Here is the photo from the magazine of the production model.

 

DANG!

Yeah, that front end of the mule is tweaked and not as slanted as the look on teh production model.

Its VERY GT500-ish with a nice shape/tweak.

Cannot wait to see the rest of the car

 

Looks great, more agressive.

 

Ford done the same thing with the 93 Mach III showcar and 1994 Mustang Concept Car. The production designs were already locked into place and they just simply used exaggerated design cues to show concepts before the real production cars showed up. Going back even further, there was the 1963 Mustang II show car that previewed the production design which was locked in before the show car debut.

As with most Mustang show cars, some really good design elements never get used.

 

Not a step at all past retro if you ask me. The 2010 is still a play on existing cues just like the late 60's Mustangs still looked like the original Mustangs with a few things changed here and there. I am sure in time they will move away from retro and try some new things. The thing is to make attractive changes, come up with some fresh ideas and not just make ugly changes for changes sake. They will probably have to slowly evolve it so that it is not too much of a shock or have the Mustang loose it's look and identity.

 

I don't think they should detract from what they have AT ALL
Mustang DNA has been closest to what it should have been, for the past 40 years.

The 05 isn't so much retro, but what a mustang SHOULD look like.

 

I couldn't agree more Pete. In fact IMO, Ford took it's best design cues from it's classic 1965-70 era. along with cues from it's modern 99-04 SN-95 era.

Ford then brought both era's together, to create a metamorphosis between classic DNA, and modern design.

 

According to some friends of friends of ours who work in the design team at Ford, the design for the 2010 was frozen in October 2005. It takes roughly 1.25 years to go through the engineering of making it manufactur-able ( is that a word? ) and keep it within budget. Apparently, it is a constant fight between keeping the "look", within cost, and what the engineers are able to do ( and this is common practice, not just Mustang ). After that, the first prototypes are built from "soft tools" (?) as test-beds, which takes another year. Any changes needed are made, and then final prototypes are built and tested, ( which is all the camoflauged spy shots we see now ) which takes another year, then any problems are corrected, and then the production cars start ( job 1 ). So its design frozen + 1.25+ 1+1 = 3 years.

If the 2010 'stang is being introduced next year, with a job 1 early next year, then the timeline adds up. The 36 months happens after the design of the "look", it does not include it. ( He told us that after the design is frozen, i.e. Oct 2005, they are only allowed to make changes up to 5 millimeters in any direction, anything more than that requires approval of a vice-president!!!! Sounds like they have to be right on! He also said the design was started in early Jan-Feb 2005, and the Guigario and Camaro came after it.)

I am eager to see the car too. I was thinking of getting a 2008/9 but he said the 2010 will knock my socks off. Can't wait!

 

I agree there. The Mustang is a car that is defined by the exact styling it appeared as having when it was introduced. Much like the VW Beetle is defined by it's exact shape.

There is a reason the Porsche 911 still lives on with practically the same basic look it had when it was first introduced. Porsche would be nothing without the 911 as Ford would be nothing without the Mustang. The excercise of re-establishing Mustang design cues in 1994 and bringing them closer to the original for 2005 is a way of setting things right as they should be.

 

At least we have something new to discuss!

 

i cant wait for 2010 mustang to but im just hoping 5.0 its been confirmed but do you think it gonna happen

 

I have little doubt the 5.0 is on the way. I just wish it was in the '10.

 

dam but be awsome if it was

 

Heck yeah! Boomer's right. The headlights and fascia "posts" are way more angular -- a la current GT500 -- than on the rough mock-ups. I'm liking what I'm seeing; very aggressive.

 

I didn't mean to imply the 2010 was moving past the 2005+ styling and away from retro. . . I was trying to convey that maybe the 2010 was the last iteration of this retro theme. I could have chosen my words better.

I beg to differ on what a Mustang 'should' look like. I love every year of Mustang (which is something not many can say for reasons of their own) and while FMC has done a fantastic job with the 2005+ I think it’s time to move the design forward and the 2010 (naturally) is the first step.

I agree Watchdevil with your thoughts on change (although look what happened in 1974 and the change the II brought, not to mention the sales.) I just feel that from a sustainability standpoint the Mustang should not become bogged down in a continuous ‘retro’ Muscle car theme with the Challenger and Camaro. If all three of these cars stay around one will have to break free and move forward . . . . and the only one I am betting on is the Mustang.

 

It's a wonder how FMC sold all those Foxes . . . .

 

Right car at the right time for the right price with the right power

 

With right name . . . . and just as much 'Mustang' tradition in a Fox as any other model year.

 

Awesome, from that pic of the red 2010 the fogs look to be in the bumper! Great becuase i have never been a fan of the grill fogs.

 

IDK- I like the GT500 front end, but why make the new stang look like an OLD GT500? If the new GT500 undrgoes a redesign, then the new mustang just ends up looking like an outdated GT500. I'd prefer something different altogether.