As opposed to "DEAD".

 

OOOF!

No punches pulled there, was it?

 

.....people on this forum regularly and aggressively attack GM for not listening to it's enthusiast base and and in the same breath they now lambast the new Mustang that was a DIRECT result of Ford asking (novel concept) their Mustang owner base what they wanted in the new model....and it was obviously a strong visual tie to it's roots......

Personally, I really like the new Mustang...more than any other Mustang since the early 70's..........I also like the new 350Z, and I also see it's heritage in it's new design too.

Having said that, I also can see the dead end street a full on retro design can be....i.e. the new T-Bird...nice, but what do you do with it in five to eight years??...Not real sure Ford ever thought it would stick around that long though.....

Personally, I think the new Mustang's future models will have some of the same problems as the T-bird....but to a much lesser extent. Ford hasn't seeemd to ever be afraid of re-inventing the Mustang with some regularity.

Finally, I think we need to realize that when the Camaro returns it will need to appeal to those of use who were around for and made the first few generations of Camaros successfull....and it sure as hell better look like a Camaro from the first impression

Of all the forums I visit and check into their reaction to the multitudes of proposed 5th gens...this image is the one that consistantly gets the highest praise.........imagine a new Mustang style detailing of this sketch and I can't image people not liking it?!?

Scott's right...when it returns a lot will love it.....a lot will hate it....and 6 months into it, most will like it much better......boy people sure hate change...LOL!

 

Doug.....Your post is about the best reply in this whole thread!I second word for word what you put!

 

Count me aboard this ship too... Well said Doug.
"....and it sure as hell better look like a Camaro from the first impression " says it all.

 

Grasshoppa.You didnt open your mind.....When you look at the side you have to be blind not to see a 66 for starters.That is looking at the green houseclick me to see your wrong

compared to the 05 fastback

The @$$ end is 69/70 shelby without the wing here is a 69 shelby



The front is obviously 67/68

The side scoops are reminicent of the 99-03's fake scoops.And the wheel wells are 99-03 as well.
01

The Fox body wont work in the style theme of the car.

 

Seriously guys, you CAN'T possibly deny that the new Stang concept is anything short of a full-out retro design. I'm holding off final judgment on it till I see one in person, but this is not a totally "new" design per-sae. This car is about what I figured it would look like when it was learned that Ford was leaning towards a retro design. I'm not saying that its a bad design at all, (pictures make it look nice) but it doesn't blow me away.

Anyway, just my $.02


BTW, Damn! the back end does look strikingly similar to the 90's Mercury Capri

 

After reviewing the info you have put forth, i have changed my mind about the 05' Mustang...........wait, nope. It is still late 60's stang and late 60's stang only.
By the way, Just because Ford asked people about a "new" Mustang, does not automatically mean it will result in a good design. I'd like to know the demographic of the "feedback" that Ford got for this car and the actual "feedback" itself.

 

Well it flooded the internet.Every mag had to do a article on it.It is the talk of the town.There is around a million threads on the 05.
The funny part is when a magazine does a article on it it gets all over the world.Where as this thread and all the threads containing the 05 Mustang is only a drop in a bucket.

Sure call it retro,Full blown retro or what ever you may.Bill Ford just calls it money in the pocket.I cant wait to see a review of the 05 and the GTO.It will be breath taking.I know for a fact that the silver coupe is so close to the production car it would make you go

Either way I always wanted a "66-7-9"Mustang so now is my chance to get a new one.

Just because chevy doesnt have anything to offer for under $40,000 doesnt mean you have to cry about it

 

Wow, I knew the new M*****g was a done over design, but I never realized just how much until I read this post. I agree, GM, please don't do that to the Camaro.

 

Why not?They already did the unthinkable

It might do them good too do it they might acctually sell some

 

They asked mustang enthusiasts worldwide and they said "we want a car that screams MUSTANG." So that's what they get. This seems to be the opposite development process of GM - they seem to design the car first and then say "this is what you should like, we know, because we're GM"

A lot of people seem to like this car, and I don't think they'll have any trouble selling them. I also doubt they'll have trouble taking this "retro" design forward in the next redesign.

In any rate, the more successful this car is, the better the chances for a Camaro return and the better it must be to compete.

 

WERM, well said, perhaps even understated. In my 20+ years in the hobby, I've never seen buzz about a car like this. On the various boards, I see people pledging that "I'm already saving my money", I've gotta have one of these", and "there goes the current ride", and the car is at least 18 months away!

Someone on this board wrote that they expected to see 250k units sold in '05, and I replied with doubt. Well, a few weeks later, and I'm about ready to eat crow. I'm starting to think it will too. But in order for that to happen, Ford MUST have a clean launch. If they can go into production, stay on pace (no line stoppage for problems, etc.), and have no recalls in the first year, I think the car will easily bust 200k units.

And to address the issue of where it will go from here, I offer two points to consider...
1) The Mustang II was the first true advertised effort by Ford to take the car back to it's roots - the original '65. The Mustang II moved on after the first "rebirth", successfully too. We had Fox-bodies and then SN95s, etc. I wouldn't sweat it.
2) The car will likely go where the people tell Ford they want it to go.. The '05 will hardly be on the street a year before Team Mustang will be working on the next revision, and I'm certain the Mustang enthusiasts will be speaking their desires at that time for what they want next. Again, I wouldn't sweat it.

One thing is for certain, Bill Ford will be approving the development funds for it... He's inasmuch as said so already. He IS committed to it, so I don't think they will let it flounder even if this design falls short of expectations.

...falls short of expectations... yeah, right.
Bwaahahaha, I kill me!

 

Replacing "design by committee" with design by "customer-survey" is hardly an improvement. Most people aren't very imaginative, and this concept proves the fact. Personally, I'd rather leave the basic design parameters to the engineers and aerodynamicists, and the design itself to an actual
designer.

If Mustang owners express a desire to live in the past, such aspirations would be better served by the restoration market. Ford has given up any pretense at forward-looking design in the the last few years, and far from being a sign of a turnaround, the 2005 Mustang Concept is just a symptom of malaise.

The fact remains that I actually like the concept, but I cannot in all fairness judge it to be any more of an advance than the awful Thunderbird. Ford picked the least practical body style of the 1966-68 Mustang range to emulate, and the result is severely compromised car. If the F4 Camaro was roundly (and perhaps wrongly) lambasted for poor visibility, the "new" fastback Mustang will be similarly criticised. A hatchback might have at least given the car cargo accessibilty, but Ford remained "true" to the 60s. With the prospect of decent drivetrains and underpinings, it's a pity that Ford has hamstrung the upcoming Mustang with deliberately dated styling.

 

Hmmm verrry good point about visibility in a fastback car. It ain't great. Keep in mind the the concept has 2 seats while the production car will have 4 but a steeply raked rear window is kind of like a 4th Gen F-body windshield (hmm that sooo many love to complain about ). Either way there's some inherant problems to deal with there.

ProudPony, I know you're very defensive when it comes to retro (to say the least! ) The car isn't retro because it doesn't have 14 inch wheels like the original? Of course it wouldn't, no self-respecting sporty car of today would have 14 inch wheels. Sure there's a few more creases thrown in there but the bottom line is it looks like a mildly freshened '67 fastback to me. Don't take it to heart man, it's JMO.