Along J Mays' statements, Alan was hinting again about Falcon moving to a Mustang platform (NOT Mustang moving to a Falcon platform) in the near-ish future. If the Mustang platform is going to form the basis for a smaller Falcon (and possibly a Linc), it's going to get those features it needs to go global.

 

I think the reason why its so much on their shoulders is that its not only a redesign year, but also milestone anniversary year.

If it was midcycle tape/stripe ... we'd be pretty bummed.

 

For the 2014 Mustang to be a 3200-3300lb car with a 400+HP V8 with a body design influenced by the Shelby GTR with all the classic Mustang design cues (shark-mouth front fascia, c-scoops, vertical tri-bar taillights, etc.) would be a dream of mine.

 

It all sounds pretty good to me. A good drop in weight being the best news.

Although I don't want the Mustang to turn into a generic sports coupe, I think the blatant retro look is running pretty thin. To me it's more important that the overall proportions and character stay true to what they should be rather than specific design details like triple tail lights or a side scoop.

This is why I think the Fox looks more Mustang than the 94-04 models. It's not the specifics, but more the overall proportions and character that make a Mustang for me. I'd welcome more of leap in design rather than a evolution.

As far as the 2013 comment, I assume he is referring to a concept car with the real thing showing up in 2014 as a 2015 model. How close the tease will be is hard to say.

Whatever it ends up looking like, I am thinking it is finally time for a proper fastback/sports roof profile.

 

Ford isn't doing concepts any more, if we see the next Mustang in 2013 it will most likely be in production guise or lightly done up. Also, since odds are we'll see it at Detroit (unless Detroit ceases to be) I'm betting Production will be within a year of it being shown (Fprd is not Chevy and the Mustang won't hang out there forever like the Camaro). So late 2013/early 2014 as a 2014.5

I'm endlessly amused by the roofline thing. Some complain it's not fastback enough, some complain it's not notchback enough.Whichever direction they could take it, someone won't be happy. personally, I find it it be just about the perfect compromise between the two extremes.

 

This. No matter what Ford does to the next-generation Mustang, there will be some that aren't happy. That's just the way it goes, unfortunately; you can't please everyone!

 

What makes you say that? We've had a few already this year......Iosis-Max, Start etc.....not really ones to get that excited about, I'll admit.

Either way, I'm anxious to see what's in store for the next-gen Mustang

 

personally, I was a bit worried about his historical perspective- he mentioned something about 65/6 being great, 7/8 ok, then it wandered off or something like that...I dunno, but to me the 69 fastback was the ultimate to date- I hope they dont think everyone out here thinks the 69 was a ugly mustang

edit: saw this yesterday, just rewatched it - quote "everything was on track until about 1969"...

hearing that from Fords lead design guy kinda broke my heart...I hope J Mays hasnt confused sales numbers with desirability- economies/wars were affecting sales then as now- thinking the 69 was 'off track' from asthetics standpoint is way way way way wrong in my opinion. but J Mays opinion is likely the only one that counts at ford.

 

Part of me agrees with him (a little bit). I personally like the appearance of the coupe, fastback, and convertible models up to 1968. For the 1969 and 1970 models, I love the fastback, the convertible is ok IMO, and the coupe is nothing I would ever aspire to own. With the 1971-73 models, the convertibles and fastbacks are ok, but the coupes are some of my least favorite Mustangs of all time, and all of the 71-73's are a bit too large and heavy for my taste.

 

Several insiders have said Alan really dislikes concepts because they get people interested/excited for a product that doesn't exist. The Iosis-Max was a real C-Max underneath they just dressed it up, the Start seemed to be a special case of Ford trying to gauge interest in a specific segment. Focus and Fiesta have both come on without concepts showing up first. In the past, you'd get a concept each show, we've had 1.5 for this entire year.

 

I'm not too worried about it. It seems every next generation has gotten better looking IMO since the Mustang II died off. Though I like the retro I'd like to see a new direction but keeping some classic cues. I found the 94-04 to have enough overall retro flair for me to feel it's still a Mustang. As much as I like and prefer the 2010 style over the 2005 it just doesn't stand out the way the 05 model did when new. That is as good a reason as any to make some radical changes to the styling. For many besides the power increase the new style is not different enough to justify trading in your 05-09 car. I know someone felt it doesn't need tri-bar tail lights or a chrome pony in the grille I feel it's a must!

