2015 Mustang must gallop on global stage (in design and engineering)

[KZStang]

Saw this yesterday. They got a hold of Ford's design chief for Europe during the Geneva show. No real news but good to hear they understand going global doesn't mean abandoning your roots. Let's keep that undeniable Stang DNA! Just looking at some of the designs they have over there and in Asia (like the EcoSport) makes you realize the challenge they have.... I got faith they can do it though :clap2:

GENEVA -- Ford Motor Co.'s product development team is facing its toughest challenge yet in developing a global design language: creating a Mustang that works outside North America.

The next Mustang, scheduled to arrive next year, is scheduled for sale in Europe and other parts of the world. For Ford of Europe design chief Martin Smith, that means Ford has "a knife edge to walk" in keeping the fabled pony car attractive to American loyalists while appealing to new buyers.

"That is a really interesting challenge," Smith said in an interview at the Geneva auto show. "What will emerge from that whole process is one of the best sports cars in the world and one that is still affordable."

"It won't cost $1 million," he added, in a reference to the several seven-figure models on display in Geneva.

The development process is moving the Mustang to Ford global design and engineering standards, while trying to maintain its identity as "a North American icon," Smith said. The next-generation Ford Edge also will be sold in Europe.

Although a few Mustangs have been sold in Europe by private importers, Ford will sell the next generation through its dealer network as part of the "one Ford" push initiated by CEO Alan Mulally.

Ford also showed the five-seat Tourneo Connect, the next generation of the Transit Connect in the United States.

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.d...ang-must-gallop-on-global-stage#axzz2NGVul01x

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[Jarstang]

Good to hear: "while trying to maintain its identity as "a North American icon,"

Since this interview was with Ford's European design chief, I wonder how much input (if any) the Ford European design studio in Germany had in designing the next Mustang.

Hopefully as more info is released on the s550 Mustang we'll hear more about the design process and which studio the design originated from. That kinda stuff is always interesting to learn.

 

[Prodigy]

Good to hear: "while trying to maintain its identity as "a North American icon,"

Since this interview was with Ford's European design chief, I wonder how much input (if any) the Ford European design studio in Germany had in designing the next Mustang.

Hopefully as more info is released on the s550 Mustang we'll hear more about the design process and which studio the design originated from. That kinda stuff is always interesting to learn.

I really hope him and the European design team weren't too involved in the design. I looked him up, he's coming from Opel and before that, Audi. The "maintaining identity as a N.American icon" speak is just talking points. The fact that he called it a sports car..... :tsk: Yea i know I'm nitpicking.

 

[Harrison]

Its definitely a fine line ""a knife edge to walk" on because if they make it too classic Mustang / American design they risk alienating and not capturing the European audience that they re really trying for with the 2015 model. But make it too European in design and they risk alienating the traditional North American fans.

This is gonna be a toughie. For the Mustang to survive and expand globally, it needs wider appeal with great styling that satisfies a wide gamut of tastes, together with sensible engine choices.

Any body see any renders in the render thread that does this? Fwd it to Ford if you do!

 

[KZStang]

You can tell just from reading the forums online that Mustang owners are changing as a demographic. You can show some of these young kids a classic 67 and they will tell you it doesn't look like a "real Mustang" because to them the '94-'04 is old school.

I think Ford recognizes this and knows the old codgers are a dying breed. Modern is the way forward.

 

[Krishna]

I don't care if we keep the retro look or not per se, but I just really hope they do better than the Fox body or the S95 if we're going for a more modern look. To me, those were the dark ages for the Stang.

 

[Ricky35]

I don't care if we keep the retro look or not per se, but I just really hope they do better than the Fox body or the S95 if we're going for a more modern look. To me, those were the dark ages for the Stang.

Ya thinking back they really weren't much to look at but the the Fox body holds a special place in my heart still. I remember driving around in my first car a Corolla and coming up on Fox body cars with the big prominent 5.0 badge on the side with their loud exhausts and thinking what a badass car

Plus, Vanilla Ice had a convertible Fox body Mustang in his video Seemed real cool back in the day.

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