1 COBRA

Combine the pictures, a pretty good idea of what it looks like can be formed.

97GT03SVT

I think the Ford people know that the rear is becoming very unpopular. I wonder if we see a minor refresh in a year or two with the bumper. It wouldn't be the first time that a car quickly makes revisions to save it's overall appeal. Cars like the most current WRX and even the ill fated GTO made quick visual, mechanical changes. Perhaps Ford may "fix" the rear before the next major restyle.

97GT03SVT

WE have seen rear shots of the GT500, just check out the cammo picks. There are a few pics of a cammoed grabber blue w/ red stripe car that shows the rear.........looks pretty much like the GT to me.

gnat-sum

Let's see how it sells first.

I asked my friend in Ford design about this, he said with these economic cutbacks, they had to significantly reduce the photoshoot costs, and they focused on what was different from the "base" Mustang when doing the GT500 shots. When I pressed asking how simple is it to take one pic of the rear, he said, one image is the result of several images which are lightbracketed and then composed together as one- its the common process used in professional photography and the cost of the shoot skyrockets w/ each different shot setup. That's why you see some shots which are of the same car just at slightly different angles.

They also spent a ton of $ for the Mustang reveal in Santa Monica. And, as you said, they are fully aware of all the spy and camo shots. So no need to spend the extra $. Its a GT rear w/ Shelby lettering, Cobra faux gas cap, and different wing.

I for one love the new rear end design, and so does most of the media. IMO, it adds the shape and sculpture ( to use the designers' words ) like the 67 fastback, and makes the current S197 look flat and cardboard-like.

It seems the majority of those who don't like it have an 05-09 S197 ( I am sure there is one or two who doesn't fit this rule, don't flame me. ) With the focus on so many more products, maybe you'd get a bumper change, but don't expect a new rear until the new re-design in 2014.

1 COBRA

It is kind of odd to spend so much money and not photograph or cover a vital section of the car. IMO Ford decided not to release the photographs which is illogical given the fact the GT500 will be unveiled in a few days.

burningman

Ask your friend why they did the same with the GT and V-6 though...there are no dead on shots of the rear of those cars too.

2k7gtcs

So now current 05-09 owners are jealous of how good the 2010 rear looks. You guys crack me up. You can have the rear. I'll put up with it if its a GT500 because the rest of the car makes up for it, but the GT and V6 are just wrong. I happen to own a '07 so I don't have a right to dislike it becase I'm tainted as I own a Mustang.

You can have your sculpture, I'll take my cardboard.

burningman

the more i see those HID's the more that car looks cross eyed (they also remind me of some of those lights you get from APC)...why couldn't they just make them the same style as the normal lights.

crazyhorse

I thought the rear end of the 87-93 GTs were ugly too. Those taillight covers were horrible. I still proudly owned one. I didn't like the rear end of teh 94-96 either. the horizontal tails were just not attractive. The car will still sell in large numbers. It'll just go down as an ugly rear ended Mustang.

You say cardboard, I say broad and muscular. The rear view of my car looks intimidating. The new one looks like it is grinning at you.

As far as the majority of the dislikers owning S197s, well, the majority of the members of the site are S197 owners. So, I don't think it has anything to do with jealousy. Just a sample of the population.

greggara

I share your opinion. They should have made them the same style although they look better to me on the Shelby than the GT.

watchdevil

Yeah really, I am far from jealous. If anything I am happy that I still like what I have and do not have new model envy that would give me the compulsion to trade my 08.

I certainly do not mind changes from the original Mustang designs if they are attractive. Like I have said before the new bodyside sculpturing is a great alternative although I could care less if the "hip" was there or not. I do like the softer wheel flairs.

The fact is the new rear end design is alienating a significant amount of people and causing controversy because they feel it is not attractive. I have seen the rear end with my own eyes and I do not like it. For me just a couple of minor changes would make it more tolerable. Some people need to stop insisting that people that don't like it should wait for it to grow on us and stop defending why the design is justified. If the design has to be explained and defended why it is the way it is then it fails IMHO. You should just be able to look at it and it speaks for itself.

For me, this ranks right up there with the ridiculously oversized license plate pocket of the 1999-04 models. We will just have to wait what future generations may bring.

I could clearly see an evolution to a Shelby GR1-like design with it's full fastback and more upright tail. The design would help make the rear more compact and fit on a smaller proportion if the next Mustang downsizes.

Granatelli

Ugly this and not so good looking that - pshhhhh. I remember when I got my 94 Mustang and all my 88-93 friends just told me how ugly that car was. then again in 98 and again in 2001. Lets get a few 1000 on the road and then we can all decide - I actually like the new stuff.

burningman

Sorry gran but i don't need a few thousand cars on the road to tell me they blew it
Call me opinionated call me a hater..call me whatever. Fact of the matter is some of us wont like it and some will.
To me of the GT and the Cobra, the GT is a better looking car and requires less in the tweak area to make it livable.
The back is still a design train wreck and the cobra has the nose of the new ram pickup.
I know ford will sell a zillion of all these cars and good for them..still doesn't mean I have to like it.

As I said I'm not a Ford guy, but a car guy if it's cool i'm all over it and speed and HP aren't the only factors involved. This car to me hits about 70% of the marks and that's not enough.

The challenger for me hits all marks 100%
the new camaro hits about 50% of them

66ponyman

well i am not an s197 owner, but a proud sn95 owner, and i agree with burningham...ford just plain missed the mark. and yes there have been questionable design cues on our mustangs over the years, but come on, when not even ford themselves will show a rear shot of the new gt500, the fastest mustang built, that throws up some flags..is ford embarassed of their royal screw up? and ive always thought the new '10s looked too much like the rams,and these pics of the gt500 confirm that...tisk tisk ford..who knows..maybe they'll change it before production becasue so many just plain hate it..?

RedCandy5.0

You said it perfectly. I think of the Mustang, Camaro, G8 GT/GXP, Challenger, the Challenger did it best. Each car has its pluses and minuses. The Challengers interior is a bit drab but not ugly and they could have used more HP in the R/T, SRT but the total package is spot on. Mustang great interior, ugly rear, low HP. Camaro looks so so, ugly interior but excellent HP. G8 GT/GXP ok looking, great HP, but its a 4 door.

Granatelli

Well I understand your point as well. That is why they have rocky road ice cream and strawberry. I think the challenger has a huge *** and looks totally out of place - Dodge missed the mark in my opinion and I love the Camaro. I do agree about the Mustang and 70%. In my biness I have to have (own) all of them regardless of whether I like then or not. Like I said before I like driving the GT over the Shelby. Shelby just feels like a super heavy (non aggile) car. I have not driven the Camaro yet and the Challenger...drives better then it looks but seem less qualitly over all. to me

Granatelli

I love my G8 - I twin turbo'd it. makes 405hp and 500ft/lbs to the tires. typicall LS engine tons of torque everywhere

BlueSkyVert

I guess I'm the odd duck because I think the rear is shapely and modern? The only real design attribute I don't like is the black trim. Reminds me of the 97 Civic hatchback I had in college with black door handles, side skirts, and door molding...

burningman

It turned gray/white after about 2 summer also didn't it LOL

every one i saw was like that

burningman

Fare enough. btw for the record I'll take Rocky road over strawberry anyday