new Mustang, and it comes with more power and more tech than found in previous Mustang four-pots. It makes 305 hp, the same as the current 3.7-liter V6, but more torque, coming in at 300 lb-ft, besting the V6's 280. This means that the smallest available engine size-wise will likely be positioned as an upgrade for the Mustang. Ford went with a twin-scroll, low-inertia turbocharger, a setup designed to provide minimal turbo lag and better throttle response. The internals have also been beefed up to help cope with the extra power. The engine gets a forged-steel crankshaft, piston-cooling jets, forged connecting rods, and a host of other goodies.

 

[publiusr]

I'm a square--i loved the Ford LTD myself...
The LTD II was close to a muscle car though...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_LTD_II

My Dad turned a Dodge Matador into an el Camino style truck--with the fins, it looked a bit like the Batmobile
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_Matador

 

[Warped9]

It's lost a lot of its character. But maybe it will look better in person than how it looks in pictures.

 

[Kemaiku]

Yup, the angle used for the photo looks a little too...generic.

 

[Warped9]

The front end looks more Taurus like and the roofline, particularly as it goes back, looks weak (for lack of a better word).

I understand the challenge of redesigning an iconic look. The current Mustang is unmistakable and connects directly back to its origins from the '60s to the early '70s. The Mustang II's of the mid '70s were horrible Pinto like cars and what followed wasn't much better although they did improve. The generation immediately preceding what we have now looked more like Toyotas.

This new look seems a bit too generic and Toyota like (to me), on the outside anyway. The inside seems fine.

Seems to me some of the other concepts or possibilities considered worked better visually than what they appeared to have decided on.Just google 2014 or 2015 Ford Mustang in images and you can see some variations.

 

[scotpens]

. . . The Mustang II's of the mid '70s were horrible Pinto like cars and what followed wasn't much better although they did improve.

The resemblance of the second-generation Mustang to Ford's Pinto isn't surprising, considering it was based on the Pinto platform (just as the original Mustang was based on the compact Falcon).

 

[Kruezerman]

I think the point was moving away from the old Mustang and moving into a more sports car look, bring it into the twenty first century by having it follow European styling.

 

[Warped9]

I think the point was moving away from the old Mustang and moving into a more sports car look, bring it into the twenty first century by having it follow European styling.

Meh. A Porsche is still a Porsche. I don't see the Europeans emulating the Americans much.

 

[Kruezerman]

They haven't had much reason to with the possible exception of AMG and their muscle cars, hopefully that will change.

 

[Warped9]

Compared to the proposed new design I think I prefer the current model we have now.

 

[Kruezerman]

Your opinion, personally, I find this new design far more exciting and modern.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

The overall problem is, Ford is trying to make their cars look like Aston Martins, which as far as I'm concerned only de-values the Astons slightly.

I mean, imagine paying a quarter million for an Aston, and people thinking it's a Ford.

 

[Icemizer]

I really dislike the car from the end of the door back. The crease in the panel after the wheel arch makes no sense and fools the eye into thinking the car is longer than it is. The whole tilted rear end just looks like a dirt and snow catcher and that rear black panel is just going to grey out absorbing sunlight in a few years. Finally visibility in this will be as bad as the current camaro, which is like driving a coffin.

 

[scotpens]

The crease in the panel after the wheel arch makes no sense and fools the eye into thinking the car is longer than it is.

If you mean the concave "scoop" in the sheetmetal, that's been a Mustang styling feature since the original model. As for making the car look longer and lower, that's exactly why it was designed in the first place.

 

[Owain Taggart]

The overall problem is, Ford is trying to make their cars look like Aston Martins, which as far as I'm concerned only de-values the Astons slightly.

I mean, imagine paying a quarter million for an Aston, and people thinking it's a Ford.

Agreed. Or the other way around, people buying a Ford and slapping an Aston Martin badge on it, because you could totally do that with the new Ford Focus. I have to wonder if Aston Martin will be entering a redesign phase sometime soon. Aston Martins have a certain mystique to them, and seeing these designs reflected in the new Fords takes away from that. Pretty soon it will look like everyone's driving cheap Astons.