"Hey wait, Japans buying these things."
- Thread starter Mr_Q
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cave diver
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snaggeltooth
New Member
It is very obvious in the design of the rear and front ends many nods to Japanese auto design are present. The drift community in Japan LOVES the Mustang as well. And supports a fairly large culture of it over it there.
I am wondering if this is a trend in design that will continue? How do fellow Mustang owners feel about this new phase in design?
The one big thing the S197 had going for it was it's bold, out there retro blend. A style that said, "yeah I know I am not the most technically advanced machine on the road but I don't need to be." The retro look told everyone, "I am a Detroit muscle car" and "I eat tires and road for breakfast." It's like the Mustang got a pass on everything else because of this.
Then we get that early Italian concept which started worrying everyone. And now that I am seeing the resulting 2010s on the road....the front fascia, the rear-end, those LED tail lights...it's just too obvious that it looks like the Mustang is trying to "fit in". To toss off it's muscle car roots. At least in style and this is just the beginning, potentially.
Problem is as soon as you start moving away from that bold retro appearance you start to fall back in to the "noise" of everything else out there. Which then will bring inevitable if not completely unjustified comparos.
Why not build on maintaining a heritage look but improve things internally? Hell Porsche has had the same basic shape since inception for a reason, it works. It's a trademark. Mustang design definitely had it's dominant era of design in the late 60s and even early 70s. The S197 took its cue from that era for a reason, it works.
Do we really need to cycle through another 10 years of completely different styles that diffuse the Mustang trademark?
If you could build a time machine and go back to 1967, grab a Mustang owner and then bring them to today...they'd say, "oh cool, looks evolved, I recognize it." Take that same person and dump them off in 1995 through 2004, I think they'd have a heart attack.
I am wondering if this is a trend in design that will continue? How do fellow Mustang owners feel about this new phase in design?
The one big thing the S197 had going for it was it's bold, out there retro blend. A style that said, "yeah I know I am not the most technically advanced machine on the road but I don't need to be." The retro look told everyone, "I am a Detroit muscle car" and "I eat tires and road for breakfast." It's like the Mustang got a pass on everything else because of this.
Then we get that early Italian concept which started worrying everyone. And now that I am seeing the resulting 2010s on the road....the front fascia, the rear-end, those LED tail lights...it's just too obvious that it looks like the Mustang is trying to "fit in". To toss off it's muscle car roots. At least in style and this is just the beginning, potentially.
Problem is as soon as you start moving away from that bold retro appearance you start to fall back in to the "noise" of everything else out there. Which then will bring inevitable if not completely unjustified comparos.
Why not build on maintaining a heritage look but improve things internally? Hell Porsche has had the same basic shape since inception for a reason, it works. It's a trademark. Mustang design definitely had it's dominant era of design in the late 60s and even early 70s. The S197 took its cue from that era for a reason, it works.
Do we really need to cycle through another 10 years of completely different styles that diffuse the Mustang trademark?
If you could build a time machine and go back to 1967, grab a Mustang owner and then bring them to today...they'd say, "oh cool, looks evolved, I recognize it." Take that same person and dump them off in 1995 through 2004, I think they'd have a heart attack.
I believe he's comparing some of the styling cues of the 2010 Mustang to the black body molding on Toyotas and such.
cave diver
Member
Well, now that the OP explained his original comment, here is my response:
I don't see any of the Toyota, Honda, Nissan styling in the 2010 Mustang. In fact, I think the Mustang has zero resemblance to those makes. LED tail lights are just a better and safer technology, not 'ricer'. Would you prefer Ford goes back to tungsten filament headlights like the originals?
The 2010 Mustang looks like a Mustang, the iconic all-American pony car that it started out to be
I don't see any of the Toyota, Honda, Nissan styling in the 2010 Mustang. In fact, I think the Mustang has zero resemblance to those makes. LED tail lights are just a better and safer technology, not 'ricer'. Would you prefer Ford goes back to tungsten filament headlights like the originals?
