Car Talk: 2015 Ford Mustang - NICE!

[Woochifer]

When Ford unveiled the 2013 Fusion a few months at the North American International Auto Show, its design was lauded by the auto press. It represented the first production car featuring Ford's "Kinetic" design language that premiered earlier with the EVOS concept car. The Fusion is probably Ford's boldest sedan design since the original Taurus, and quite a design statement for a mainstream midsize car.



The EVOS concept car was unveiled in 2011 at the Frankfurt Auto Show, and the auto press was already speculating whether these design concepts would eventually make their way into the Ford Mustang. Rumors were already stirring that Ford wanted to make a clean break from the past for the Mustang's 50th anniversary. Given that the Fusion's styling is consistent with this design theme, the speculation around the Mustang has only grown stronger. The original concept car is shown below.



Now, a new article from Inside Line shows a revised rendering of the 2015 Mustang. Some of the traditional Mustang design cues, particularly with the back end, have returned. But, it still departs quite a bit from the more retro-inspired current design, and remains very consistent with the EVOS concept from the B-pillar forward.





With the exterior clearly going with Ford's Kinetic design language, the speculation will now start anew with the mechanicals underneath. The article indicates that Ford will likely go with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine rather than the current V6 as the base engine. I guess this is in response to the new CAFE standards, which is too bad because Ford actually managed to squeeze around 300 HP out of that V6, while bumping the fuel economy up to around 30 MPG highway. The V8 will remain an option, but no word on whether Ford will switch over to direct injection.

And FINALLY, it looks like the Mustang will leave the 19th century behind and go with an independent rear suspension. Since this is a 2015 model, I would expect the car to come out less than two years from now.

[ForeverAutumn]

Oh that's pretty. I might have to give my Escape to Hubby and get me one of those.

[recoveryone]

Not bad, not bad at all. but it will need a 300hp 4 banger to sale the public on it. The "M" in Mustang is for Muscle. I would like to see 3 power plants offered, the Four banger Turbo 300hp, Six Cylinder Supercharger @ 450hp and the Cobra line (350/500) good old 8 Cylinder with supercharger @ 600hp.

by the way here is my latest background from my comp at work

[E-Stat]

That's a great modern expression of the 64½. It's about time it had an IRS.

My problem with it as a relatively short guy is the seat's stride is uncomfortably long. Puts my leg to sleep. It was during my business trip to the Bingham, NY area where I toured the McIntosh facility that I discovered that the Mustang just didn't fit.

[texlle]

While the 2013 Fusion is a stunning design, I wouldn't say it created quite the shock wave of enthusiasm as did the 2011 Sonata. The fluidic sculpture design language that premiered with the Sonata took the midsize market by storm and made all automakers reexamine the importance of aesthetic appeal in a segment dominated by traits now thought of to be so mundane as functionality and economy.

In regards to the new ponycar, I think Ford is making a smart decision in giving their bread-and-butter coupe the euro-inspired treatment like the rest of their lineup. I think it will be well-received by the diehard Mustang fans and will usher in a whole slew of buyers that want a progressive sports car who might also like to buy American. The real determining factor will be if the new IRS setup can sway Z and 3-series owners away from their refined and well-balanced rides. I'd be interested to know the source of the blue model rendering. Whether this is from a Ford backroom somewhere in Michigan or from a random enthusiast with Photoshop talent. Personally, I think this concept looks fantastic.

[Woochifer]

Looks like Ford has already incorporated the "Kinetic" grille into 2013 Mustang. Something tells me that the 2015 revision might be more radical than that blue rendering.

Not bad, not bad at all. but it will need a 300hp 4 banger to sale the public on it. The "M" in Mustang is for Muscle. I would like to see 3 power plants offered, the Four banger Turbo 300hp, Six Cylinder Supercharger @ 450hp and the Cobra line (350/500) good old 8 Cylinder with supercharger @ 600hp.

Supposedly the new Mustang will lose a lot of weight. If that's the case, then the base engine won't need 300 HP to achieve comparable performance. According to that article, the revised Mustang will keep the V8 (no word on whether it will go with direct injection or other performance tweaks), but likely lose the V6.

While the 2013 Fusion is a stunning design, I wouldn't say it created quite the shock wave of enthusiasm as did the 2011 Sonata. The fluidic sculpture design language that premiered with the Sonata took the midsize market by storm and made all automakers reexamine the importance of aesthetic appeal in a segment dominated by traits now thought of to be so mundane as functionality and economy.

I think it was stunning because it came from Hyundai, which had frankly produced some of the fugliest vehicles on the market over the last couple of decades. From what I've seen, the Fusion design has created every bit as big of a stir, partly because it came from Detroit and much of the U.S. auto press is now openly rooting at least for Ford (enthusiasm for GM and Chrysler is tempered in some circles by the govt loan). Also, it has a very global look, which is unheard of for a domestic midsize sedan.

