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2002 Mustang Line-Up MACH 1 2004 Mustang Page 1

 

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2004 MUSTANG

Thirty-seven years ago, Ford began the whole ponycar thing with its cute and affordable Mustang. No one cared that the 2+2 was based on the homely Falcon, as it set sales records from day one and spawned a legion of competitors nationwide. Today, things are quite different: The formerly popular Mustang fighters of Barracuda and Challenger are long gone. Cougar is a front-driver marketed to young women. Javelin/AMX died years before its maker did. And Camaro and Firebird are lame ducks. But the first ponycar, left for dead at least twice (Mustang II, Probe), is being prepared for its first full redesign in a quarter century. If all goes as planned, Ford will launch a new Mustang in the '04 model year with production scheduled to begin in February 2003. The next 'Stang sits on a shortened DEW platform, the basis for the Lincoln LS, Jaguar S-Type, and Ford Thunderbird.

But the Mustang hasn't been a ponycar in the classic sense of the term for years, and the '04 model, being developed under the codename S197 will be no different. Ford Motor Co. Design Chief J Mays says the heritage on which the next Mustang will draw is that of the beefier '67-'70 models and less so the daintier '65-'66. That influence already appears in this year's special-edition Bullitt Mustang, a car designed to evoke Steve McQueen's dark green '68 GT from the famous movie chase scene. The '04 Mustang will borrow from that car's look and will again be available as either a two-door coupe or a convertible. A proposal to revive the Mustang fastback was shelved early in the program.

As these illustrations show, the S197's styling is an evolution of the current car's, with better-integrated C-pillars, bumpers, and trim. The change is not unlike that of the current Chevrolet/GMC pickup trucks, or perhaps of the C4-C5 Corvette-it'll have a much cleaner appearance than the current car's, but you won't mistake it for anything but a Mustang.

While the Mustang got a significant update for '99, the car rides on what is essentially the same Fox platform that lifted the pony out of its Pinto-based Mustang II doldrums way back in '79. The S197 will ride on a platform dubbed "DEW-lite." It's shorter than any of the current DEW cars and will have steel where the LS/Type-S/T-Bird uses aluminum in the long- and short-arm suspension pieces. The change is due to cost-the Mustang must remain a popularly priced car. Interestingly, all new Mustangs will have independent rear suspension with MacPherson struts at the front.

Ford will move Mustang production from its aged Dearborn plant to the Flat Rock, Michigan, facility it shares with Mazda and which, ironically, built the Probe. It's hoped the move to the more modern Flat Rock plant improves Mustang quality and build efficiency.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2, PAGE 3

Source:

Motor Trend (New Article September 2001) http://www.motortrend.com/

 

 

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