Ford's Dilemma...
 

Ok, so Ford has a smash hit with the 05 stang. It is retro...modernized. People love it...cant get enough of it...roush, saleen, svt..everyone's in the mix to make this body style be the best yet.

That is wonderful, the fact remains that this is a retro design...

where does Ford go from here?

In about 4 years, when people are tiring of the design...what will Ford do? in 98, they just touched up the design...sharpened up the corners, made new rims, and that was it. No new engine, and even the interior is identical.

We dealt with it once...but will anyone stand for a "touch up" on a retro design? I'm thinkin after 5 years, after the luster has faded, Ford will need to give us something completely new...or else..sadly, they will have to give up the mustang nameplate. They've ridden 40+ years with it...they'll surely go 45...but can they go 50?

I'm not saying they can't, but I'm saying that Ford better be having design teams thinking up designs right NOW for what they're gonna show us in 2010. Sure it sounds far away, but with 06 close...its less than 4 years that we will demand a concept of a new stang. Ford first revealed the 05 stang concept in 03...2 years b4 the release...with that in mind...can we expect a NEW mustang design concepts in as little as 2 years?? It sounds crazy, but that's why I think Ford has got some big decisions to make...and soon.

Sure the 2007 shelby will dominate in bang for the buck and good looks....but it's not just Ford that needs the mustang to succeed...Saleen, roush, and svt also depend on the mustang for the majority of their profits. If the mustang goes...it'd be sad to see them go too....

So what do you think?

I have thought about this too, the new will wear off of the retro design and GM is now missing the window on the retro craze in releasing the new camaro. The new mustang is growing on me but I don't think it even compares to the 99-04 design, not just because I own one. Ford will have to concentrate on increasing the power plant to keep the car in demand for a long period of time and subtle changes will take place to keep the car retro trendy. The retro design will eventually die and the future of the stang will depend on the post retro. No matter what ford sticks the mustang badge on it will sell just b/c of the name.

And let's be honest... it was great to modernize this design..

http://www.texomavintagecarclub.net/...%20Mustang.jpg

but how many mustang fans would be pissed if Ford modernized THIS design..

http://www.mustangsmustangs.net/ford...black_w7_1.jpg


I know I'd be pissed to no end...

And it will be fine that each year, Ford will touch up on the 05 style to make it look nicer, but if they throw a touched up '05 at us in 2010(like they threw the touched up '94 in '99) and say its the new body style, the mustang badge won't last.

Thats a negative ghost rider...even though they barely changed the 94-99, they DID change the engine...what are you talking about? ALOT of things were changed...and The Mustang is still the #1 selling sports car in the US, so how can you make that argument? Yes they didn't change it completely, but then again why change something that isn't broken...aka selling...

i think what ford is going to wind up doing which is going to be rele assanign is that they are going to rip off some ideas from the camaro that is going to be coming out or else they have to come up with sumthing brand new which they havent done in yrs

What do you mean Brand new? the 05' looks like nothing on the market right now, and I saw a picture of some new ford concept on here awhile back, i wonder whats guna happen with that...it looks like it's guna be set to compete with the eclipse or something..

sorry bro...from 98 to 99, the only changes were body and VERY minor engine mods. Slight hp tweaks, but nothing like giving it an extra valve(like in the 05's)

eh, they will just get the one they have now and touch it up, Pretty much what they are gonna do is get a bunch of "complaints, and ideas, and "The stang should of had this and that" and just add it to the design now and prolly change the body a bit here and a bit there, maybe make it a little wider, Finally add some functional side scoops?, etc etc etc, Im getting into Automotive Architecture and there is pretty much no limits to what you can do with sometihng. I know for sure they are gonna try to do something more "Sporty and crazy" to compete with the body lines of the new vette.

Um 170 hp to 193? for my V6 thats alot, plus the bodys look ALOT different...idk where your gettin off sayin that...oh yeah they didn't do a complete engine swap, but NO company does that, you should know about business...it would cost to much to completely change an engine...also even in the 99-04 there are changes...Gt's go from plastic uppers, to metal...thats a pretty big change in that it prevents all the breakage... Just cuz they don't turn it into a dodge charger or something doesn't mean it hasn't changed...

I was just saying...if you compare the 2 body styles(98 and 99), the overall look is the same(and the interiors are IDENTICAL). the 98 is curvier and the 99 has more straight edges. Imagine if Ford did the same by just updating the look to the 05 but just sharpening the look a bit more. I think functional side scoops would be an incredible first, and I have no clue why ford ever made them to begin with.

It worked once why wouldn't it work again? Again if it'snot broke don't fix it, if they changed it completey they run the risk of creating somethng people won't like, rather then just slightly changing what people already like....

its based off of the older mustangs fors needs a new deseign that has never been seen before

the fake side scoops and the fake hood scoop was one reason that made me want a mustang =/ and you know you liked them too. Personally im not ever gonna buy another mustang so i dont care. My next car is gonna be an 02 zo6

I think they may go into something along the lines of the new Fusion. But who really knows? Itll be 4 years till i really care...

I will always drive a Mustang no matter how they look... A Mustang is a Mustang (as long as it doesnt have a 4 banger)

as much as i love mustangs if i ever had the chance to have a c5 z06 i would take it and run

uhm, plastic heads? when did that ever happen? :p

It was either Carrol Shelby or Jack Roush that said "I have never seen a Mustang that I did not like."

The 99 Mustang was nothing more than a "Product Extension" or "Product Modification" from the previous design. That is not to say that they did not make changes...they did. The 2005 Platform is a completely new produc and doing that is MUCH more costly.