In regards to the new ponycar, I think Ford is making a smart decision in giving their bread-and-butter coupe the euro-inspired treatment like the rest of their lineup. I think it will be well-received by the diehard Mustang fans and will usher in a whole slew of buyers that want a progressive sports car who might also like to buy American. The real determining factor will be if the new IRS setup can sway Z and 3-series owners away from their refined and well-balanced rides. I'd be interested to know the source of the blue model rendering. Whether this is from a Ford backroom somewhere in Michigan or from a random enthusiast with Photoshop talent. Personally, I think this concept looks fantastic.

Ford went with the live axle as long as they could, but with the Mustang now engaged in a high stakes game of one-upsmanship with the revitalized Camaro, there is no way they can stick with that ancient a design with the next gen version.

With that blue rendering, it seems that the writer got it from an unknown source, showed it to an "insider" and got a nod-wink that the rendering is close to the real thing. For the styling, I think the biggest question is whether the 2015 Mustang will retain the long rear deck that has typified the ponycar concept from the beginning (and remains intact in that blue rendering)? Or it will go for the more radical departure shown in the EVOS concept, where the rear end is truncated (and looks more like a Z car)?

Personally, I like both designs. The EVOS concept would be the ballsier move. It would truly reinvent the Mustang for a new generation of enthusiasts, but it would also potentially alienate current Mustang fans because it's a big departure.

Then again, once upon a time, Ford was ready to go with the Probe as the replacement for the Mustang. But, the outcry from Mustang fans led Ford to instead sell the Probe on its own. At that time, the Probe concept car was considered a radical design in its own right, but obviously history went in a different direction.

[Feanor]

When Ford unveiled the 2013 Fusion a few months at the North American International Auto Show, its design was lauded by the auto press. It represented the first production car featuring Ford's "Kinetic" design language that premiered earlier with the EVOS concept car. The Fusion is probably Ford's boldest sedan design since the original Taurus, and quite a design statement for a mainstream midsize car.



The EVOS concept car was unveiled in 2011 at the Frankfurt Auto Show, and the auto press was already speculating whether these design concepts would eventually make their way into the Ford Mustang. Rumors were already stirring that Ford wanted to make a clean break from the past for the Mustang's 50th anniversary. Given that the Fusion's styling is consistent with this design theme, the speculation around the Mustang has only grown stronger. The original concept car is shown below.
...
Now, a new article from Inside Line shows a revised rendering of the 2015 Mustang. Some of the traditional Mustang design cues, particularly with the back end, have returned. But, it still departs quite a bit from the more retro-inspired current design, and remains very consistent with the EVOS concept from the B-pillar forward.


...
With the exterior clearly going with Ford's Kinetic design language, the speculation will now start anew with the mechanicals underneath. ...

The '13 Fusion and '15 Mustang resemblance is very strong at least in the front end; will they be the same platform?

[recoveryone]

The '13 Fusion and '15 Mustang resemblance is very strong at least in the front end; will they be the same platform?

The Fusion line picks up where the Contour SVT left off, it appears they are using the X line of the Jaguar frame for both. Here is a pick of my old 98 Contour SVT and look at the body lines compared to the new one

[Mash]

That grey job in #6 reminds me of a large Citroen (not the Escargot).

I doubt I will buy another Ford. Ford has hired CEO's a few times in the past who really compromised the product lines. The 1997 - 2003 F150 is a death trap thanks to Nasser.

Besides, I have become used to driving vehicles wherin the details are scrupulously attended to.

[texlle]

The Fusion line picks up where the Contour SVT left off, it appears they are using the X line of the Jaguar frame for both. Here is a pick of my old 98 Contour SVT and look at the body lines compared to the new one

Nice E0! My first car was a 1999 Contour SE "Sport" automatic in navy blue. It was definitely a sleeper because everyone thought it was an escort, and those that knew what a contour was, didn't know they came with a 2.5L V6. I still miss that car. I wish my dad opted for the black on tan E1 on the lot, but the dealer would not budge on the price. This was one of the only Fords of the '90s that was basically a European carry-over to the American market (called Mondeo in Europe), which meant better interior fit and finish, better reliability, and a more forward design inside and out, which is what I really liked about the car. The probe was similar in this respect, but Japanese, as it was essentially a Mazda MX-6 with different asthetics.

My old car:

[Mash]

Uhhhhh.... texlle......

Were you posting a redundant reiteration?

[texlle]

My browser has been lagging and just acting bizarre tonight. I'm currently trying to remove some spyware that popped up earlier today.