It's Official!

[sixstringthing]

I for one agree with the original poster. I've seen the car in person, myself, several friends (male and female) and my dad all thought it was a step-backwards from the current style (appearance wise, there is no denying that the updated suspension etc. are top notch). The current style is aggresive yet has the "sexy curves", I would have loved to see progression not go back to a dated style. As far as all current companies going retro? Yea right. Look at the C6 Vette, now they nailed it right on the head! The car has retained much of it's heritage but has now gained this much more exotic look (and those words are straight from people at corvetteforum.com). It's moving forward, it has power mixed with sex-appeal, a winner IMO. Then you got the new Mustang, front-end is not bad but overall WAY too plain, like it or not the style is dated. It doesn't come close to the agressive looks of the original Fastbacks, yet lacks any modern looks... stick to one or the other, a classic car is a classic car and a modern car will one day be a classic. There's no denying that the hardcore mustang/drag racing enthusiasts are going to eat this one up, but unlike the new Vette I think it is leaving a big crowd out. (And of course 99% of the people HERE are going to love it... 1.it's a Mustang site filled with racers, 2. it's the 2005 forum)

 

[Stangar]

sounds like somebody can't qualify for financing.

What is financing? People who have real money are often the least likely to spend it. It's actually painful to spend. I know, . . . you don't see that on "MTV's Cribs". Some like to impress and thinking you have to have the latest thing that everyone else has, and being buried in debt, is not the way to go.

 

[Enzora]

Funny, I don't recall anyone talking about the 500 or Futura being retro. I guess after the feeble attempt at sarcasm about the Mustang design, you just ran out of ideas and had to pull something out of your....well, you get the idea...

1. There was absolutely no sarcasm in my reference to the '05 as a caricature of the original.

2. The Five Hundred and Fusion aren't supposed to be retro. There actually was sarcasm there.

 

[TomServo92]

1. There was absolutely no sarcasm in my reference to the '05 as a caricature of the original.

2. The Five Hundred and Fusion aren't supposed to be retro. There actually was sarcasm there.

Alright then. Let's attempt to have an intelligent discussion. According to Websters, the definition of "caricature" is:

A representation, especially pictorial or literary, in which the subject's distinctive features or peculiarities are deliberately exaggerated to produce a comic or grotesque effect.

Would you mind explaining why you feel the '05 Mustang is a comic and/or grotesque representation of a 60's Mustang?

 

[Enzora]

Would you mind explaining why you feel the '05 Mustang is a comic and/or grotesque representation of a 60's Mustang?

Well, let's start with the shape of the 60s Mustangs. Very sleek. Now remove the small, sharp front bumper and add a bulky one that meets today's safety standards. Do the same to the rear. You now have way too much "weight" shifted to the extremes of the car. Then, because all modern cars have to be practical, make the trunk and doors much taller, to accommodate for more room. This adds the illusion of even more weight where it isn't needed.

 

[caballo]

This thread was started with a post that was plagerized almost verbatim from a magazine article.

FYI

 

[TomServo92]

Well, let's start with the shape of the 60s Mustangs. Very sleek. Now remove the small, sharp front bumper and add a bulky one that meets today's safety standards. Do the same to the rear. You now have way too much "weight" shifted to the extremes of the car. Then, because all modern cars have to be practical, make the trunk and doors much taller, to accommodate for more room. This adds the illusion of even more weight where it isn't needed.

I wouldn't call those comic or grotesque representations of the 60s Mustang. The bumpers are like that because it's mandated. The trunk and doors are there, as you put it, for practical reasons. These design elements are in the current Mustang as well as many other cars. I think Ford did a very good job updating the classic Mustang look given design requirements of a modern car (safety, practicality, etc).

 

[sixstringthing]

Well, let's start with the shape of the 60s Mustangs. Very sleek. Now remove the small, sharp front bumper and add a bulky one that meets today's safety standards. Do the same to the rear. You now have way too much "weight" shifted to the extremes of the car. Then, because all modern cars have to be practical, make the trunk and doors much taller, to accommodate for more room. This adds the illusion of even more weight where it isn't needed.

Good point. As I said in my post this car doesn't come close to the nice looks of the fastback b/c obviously we are in an other era and changes had to be made yet doesn't look modern either b/c they tried to make it look retro. If I want a classic muscle car I would buy a classic muscle car, not a modern car that tries to pay tribute to it. If I want a modern car, I want a modern looking car. Up until now the Mustang was definately progressing, I was certainly hoping that the 2005 model's appearance would build on the current model making it even more aggressive or start from scratch and just keep a few signature features but not go back a few decades and try to make a copy of an old car.

 

[SVTdriver]

Well, let's start with the shape of the 60s Mustangs. Very sleek. Now remove the small, sharp front bumper and add a bulky one that meets today's safety standards. Do the same to the rear. You now have way too much "weight" shifted to the extremes of the car. Then, because all modern cars have to be practical, make the trunk and doors much taller, to accommodate for more room. This adds the illusion of even more weight where it isn't needed.

Have you seen this car up close in person?

 

[Irv]

I have never seen cribs, mtv does not interest me. I do not spend money easily either. I do like the new Mustang and I may buy one. I just can't see why you have to lift your comments from a magazine. Maybe you just have to be old to like the new one, I admit I am probably older than most folks here. I like it because it is reminscent of my 69. IMHO the 65-70 are all better looking than any mustangs since, including my 95.

 

[Enzora]

I wouldn't call those comic or grotesque representations of the 60s Mustang. The bumpers are like that because it's mandated. The trunk and doors are there, as you put it, for practical reasons. These design elements are in the current Mustang as well as many other cars. I think Ford did a very good job updating the classic Mustang look given design requirements of a modern car (safety, practicality, etc).

