The Mustang has become almost as important to Ford as the F-150, if not for what it contributes to the company's bottom line than for how it improves the company's image. That's why any news about changes being made to the current Mustang is big news, no matter how specious it may turn out to be. The most recent issue of Road & Track (November 2006) tells us that the Mustang's refreshening in 2009 will give the pony a little more edge and soften the retro cues. The V6 model will gain the new 3.5-liter that's about to be dropped into every Blue Oval product, which is a good thing. It will develop around 260-280 hp in the Mustang, which means the V6 model will outpower a 2004 Mustang GT. That's called progress, people. The current GT's 4.6-liter V8 will likely grow in displacement and power as well, ending up anywhere in the 350- to 400-hp range. It will need the extra horses underhood in order to keep up with the competition arriving from Dodge and Chevy.
Finally, R&T says that an all-new Mustang will be here in 2012. The basic proportions of the next generation Mustang will remain the same, though the sheetmetal is described as "very angular and swoopy". We could also see the return of a Mustang hatchback in 2012. Finally, R&T is guessing that the platform for the next Mustang will come from the Australian-built Falcon, which means that other derivations could be built like a new four-door sedan (427 Concept, anyone?).
Thanks for the tip, Brent!
[Source: Road & Track via Mustang Evolution]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
DC_1 @ Sep 20th 2006 4:46PM
Sounds like great news to me!!
Loren @ Sep 20th 2006 4:59PM
Sounds good, I hope they dont mess it up. As far as the 2012 model goes with the "very angular and swoopy" it sounds like a 1970's redo.
Napiers News @ Sep 20th 2006 4:59PM
I LOVE the retro design. Why do they always have to mess with the body style. The value of the car would remain higher by not changing so often.
JON @ Sep 20th 2006 5:16PM
I'd like to see a departure from the clean,flat sheetmetal of todays mustang to the more aggressivly styled Steve Mc Queenn era "Bullit" mustang.That car's design says muscle and power.
Bill @ Sep 20th 2006 5:18PM
#3. This is the problem with retro-styled cars, what next? How do you make it evolve?
If it stays the same forever, why buy one? When you style it like a 68 Mustang, what's the next step? A retro 1972? A (horrors) retro Mustang II?
The current body is nice, and it's helped Ford tremendously, but it can't, and shouldn't last forever.
rwdmtparkingonly @ Sep 20th 2006 5:25PM
I want to see the turbo four come back, Mazda has a pretty good direct injection turbo four:
http://www.mustang-svo.com/
laserwizard @ Sep 20th 2006 5:40PM
Glimpse pictured is sweet - much better than that tacked on, forced concept Camaro with all of its do-dads and non-retro-retro look. It will be nice to see old Robert Putz's face when the new Mustang hands him his Camaro for lunch. Wagoner and Putz think they've got Ford - they are fooling themselves.
Go Mustang! Kick a Camaro to the curb with no respect!
Robert @ Sep 20th 2006 6:15PM
A Falcon based Mustang should mean IRS for the entire range. IRS on the EA169 platform (Falcon, Futura, Fairlane) has to be less expensive then the DEW98 (LS, S-type) so there's no discernible reason to reengineer for a live rear axle. Here is a nice CAD of what the Falcon is currently using.
http://www.themustangnews.com/tech/st-0706_ozirs.htm
Fabulo @ Sep 20th 2006 6:20PM
1) kill the unusable backseats. This is a sportscar, not an extended cab trukocrap.
2) Make it lighter, not more horsepowerish. Lighter: Better acceleration, better handling, better mileage. More HP: Better acceleration. (worse mileage?)
3) Kill the live axle. It's not 1922 anymore. It's not a truck (see point 1)
Oops. Sorry, this is a "muscle car". We're not supposed to care about those things.
SobeSVT @ Sep 20th 2006 6:22PM
Lazerwizard, although I don't share your virulence, I do share your passion and I think you are RIGHT. These are great news indeed. The Camiro and the Challenger are hopeless and outdated now.
DPC car videos @ Sep 20th 2006 6:24PM
The current Mustang will become a classic if they go back to futuristic designs.
toby @ Sep 20th 2006 6:30PM
I'm hoping for the addition of a formal roof coupe to go with the fastback. Also, the next chassis could bring us our own Falcon. One in the 1966/67 mold.
toby @ Sep 20th 2006 6:31PM
God forbid they ever retro the '74-'78 mustang Pintomobile.
Edsel @ Sep 20th 2006 6:48PM
Bill (#5)
Ford has been building vehicles for over 100 years. That's lots of retro to choose from - imagine a retro Model T or Model A and all their variants. Me, I'm holding out for a cool retro Pinto Pinata.
Ben @ Sep 20th 2006 10:23PM
# 14 ... You are hillarious. Thanks for the chuckle. As for me I do like todays Mustang and the rendition of the new one is sweet. Keep 'em coming Ford!!! Good on you.
Andy @ Sep 20th 2006 11:28PM
I hate to rub this in, but the 1971-73 Mustangs were considered Space Age in their styling. Thank God they didn't last. I'm surprised to see people with too much many for their brains spending thirty to forty grand on the early '70s Boss 351s and Mach 1s.
Andy @ Sep 20th 2006 11:29PM
Bill is right about retro. Look at the "new" Mini--it's identical to the old! There is little to evolve the Mustang into. As for the Bullitt Mustang JON commented on, the Bullitt 'Stang was a 1967-68 fastback; the '05 Mustang was styled after the late '60s fastbacks.
I'm waiting for the retro Cougars and Barracudas. Lincoln is supposed to be building a Mustang-based coupe.
Nick @ Sep 21st 2006 7:53AM
Andy, Ford was simply studying the idea of a mustang-based Lincoln/Mercury. They weren't "supposed to be" building anything. A more likely candidate would be a Mercury variant....perhaps another Cougar. Doubt it though.
Ford isn't playing around about the Mustang, nor should they. They're not going to lose the market they created. We've all seen in the past what happens when new challengers arrive....Buh bye Camaro, Firebird, Charger, Challenger, GTO, etc etc...to name the big boys. All scrapped and the Mustang remained. Ford's going to be proactive about this...there's going to be a million Mustang options/variants. The platform will continue to evolve as Ford pumps cash into it and I seriously doubt the crown will be taken away.
DW @ Sep 21st 2006 8:50AM
And I thought the natural evolutionary process would lead us to a retro Mustang II...
Jeff the Baptist @ Sep 21st 2006 9:05AM
This is the problem with retro-styled cars, what next? How do you make it evolve?
This only a problem with cars whose only attribute is the styling. What do you do with a PT Cruiser now? Or an HHR? The only thing they have to recommend them is retro. On the other hand, the Mustang would be a fun car under any name or style. V8 touring cars work.
On the other hand the current mustang is selling great and there is plenty of room for improvement without throwing out the current styling. It wouldn't hurt them to play with the details (like improve the engines and interior) until the retro exterior styling has run its course.