I would be a little sad to see the car get smaller though it makes logical sense I love the size of the current gen car but then again as long as the driver is comfortable I'll be happy with it. I just hope that if they go with more of a modern look they bring back the SVT Cobra!

 

And yet are smaller and, I suspect, lighter than our S197s

For me, the best looking Mustang of all time was the '69 Fastback.........especially in Boss 429 form. I agree though, the coupes just don't ring my bell.

Thanks for that. I kind of agree with him.....in these days of cost-cutting, no point blowing a few million on a concept car that won't see the road. But.....BUT....the Mustang is such an important car that to blow the styling now would be a terrible mistake. Without wishing to start another 2010 ***-bashing contest (I actually quite like it) I wonder if the 2010 would still be sporting that rear end if it had been shown on a concept car based 90% on the production car. The amount of internet space used to show displeasure at it leads me to believe Ford may have changed it given enough time.

I know we're a tiny minority, but here in the UK the Mustang might have well of died in 1973.....it just dropped off our radar (OK, we had the European Capri which is what kept me in mini-Mustang RWD heaven whilst the rest of Europe went with hot hatches).....but the Fox Mustangs didn't make a blip, neither did the later SN95s. It wasn't until the S197 concept was shown, and later the production car, that HUGH interest was again shown in the Mustang in the UK. Here was a brand new car that offered all the style of the gorgeous classic Mustangs we all know and love, but in a package you could happily use everyday. Turn-key reliablilty, cheap to run and turns more heads than a Lamborghini. I don't know the numbers, but in 5 years there are probably almost as many S197 Mustangs in the UK as there are '65-'73s. A number of companies have sprung up to import and service the cars.....companies that just didn't exist before the S197.

So, what am I saying? Please Ford, don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. I can appreciate they may be in a quandry on how to move the styling forward, but don't change it for changes sake. I still believe there's plenty of scope to give us further variations on a the current theme without turning it into just another sports coupe.

 

J. Mays at the Paris show is pretty much in line in what we heard in an interview with the Ford Cologne Marketing and Sales director W. Booms two/three month ago on the occasion of our 25th. club anniversary. Looks like we can be glad that the Mustang won't be another kinetic design.
However the next "lightweight" Capri on the Focus base will sport those elements with the Ecoboost engine variety. At least we all may have the choice of driving both affordable sports car concepts one day.

 

Interesting.......any more on that sketch? I assume it's for a European Capri. Looks similar to the Iosis concept which previewed the new Mondeo. Not quite what I want a new Capri to be, but still a nice, small Euro Ford coupe.

 

Was hoping the little 69-73 fastback quarter windows would return in 2014, for a true 'fastback' look, but if those were 'off track' years, its unlikely...visibility was pretty good in the 69/70, but pretty bad in 71/3 fastbacks...

wait and see is all we can do

 

Actually not that much difference in size and weight. According to the spec chart in the back of the "Mustang Red Book" the 1971-73 is an inch longer than the S197, the same width, but about 6" lower in height. Weight will vary for each according to options, but they list the weight as 3560 lbs with the 351CJ engine, my '08 GT had a curb wieght of 3490 lbs.

Just like the early Mustangs grew in size and weight through the early generations, history has repeated itself with the size and weight increases from the Fox bodies to the SN95's to the New Edge Mustangs, and now with the current S197's. The Fox Mustangs were very close in size and weight to the 1965-66 Mustangs, and now we're up to the size and weight of the 1971-73 Mustangs again. Hopefully they an reset things back to the size and weight of the Fox/65-66 Mustangs with the next generation coming in a couple years.

 

The sketch was just one of those on his office walls, not new. The latest Capri rendering was in the Autobild recently. Another one more edgy in TopGear (which is probably more like it).


Our interview text is stil under approval. Not much left though

 

Nice! I like it!

 

KILL IT!!KILL IT WITH FIRE

 

That would be a nice looking car....................for a Japanese car maker