The 2010 Mustang looks like a Mustang, the iconic all-American pony car that it started out to be
The front facsia of the Mustang has strong associations with the Mistsubishi EVOX. The rear end is from the Camary/Accord club. I call it the, "took a dump in my diaper" look.
The tail lights SCREAM cheap-part-Pep-Boys-Ricer-Special. There are many ways to utilize LED lights in a far, far better styled way. The lens design they used does not keep with a retro look and comes off as gawdy. Mercedes and BMW have handled the transition to LED tail lights much better, especially recently.
The Challengers tail light design is gorgeous. A perfect nod to the classic.
And yes I prefer the normal tail lights and halogen headlights on our cars. I don't mind the HIDS too much but the more white the choice in bulb temp the better.
The tail lights SCREAM cheap-part-Pep-Boys-Ricer-Special. There are many ways to utilize LED lights in a far, far better styled way. The lens design they used does not keep with a retro look and comes off as gawdy. Mercedes and BMW have handled the transition to LED tail lights much better, especially recently.
The Challengers tail light design is gorgeous. A perfect nod to the classic.
And yes I prefer the normal tail lights and halogen headlights on our cars. I don't mind the HIDS too much but the more white the choice in bulb temp the better.
cave diver
Member
d.r.moss
New Member
I read an article on the 2010 and it said they were trying to mimic the front end of the 69 and 70 mustangs. Looking at it from that point of view, I can see that alot more than a Honda or Toyota. I do not care to much for the rear end, and I like the look of the 2005-2009 much better, but if they changed the back for next year I think it would work. Now think about this, if they started with the 1967ish style, now it is the 1969-1970 style, next is the 1971-1973, which those are nice cars. My dad has a 1971 Mach1 and I would love to see that redesigned. They can skip the 1974-1978 mustangs, but if they bring back the fox, I think that would be a big hit and a huge money maker. I think they are on the right path.
The FOX is a nice design but it's far too cookie cutter 80's themed for me. I'd prefer to stay in the late 60s to early 70s. The cars just had more "style" more "presense". Just dance around that era.
As I said, 911s have kept the same basic shape for an eternity and they still sell like hot cakes. FYI I think the 911 is an ugly duck.
As I said, 911s have kept the same basic shape for an eternity and they still sell like hot cakes. FYI I think the 911 is an ugly duck.
GreyDiesel
New Member
I see what your getting at Mr. Q. But I dont think its so much that Ford is copying Japan, as it is, Ford made the new Mustang more aerodynamic. Japan's best designs have a more aerodynamic look, so if you make the Mustang more aerodynamic, you will also, unintentionally, make it look more Japanese.
The reason the muscle cars of the 1960s looked so great was because they did not have wind tunnels to screw up the designs. Have you heard of the new 2010 Camaro's front facia cracking at top speed? Even a modern interpretation of the 1960s Camaro is unable to cope with high wind speed.
Jalopnik - Camaro Grilles Cracking At High Speed? - Camaro
The reason the muscle cars of the 1960s looked so great was because they did not have wind tunnels to screw up the designs. Have you heard of the new 2010 Camaro's front facia cracking at top speed? Even a modern interpretation of the 1960s Camaro is unable to cope with high wind speed.
Jalopnik - Camaro Grilles Cracking At High Speed? - Camaro
d.r.moss
New Member
I hate 911s too, but they are working. Porshe went away from everybody else on the design of that car though, its unique, like the original Shelby Cobra. If they would have kept that going, it would still work today, right, its unique and fast as h***. I think they could have done some things different with the 2010 but I kinda like the more distict body lines on the sides and the front will work, the back needs to change, but I think they will work. By the way, I like my FOX.
walter
Founding Member
The question is then how far can you go before a design tires itself out. By that logic the S197 Should have been the last Mustang and that's it. If Ford had produced it another 5 years the sales would have bombed and the car scrapped for good. I don't like the new design though from a distance is not too different from our own (And the Roush 427R looks kinda nice). I am willing to stomach an ugly makeover if that's what it takes to preserve the marque, that's what body kits are for, besides do you really want to see a 2015 Mustang II?
walter
Founding Member
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