Yeah, but those few changes to the original design, although made out of necessity, just kill the look for me.

And no, SVTdriver, I have not seen this car in person. But perhaps I should mention that very rarely do I see a car I find ugly in photographs that seems to have a miraculous makeover into a beauty once I see it in person.

 

[SVTdriver]

I understand that you may not find it beautiful. But the reality is it only looks big and heavy in pictures. Nearly everyone at the mustang show this week. Was commenting on how the back end didn't look nearly as big in person. And that the car was better looking in person. And I think the original and the 05 are fairly close. It is not all that much taller (considering it has bigger wheels).
And I would bet you'll find the door pretty close to the same size.
http://bradbarnett.net/mustangs/timeline/05/05/WorldsFair2.jpg

 

[i4power]

The 2005 Mustang GT is the first car i've ever wanted to have sex with.

 

[NewPony'05]

Well, in my opinion, it's about time that mustang went back to it's roots. Around the mid-70's the mustang lost everything that makes it a mustang in my opinion. Since the mid 80's the car has been on the upswing, and since 2000 I've been thinking of purchasing a new stang. I say to Ford for the design of the 2005 mustang, because now it's not even a decision I have to make, just a trip to the dealer to buy.

 

[blown65]

Personally I love the new 05, maybe a few mods but hell, how many ppl dont mod a car a little. I'm waitin though till 06 for the Cobra.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Oh yeah, solid rear axle in this day and age is ridiculous. I will soldier on in my '89 Mustang GT and begin to shop other makes. Just my rant.

Trust me, the solid axle in the new(ish) stangs is nothing like the solid axles in the old Fox bodies.

Ford has tinkered with the suspension a lot to get it to ride great and has even widened the 8.8 rear to give it a better feel. My '03 rides nothing like my Foxes. It's like a caddillac compared to them and still handles better than any fox stock.

I would imagine the '05 with it's panhard bar and improved front setup will handle even better and still ride soft

 

[SVTdriver]

Trust me, the solid axle in the new(ish) stangs is nothing like the solid axles in the old Fox bodies.

Ford has tinkered with the suspension a lot to get it to ride great and has even widened the 8.8 rear to give it a better feel. My '03 rides nothing like my Foxes. It's like a caddillac compared to them and still handles better than any fox stock.

I would imagine the '05 with it's panhard bar and improved front setup will handle even better and still ride soft

Yes but the reality is some people need something to complain about.

 

[351CJ]

And that the car was better looking in person. And I think the original and the 05 are fairly close. It is not all that much taller (considering it has bigger wheels).
[/url]

Dimension: 2005 - - 1965 - % change
Length.... 187.6 ....181.6 ... +3.3%
Width ..... 73.9 ..... 68.2 ... +8.4%
Height ..... 54.5 .... 51.0 ... +6.8%
Wheelbase 107.1 .. 108.0 ... -0.8%
Front Track. 62.3 .. 56.0 ... +11.3%
Rear Track . 62.5 .. 56.0 ... +11.6%

The overall height is not that important. What matters is that the width has increased more than the height which will give the 05 a lower wider more aggressive appearance as will its increase in length. Also notice the large increase in track on the 05 which adds to its agressive appearance.

If you haven't seen the 05 in person, you should with hold your comments until you do see it. I saw the '05 in conjunction with the GAPDII, so the parking lot was full of Mustangs of virtualy every year from 1965 - 2004. Sitting next to each other, almost all prior Mustangs look sort of like Tinker-Toys compared to the 05. The only past Mustangs that can hold a candle to the 05 are 67 - 70, but even those look pretty funny with their narrow track which has the wheels recessed way into the fenders compared to the '05. The 1960's stangs also have very upright windshields compared to the 05 and the side windows are very recessed. These aspects all make the 60's stangs have a very antiquated appearance compared to the 05.

The '05 Stang is exactly what I am looking for. I wouldn't even call it "retro". I'd call it a 21st Century, modern Mustang that draws on styling cues from the 1960's Stangs. After seeing the 05 in person, the only things that I would want to change are:

1. Get rid of that wing spoiler and give me a nice duck tail.

2. It could have used a little hip in the body line near the rear wheels like the 60s' Mustangs had.

3. I would like the fog lamps on the GT to be smaller. IMHO it would look great with a cross grille and small fog lamps like the 65 - 67 GT's had. Someone photo chopped that on an '05 photo and it looked great. Some rumors are that is what we will get in the first SE.

 

[NewPony'05]

anybody actually taken a close enough look at the foglamps on the grille? I was wondering if they'd be removable without leaving this huge hole... Although I'm sure someone will come out with a full aftermarket grille for it eventually. Hoping they didn't just cut holes through the grille and placed a bracket for them over the grille somehow. Ahh well, looks like the project list is gonna start growing already and I haven't even got it yet.

 

[M1Rifle]

anybody actually taken a close enough look at the foglamps on the grille? I was wondering if they'd be removable without leaving this huge hole... Although I'm sure someone will come out with a full aftermarket grille for it eventually. Hoping they didn't just cut holes through the grille and placed a bracket for them over the grille somehow. Ahh well, looks like the project list is gonna start growing already and I haven't even got it yet.

I'm sure you could order a grille from a V6 and swap it in. I prefer the look with the fog lamps, but if you really want this (and don't need to wait for some shiny "billet" grill), get a V6 grill. It won't be cheap, but Ford will sell them (need to, in order to handle repairs on fender-benders)