2018 Mustang refresh?

Tony Alonso said:

Yes, it just has to be "studied"

I personally have a hard time at seeing what a refreshed design could bring (unused design ideas from Ford notwithstanding) at this moment in time. I am going to have to keep studying the current car when I get it and live with it.

Wheels designs are about all my little mind can envision at this point.

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:amen:

It's thoroughly finished looking. I'm a big fan of modern surfacing trends. The S550 definitely takes the latest trends that work and ties them into a well-tailored package. Not much that I can nitpick about. They even did all the dirty aftermarket work for me and put on an ideal (imo) front splitter and rear diffuser from the showroom floor.

I heard it's going to have a triple-turbocharged crossplane crankshaft that runs on unicorn farts with 413mm carbon-cocaine brakes and 315s (made of fresh-squeezed rainbow juice) on all four corners. The wheels will change size depending on your application because they're forged in space from rare meteorium. The tri-bar taillights will in fact be three small lightsabers. Also, it'll have one horsepower per one kilogram of weight ala the Koenigsegg One:1 and will use the cellphone melded into the palm of your hand for steering inputs. The shocks are made of compressed cloud particles and injected with titanium that changes density prior to any road imperfections (updated constantly by Google maps, of course) in order to provide the best handling possible.*

*This is in no way meant to be offensive or rude.

Twin Turbo said:

It's possible they'd give us DI and a 10-speed auto in the current bodystyle, but I'd bet we'll see it with a refreshed body at the same time.

Time for Chrisvr6 to get Photoshopping


In the meantime, here's some "I" made earlier

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It's possible the 10-speed might arrive before that, like mid-year in early 2016. The new Stang looks great, but I feel that the front end would be the one to see the most changes and maybe body-coloured on the rear end, instead of black.

I really have to wonder if it will be just a refresh with no changes to sheet metal or genuine facelift that will alter the shape of some body panels.

DHG1078 said:

Another thing is there could be technology that just simply wasn't ready in time for the initial launch that they are still working on and will get included in the next refresh.

I do agree that it is quite silly we are all discussing this and the S550 hasn't even reached stealerships yet. Good discussion though.

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Good point on technology that might not have been ready. Depending on the level of the technologies, some of them could easily make it into the 2016-2017 model year if not too significant.

The more complex technologies probably might be factoring in here, but at the same time the source it came from is the design team. I figure (as Tony said below), they might be "visioning" and not officially working on major changes to the Mustang.

Any new models for 2016 (i.e. SVT) or special editions were probably designed through last year and are only being readied or tested now. Any ongoing Mustang design work related to exterior sheet metal, is for years down the road, due to the level of required investment dollars and ROI from the initial run.

Stealerships! :lol:I honestly was shocked to see that statement, but should probably take it with a great of salt. It's just how that time frame sounds legitimate, as he had said 2020, I would've discounted it as bull. All that's still subject to change at this point, depending on sales performance of the new model and other factors.

Tony Alonso said:

I would not be surprised that the designers are "visioning" right now. It will be interesting to see what changes would happen, given the way the styling influenced the hardpoints in the chassis now.

Better start saving

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That's a great description of what they're likely up to, as any hard points on design changes for 2018 won't be locked in until around late 2015/2016. I believe that usually happens around 15-18 months ahead of SOP and at most 24 months (i.e. 2010 S-197).

Maybe an even more aggressive appearance might be what's due then (and borrows from '16 SVT model?).

Twin Turbo said:

I really hope Ford continue to improve S550 just as they did with the '10 and '13 refreshes (and the '12 with the new engine/gearbox).

We have the detail/gripes thread, but that seems to have focused on the options/colours/tires side of things. How about we use this thread to discuss the STYLING changes we'd like to see in '18MY?

If you recall with the '10 refresh, many Mustang fans were very vocal about the rear lights, the diaper and the mutton chops! Ford listened, and these were addressed in the '13 refresh.

Other than the "Fusion coupe" comments, S550 seems to have escaped any specific styling issues, but I'm sure many of us would have done things differently. So, what would you like to see changed?

Me......I just want see a little more "edge" to the design, and perhaps re-introduce some of those key Mustang styling cues Whilst I love S550 as she is, I do believe she strayed a little too far from those obvious design cues.......

Front:
Less of a wrap-around on the headlamps
Even more of a shark-nose (would a "active" pop-up hood assist here, to get around the pedestrian impact legislation?)

I believe this one was on of Topnotch's early sketches. LOVE those headlamps! Similar to the '13, but swept back enough that they'd work with S550.

Side:
Reintroduce the full hockey stick
I'd love a return to the "dorito" rear 3/4 window

THIS is sooooo close to perfect for me. Perhaps the door window doesn't need to be quite to angled, but I'd take it as it is.

