New Ford Mustang Debuts December 5, 2013 - Possible Photo Leaks

[Table 5]

I'm not really the muscle car audience, but I like that they moved a bit farther away from the retro look. The Boomers are getting older now, and it's time to attract a new generation. I was hoping they would go even further, but I'm sure they don't want to alienate too many loyal fans. The back works for me...the front is a little too Fusiony.

Btw, are windows more expensive than gold these days? Look at that crazy high beltline in the profile photo. Another car that will be impossible to see out of. I can't stand this trend to make everything feel like a tank.

[Table 5]

Another leaked photo that gives a somewhat more realistic view of the car. I do prefer the front better in this shot. Still hate the high beltline.

[Table 5]

http://business.time.com/2013/12/04/...ly-looks-like/

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Another leaked photo that gives a somewhat more realistic view of the car. I do prefer the front better in this shot. Still hate the high beltline.

JFC, that looks so awesome and just drips with Mustang heritage and styling queues all around the vehicle.

[DownhillGoat]

Well I'm not their demographic either, but my 2c:

I like that they're evolving. I think they knocked the original re-release out of the park with a great homage to the retro Mustangs. That was in what? 04? 05? Definitely time for a change, as a decade on the same gen gets a little stale. It's not bad, but I don't know if it's an improvement. Looks like a stretched out 350z with the nose cut off.

[Table 5]

From these new photos, my biggest design peeve is how bulbous that hood is, and how the nose just cuts off like a truck. Im sure a good chunk of that is due to Euro crash standards, but it sure would've been nicer if it sloped down a bit more.

A nice evolution, of the current design though (and I'm sure the IRS will be huge in terms of handling)...but visually it still feels a little fat. I was hoping for a leaner Mustang.

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Since when does the seating suck? I'm 6'3" and fit very comfortably in Mustangs. I've had two. The back seat isn't exactly roomy, but show me a two-door sports car with something better. My kids can sit behind me and mine is even a convertible, which has less room than a coupe.

They're uncomfortable and feel funny. I'm glad you fit, but my criteria for comfortable seating is more than, "Do I fit?". All I remember is feeling like the height of the seat was really awkward and it didn't feel comfortable because of that.

[photon]

Originally Posted by Table 5

From these new photos, my biggest design peeve is how bulbous that hood is, and how the nose just cuts off like a truck. Im sure a good chunk of that is due to Euro crash standards, but it sure would've been nicer if it sloped down a bit more.

A nice evolution, of the current design though (and I'm sure the IRS will be huge in terms of handling)...but visually it still feels a little fat. I was hoping for a leaner Mustang.

Pretty much agree, though I'll have to see it in real life, cars can be funny that way, look great on photos and terrible IRL or the other way.

Also agree with your comments about the high waistline and visibility.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by FireFly

They're uncomfortable and feel funny. I'm glad you fit, but my criteria for comfortable seating is more than, "Do I fit?". All I remember is feeling like the height of the seat was really awkward and it didn't feel comfortable because of that.

When you're 6'3", "do I fit?" is about as picky as you can be when it comes to car seating, lol. I don't even fit in at least half the Japanese cars out there and domestics are getting worse, too. I'd love to be four inches shorter...I could drive any car I want.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by photon

What are the chances that it'll get AWD?

An optional 30%/70% Front-Rear AWD distribution similar to the Audi R8 would be an interesting touch.

[GreenLantern2814]

I really dislike the 'throwback' styling on these muscle cars... It's like 'hey, remember when we made cars that everyone could afford that also had personality, style, and a work-of-art quality about them? You know, back when we were trying to prove to the world that our way worked better than communism, just look at what we can get a pushrod engine to do'?

Well this looks like that, except it's ####ty and modern. Why doesn't anything have a soul anymore?

Originally Posted by Table 5

http://business.time.com/2013/12/04/...ly-looks-like/

These new Ford steering wheels are a goddamn mess.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

I really dislike the 'throwback' styling on these muscle cars... It's like 'hey, remember when we made cars that everyone could afford that also had personality, style, and a work-of-art quality about them? You know, back when we were trying to prove to the world that our way worked better than communism, just look at what we can get a pushrod engine to do'?

Well this looks like that, except it's ####ty and modern. Why doesn't anything have a soul anymore?

These new Ford steering wheels are a goddamn mess.

No soul? Cars have never been better! Have you driven a 60s muscle car, or any older car for that matter, lately? They drive like complete and utter garbage. The soul of a new 5.0 Mustang is 400+ horsepower. Everything is better about a new car compared to an old car. Are you sure you're not romanticizing cars of yesteryear?

[Red_Baron]

Originally Posted by FireFly

They're uncomfortable and feel funny. I'm glad you fit, but my criteria for comfortable seating is more than, "Do I fit?". All I remember is feeling like the height of the seat was really awkward and it didn't feel comfortable because of that.

I have yet to see even the generalist mags complain about the seating in the 2005-up cars, even the base model. In fact, the 2013 up models with the optional recaros get very high praise all across the board-except from overweight individuals.

As for the new car, I'll wait to see it in real life, they always seem to look that much better in the 3rd dimension.