Well apparently from what Venom and 01Stang told me they have plastic upper's on their Gt's **did i say head, i def. ment upper intake...my B**

But yea, Ford is running a company...therefore they aren't guna do everything that would be "better" unless it's better AND cheaper...One day I hope to work for Ford, that would be amazing...

As for the Z06's yeah their nice, but thats still to me a mid life crises car, I know non of you are honestly guna go right out and pay 70 grand for it...so don't act like you are...lol spin...it's a great car, but for me I still gotta be able to use my car as a daily driver, and taking 1 girl, as opposed to 3 is alot easier in my Mustang...the truth is...most college girls don't give a **** about your car's speed as long as it drives...and looks good...

I have always loved Mustangs, my dad was a Chevy guy, but I am proud to say I have always loved them, Probably always will, even if i don't own one...

Here is my opinion. Look at what has happened to muscle cars of yester year. Corvette is more of a luxery car now that is fast. You have the Magnum that has somewhat of a muscle carish look but when it comes down to it, it is still a grocery getter and it is huge. Same with the Charger. Fast but it is a family car. Look at the damn Malibu and Impala. FAMILY FAMILY FAMILY! Don't get me started on the GTO. Sadly the muscle car world has turned into efficiency. I think the Mustang will go this route just judging by how much bigger the 05 is than past Mustangs. I respect chevy for taking a step back and redesigning the late 60s camaro but as we all know, the true production car will look totally different. I have a bad feeling about Mustangs and their future. I think they will be around still, but the look I feel will not be for me. Carol Shelby had a lot to do with the 05, but sadly he is old and won't be around forever. I don't know what will happen but we always have the old Mustangs to buy.

Please tell me you are kidding? The Corvette and luxury car should never be used in the same sentance. The vette has the ****tiest interior in any car over 50K. Its awful. Now maybe its luxury compared to a mustang but no real lux company would put that crap out in their entry level car.

But if you remember most of the muscle cars back in the hay day were huge. They were the large cars stuffed with a big fast motor. Torinio, Charger, Chevelle, etc. But I do agree the 300, Charger, and Mangum are huge but they have hit the mark where DC wanted them to.

Agreed GM is ruining some of the names of old cars they had.

Come on now, the new 05 GTO would rip most old muscle cars apart while riding better, handling better, having AC and heat, having nice leather, and meanwhile getting 28mpg on the highway. Thats not going backwards thats major progress.

The mustang will be fine as long as it gets a little quicker and more refined while staying near the same price when they redesign it. And carrol imo is only on with ford in a marketing capacity. I mean even on the cobra concept and GR-1 they showed on rides he had nothing to do with design, engineering, etc he was just there when they were finished to say yeah it looks good and drive it around the track.

Ford is using his name just like DC did when bringing back the HEMI name. Its to sell cars no more, no less. The same thing will happend if Ford bings back the mach or boss name.

I am saying luxery compared to the past. They don't ride like a sports car should. You shouldn't feel the extreme comfort in a sports car in my opinion. That is what I meant by luxery.



But if you remember most of the muscle cars back in the hay day were huge. They were the large cars stuffed with a big fast motor. Torinio, Charger, Chevelle, etc. But I do agree the 300, Charger, and Mangum are huge but they have hit the mark where DC wanted them to.


Agreed GM is ruining some of the names of old cars they had.[/QUOTE]




Come on now, the new 05 GTO would rip most old muscle cars apart while riding better, handling better, having AC and heat, having nice leather, and meanwhile getting 28mpg on the highway. Thats not going backwards thats major progress.[/QUOTE]

It looks like a freakin import. Yes it is fast and yes it is efficient for the power it has, but that thing is ugly as hell. The could have done much better with the GOAT.



The mustang will be fine as long as it gets a little quicker and more refined while staying near the same price when they redesign it. And carrol imo is only on with ford in a marketing capacity. I mean even on the cobra concept and GR-1 they showed on rides he had nothing to do with design, engineering, etc he was just there when they were finished to say yeah it looks good and drive it around the track.

Ford is using his name just like DC did when bringing back the HEMI name. Its to sell cars no more, no less. The same thing will happend if Ford bings back the mach or boss name.[/QUOTE]

Personally, the 05 hasnt grown on me yet but, Ford may be able to ride the retro thing out a bit longer... I could see the updated 2010 Mustang looking like a retro '70 Boss. Ford needs to be careful however, people fall in love with retro at first, but it doesnt take long for the effect to wear off. Remember the retro T-Bird?? How long did that last ??

Grimmz, 70k for a zO6?, A brand spanking new one is not even 70k, I plan on getting like a 2000-2003 zo6 used with like 40,000 miles, I have seen them for as little as 30k-40k

It is an import :) But seriously the original GTO wasnt that dramatic looking either, the new GTO imo looks nice. Its not flashy like the stang or LS1 WS6s or whatever but doesnt need to be. It lets the killer stock exhaust and 400hp do the talking.

**** theres an 02 zo6 where i live in bewster ny with 47,910 miles on it and is 27,000$

Thats great but unless your a SUPER spoiled kid i don't see why you'd wana drive a vette...just you and one other person, no trunk...i mean atleast my stang is somewhat use able, sure it's a great car, but realize the people that drive them, use them as weekend getters, or nice day drives...ie they trade in the Benz for the Vette durin the rainy day's...

no im not spoiled i own a 99 v6 ur allot better off then me im just saying i like the z06 and that there very nice and not to much mulah for the niceness and power

Not you...Spin was more talkin about tradin his in...

gotch no prob :rolleyes: