2015 Ford Mustang: Post-Retro Pony?
Motor Trend recently offered the latest in a long line of speculation over the design direction of the next generation of Ford’s most important upcoming car, the 2015 Mustang.
Ford’s designers have a supremely daunting balancing act to perform, having to move the car stylistically beyond its retro roots while simultaneously capturing the nostalgic charm that caused the ’05+ Mustang to become such a breakout hit. I don’t envy them.
In many ways the stylists’ task was much easier with the ’10+ refresh. They could afford to coast a bit on the retro themes pioneered by its immediate predecessor, and simply tidy up and tighten the proportions and detailing. For 2015, though, a bigger, more wholesale change is expected. Time will tell whether they’re able to successfully walk the nostalgia/progress tightrope, or whether the new Mustang ends up having all the appeal of a classic rock band trying pathetically to reinvent itself and “stay current.” For a car that draws so much on its own heritage for its appeal, the margin for error is very small indeed.
A quick disclaimer: I should be clear that the images shown in this post aren’t depictions of the actual 2015 Ford Mustang, nor even concept renderings the automaker itself has released, but purely speculative takes by the automotive press and blogosphere.
Oh look – the new Aston Mustang!! :P While I understand that those speculations are just someones idea of where it could go, I’m really hoping Ford doesn’t do that. I was actually fortunate enough to see a couple of the then ‘new’ mustang test mules on the roads here before I knew anything about them – seeing them was a shock and I realized how good the car looks. Good luck Ford – you’ve got your work cut out for you.
K Fox
I think the first pic is essentially a glamor shot of a V8 Vantage or some such that’s been minimally tweaked. I’m fairly certain the new Mustang won’t be that overtly Aston-ish, but what with the new design direction of the Fusion and Taurus, the Mustang will have to incorporate at least some of those cues.
My thoughts exactly. Looks like an Aston and Kia Optima teamed up to try on a cyborg face and Lambo tail lights, threw on a set of Mustang doors and rocker panels and passed itself off as a futuristic Mustang. I’m not complaining. I can’t really find anything wrong with it…but it doesn’t really look much like the path that a new Mustang would take.
Maybe the eventual design will turn off enough “traditional Mustang enthusiasts” to sanitize the fanbase sufficiently for you to be seen with them without a paper bag over your head…? One can only hope… :)