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[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Sliver

No soul? Cars have never been better! Have you driven a 60s muscle car, or any older car for that matter, lately? They drive like complete and utter garbage. The soul of a new 5.0 Mustang is 400+ horsepower. Everything is better about a new car compared to an old car. Are you sure you're not romanticizing cars of yesteryear?

I know they're better in literally every sense of the word, from safety to performance to features etc.

And yes, I'm romanticizing. However. A buddy of mine restores old cars as a hobby. He's currently working on a 1970 lime green Superbee. 4 speed manual. 383 Magnum. And driving in that thing down a highway at 7 at night on a glorious October evening into the sunset, I was wearing a smile the likes of which a modern car has never generated for me.

I think my affection is probably entirely rooted in the actual products being inferior. Of course they are; they're 40, 50 years old by this point. Limitations make things cooler. The original muscle cars were unique to the world at the time they came into existence. What they represented was new and exciting.

There is a cold quality to most new vehicles. An underlying cynicism that's evidenced in either their style or their price point, and it sucks. That Superbee, brand new, would've been $3500. And $3500 in 1970 money does not = whatever they're charging for Hemi Challengers these days.

So yes. I'm romanticizing. Because modern stuff has no soul.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

I know they're better in literally every sense of the word, from safety to performance to features etc.

And yes, I'm romanticizing. However. A buddy of mine restores old cars as a hobby. He's currently working on a 1970 lime green Superbee. 4 speed manual. 383 Magnum. And driving in that thing down a highway at 7 at night on a glorious October evening into the sunset, I was wearing a smile the likes of which a modern car has never generated for me.

I know the feeling your talking about. I had the same one in September driving my '05 towards the mountains, top down, sun starting to set, when my passenger reached over and took this photo.



As an aside, I can't believe that was just two months ago that I took this photo looking outside today.

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

I think my affection is probably entirely rooted in the actual products being inferior. Of course they are; they're 40, 50 years old by this point. Limitations make things cooler. The original muscle cars were unique to the world at the time they came into existence. What they represented was new and exciting.

There is a cold quality to most new vehicles. An underlying cynicism that's evidenced in either their style or their price point, and it sucks. That Superbee, brand new, would've been $3500. And $3500 in 1970 money does not = whatever they're charging for Hemi Challengers these days.

So yes. I'm romanticizing. Because modern stuff has no soul.

I have a friend that talks about cars like you do. He loves old cars and I just see nothing but an unsafe, poor handling hassle when I look at them. He enjoys fixing constant breakdowns and smelling like exhaust. I prefer driving.

I think you're mistaken about vehicles increasing in price faster than the value of a dollar. Car & Driver laid this myth to rest a couple of issues ago when somebody made your exact point about VW GTIs and it turns out they're the exact same value today as they were when they came out 25 years ago.

[Red John]

Looks like Ford got tired of taking 2nd place to the Camaro every year since 2009 and are trying to copy it now.

Pretty funny.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I know the feeling your talking about. I had the same one in September driving my '05 towards the mountains, top down, sun starting to set, when my passenger reached over and took this photo.



As an aside, I can't believe that was just two months ago that I took this photo looking outside today.



I have a friend that talks about cars like you do. He loves old cars and I just see nothing but an unsafe, poor handling hassle when I look at them. He enjoys fixing constant breakdowns and smelling like exhaust. I prefer driving.

I think you're mistaken about vehicles increasing in price faster than the value of a dollar. Car & Driver laid this myth to rest a couple of issues ago when somebody made your exact point about VW GTIs and it turns out they're the exact same value today as they were when they came out 25 years ago.

Don't get me wrong. The Superbee in question has eight feet of metal stretching out in front of it and I have remarked on several occasions that if we hit so much as a fencepost, that thing would probably come back and slice us in two.

I realize I have very little claim to this sort of philosophy; I'm 24 years old, and the Mustang from my childhood looks friggen terrible. And I'm not even saying that they shouldn't make muscle cars anymore. Just make them their own thing; don't ride the coattails of something that came out 50 years ago because you're out of ideas.

It's for this reason I don't dislike the Camaro nearly as much as some enthusiasts do. It may look like a sellout transformer car, but at least it looks like its own thing. And it's kinda badass, in its own way. These new Mustangs look like they're sacrificing yaks at an altar to try and bring Steve McQueen back to life.

Let me also say, I have no patience for fixing cars myself, or wrenching. So I'm aware that my entire viewpoint is simply that of 'judgy bitch'. I'm with you a hundred percent in that I'd rather be driving. My DD is an FR-S, and it's the only new car I've encountered (well and the BRZ) that

a) most people can reasonably afford
b) is so unabashedly concerned with only the driver

And while this car certainly takes its cues from pre-established automotive concepts, it doesn't look like a modernized interpretation of a specific vehicle. And it certainly doesn't look like the AE86.

I dunno. There's too much to complain about

[MRCboicgy]

<insert small-wang joke here>






(hey, at least something got inserted for once, if you know what I mean)

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by MRCboicgy

<insert small-wang joke here>






(hey, at least something got inserted for once, if you know what I mean)

Speaking of things that have no soul...

[Komskies]

It's okay, but I assume the 2015 Mustang will be the one to go for as they'll go all out to celebrate the 50th anniversary.