Ford Mustang GT concept
by Christopher A. Sawyer

It’s been 23 years since Ford last started with a clean-sheet for the Mustang, though the latest version – based on the Lincoln LS platform – draws heavily on both the 1967-1968 Mustang and Shelby GT 350/GT500 for its inspiration. Ironically, the original Mustang was an American interpretation of European design aimed at the youngest, fastest-growing segment of the market – Baby Boomers – while the latest version interprets American design through a European lens for aging Baby Boomers.

The Mustang’s nose leans forward, and the shoulder line curves in a gently rising arc to the tail. Round headlights nestle deep in their pockets, framing an arched grille and lower intake that accentuate the car’s width. Driving lights are placed outboard, and bisected by a body color strip that defines the lower body.

The Mustang’s sides are nearly straight, beveling toward the beltline and establishing both the upper body character line and the boundary for the side scoop. For the first time in the Mustang’s nearly 40-year existence, the scoop is a fully integrated design element that creates a triangular opening, and flows forward along the chamfered lower body line.

The hood has twin scoops sitting in a U-shaped channel, topped by separate body color panels. This elongates the hood section, creates tailored character lines that flow into the instrument panel’s twin cowl upper section, and provides cold air ducting the supercharged V8.

The interior is trimmed in red leather, black accents, brushed aluminum, and borders on parody with red leather racing style seats draped over black forms atop aluminum pedestals. Similarly, the dash pad “eyebrows” overlook a metal band containing the gauges and vents, and the red lower section. Even the steering wheel is a jarring combination of aluminum and red leather.

More successful is the tail section, which places lights divided into three units on either side of a large badge reminiscent of early Mustang filler caps. The keen-eyed will notice the similarity of the tail lamps’ angled upper section to that of the unlamented Australian-built Capri convertible of the early 1990s, but no one will mistake the clean, crisp design of the Mustang with that of the Blunder From Down Under.

Whether the Mustang's styling appeals to Boomers, X'ers, or members of Gen Y is immaterial if it turns out to be a triumph of form over function. Ford development insiders say the low roof line has necessitated a redesign of the DEW 98 rear floorpan in order to liberate sufficient head room for rear seat passengers. The change to the platform – shared with the Lincoln LS and Jaguar S-Type – has removed any chance of using the already proven independent rear suspension from those cars on the Mustang. All except the top line Cobra model will have a live rear axle, while a new – and costly – independent rear end is under development for the Cobra.

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