Detroit's Muscle -- Ford Mustang

[MaxSpeed]

Rumors around Detroit are that the new Mustang will be smaller , yet much faster. This is a design that should be produced years ago.

[downtown_racine]

As a Mustang fanatic that car looks utterly ridiculous. The Mustang will stay alot like it looks now for awhile and it has looked that way for a good while.

There has not been a bad bodystyle Mustang since the early 80's tin cans went away. Obviously the Mustang II was trash. All the rest are good looking.
Great cars, secretaries cars.

[Bigb23]

Camaro ZL1 longer, faster and in your face.



Attachment 10238

[davewindsor]

Camaro ZL1 longer, faster and in your face.



Attachment 10238

Hahaha, you still believe that??

Camaro is still trailing in the dust from the new Mustang in every class.

[davewindsor]

Rumors around Detroit are that the new Mustang will be smaller , yet much faster. This is a design that should be produced years ago.

That video looks like it's a couple decades old.

[One Shot]

How much smaller can it get? Think it's small enough now to be still practical which I believe is a key to it's continued success. I personally like the current body with the sequential tailights.
Take it in while it's here. We've waited years for the big 3 to all have decent pony cars and they're here now! Still partial to the Challenger due to upbringing and true classic looks. Mustang and Camaro tied for my second place.

[stromberg2]

The above video is the concept for the all new 1994 Mustang. The 2013 will not look like that.

Stromberg2

[downtown_racine]

Ah yes 1994 the waning years for the tried and true Windsor 5.0, also around the time Ford was thinking of replacing the Stang with a pile of crap called a Probe, thank god that didnt happen.

Todays pony/muscle cars put the 1969 classics to shame in every way.

[Bigb23]

Good one Davewinwindsor

[rid0617]

YEECH. As another Mustang fanatic that looks like nothing more than the older Taurus with the Mustang grill from those 80s throw away Mustangs

[Jimaz]

What's with the vestigial side scoops on the Mustang? I always thought they were considered a necessary component of the Mustang look. Are they trying to phase them out?

[Ray1936]

My standard line: If I can't haul home a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood with it, I haven't the least interest in it.

[canuck]

I agree with both downtown_racine and Oneshot; the classic Mustang revival of recent years is not to be tampered with easily. I never understood the M2 design that managed to make nonsense of the so called "Planned Obsolescence Phases". I really enjoy the revivals of Chrysler Muscle cars and even the Camaro to an extent. You want a car to look like it can move, not be moved; like a fridge.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

The Dodge Challenger is sweeter than both of them. I hate the Camaro's tailight treatment.

[Dbest]

I noticed a few similarities in the styling between this and the newest Thunderbird.

[Supersport]

Todays pony/muscle cars put the 1969 classics to shame in every way.

downtown_racine,

I personally wouldn't say "every way." For one, you can pick any one of the new pony cars, slap a set of sticky tires on it, take it to the track, and start saving for the rearend that will inevitably blow out. The strongest rearends ever built were found in those cars back in 1969, be it a Dana, a Ford 9 inch, or even the slightly less strong, though plenty stout, 12 bolt and 8 3/4's.

As for transmission strength at the track, again, the TH400 by Chevy is arguably one of the best transmissions built to date, Variations have been used throughout the years by not just GM, but also Ferrari, Jaguar, Rolls Royce, Bentley, AM General, and Jeep. [[all of which even I didn't realize, aside from Jaguar).

I will not argue that todays powertrains are extremely refined, highly efficient, and overall great engines that make outstanding power. Yet I am reluctant to say that new cars beat a 1969 in every way. I got a 700 hp 69 Camaro with plenty of stock powertrain parts that would prove otherwise, and spank any of today's greatest factory hot rods, including the ZR1 Vette.

