2005 Mustang GT Concept

When the '05 Mustang arrives, it will replace a car that has galloped on much the same legs since 1979. A chassis that old is mind-blowing given today's fast-evolving auto technologies and buyers' volatile tastes.

From an automotive-product standpoint, a lot has happened since then: the birth of the minivan and the mass popularization of the sport/utility. There have been two new generations of Corvettes since the late '70s (Viper was still just the name of a snake). The Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird have been redone twice since '79 and have since passed on. In the meantime, the current-generation Mustang has maintained a legion of fans, scored countless race wins and championships, and continued to ring the cash register for the Blue Oval.

For '05, everything old will be new again. Ford Automotive Operations Vice President of Design J Mays and his team have cooked up a strong, heritage-flavored design for this important nameplate, sporting a stance that's bold, visually well-proportioned, and containing a tangy blend of late-'60s ponycar cues. "We've obviously chosen to embrace our heritage," Mays says. "This is as close to a modern interpretation of this icon as we could provide. At the same time, it's an aggressively modern vehicle."

We spoke to Mustang design and engineering teams in Michigan and California about the production version of the all-new ponycar (due out in less than two years). At this early stage, Ford is holding close some of the fine details and purposefully keeping others fuzzy. There are really two stories here: a crystal-ball overview of the new production models, plus a close look at the two Mustang concept cars intended to keep us interested in the meantime.

These pages contain photos and particulars of the 400-horsepower Mustang convertible concept executed by Richard Hutting and his team of designers and craftsmen at Ford Design California. A silver-gray GT coupe and this seriously red ragtop were unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January. If you like what you see in these stylized, detailed show toys, you'll be happy with the similar-looking base V-6, V-8 GT, SVT, and what will follow when the new Mustang goes on sale in late 2004.