Rear:
Tweaks only......I love it as it is (other than giving us red tails outside the US ;) ) This was a design by Doug Schramm (Burningman). Very similar to S550, but I love the way the lights appear to "sink" into the rear panel.....

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Even though it is too early, I do agree with that and believe this or another thread can be semi-dedicated to any design improvements/changes, or major equipment (facelift level) changes.

shawndean22 said:

Seriously are you really thinking about a 2018 refresh when the 15' is not even for sale or even in prodcution. If you keep waiting you will end up with nothing.

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I don't really have a choice on the '15, as I "accidentally" bought a new vehicle recently and won't be in that position anyway, outside of interest and curiosity. I only brought this up, to keep all of us in the know as much as possible on any possible S550 plans.

Twin Turbo said:

In that case, what was the point of us being on this forum for the last x years, talking about a car that was still being designed, and was a long way from production?

Besides, nobody said anything about waiting, but it's good to know what's coming in the next few years ;)

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Exactly, as even though I barely took interest in the S550 2 years ago and was equally annoyed by the extreme secrecy from Ford (unlike transparent BMW/MB), I always like to know what's on the horizon before everyone else. Being in this field, it's always good to be updated on the future of the industry and its various segments.

scottpe said:

I think this is mostly reflective of the fact that we've just about run out of things to discuss about the 2015 until more real news starts surfacing. ;)

In a couple months when all the info is out there and reviews start trickling in, threads like this will fall by the wayside and the 2015 discussion topics and debates will be back in full swing.

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Bingo! Can't see one in person for 3-4 months really, so I've gotten bored and tried to fill in any more blanks that I perceive to missing. Wasn't really expecting any single word on anything post-2016.

CMcNam said:

I heard it's going to have a triple-turbocharged crossplane crankshaft that runs on unicorn farts with 413mm carbon-cocaine brakes and 315s (made of fresh-squeezed rainbow juice) on all four corners. The wheels will change size depending on your application because they're forged in space from rare meteorium. The tri-bar taillights will in fact be three small lightsabers. Also, it'll have one horsepower per one kilogram of weight ala the Koenigsegg One:1 and will use the cellphone melded into the palm of your hand for steering inputs. The shocks are made of compressed cloud particles and injected with titanium that changes density prior to any road imperfections (updated constantly by Google maps, of course) in order to provide the best handling possible.*

*This is in no way meant to be offensive or rude.

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This made me laugh out loud ... HARD! It might be the carbon-cocaine sample I was given, though.

Ford announced several years ago that it would speed up facelifts and new model introduction to stay competitive and not live in the past. IIRC, the figure that was thrown out was 3 years.
Some of you guys may remember that. It was around when the 2010 refresh was about to happen. I read it on TMS.

I heard it's going to have a triple-turbocharged crossplane crankshaft that runs on unicorn farts with 413mm carbon-cocaine brakes and 315s (made of fresh-squeezed rainbow juice) on all four corners.

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Boy the tire change guy's are going to have a blast with that brake dust! )

FordBlueHeart said:

Ford announced several years ago that it would speed up facelifts and new model introduction to stay competitive and not live in the past. IIRC, the figure that was thrown out was 3 years.
Some of you guys may remember that. It was around when the 2010 refresh was about to happen. I read it on TMS.

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I see now how that comes into play, as that's been the case since the 2013 Taurus. Hasn't really affected the SUV and CUV range yet ('16 Explorer). One Ford has a role in this for sure.

2018 wooo !! can't wait to see what the first major refresh after 15' will look like

guess.. noone saw a post by a guy here.. which clearly says.. new refresh due in 2020. which was initially supposed to happen in 2022. but preponed to 2020

btw that post also had a document from ford attached to it.

I believe that was for the new S650, not the refreshed S550.

berserker_sid said:

guess.. noone saw a post by a guy here.. which clearly says.. new refresh due in 2020. which was initially supposed to happen in 2022. but preponed to 2020

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That's the new model in 2020, not the refresh.

Refresh is next year in 2017 (MY '18)

Rise up from your sleep, old thread...

Egerly waiting any news on this. If there isn't an alternative to the mt-82 for a manual and real improvements to the motor it is s major disappointment. To stick with basically the same drivetrain from 2011 to 2020 (assuming nothing in 2018) during a decade of real progression from your competition doesn't make sense for me when the next car purchase comes

Mt-82 whine said:

Egerly waiting any news on this. If there isn't an alternative to the mt-82 for a manual and real improvements to the motor it is s major disappointment. To stick with basically the same drivetrain from 2011 to 2020 (assuming nothing in 2018) during a decade of real progression from your competition doesn't make sense for me when the next car purchase comes

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I liked my MT-82, especially the 2015 version. Nothing for me to whine about there. ;)