That said, I would love to own a new Camaro, and wouldn't turn down a Mustang or Challenger. My biggest gripe is that all are seriously overweight, and loaded with too many luxuries that I personally could live without. I also feel that the government has gone overkill with safety features. I don't need 10 air bags, I've survived a crash at 55 mph without a single air bag. I don't need traction control, stability control, or any of that other crap. I know how to let off the throttle, I know how to apply the brakes, and would even prefer a lever or cable adjusting my throttle as opposed to a sensor. Yes, I'd love a new Camaro, but perhaps I'll wait and buy one 10 years old, strip all the crap off I feel I don't need, but an old school Ford 9 inch under it, and go racing.

[downtown_racine]

SS I agree with ya all the way and I do really appreciate all cars and am really an all car fan. My fave Chev's are any of the tri fives, early Novas, all early non rounded out GTO's, Cutlasses, Skylarks, Early Chevelles tho the 67 is the best IMO.
Also like boat tail Rivis among other Buicks.

Old Ford cars were mostly ugly tho I like the A's, T's, Galaxies, Stangs and of course lots of good trucks from Ford and cannot forget lots of good Mo'pars.
Lots of good engines and transmissions were made during detroits heyday stuff like the the THM400 you mentioned, the 727 from ChryCo and the C6 from ford.
Of course the 9' is an industry standard in drag racing just like the powerglide and of course the king Hemi which lends its design to the fastest drag cars in the world so yea all that iron really went to good use.
They will never build rock crushers or Dana 60's again but that LSX engine line sure is sweet. The new Ford and Chrysler V8's are outstanding also.
Dad had a stock 9' in an 86 F150, had to be the last year that axle was ever used, had not been in a car in years at that point. Truck went 234k on stock everything.

As a 31 year old car nut I was told endless muscle car stories about a bygone era that they were sad I missed. Then good muscle and pony cars came back, the new Camaro and Challenger look awesome and have great powertrains.
I have an 03 Cobra with 500 rwhp and an IRS that works pretty well but can be broken with a nasty wheelhop if your unlucky. I'm at 55k on the Cobra and only had a crappy Visteon alt fail on my at a horrible time. Have 215k on a 99 5.0 Exploder and 201k on a 99 4.0 Grand Cherokee.
Next auto will be another Ford, only Fords in my future, American Motors.

[DetroitPlanner]

I can recall at one time the Escort EXP was going to be the Mustang. Look on the briht side that pink thing is still nicer than the Mustang II

[Supersport]

downtown_racine,

I guess I miss judged you. Pardon my ignorance, but I took you for a youngin' who knew little about cars and simply had an opinion, with little knowledge to back it up. An 03 Mustang with 500 rwhp is nothing to flinch at! So, you get it.

My daily driver is an 89 Pontiac Formula. I'd love to install a tubular k-member w/a-arms, an LS powertrain, and a 6 speed. I think I can get it's 3400 lb curb down close to 3,000 lbs. A nice 400-450 hp engine with it's light curb weight would make it quick, nimble, and while not my goal, it would likely easily get over 30 mpg. Best of all, in my opinion, I wouldn't have rediculously huge rims/tires, a navigation system I don't need, traction control, stability control, 6 way seats, etc. I love the styling of the new cars, but I just have a hard time swallowing the fact that they are fat pigs, requiring them to make more power, and inevitably get just average mpg that was obtained by their siblings over 20 years ago! My car was rated at 25/17, where as I think the SS Camaro is rated at 24/16 mpg. Yes, it does make 175 hp more, which is awesome, but I just don't want it to weight anywhere from 600-1000 lbs [[depending upon whose curb weight numbers you believe) more than what I have.

[rid0617]

The Dodge Challenger is sweeter than both of them. I hate the Camaro's tailight treatment.

Not sure if you have Chervron gas stations up there but the Camaro looks like a Chervron car to me.

[mallory]

Old video. You can tell by what the model is wearing. My wife said she had suits like that in the 90's.

BTW, I want to know what the model is doing the first few seconds of the video.

[canuck]

I like the new T-Bird, but somehow it looks more like a cartoon version of a classic à la CARS animated automobile.

[Rochelle St.]

I'm partial to the Challenger too.
Wish Dodge would make it a lttle smaller, and introduce a convertible version.
When is this car up for re-design?